Friday September 17th

It’s been another eventful week back in school as we all settle into the new year! There have been loads of highlights! It’s been great to see and hear the children having fun and learning both in and outdoors. The Nursery really enjoyed going into the woods for Welly Wednesday for the very first time. They loved playing with the balls, hoops and musical instruments. This week the Reception children have painted wonderful self portraits creating a gallery of faces! They had fun in their first gym session completing an obstacle course and we have been practicing counting up to 20 and backwards from 10 to blast off! Year 1’s topic this week has been the 3 little pigs and the highlights have been retelling the story as a class, sequencing the story and constructing houses out of Lego in groups. They have also started to find out about different materials.  It’s been another lovely week in Year 2. A highlight has been using the chrome books and ipads to log on to hwb and make a mix of pictures and writing about themselves. In Maths they have enjoyed working on their understanding of tens and units and even hundreds, tens and units.

Year 4 have really enjoyed learning about the story of Gelert and a big hit was their super art pictures of the Welsh giant Ritta. Year 3 thoroughly enjoyed their pirate immersion day including a message in a bottle with pirate challenges including a treasure hunt. Other highlights were Pirate yoga in the hall and learning pirate language in preparation for International Talk like a Pirate Day – this Sunday 19th September!! Year 5 and 6 have loved being crime scene investigators this week, while having the opportunity to be nasty in a maths game also rated highly. The children are excited about working with the Ospreys and have already found out lots of facts about them.

This week has seen the top gate reopened and a return to normal school times (8.50 to 15.20). Just a reminder that children in years 3 to 6 will now leave the top gate unsupervised at 15.20. Unless you are happy for them to walk home, please remind children that if no-one is there to collect them they should return to school.

Unfortunately, as you will have read in the letter from the Director of Education this week and due to the high number of cases locally, schools in Swansea have been put on high alert with regards to COVID transmission and we have been asked to take steps, such as social distancing and mask wearing, to help prevent the continuing spread of the virus in the wider community. We appreciate your support on this matter.

Let’s keep working together as a whole school community! As always, if you have any queries or concerns, don’t hesitate in getting in touch with us!

Have a great weekend!

Guided Tour Letter Sept 2021

14 September 2021 Letter Parents Carers FINAL

Friday 9th September

Our first full week of a new school year has been a great success. Judging by the smiles and laughter coming from every classroom and yard, all the children have enjoyed getting to know their new teachers and classmates. There have been some wonderful plans put in place for new topics and learning, which you’ll hear much more about over the coming weeks. I’m sure there will be some early nights tonight (and that’s just the teachers).

Drop off and pick up

Please note that there will be no window for drop off and pick up from Monday. The school day will begin at 8.50 and end at 15.20. On Monday, our younger children will be able to access school from the top gate (Bryn Road). Thanks to those parents that have completed the online form indicating preferences. We will assume that those that haven’t completed the form will drop off and pick up from the bottom gate.

Top gate drop off

• Gate will be open at 8.40
• Pupils in Years 3 to 6 should enter school unaccompanied (unless with a younger sibling)
• Pupils in Years 3 to 6 should walk, unaccompanied, around the back of the school to line up on the yard.
• Pupils in Nursery to Year 2 should be accompanied by one adult and walk to the back entrance of their classrooms (On Monday, teachers will be on hand to support).
• A member of staff will welcome the children into class at 8.50.

Top gate pick up

• Gate will open at 15.10
• Please wait on the path outside your child’s classroom (same place as drop off)
• A member of of staff will hand pupils over to parents at 15.20.

Bottom gate drop off and pick up

• The system will remain the same other than the change of timings. Drop off 8.50, pick up 15.20.

We appreciate your support and patience as we fine tune these changes!

Working together as a whole school community has certainly helped us come through some tough times! Long may that team effort continue! As always, if you have any queries or concerns, don’t hesitate in getting in touch with us!

Have a great weekend!

 

School contact tracing – Letter to parents and guardians – September 2021 – English

1 September 2021 Letter Parents Carers FINAL

Welcome back to school, everyone. We hope you’ve enjoyed a little bit of sunshine over the summer and that you’ve stayed safe and well.

We’re returning excited about the new year ahead. It’s an important one for schools in Wales, with a reformed curriculum and new opportunities for your child. We need you to share this journey with us and so will be keeping you updated with news about your child’s class progress as we go along, so please remember to check class pages for regular news and updates.

Sadly though, as we’re all too aware, COVID is still with us and we’ll need you as well to help us manage the risk the virus continues to pose. As you know, cases in Swansea continue to rise significantly at this time and so in line with Welsh Government’s new guidance we are updating our risk assessments in response to the additional risk this surge in cases is currently posing. We all want to get back to as normal a year as possible and so balancing this wish against to the need to keep everyone safe isn’t easy, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate. With this in mind, we will maintain current arrangements for the start and end of the day, for tomorrow and next week. As a reminder this means:

• Drop off window (8.40 – 8.55), pick up window (15.10-15.25)
• Only KS2 to use top gate unaccompanied by adults.
• Foundation Phase or KS2 to enter from bottom gate, with parents following existing one way system.

We’d also appreciate it if adults would continue to wear masks whilst on site, and certainly if needing to speak with a member of staff, please. Welsh Government’s guidance also reminds parents / carers about the need to maintain social distancing as well.

All pupils join us for their first day of school tomorrow (Friday, September 3rd).

(Reception pupils- on Friday 3rd September, your child will be coming in for either the morning session (8.50 – 11.30) or the afternoon session (1.00 – 3.20). You will have received a letter telling you which session your child will be joining but if you need a reminder please call us. Then, from Monday 6th, all Reception pupils will come in for the morning at 8.50, and have lunch in school before going home at 1.50. From the following week, WB Monday September 13th, all Reception pupils will be in school full time, ie, coming in at 8.50 and going home at 3.20.)

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for all for the support you loaned last year. It made working together to help keep all our children safe so much easier. Like you, we’re hoping for a year without disruption and a year in which your child gains the best possible experience of their year group. Communication is key to this aim so please continue to talk with us and don’t hesitate to call if you have queries.

Take care and stay safe,

Ruth Davies

Headteacher

Wednesday July 14th

Well, we’ve reached the end of a challenging yet successful year and, as mentioned last week, we hope it can be remembered as a year when the whole school community worked together in unprecedented circumstances. Once again, a massive thanks to all our parents and families for your support. Alongside our amazing staff and incredible children, it really has been a team effort!

We say goodbye to our wonderful Year 6 pupils for the final time today and, although sadly we haven’t been able to see them all this week, each and every one of them should be extremely proud of the young people they are and can head to Gowerton full of confidence and ready to shine! You are all amazing!

With regards to our plans for September, in line with advice, we will be gradually adjusting our day to day operations. Pupils return to school on Friday September 3rd when drop off and pick up routines and timings will remain as they are today. We will then gradually introduce new systems, in line with guidance as we receive it over the summer, including the use of both entrances for all pupils. We will send out reminders and more details on Thursday 2nd September. As always, we appreciate your patience as we aim for a return to some form of normality.

Finally, we would like to wish you all a wonderful summer break! Let’s hope we get plenty of sunshine!

Take care and we’ll see you all in September!

Friday July 9th

It’s hard to believe that we have come to the end of our final full week of 2020/2021. It’s certainly been a year that we won’t forget. Although there have been many challenges along the way, I hope the year will be remembered for the manner in which the whole school community have pulled together. Huge thanks and congratulations must go to staff, families, governors and, most importantly, all the incredible children. Each and every one of them has been awesome!

On that note, we will be saying goodbye to our amazing Year 6 pupils on Wednesday and we can be sure that they will prove to be a huge asset to Gowerton!

There has been lots of excitement, smiling and laughter in school today as the children met their new class and teachers. We will be welcoming a new member of staff in September with Miss Shaw teaching in years 5 and 6. 

We have loads of fun planned for next week with parties, picnics, movies and games. Children can wear non-school uniform on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week. All party food will be provided. The order of activities may depend on the weather!

Just a reminder that the last day of term for children is on Wednesday 14th July. Children return to school following the summer break on Friday September 3rd.

Friday 2nd July

Alongside lots of learning and laughter, the Olympics came to Waunarlwydd this week with all the children thoroughly enjoying their Sports Days. We know it has been frustrating for parents not to be able to watch (thanks for your understanding) but a huge thanks to staff for making the best of the situation and providing the children with such a fun, active and happy time.

I have no doubt that there are lots of proud parents this week after reading school reports. It’s been a year like no other but we are lucky at Waunarlwydd to have a school full of superstars! Next Friday (July 9th), children will be spending some time outdoors getting to know their new class and teacher!

The last 3 days of school (12th, 13th and 14th July) will be spent celebrating a challenging yet ultimately successful year. No uniform will be required on these days and there will be picnics, parties and more. Plus, of course, a big send off for our wonderful Year 6 pupils before they head off to Gowerton!