Latest News

Breakfast Clubs/After School Clubs

Fri 17 Jul 2020

Breakfast Clubs/After School Clubs

In line with Welsh Government guidance consideration will be given to the recommencement of breakfast clubs and after school provision following the phased return of all learners to school over a two week period in September. A staged approach to the re-introduction will be adopted following a review of the capacity of schools to meet demand whilst maintaining discrete contact groups and safe social distancing, where possible.

There will be no breakfast clubs or afterschool club provision for the first two weeks of term whilst this review is undertaken and portable breakfast provision will be made available for eFSM learners only during this period.

Thereafter, application processes for accessing provision will be agreed in partnership with schools to manage and a cap placed on numbers to ensure that health and safety, and appropriate social distancing requirements are met. Eligibility criteria will be devised and shared with schools. Where demand exceeds supply, clear eligibility criteria will be applied by schools and numbers accessing provision reduced in the short term to ensure safe management.

Key Actions:
• A phased approach to re-introducing breakfast club and wrap around care to be adopted from week 3 of the autumn term onwards.
• Numbers will be capped and where demand exceeds supply, priority will be given to eFSM, vulnerable learners and single parent working families
• Local authority to develop eligibility criteria and to jointly agree application processes with schools, who will retain responsibility for provisions
• Eligible children will access portable breakfast provision for the first two weeks of term.

RCT Letter and FAQ's to parents / carers

Fri 17 Jul 2020

Please see a letter from the RCT Director of Education and Inclusion Services regarding pupils return to school in September along with frequently asked questions. www.rctcbc.gov.uk/schoolreturnfaqs.

Returning to school in September

Fri 10 Jul 2020

We were pleased with yesterday’s announcement from the Minister for Education regarding schools reopening for the autumn term in Wales starting from Tuesday, September 1st. It will be lovely to be able to welcome all pupils back to school and at last return to some form of normality.

Welsh Government have stated, that the first fortnight back will be used to allow schools time for extra planning and re-organisation and all pupils will be back in full time provision by Monday September 14th.

Our priority now, is planning on ensuring we are able to get back to some sense of usual school life as soon as possible whilst working within the restrictions that the ongoing pandemic places on us to keep everyone safe.

Following on from yesterday’s announcement we are currently working on plans for ensuring all children can return as soon and as safely as possible with minimum disruption.

I hope that, providing the local authority inform us quickly of their expectations, I can share with you the plans for the start of term early next week.

Thank you for your understanding and patience in this matter .

Week 3 Arrangements

Thu 02 Jul 2020

As you are aware the local authority have informed us that we are not to open school to pupils for the week commencing Monday 20th July which had originally been planned for. As a result of this, children in KS2 who were to attend, will not get their face to face time with their teacher. In order for there to be parity with teacher face to face contact between pupils in KS1 and KS2, we have had to make a change to the arrangements for week 3.

For week 3 pupils in KS1 will attend in their teaching groups for mornings only and pupils in KS2 will attend in their teaching groups for afternoons only.

The morning session will run from 8.50- 12.00pm and the afternoon session will run from 12.30pm-3.30pm. Pupils in the morning session will not require a packed lunch and pupils in the afternoon session will need to have had lunch before coming to school.

We had tried to get both KS1 and KS2 pupils in at the same time but the restrictions on class sizes means we don’t have enough classroom space and staff to accommodate this.

I apologise for having to make changes to the previous arrangements but do feel that all pupils should have an equal opportunity for teacher contact.

Just to remind parents / carers, if your child attends the hub, they cannot attend class teaching in the morning and then go to the hub or go to the hub in the morning and attend class in the afternoon. I appreciate this might influence parents / carers decisions for week 3.

Looking ahead to September there are a number of issues that still need to be addressed. We have received no notice so far of what the arrangements / expectations will be. Hopefully these will be issued before the end of term so we can all make the necessary arrangements ready to start the new term. The local authority have informed schools that they are considering nursery in their plans for September but it is unclear if this is present nursery or next year’s intake. Again, I will let parents / carers know when we have had clarification with this matter.

School reports will be issued next week and the week after, to pupils who attend the face to face teacher sessions. For those pupils not attending the face to face sessions, reports will be available for collection from the school office on Wednesday 15th July 2020 between 10am and 11am. Any reports not collected on this date will be posted to the home address. If you have changed address and not informed the school can you please let us know the new address so we can send the report to the correct address.

Stay safe,

First day back

Mon 29 Jun 2020

We have had a smooth transition into our current 'normal' and would like to thank all parents / carers and pupils who were at the school today in both classes and hub, for adhering to all the social distancing rules and for following the one way systems.

We appreciate your patience waiting for gates to be opened at specific times to help us ease congestion. Can we just remind all hub users that registration is between 8am and 8.30am as we then need to greet our class pupils from 8.50am.

Stay Safe

School will not be open for the proposed 4th week

Fri 26 Jun 2020

As you are no doubt aware, RCT have informed schools that we are not to open for the week of the 20th July due to union involvement and childcare issues for parents / carers in neighbouring authorities who had already decided to close. It was a decision that we, as a school, although fully understanding the reasons behind it, were bitterly disappointed had been made, as until that time we were fully committed to the 4th week of teaching and had made arrangements for this to occur. However, RCT has made the decision and we will therefore not be open for that week.

At present we are looking at how we can, if possible, make adjustments to our arrangements to try and ensure all pupils receive equal teacher contact time, bearing in mind we are; obliged to keep our numbers in school below 1/3 of our total school number; teaching groups must remain at no more than 8 pupils at any one time; hub children take priority and must be catered for first; and that we have enough staff to cover the different classes. At present we do not have an answer to how we will achieve this but parents / carers will be informed of our decision as soon as possible.

Important information about returning to school

Fri 26 Jun 2020

Important information about returning to school

We have made a couple of short videos for you to share with your child(ren) to show them what returning to school will look like. These can be found on the school website.

Go to the Children tab and then select Video Resource Centre or click the following links:

https://pontyclun-primary.primarysite.media/media/infants for the Infants video

https://pontyclun-primary.primarysite.media/media/juniors for the Juniors video

In addition, we would just like to re-iterate the following information before we welcome back our pupils over the next couple of weeks on their allotted teaching days.

Foundation Phase Pupils

All foundation phase pupils are to access the school via the main school gates situated off Palalwyf Avenue. There are 2m markers along the drive and pathways for you to follow that make their way around the infant building in a one way system. There will also be a member of staff on hand to take your child's temperature with a non-contact thermometer and ask for confirmation that you haven't answered YES to any of the Healthcare questions. Please adhere to social distancing and the one way system at all times.

Teachers names and classes are displayed on the classroom doors so you will know where to drop off your child. Once you have handed your child to their teacher at the classroom door, please continue to follow the one way system around the Infant building and exit through the pedestrian gate leading onto Palalwyf Avenue. Please adhere to social distancing and the one way system at all times.

School uniform should not be worn.

All children will require a packed lunch and a drink. No fizzy drinks, energy drinks or glass bottles. You may also provide your child with a healthy snack should you choose to do so. Please note that milk is not being provided for the rest of this term.

If you are in receipt of free school meals, a packed lunch and a drink will be provided for your child. You may provide a snack for them should you wish to do so.

If you need to speak to a teacher, please email your query to either their class hwb email, or to admin.pontyclunprimary@rctcbc.gov.uk. We cannot facilitate face to face parent / carer / teacher communications at this time.

Key Stage Two Pupils

All Key Stage Two pupils are to access the school via the pedestrian gate situated off Maes yr Felin (next to Pontyclun Library). There are 2m markers along the pathway for you to follow that make their way around the junior building in a one way system. There will also be a member of staff on hand to take your child's temperature with a non-contact thermometer and ask for confirmation that you haven't answered YES to any of the Healthcare questions. Please adhere to social distancing and the one way system at all times.

The member of staff will then direct your child into the school and you should continue to follow the one way system around the Junior building. The one way system will direct you across the Year 2 playground and through the pedestrian gate back into the staff car park. Please follow the coned walkway across the car park and exit through the double gates. Please adhere to social distancing and the one way system at all times.

School uniform should not be worn.

All children will require a packed lunch and a drink. No fizzy drinks, energy drinks or glass bottles. You may also provide your child with a healthy snack should you choose to do so. Please note that milk is not being provided for the rest of this term.

If you are in receipt of free school meals, a packed lunch and a drink will be provided for your child. You may provide a snack for them should you wish to do so.

If you need to speak to a teacher, please email your query to either their class hwb email, or to admin.pontyclunprimary@rctcbc.gov.uk. We cannot facilitate face to face parent / carer / teacher communications at this time.

Hub Pupils

All Hub pupils are to access the school via the main gates situated off Palalwyf Avenue There are 2m markers along the drive and pathway for you to follow that make their way into the white Year 2 building (the old canteen to the right of the entrance) in a one way system. There will also be a member of staff on hand to take your child's temperature with a non-contact thermometer and ask for confirmation that you haven't answered YES to any of the Healthcare questions. Please adhere to social distancing and the one way system at all times.

The hub registration is situated in the white Year 2 building .at the first entrance to the building and you will be asked to confirm your child's name, class, pick up time and who is collecting them.

School uniform should not be worn. Pupils are NOT to bring any electronic devices with them. If they do bring a phone or tablet etc. this is to be handed in at registration and they can have it back at pick-up.

All children will require a packed lunch and a drink. No fizzy drinks, energy drinks or glass bottles. You may also provide your child with a healthy snack should you choose to do so. Please note that milk is not being provided for the rest of this term.

If you are in receipt of free school meals, a packed lunch and a drink will be provided for your child. You may provide a snack for them should you wish to do so.

If you need to speak to a teacher, please email your query to either their class hwb email, or to admin.pontyclunprimary@rctcbc.gov.uk. We cannot facilitate face to face parent / carer / teacher communications at this time.

Should you have any queries please go to the school website and look at Latest News. Here you will find all information that has recently been sent out including our Frequently Asked Questions If this does not answer your questions please email the school on admin.pontyclunprimary@rctcbc.gov.uk

Stay Safe

Allocated Teaching Day along with Health Questionnaire and amended School Behaviour Policy

Tue 23 Jun 2020

Allocated Teaching Day

Pupils will be returning to school on alternate weeks as follows:

WEEK 1 29th June to 3rd July - Foundation Phase = Reception to Year 2

WEEK 2 6th July to 10th July - KS2 = Year 3 to Year 6

WEEK 3 13th July to 17th July - Foundation Phase = Reception to Year 2

WEEK 4 20th July to 24th July - KS2 = Year 3 to Year 6

Foundation Phase will be in school from 8.50am until 3.15pm.

KS2 will be in school from 9am to 3.30pm.

Pupils will attend school for 1 day of their week ie: whether Foundation Phase or KS2 and should ONLY attend on their allotted day. There are no teaching groups on a Wednesday as the school will be deep cleaned.

On arrival at school you will be asked to answer the attached health related questions, therefore please ensure that all pupils are accompanied by an adult.

Any pupil who does not meet the attached health criteria will not be admitted.

Also attached is an amendment to our school Behaviour Policy that reflects the stringent measures in place at this time. Please talk through these expectations with your child(ren).

Thank you for your continued co-operation,

Stay Safe