Christmas 2018 Letter
Dear Parent/Carer
As the Christmas holiday approaches, I would like to thank staff, pupils, parents and governors for their hard work and support for Ysgol Calon Cymru during this first term.
As a school, we value the close working relationship we have with many of you. In order to develop the highest standards of attendance, behaviour and progress we need strong support from home.
Staffing news
It was with great sadness that we said farewell to Mr Marrs, our Learning Coach on the Builth Campus, who retired at the end of November. We would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his contribution to the school and to wish him health and happiness as he embarks on the next phase of his life.
We would also like to thank Mrs Renkes, our Examinations Officer, for her very valuable contribution to the school and to wish her every success in her new role at Ysgol Penglais.
We have been joined this term by Miss Barnett, Pastoral Support Officer on the Builth Campus, Mrs Morgan-Evans, Behaviour Support Officer on the Builth Campus and Mrs McDonnell who will be working on both campuses, managing attendance and supporting Looked After Pupils (LAC).
We are delighted to announce that Mrs Phillips has given birth to a daughter and we would like to send Mrs M Edwards our very best wishes as she starts her maternity leave. Mrs Mayson has joined us to teach English on both campuses and Mrs Thorne will take the role of Curriculum Leader for Communication and Literacy while Mrs M Edwards is on maternity leave.
Progress Leaders
From January 2019, the role of the Progress Leaders will be as follows.
Builth Campus:
Year 7 and Transition – Mrs L Lewis
Years 8 and 9 – Mr G Ayre
Years 10 and 11 – Miss R Rhys Jones
Llandrindod Campus:
Year 7 and Transition – Mrs K Vaughan
Years 8 and 9 – Mr L Jones
Years 10 and 11 – Mrs E Tiernan
Mrs C Harries will continue to take responsibility for the Sixth Form across both campuses.
Uniform
Please can we take this opportunity to remind pupils and parents of the need to wear the correct school uniform. Non-school hoodies, trainers and jeans are not allowed and we ask that pupils return to school in January, wearing the correct items of clothing and footwear.
Mobile Phones
Pupils may bring mobile phones with them to school. However, mobile phones should be switched off at all times during the school day (the school day begins the moment pupils enter the school site and finishes when they leave the site at the end of the day). Any phone seen or heard will be confiscated and placed in the school office until Friday at 15.35 unless a parent collects and signs for the phone before Friday. If you need to contact your child urgently, please phone Reception and the message will be passed on to your child.
Communication
Our school website www.ysgolcalon.cymru is now live. We will be developing the website over the months ahead and it will be the main source of school information.
Go4Schools is available online and allows you to have direct access to school information and have key updates throughout the year on all aspects of school life. If you have not already done so, please would you be kind enough to provide us with your email address so that we can share documents electronically with you.
In order to access Go4Schools, you need to set up your parental password.
Make sure you have returned your Go4Schools slip with your current email.
Go to www.go4schools.com
Click on the ‘Parents’ button.
Don’t forget, you can also follow school Ysgol Calon Cymru on Facebook and Twitter.
Carol Service
We would be delighted if you could join us for our first Ysgol Calon Cymru Carol Service. Our evening of Christmas music and readings will be held on Wednesday 19th December at 18:00. This year the service will be held at Holy Trinity Church, Llandrindod Wells. The 2019 service will be held in Builth Wells.
Save the Children Christmas Jumper Day
On Friday 21st December we will be supporting Save the Children’s “Christmas Jumper Day”. Pupils and staff are invited to wear a Christmas jumper and make a contribution of £1 to Save the Children.
Santa Run
On Friday 21st December we will be holding a Santa Run on both campuses. Pupils are invited to seek sponsorship and don their Santa hats/costumes as they raise money for charity.
ParentPay
From January 2019, the school will be using ParentPay for payments for trips. Please make sure that you have activated your child’s ParentPay account so that you can pay into it. For any queries regarding Parent Pay, please contact Mrs Bethan Powell, our Finance Officer who is based on the Builth Wells Campus.
Please don’t forget to ensure that there are sufficient funds on your child’s account. Pupils can check the balance on their ParentPay accounts using the balance checkers on each campus.
You can sign up to receive alerts on each ParentPay account (low balance and/or new item) and select how you want to receive them, email and/or SMS Text.
Please note that Powys Catering staff are not school employees and have been advised by Powys Catering that pupils who do not have credit on their accounts should not be given a meal. If a pupil is refused a meal, the school will ensure that they have food and a drink.
Emergency School Closure
As we approach the colder winter months, I would like to inform parents/carers of our procedures if the school needs to close unexpectedly.
If we know before the start of the school day: We will try to send an email/text to all parents alerting them to the situation. Information will also appear on our school website and on: https://en.powys.gov.uk/schoolclosures. You can subscribe to receive alerts by email or text when the school will be closed due to weather, staff sickness, utilities failure or planned closures. See https://en.powys.gov.uk/register.
If a closure is forced upon us during the school day: We will ask those pupils with their own mobile phones to contact their parents/carers to seek permission to leave school at a given time. If pupils do not have their own phones, a member of staff will call parents/carers.
INSET Day
Please remember that Monday 7th January 2019 is a staff training day. Pupils return to school on Tuesday 8th January 2019.
It remains only for me to wish everyone a safe and relaxing holiday: have a peaceful and enjoyable Christmas. I hope that the New Year brings health and happiness to everyone and look forward to seeing all of our pupils return refreshed and ready for a new school term on Tuesday 8th January 2019.
Yn gywir / Yours sincerely
Ionwen Spowage (Mrs)
Pennaeth / Headteacher