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 28th January 2022
Wed 26 Jan 2022Dear Parents and Carers,
The Minister's announcements regarding Covid restrictions have been promising this week. Schools are advised to keep all existing restrictions in place until after half term, but we are so looking forward to making plans for the latter half of the Spring and the Summer Term. We are optimistic that we can soon be announcing arrangements for some of our traditional events, but will remain cautious as we do not wish to raise expectations, and then disappoint. Here are the headlines this week:
Parents' Evening - We are proposing face to face meetings during the week of March 28th. (Monday to Thursday) The meetings will need to be run with caution, and there will be safety measures put in place to protect both you and our staff. We will give you more information soon. As always, if you have any concerns about your child, email the office and your pod staff will get back to you. Likewise, please be assured that if we have any concerns, we will contact you.
Health & Safety - Covid has taken up so much of our thoughts over the last two years, that it is nice to focus on some of the day to day school safety that we all need to remember. So please can we remind parents not to park on the yellow ZigZags in front of our school. This is a safe area for our pupils and their families. Our window of drop off and pick has helped greatly with congestion before and after school, so we will keep this going. Please pass on this message to anyone who drops or collects your child.
Please can we also ask parents to switch off their engines at the "Drop off Zone". It is so easy for the car to roll forward and cause an accident. Better still, if pupils can alight on the side of the school gate, they will not need to pass in front or behind the car. We are having a smart new sign coming soon, but in the meantime I will be there to remind you all.
After School Sports Club - As promised, we said we will review this, and feel that we can re-start after half term. By then we hope that covid will be more under control, and also the nights will be lighter and the weather warmer. Obviously we will keep this under review, but we hope to resume on Wednesday 2nd March.
Local Area Co-ordinators (LACs) - We have two amazing LACs who are available to help and support our families with a wide range of issues. We have created a dedicated "North Gower Family Support" page on our website with more information. Please signpost anyone you know in the area if you feel they may need support. In addition there is information regarding the North Gower Food Bank which can support anyone with short or long term financial difficulties.
Year 6 Transition Days - Gowerton Comprehensive have planned 4 transition days between the 11th and 14th July. Fingers crossed these will go ahead as planned and the pupils will have a great time meeting their new peers.
Have a fabulous weekend,
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 21st January
Mon 17 Jan 2022Dear Parents and Carers,
We have had another great week of learning, and the pupils have really got stuck into their new topic. You should have received a link to your "Pod's Project Overview" for the term and are available on your child's pod page. These outline some of the topic linked learning that will take place as well as the key knowledge, skills and activities that will be planned at the appropriate level for your child. As always thank you for your continued support in keeping everyone safe. Even while Covid restrictions are being reduced in society, we are still being advised to operate under the very high alert in schools. Like you, we really hope we are seeing the beginning of the end and look forward to a Spring and Summer of some normality. However, in the meantime, we really must take one week at a time. Here are the headlines this week:-
Parents' Evening - On December 17th we wrote "Next term we will be considering how best we can report to you eg face to face or teams. We will keep you updated." True to our word, we have considered this in great detail and are optimistically proposing a face to face meeting at the end of this term. We really want you to be able to see your child's books and be able to chat with teachers, however, we will keep this under review and hope we will not have to revert to an online teams meeting. We will keep you updated, but in the meantime, if you have any concerns about your child, email the office and your pod staff will get back to you. Likewise, please be assured that if we have any concerns, we will contact you.
New Nursery Pupils - The admission processes for nursery are now dealt with at school level. If you know of any new families who wish their child to come to Llanrhidian, please tell them to contact the school office so we can help with this process.
INSET Days - The School will be closed to pupils on 18th and 28th February and 6th June 2022. There will also be an additional Bank Holiday, for the Queen's Jubilee, on 29th April giving everyone a wonderfully long bank holiday weekend. Let's hope for some lovely Spring weather.
School funds - We have continued to provide the pupils with their own stationery throughout the pandemic, which has come at a large cost to the school budget. We have also lost a lot of income from school events. We will be facing many financial challenges in the months to come, so if you could support us through entering our 100 club lottery, it would help us greatly. You can sign up for 5 weeks (£5) or 10 weeks (£10) and negotiate your numbers with Jayne in the office. A big thank you to the staff who diligently record the draws each week to raise money for the pupils. Please ask your relatives and friends to support us too! For more information click here.
Matthew’s House "Unwanted Toiletries" – For the New Year, we have decided to start a '0 waste' campaign to ensure that everything can be used/re-used and that nothing goes to waste. Our Humanities pupil voice group have had the fantastic idea to collect any toiletries and unwanted food (non-perishable) from Christmas time so that we can donate them to Matthew’s House and stop them going to waste. If you have anything suitable that you can donate, please bring them into to school so we can start our collection.
Thank you again for all your support
Have a great weekend
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 14th January 2022
Thu 13 Jan 2022Dear Parents and Carers,
We have had a fantastic week of learning, and it has almost felt like business as usual. Thank you once again for helping us keep safe and wearing masks on site. We have had a few more cases this week including a staff member. We must try to keep our staff safe to avoid closing pods. You received a letter yesterday outlining all the new guidance but here is a reminder:-
1. Do not send your child to school if they are unwell with any of the symptoms including cough, high temperature, change or loss of taste/smell, headaches, tiredness or general aches and pains. If they have these symptoms please book a PCR. (5 years+)
2. If your child is a close contact of a positive case at home or school, please administer LFTs every day for 7 days. Tests should be taken before school.
3. If your child has a positive LFT and has symptoms - book a PCR. If they have no symptoms they must still self-isolate for 7 days and have a negative LFT on days 6 and 7 before they return.
If you have any questions, please contact us. We all need to reach a sensible and balanced approach to ensure our pupils and staff are as safe as possible. Here are the other headlines this week:
Home learning - Our pupils deserve the best we can offer in terms of learning, and for this to be most effective, we need your help. Covid has had a huge impact on pupils' readiness to learn. We need to further develop pupils' positivity towards learning as well setting high expectations of themselves. Please help us to help your child by agreeing to the expectations for home learning set by your pod staff. Together we can develop the skills of "how to learn" to embed independence and positive attitudes to learning.
100 Club - We have now launched the Spring Term's 100 club. Please support us with just £1 per week, as this makes a huge difference to the resources and opportunities we can offer our pupils. You can sign up for 5 weeks (£5) or 10 weeks (£10) and negotiate your numbers with Jayne in the office. A big thank you to the staff who diligently record the draws each week to raise money for the pupils. Please ask your relatives and friends to support us too! For more information click here.
Sports Club - As a North Gower Partnership, we will review the decision to postpone sports club regularly. We really hope to resume as soon as we can.
Matthew’s House – For the New Year, we have decided to start a '0 waste' campaign to ensure that everything can be used/re-used and that nothing goes to waste. Our Humanities pupil voice group have had the fantastic idea to collect any toiletries and unwanted food (non-perishable) from Christmas time so that we can donate them to Matthew’s House and stop them going to waste. If you have anything suitable that you can donate, please bring them into to school so we can start our collection.
As always, thank you for all your support, have a great weekend.
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Friday 7th January 2022
Fri 07 Jan 2022Dear Parents and Carers,
It is so wonderful to have the pupils back, and we are all excited to launch our new topic “The Mad Matter’s Tea Party!”. This topic will explore states of matter (solids, liquids and gases) and will build upon the knowledge and skills of each and every pupil. As always numeracy and literacy are a high priority and we are continually adapting our planning to meet pupils’ individual needs as a result of missed school last term. Pod staff will be soon sending their Pod Project Overview to you to outline some of the learning that will be taking place this term.
Please remember, if anything is worrying you, or you need any support with anything – get in touch with your pod staff or me, your head teacher. If it is not urgent, please use the office email, if it is confidential email me direct. If it is covid related, please use the covid contact page. As always, if we can help we will help! Here are the headlines this week:-
Home Learning:- Our online home learning is outstanding, and many pupils engage with it every week. However, we believe there is now a need to reintroduce a “Home Learning Book” for Pod Pysgodyn and Pod Prycop. Pod masters will be setting clear expectations for home learning, and we hope that together we can all support our pupils in developing their “integral skills” of being creative, being organised, being thinkers and being effective. It is so important that we teach pupils “how to learn” as well as “what to learn” if they are to have the best chances in life. Expectations will be set according to pupils’ age and ability, they will be open ended and flexible. This is not about handing in loads of work, it is about developing independence and positive attitudes to learning.
Launch Day Monday – Our slightly delayed launch day will be on Monday. We are so disappointed that it will no longer involve activities off site, however, we still have a great day planned for the pupils. Please ensure they have waterproof coats, warm clothes and wellies for the day.
Sports Club – It is with regret that due to the “Very High Alert Level” of infection control expected by schools, the North Gower Partnership have all postponed after school sports club until further notice. Please be assured that we will review this regularly.
Masks on site – Thank you to all those who wear masks onsite. Please could you pass this message onto anyone collecting your child.
Changes to Warn and Inform Letters - The warn and inform approach reinforces key messages about the risk to others from COVID and what can be done to minimise the risk. If there is a confirmed case of COVID-19 in your child’s class, an “inform letter” will be sent to parents. If there have been two or more positive cases of COVID19 in your child’s class a “warn and inform letter” will be sent. We will only send one warn and inform letter out per school week, even if there are further cases.
Ventilation – We are continuing to ensure adequate ventilation by opening windows and doors. Carbon dioxide monitors are now in each class and informs staff if more air flow is needed. Please dress you child in extra layers to support this approach.
Symptomatic Pupils - Pupils who display Covid symptoms whilst in school, will be asked to be collected. Please ensure we have up to date contact information.
As always please contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a Fabulous Weekend,
Mrs Caswell
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Welcome Back Spring 2022
Tue 04 Jan 2022Dear Parents and Carers,
Happy New Year to you all. I hope you are all safe and well and are ready for the Spring term ahead. Staff are all busy preparing for a fun filled term and we can’t wait to see you all on Thursday. Our traditional “Launch Day” with lots of activities will be taking place on Monday, and you child will need to be dressed warm, with waterproofs and wellies for the exciting activities planned. However, we will be letting the pupils know the topic this week so we can get started! Your fabulous pod staff will be contacting you with any specific information, but in the meantime we are all just looking forward to a term of learning.
We are following all guidance appropriately within the “very high” alert level in which all schools have been placed. Please can I remind all adults to wear masks on site, and not to enter the school building. Keeping open with face to face learning is our absolute priority this term, and to do this we need our staff fit and well. I know that you will continue to support us with this.
For your information here is the link to the latest self-isolation guidance from Welsh Government. https://gov.wales/self-isolation
If you have any questions or concerns, please email the office on Llanrhidian.primaryschool@swansea-edunet.gov.uk
Kindest Regards
Mrs Caswell
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School Blog Tuesday 4th January 2022
Mon 03 Jan 2022Welcome Back and Blwyddyn Newydd Dda
Dear Parents and Carers,
We look forward to seeing you all on Thursday! As per the ministerial announcement, all schools will have two planning says on the 4th and 5th of January. First day back for pupils is January 6th. Additional INSET days are 18th and 28th February 2022 and 6th June 2022.
We have a wonderful "covid safe" launch day planned for January 10th. Please send your child in waterproof, warm clothing and wellies. We have a fun packed and outdoor day planned. We have postponed our off site event until it is safe to do so.
We will update you with further arrangements for the term as soon as possible.
Kind Regards
Mrs Caswell