Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school and our community at the moment.

• Red Nose Day 2024

  Fri 08 Mar 2024

  Next Friday is Comic Relief.

  The children can wear anything red- nose related, (TK Maxx is selling merchandise), or just wear something red. The pupils will be involved in fun activities throughout the day.

  If you want to give a donation, the details of the Just Giving page is below. Please note the children do not need to bring money to school on this occasion.

   

  https://www.justgiving.com/page/sue-harwood-1708424676529?utm_source=SFMC&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=LFCFRUK_Day5_SameDay&mi_u=53853604&mi_ecmp=LFCFRUK_Day5_SameDay

   

  Many thanks as always- we hope to have a great day, to help children at home and around the world!

• World Book Day Thank you

  Thu 07 Mar 2024

  I would like to say a huge thank you to all of you for the huge effort you gave towards World book day. It was so lovely today to see all of the children dressed up as their favourite characters. The effort for our whole school art task of designing a paper plate as a book character was incredible and it was great to see lots of you in the hall tonight discussing the characters with your children. I have attached a few photos of the plates. It was a great success today and promoted our reading for pleasure aim for this year

  Thank you

  

• Free School Meals Campaign - Please read

  Tue 05 Mar 2024

  Please read the attached information about Free School Meals.

  It is important that parents/carers apply for a Free School Meal, even if their child(ren) receive a Universal Primary Free School Meal (currently being rolled out ) as this will affect their possible entitlement to a Schools Essential Grant for items such as uniform, kit and stationery.

  All schools across Wales will then be entitled to additional funding to provide education and support these children. If eligible families don’t apply for a free school meal through the council it will affect the amount of funding from Welsh Government that the schools receive, meaning the school has less money than it is entitled to in order to provide education and support to your children.

  If you think your child may be entitled to a Free School Meal, even if your child is in receipt of a meal under this new scheme, please complete the online application form on the Council’s website Free School Meals or ask the main school office for a paper copy, which we can then scan for you.

  Further links below

  Free School Meals - All Primary ENG

  https://youtube.com/shorts/JKFGNH2QxRs

  Free School Meals - Younger Primary ENG

  https://youtube.com/shorts/snMmKiRvMW4

  Free School Meals - Older Primary ENG

  https://youtube.com/shorts/s4YTKd0LMd8

  Thank you very much

• Information for the Spring Term - Please read

  Thu 29 Feb 2024

  In addition to previous published dates

   

  Thursday 7th March 2024 - World Book Day - we will be celebrating World Book Day as a school. On the day children are welcome to come in dressed as their favourite character from a book and bring the book they are dressed up as to share with the class. They will be participating in activities related to World Book Day during the day/week.

  Parents are welcome to come into the school hall at 3.30pm to see the decorated plates the children have created as a home task with book characters should they wish to.

  Week beg 11th March - British Science week - The children will be participating in a variety of experiments throughout the week.

  Friday 15th March - Comic Relief Day - Pupils can come dressed in red today - more details to follow

  Friday 22nd March - Last day of term - Lots of Easter themed activities throughout the day including Easter Egg rolling for all year groups using a rubber egg. There will also be an Easter Bonnet parade for pupils in Nursery through to Yr 2, should they wish to make their own bonnet.

  Reminder - the school is closed to all pupils for an Inset day for staff training on Monday 8^th April, so the Summer term will begin on Tuesday 9^th April.

  Many thanks

• St David's Day

  Fri 23 Feb 2024

  As you are aware, next Friday is St David's Day. Pupils can dress up in Welsh costume /rugby shirts/ Welsh colours.

  Pupils will also be making Welsh inspired craft items to support our welsh curriculum and encourage entrepreneurial skills. Yr 6 will be selling these items during the afternoon. Pupils can bring in small change if they wish to buy any of these items.

  (If your child is part of Eco and School council, please can they come in school uniform. They can then change into welsh costume, once they have returned from their duties in the morning).

  We are looking forward to a fun day and the Chairing of the Bard!

  Many thanks for your continued support.

   

  Pontyclun Primary school

• Easter Egg-stravaganza - Rhondda Heritage Park

  Fri 09 Feb 2024

  Join us for an Easter Egg-stravaganza  at the Rhondda Heritage Park! - To book click on the link - Easter Egg-stravaganza

  
  Tickets are priced at £10 per child and £3.50 per accompanying adult.  Ticket price includes:

  Egg hunt – with chocolate treat at the end, Explore the Easter Bunny’s Underground Burrow
  Small children’s rides, Easter craft, Children’s entertainer and Petting farm

  Three time slots are available each day:

  10am – 12pm

  12:30pm – 2.30pm

  3pm – 5pm

  Thank you

  On behalf of the Rhondda Heritage Park

• World Book Day 2024

  Thu 08 Feb 2024

  On Thursday 7th March 2024 we will be celebrating World Book Day as a school. On the day children are welcome to come in dressed as their favourite character from a book and bring the book they are dressed up as to share with the class. They will be participating in activities related to World Book Day during the day/week.

   

  Home Task - Please bring in by Wednesday 6th March with name and class on the back

  Today your child will be bringing home a paper plate. We would love you to create a book character or design a book cover using the paper plate. Please ensure your child's name and class is clearly visible on the back so they can be returned. We will display the paper plates in the hall on the staging and invite parents to come and take a look at 3.30 on World Book Day Thursday 7th March. I have attached some ideas below of how you might want to use your plate

   

  Thanks

  

• Consultation on the Council's Home to School Transport Policy

  Thu 01 Feb 2024

  The Council recently agreed to carry out a consultation to review its current Home to School Transport provision for children and young people in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The proposal sets out a new Home to School Transport Policy, which maintains certain discretionary transport provision and provide mainstream English, Welsh and Faith primary school, secondary school and college transport in line with relevant statutory distance criteria. Any new policy would be implemented from the start of the 2025/2026 academic year.

  The consultation originally ran from 27^th November 2023 until 5pm 8^th January 2024.

  The Council recognises the significance of the proposal for pupils who use and will use home to school transport now or in the future, and the extended consultation provides a further opportunity for those potentially impacted to take part in the consultation. The Council has therefore taken the decision to extend the consultation for a further three week period running from Thursday 18^th January 2024 until 5pm Thursday 8^th February 2024.

  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)
  There is no need for anyone who has previously taken part in this consultation to submit a further response unless they wish to do so.

  Kind regards

  Stephen Williams

  Director for Highways, Streetcare and Transportation Services

• Revised dates for the Spring Term - Please read

  Wed 31 Jan 2024

  Please see below dates for your diary:

  • Friday 9th February - School closed to all pupils for an Inset day for staff training.
  • Monday 12th - Friday 16th February 2024 - Spring half term.
  • Monday 26th & Tuesday 27th February 2024 - Parents Evenings - Now confirmed. 
  • Friday 1st March 2024 - Eisteddfod.
  • Thursday 7th March 2024 - World Book Day.

  Pupils break up for the Easter holidays Friday 22nd March 2024 returning after on Tuesday 9th April 2024.

  Monday 8th April has been re instated as an Inset day again. Sorry for any inconvenience this might cause but it was the only available date for essential staff training. Thank you for your understanding.

  All dates are subject to change and further details will follow nearer to the event. Any further dates yet to be confirmed and or arrangement details will be sent out via ParentMail.

  • Monday 8th April - School closed to all pupils for an Inset day for staff training.
  • Monday 29th & Tuesday 30th April 2024 - Whole school photos for pupils.
  • Monday 1st May 2024 - First May bank holiday - School closed.
  • Monday 20th May 2024 - Sports day for Years 2 to 6 - Subject to change, due to weather conditions, further details to follow.
  • Thursday 23rd May 2024 - Fun Sports day for Nursery to Year 1 - Subject to change due to weather conditions, further details to follow.
  • Friday 24th May 2024 - Reserve Fun Sports day for Nursery to Year 1.

  Pupils break up for the Whitsun half term on Friday 24th May 2024, returning after on Monday 3rd June 2024.

  • Monday 3rd June 2024 - Reserve Sports day for Years 2 to 6.
  • Monday 10th till Friday 28th June - National test, further details to follow.
  • Monday 8th till Wednesday 10th July - Year 5 Residential trip to Llangrannog - Further details to be confirmed.
  • Friday 19th July 2024 - School finishes today - end of the Summer term.
  • Monday 22nd July 2024 - School closed to all pupils for an Inset day for staff training.

  Can we also just remind all parents / carers of the following please

  Sickness / Absence

  The school needs to be notified of ALL absences and associated reasons. This is a legal requirement and we need to code the child's absence appropriately. Please call the school office (01443) 237833, choosing option 1, and leave a message. When leaving your reason please be specific i.e.: stomach bug, headache etc.

  Leaving 'unwell' or 'won't be in today or this week' will result in the school calling you to ascertain a reason. Should your child be suffering from vomiting or diarrhoea, they must stay off school for 48 hours following the last bout of illness. Holiday forms are available from the school office or on our website and must be received at least one week before the start of the holiday.

  Pupils school records & ParentMail

  Please can you ensure that all the information we hold for you as parents/carers eg: contact names, telephone numbers and address details are current and up to date, should we need to contact you urgently, especially in the case of emergencies.

  All school communications/messages to parents/carers are sent out via our ParentMail system. All parents/carers are set up on ParentMail when your child starts school and any changes to email addresses and mobile numbers must be made through your own individual account.

  It is your responsibility to ensure that your child's school record and ParentMail account are kept updated.

  Medical records

  If there are any changes to your child's medical history, likewise, this needs to be kept updated. Please contact the main office for a form to complete or email admin@pontyclunprimary.rctcbc.cymru, thank you.

  Drop off/Collection

  If you need to collect your child outside of normal school drop off/collection hours e.g. after 9am and before 3.15pm, please could you inform the office via email or leave a message on the school answer phone. If you need to collect your child around lunchtime, please could you collect or drop off before 11.30am or after 1.30pm as staff are covering lunch duties.

  Would parents using cars for dropping or collecting their children please be mindful of other users and pedestrians. A number of complaints have been made regarding behaviour and inconsiderate road use. Thank you

  Office

  The office will be closed on Wednesday afternoons for administration duties. Should you need to contact the school, please either leave an answer phone message or send an email to admin@pontyclunprimary.rctcbc.cymruand we will get back to you in due course.

  Please see attached current staff email addresses, should you need to contact your child's class teacher.

  School Dinners

  School dinners are £2.70 per day payable in advance. This is paid through the online RCT portal. A link to this can be found on our website www.pontyclunprimary.org.uk

  To pay for dinners you will need your child's unique 10-digit number which can be obtained from the school office.

  Please note that any payment arrears are sent off to RCT on a regular basis.

  Thank you for your continued support

• Year 6 Residential Trip to Liddington Bay

  Wed 31 Jan 2024

  A permission letter will be coming home with your child today for this years Year 6 residential trip to Liddington Bay which will take place on 17th May 2024 for 2 nights.

  The cost of the trip includes all activities, food, accommodation and transport. The remaining balance of £120 can be paid at any time, however we would require a payment of £60 to be paid by the 4th March, with the final instalment to be paid by the 9th April 2024. Payments to be made through the RCT Pay It Portal, under Trips Yr3 to Yr 6)

  If there are any issues with this payment plan or any other questions, please contact the school.

  The children are generally in dormitories of 6 to 8, and the teacher is on the same floor, nearby. More information regarding things to bring and times of buses will follow.

  This is a fun- filled weekend and a fantastic opportunity for your child to develop their social skills, self esteem and independence.