Summer Term Dates

• 8th, 9th, 10th May - Manor Adventure Residential (Year 6) 
• w/c 10th June and w/c 17th June - Parent Consultations* (appointments will be text out closer to the dates)
• 4th June - Key Stage 2 visit to West Midland Safari Park
• 25th June - Dosbarth Melyn Trip - Park Play Cardiff (more details to follow)
• 26th June - Dosbarth Pinc Trip (to be confirmed)
• 11th July - Dosbarth Coch Trip - Mambos Cardiff (more details to follow)
• 12th July - Reports sent to parents

Sports Days

• 3rd July - Foundation Phase Sports 10am start
• 4th July - Key Stage 2 Sports 10am start

Reserve Dates for Sports Days

• 9th July - Key Stage 2 10am start
• 10th July - Foundation Phase 10am start

Parent Consultations

• The format of parent consultations will change slightly this year.  Your face to face meeting with the class teacher will still go ahead as normal however we will share with you your child's work rather than spending most of the appointment reading through the report. 
• This work might be their school books, photos, artwork or even short videos.  You will then be able to discuss how your child is doing in school, the progress they are making and how best to support them to make continued progress. 
• Reports will be sent out later in the term as normal.  Our intention is for you to view your child's work and have a more personal conversation with your child's teacher rather than read through the report. 
• If you have any questions at all then please speak to Mr James or Mrs Hurley.

Dear Parent/Carer

As you will be aware, the Council had planned to introduce a charge for the childcare provided in advance of free breakfast clubs. These proposed charges did not include learners eligible to free school meals, and free breakfast clubs would continue to be offered.

Whilst the implementation date for these changes was intended to be the summer term 2024, plans have been temporarily paused. The childcare and breakfast club provision in your school will remain unchanged for now and will continue to be delivered as normal.

Further information will follow next term.    

Many thanks

Gaynor Davies
Director of Education and Inclusion Services

Cyfarwyddwr Addysg a Gwasanaethau Cynhwysiant

Fun, Fitness and Family Class

Families can get fit and have fun together, thanks to a brand-new weekend class launching at Abercynon Leisure Centre.

• Sport RCT and Leisure for Life have joined forces to deliver new sessions that take place between 11am and 12pm on Saturdays.
•  Importantly, the circuit-style classes are offered at a reduced price and enable each paying adult to bring up to two children, aged six-18, plus another adult, with them for free!
•  Suitable for all ages and fitness levels, the classes will give families the chance to spend quality time together, while also having fun at the bright, modern leisure centre.
•  Often, childcare can be a barrier for accessing Leisure for Life opportunities, so the classes are a great way for everyone to get involved!
•  Led by a qualified instructor, the classes will be run in a circuit format, but will use a wide variety of equipment to suit everyone’s needs and abilities.
•  Because there is such a mix of ages and abilities in the classes, everyone can get involved and support and motivate each other – perfect for beginners and those who don’t feel really confident in a Leisure for Life setting.
•  The weekly classes start on Saturday, February 3 at Abercynon Leisure Centre and you can book via the Leisure for Life APP now.
•  Entry is £3.80 per adult and you can bring up to two children (aged six-18) and one other adult with you, as long as the second adult has not been a Leisure for Life member in the last 18 months.

Dear Parent/ Carer

I  am writing to inform you that at the Cabinet Meeting on 20th November 2023,  the Council agreed to carry out a consultation to review its current Home to School Transport (HTS) provision  for children and young people in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The proposal sets out a new Home to School Transport Policy, which primarily maintains the generous discretionary transport and providing mainstream English, Welsh and Faith primary school, secondary school and college transport in line with relevant statutory distance criteria, which would be implemented from the start of the 2025/2026 academic year.

The details of the proposal and the opportunity to respond to the consultation can be found at: Consultation on the Council's Home to School Transport Policy | Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council (rctcbc.gov.uk)

Please note that the consultation starts on 27th November 2023 and will end at 5pm on 8th January 2024.

Kind Regards

 Stephen Williams

Director for Highways, Streetcare and Transportation Services

School Essentials Grant

The School Essentials Grant is available to children and young people eligible for means-tested free school meals, Children Looked After and those who are classed as No Recourse to Public Funds in year groups Reception to Year 11.

Some families may not be aware that financial support is available to help with the cost of school essentials like uniform (including coat and shoes), PE kit, and stationery.

Eligible families can apply for a grant of:

• £125 per learner
• £200 for learners entering year 7 (to help with increased costs associated with starting secondary school)

Families are only entitled to claim once per child, per school year.

The 2023 to 2024 scheme will remain open until 31 May 2024. Please check your eligibility for this support and apply via this link.

If you have any issues with the application process, please email:  SchoolEssentialsGrant@rctcbc.gov.uk

Please read below a safeguarding message from RCT Council:

It has come to the attention of the Local Authority that there are significant safeguarding concerns in respect of the Omegle.com website/app due to its harmful sexual content and access to personal data including locations. Children, young people and their parents/carers are advised to delete this app.

If you believe a child/young person has been a victim of online harm/exploitation then you should report this to 101 and where required appropriate safeguarding referrals should be made. If it is believed a child is at immediate risk then emergency services should be contacted by ringing 999.

Further information on the risks associated with this website can be found at the following links:

https://oursaferschools.co.uk/2022/09/30/dangerous-chat-rooms-alert/

https://saferinternet.org.uk/blog/what-is-omegle-key-things-parents-and-carers-need-to-know

Please follow the link below for the council statement.

https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Newsroom/PressReleases/2023/September/CouncilstatementonRAACconcreteinvestigations.aspx

Click on the link for a Wales online article featuring our school. 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/welsh-village-half-kids-grow-16354999