Here you will find the latest news and information about school events. Please subscribe to the calendar to keep fully informed.
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School Blog Friday 1st October 2021
Wed 29 Sep 2021Dear Parents and Carers,
We have had a great harvest week, and we must thank you for supporting Mathew's House with all your donations. I know the contribution that you make to this worthwhile charity really does make a huge difference. Swansea is home to many struggling families, and we will continue to be a place where food donations can be made throughout the year. Here are this week's headlines:-
1. Drop Off & Pick Up - Please remember that school gates need to be locked by 8.55 in the morning to enable staff to start their school day. If you are late, please use the side lane gate where you will need to press the buzzer. Thank you for your co-operation with this, and please remember to use the drop off zone for pupils in PryCop and Pysgodyn. A few parents have asked if Pengwin pupils can be dropped off at the drop off zone. If you feel your child can walk independently to the office door, then we can accommodate this. However we do not have the free staff to take them around.
We are having more and more parents pulling up in cars and expecting staff to take pupils out to them at the end of the day. As much as this would be a lovely service to offer, we do not have the capacity as it leaves other pupils unsupervised, and it also blocks the highway. Please park safely and come and collect your child from the school grounds. Please pass this message onto any friends and relatives who collect.
2. Shwmae Day - We will be celebrating this day with lots of Welsh activities in each pod. Our super Driegaiu will be planning some fun for everyone. Da iawn pawb! Don't forget to greet all your family and friends with a big "shwmae" on this day.
3. Wizardry and Wonders Week - Our traditional Monster Ball is once again scuppered by the pandemic. However, we will not be beaten, and feel we have come up with an even better plan. We are planning a week of events and activities to ensure that the pupils do not miss out. Learning will not stop, but we will focus our topic on the "force of magic and science". Pods will be planning magic tricks, experiments, cooking, art, literature and numeracy activities linked to the time of year. If you have any good ideas that could enhance this week for the pupils, please let us know. Each day a different pod will have use of the marquee for their very own monster's ball. Here is the plan for the week
Moany Monday: Teachers will launch the week
Terrifying Tuesday: Pili Pala to dress for a monster's ball
Woo ooo ooo Wednesday: Pysgodyn to dress up for a monster's ball
Thriller Thursday: PryCops to dress up for a monster's ball
Freaky Friday: Pengwins to dress up for a monster's ball
4. Home Quests: Your pod staff will be setting the expectations for home learning to support your child in their recovery from missed school. Please encourage your child to practise the skills they have learnt in school through our excellent online tools. If you have any issues accessing these, please contact your pod staff immediately. We love to see what you have been doing, so please share on twitter using the hashtag #LlanRead or #LlanHome
5. Spare clothes for little accidents - From time to time our younger learners have little accidents and need to be changed. If you have any aged 8 below trousers, boys/girls pants or socks we would be very grateful. We seem to have a glut of tights so do not need these.
That just leaves me to say have a fabulous weekend,
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 24th September
Fri 24 Sep 2021Dear Parents and Carers,
We have had another super week in Llanrhidian, and we again thank you for all your co-operation. By working together, and taking a common sense approach to infection control, we are keeping our infection rates low and keeping the learning going. We mustn’t forget how much school our learners have missed, and the key to recovery is staying open, staying healthy and above all enjoying learning. Here are this week’s important headlines:
1. Reading – As you know we teach reading in a range of ways across the school. We have daily spotlight lessons as well as planning for opportunities to read across all areas of learning. But we need your help to provide opportunities to practice at home. Some pupils tell us that they spend far more time on computer games than reading, and we are seeing the effects of this on their reading progress. As a result, we ask you to join us in raising the profile of reading for enjoyment. We want to celebrate this through twitter, so please send us your pictures to @Llarhidianp with the hashtag #LlanRead so we can re-tweet. This could be a picture of your child on Reading Eggs, reading a magazine, reading signs in the environment or their favourite book. Please do not add your child’s name to the tweet. We have plenty of CAPER books that you can borrow at anytime, so if you are short of reading material, just let your pod staff know. Let’s turn this into a success story.
2. Breakfast Club – We are still operating under a range of risk assessments to minimise the risk of infection transmission. Please remember that we have a limited number of spaces, per pod, and places must be booked in with the office. If we are unable to offer you a place, we will put you on a waiting list. The early bird craft club needs to be cost neutral to the school, and if we do not receive sufficient funds to pay for staff, it is at risk of closure. For more information visit our website.
3. Harvest Wednesday 29th September - We will be celebrating Harvest with a selection of fun activities, inside and out, throughout the day. To make it even more fun, we are offering the option to dress up as farmers (flat caps, checked shirts, wellies etc) for the day. This is optional! As is tradition, we will also be collecting non-perishable food items, toiletries, and warm clothing items (hats, gloves, socks, etc) to send to our good friends at Matthew’s House on the day.
4. School Council Elections October 12th – Every year each pod elect a representative to sit on the school council. Every child has the opportunity to create a campaign poster, or flipgrid, clearly stating why they should be voted for. They will also present their ideas of how they will improve the school to their pod before the all important vote.
5. School Photos November 12th – We have booked into have family photos on this date. We will continue to monitor the covid situation, and give you more information near the date.
Have a super week!
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 17th September 2021
Wed 15 Sep 2021Dear Parents and Carers,
Our learning is well underway this term, and the pupils are loving our new topic. Thank you all so much for your support as we again face challenges with Covid19.
This term we are saying thank you and goodbye to Mrs Austin who has left us to start a new job. I am sure you will join me in thanking her for her hard work, and in particular setting up our reading band scheme that is so popular with the pupils. Here are the week's headlines:
1. Whole School Topic "May The Force Be With You! - You will soon be receiving a Pod Project Overview (PPO) which will show you some of the topic based learning for the term. The purpose of the PPO is to demonstrate the authentic and fun context in which we engage our learners. This is in line with the new Curriculum for Wales which will be statutory from September 2022. If you can compliment the topic with any skills or ideas, please let your staff know.
2. Uniform - If you need new uniform you can now order direct from the supplier, Bergoni. For more information, visit our school uniform webpage. Although we expect to see the pupils in school uniform every day, please layer the children up as the weather gets colder. We have to maintain a flow of ventilation at all times, and this does mean the school will be cooler than usual. As always, if you have any good quality uniform, please send in so we can re-cycle. Like wise please ask in the office if we have any suitable sized free uniform for your child. It is far better for the planet if we can re-circulate uniform.
3. Sickness - Can we remind parents that if a child has sickness and/or diarrhoea they must be off school for 48 hours.
4. Harvest Wednesday 29th September - It’s hard to believe that Harvest is just around the corner and this year we will be celebrating with a selection of fun activities, inside and out, throughout the day. To make it even more fun, we are offering the option to dress up as farmers (flat caps, checked shirts, wellies etc) for the day. This is optional! As is tradition, we will also be collecting non-perishable food items, toiletries, and warm clothing items (hats, gloves, socks, etc) to send to our good friends at Matthew’s House on the day.
Have a super weekend everyone.
Kind Regards
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 10th September 2021
Thu 09 Sep 2021Dear Parents and Carers,
We have received a lot of positive feedback from this term's launch day and the learners are now planning their topic for the term. As always they will be leading the content of the learning so that we meet their interests and needs. The staff have worked so hard to make the start of term stimulating for the pupils, and I would like to thank them for all their hard work to make school a wonderful experience for the pupils despite the obvious challenges we face. Thank you also to those parents who continually support us, you have no idea how much a kind word means to our staff - so thank you.
We really want to involve you more in our curriculum design. We have had much support from parents in the past, and would like to build on this. For example, the idea of the recent planetarium came from a parent, who also generously paid for it. A big thank you to that family. You will soon be receiving a Pod Project Overview which will show you the direction of learning for the term. If you can compliment the topic with any skills or ideas, please let your staff know.
Here are the headlines this week:
1. Positivity - It has been a challenging few years, and we are trying very hard to keep our pupils engaged and positive about learning. Please help us by asking your child what has gone well today as well as discussing any issues. Likewise, our daily checkins always give pupils an opportunity to express what they are looking forward to and what they are worried about.
2. Staffing - As you are aware we are a few staff members down due to illness. Thank you to all the new staff who are getting to grips with the "Llanrhidian Way!" (Not an easy task.) And thank you to those parents who are supporting their pods - it really does show that by working together we can succeed.
3. Harvest - From September 29th learners will be experiencing a range of activities teaching them about nature and Autumn. We have already received some offers of support - but if you can help us in anyway, please speak to your pod staff. This year we have had the most diverse amount of insects and wildlife in our field ever! We are so pleased with our wild flowers that we hope to make this an annual event!
4. Covid - We will be sending Covid Updates separately via emails. Please make sure you share with any family members who collect from school. Also please inform the office of any change of email or phone number. Effective communication remains paramount during these strange times.
5. 100 Club - As we have lost a lot of much needed fund raising opportunities, we have have a 100 Club Lottery. This is a bit of fun for everyone, and will provide us with some much needed funds. The competition will cost you £1 per week for 10 draws. We will draw out one number each week, and the winner will receive £50. All draws will be announced on Twitter and the website. We will contact you with your winnings if you are lucky. If you would like to join in, please send in £10 with your preferred number. (We will take cash or cheques payable to Llanrhidian Primary School) If this number is taken, we will contact you with alternatives. For more information click here.
6. INSET DATES - Our next booked inset is January 4th 2022. Staff will be receiving training on this day so we will be closed for all pupils.
7. Extra Curricular Club - All pod staff are currently designing the club offer with their pupils. This will start on Wednesday 29th September from end of school until 4.20. You will receive more information from your pod shortly.
8. Pupil Voice Groups - We are starting to re-develop our pupil voice groups across the school. We encourage every child from reception to year 6 to be part of improving their school. Their job is simply to be our eyes and ears and to tell us what is going well and what needs to improve. This has worked so well in the past and not only gives the children a sense of purpose, but also makes a real positive impact on the school. Many of the changes to our school have come from our children. Two years ago a child said to me "I wish we had doors from the library to go outside and read!" This idea has been explored and will happen this October. There are many, many more examples where our pupils really drive change! Thank goodness for their input!
Have a super week, and thank you again for all your help and support.
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 3rd September
Thu 02 Sep 2021Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back! We are so looking forward to a new year with hopefully less restrictions. Teachers have met and are planning an exciting term ahead with a focus on learning, well-being and fun. I am sure that we all agree that education is SO serious we have to make it FUN! And that is what this wonderful team are expert at.
As always we will keep you updated via email and twitter. Please ensure we are informed of any changes to personal details, health or if you want to change any of the permissions that you set when completing the online admission form. (Previously called a September Pack). Here are some important headlines this week:-
Launch Day: We will be launching our brand new, whole school topic on Monday. There will be lots of activity, so please send your child in trainers and PE kit with a school jumper on this day. We will also be taking a short "mystery" walk to the village for a very special treat.
Covid Update: You have received a letter from the director of education outlining the level zero plans for schools. We are still awaiting some details but in the meantime we are very pleased that our plans to revert to pod working can continue. If you would like to continue to wear masks in the school yard you may, but these are no longer requested. We feel that the one way system can remain, as this will support you in socially distancing when dropping off and picking up. We will keep our windows of drop off and pick up as last year. Drop off is 8.40 to 8.55 where the gates will be locked until 3.20 ready for pick up which is up until 3.40. This window helps with parking as well as social distancing. Please remember to avoid walking up and down the side lane as it is very narrow when cars are passing.
We will still be encouraging hand hygiene and being sensible with mixing indoors. As always we will make decisions locally and in the best interests of the pupils and staff.
Photographs- We are keen to take photos of the pupils by the wild flowers before they fade. Please ensure your child is in school uniform on Monday and Tuesday so we can use this as an opportunity to take the photos. Pods will be selling these to raise funds for their Pods.
Clubs: Breakfast club will resume on Monday from 8am. Please contact the office if you wish to book a place. For more details visit our Early Bird Craft Club page or our free Breakfast Club page.
We are very aware that our extra-curricular offer has been affected due to covid. However, the staff are willing to resume a Wednesday evening club. Each pod will let you know when this will start, the times and what sort of activities will be offered. We will be listening to our learners when designing these clubs and if you child does sign up, please try to commit each week so that the skills can be built upon towards a final termly end goal.
We look forward to seeing you all on Monday.
Kind Regards
Mrs Caswell