School News
Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,
Wow, what a week!
As we move closer to the Christmas holidays, our school has been filled with excitement, celebration, and a wonderful sense of community. We’ve shared so many special moments together over the past few days, and we want to thank you for the support that makes these events so memorable for the children.
Our Nativity deserves its own special mention. A huge thank you to every pupil, staff member, and parent who played a part in bringing it to life. It was absolutely fantastic! The best yet. The children were full of confidence, and the kind of festive cuteness that makes this time of year so magical. The children were incredible, and we are so proud of them.
Thank you also to everyone involved in the Christingle concert in the upper phase. The singing, readings, and atmosphere were truly beautiful, and the children represented the school wonderfully. The Christingle is always such a magical experience—especially that moment when the candles are lit and the whole hall glows. The atmosphere is truly special, and the songs and celebrations made it a memorable occasion for everyone.
We were delighted to host such a warm and meaningful community Carol Concert alongside Hengoed Primary, Pastor Darby, and Pastor Johnson. Sharing the Christmas story together was a real highlight, and we are grateful for their support in making the event so special. We were also thrilled to welcome the Cefn Hengoed Ladies’ Choir, who sang beautifully and added an extra touch of festive warmth to the evening. It was great to bring our community together for such an enjoyable event.
ParentPay
As we look ahead to upcoming school trips and activities, we kindly ask all families to make sure they are signed up to ParentPay. This will help us manage permissions and payments more smoothly. If you need any support setting up your account, please contact the school office — we’re happy to help!
Looking ahead to next week, we have a fantastic run-up to the Christmas holidays planned. The final week of term is always one of the most exciting, and this year is no exception! We’ll be gathering for our much-loved carols around the tree, and the children are already buzzing with anticipation for their Christmas parties. Oren, Melyn and Gwyrdd will be celebrating on Tuesday, while Seren, Coch, Glas, Porffor and Enfys will enjoy their parties on Thursday. Teachers will be in touch with more details, but we’re very much looking forward to a brilliant end to a busy and festive term.
As always, thank you for your continued support throughout this busy festive period. We’re so proud of everything the children have achieved this term, and we look forward to finishing the year on a high.
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Mr Lloyd, Mrs Lloyd and the Derwendeg team
Important Dates
Key Dates for 2025-26 – Term Dates
Autumn Term: Monday 1 September – Friday 19 December 2025
Spring Term: Monday 5 January – Friday 27 March 2026
Half Term: Monday 16 February – Friday 20 February 2026
Summer Term: Monday 13 April – Monday 20 July 2026
Half Term: Monday 25 May – Friday 29 May 2026 Monday 21 July 2025
Please remember these are the dates of the school year, but below are the dates for the Insets to reflect when the children are in school.
INSET Dates
Monday 5th January
Friday 13th February
Monday 13th April
Monday 20th July
December
Monday 15th December – Christmas party week
Friday 19th December – Pupils finish for Christmas
January
Monday 5th January – INSET
School Menu
Click here to see the school menu.
Week beginning Mon 15th Dec will be Week 1
Attendance Matters
The United Nation Article 28 states ‘every child has the right to have a primary education’. We are linking our attendance performance to this article.
We want our children to have the best possible education to give them the best chance in life. If your children aren’t in school we can’t give them this opportunity and can’t give them the opportunity to ‘be the best they can be.’
School target: 93%
Annual % to date: 93%
Weekly total
(Week ending 5th Dec): 89%
Dosbarth Oren: 96%
Dosbarth Melyn: 93%
Dosbarth Gwyrdd: 88%
Dosbarth Glas: 89%
Dosbarth Porffor: 87%
Dosbarth Enfys: 85%
Congratulations to the classes who surpassed our school target of 93%.It is important all of the children are in school every day to ensure they aren’t missing out on important learning.
Heroes of the Week
Dosbarth Coch: Nova B-D & Isla G
Dosbarth Oren: Isla T & Noah D
Dosbarth Melyn: Shevon A & Logan F-C
Dosbarth Gwyrdd Lily B-D & Asher W
Dosbarth Glas: Isabelle W & Noah P
Dosbarth Porffor: Afon R & Robyn-Lynne R
Dosbarth Enfys: Ashton H & Emiah H
Dosbarth Seren: Gabriel W
Headteachers Award
This week’s Headteacher Awards go to:
Freddy J
Amiya E
Pop py S
Thea J
Joey J
These children were chosen for displaying our school values and will be treated to a hot chocolate and a chat with Mrs Wangiel. Da iawn bawb!
