Weekly Newsletter 23.10.26

School News

Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,

As we come to the end of the first half of the Autumn term, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on what a lovely start to the school year it has been. We have thoroughly enjoyed these first few weeks and have been so pleased to see how well the children have settled back into school, building relationships and embracing all the opportunities that the new school year brings. It has been wonderful to see the children growing in confidence, learning together and making such a positive start to the year.

Aberfan 60th Anniversary

This week, the children listened with great respect and maturity during Mrs Titley’s Welsh assembly to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster. Many children have also completed follow-up work in class, taking time to reflect further on this important event in Welsh history. It is so important that we continue to remember the lives lost and ensure that future generations understand the significance of this tragic event. We were very proud of the children’s maturity, respect and engagement throughout

Y5/6 Summit Centre Fundraising

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported our raffle to help raise funds for our Y5/6 Summit Centre trip. Your generosity makes a real difference and is greatly appreciated!

We would also like to thank everyone who has shared ideas for future fundraising. We are keen to explore ways to support families with the cost of the trip and ensure that finances do not become a barrier to any child who would like to take part. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to enjoy experiences like this, and our fundraising efforts will help make the trip as accessible as possible for all our children.

PTA Autumn Disco

A big thank you to our wonderful PTA for organising such a lovely Autumn disco! The children had a fantastic time, and we are so grateful for the time and effort that goes into creating these special experiences for them. We would also like to extend a warm welcome and a huge thank you to all our new volunteers who are supporting us. We are incredibly lucky to have such a fantastic community of people who are willing to give their time and energy to help create wonderful memories and opportunities for our children.

Keep an Ey e on ParentPay !

Please keep an eye on ParentPay for upcoming trips, exciting experiences and other important information. Some fantastic opportunities and trips are already live on ParentPay, so please take a moment to check.

Reading for Pleasure and Mathletics

As we head into half term, please encourage children to keep reading for pleasure and using Mathletics to practise their maths skills. Even a little practice can make a big difference!

Half term is the perfect time to snuggle up with a good book. Some of my favourites include Christopher Pumpkin by Sue Hendra, Room on the Broom by Julia Donaldson, The Worst Witch by Jill Murphy and the Goosebumps series by R. L. Stine for those who enjoy a little fright!

Why not build a cosy reading den with blankets, cushions and a torch, ready for those cold, wet and dark evenings? Happy reading, everyone!

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. We hope you all have a wonderful half-term holiday, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for another exciting half term!

Thank you for all your continued support,
Kind regards,
Mr Lloyd, Mrs Lloyd and the Derwendeg team.

Important Dates

Key Dates for 2026-27 – Term Dates

Autumn Term: Tuesday 1 Sept – Friday 18 December 2026
Half Term: Monday 26 Oct – Friday 30 Oct 2026
Spring Term: Monday 4 January – Friday 19 March 2027
Half Term: Monday 8 February – Friday 12 February 2027
Summer Term: Monday 5 April – Tuesday 20 July 2027
Half Term: Monday 31 May – Friday 4 June 2027

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
Tuesday 1^st September
Friday 5^th February
Friday 2^nd October
Monday 5^th April
Monday 19^th July Tuesday 20^th July

October
Friday 23^rd October – Flu Spray for whole school
Friday 23^rd October – Break up for half term

November
Mon 2^nd Nov – Children return to school
Wednesday 11^th November – Year 5/6 Remebrance Service – Dosbarth Porffor.
Friday 13^th November – Children in Need
Friday 13^th November – Anti-bullying Assembly – Dosbarth Glas.
Thursday 19^th November – ALN Coffee afternoon
Mon 23^rd Nov – Snow White Pantomime in School

December
Monday 7^th December – Foundation Phase Nativity
Tuesday 8^th December – Foundation Phase Nativity
Wednesday 9^th December – Christmas Dinner Day
Wednesday 9^th December – KS2 Christmas Show
Thursday 10^th December – KS2 Christmas Show
Friday 11^th December – Dosbarth Coch, Oren & Melyn class trip to Eden Centre
Monday 14^th December – Christmas party week
Friday 18^th December – Break up for Christmas holidays

January

Monday 4^th January – Children return to school
Monday 11^th January – Dosbarth Porffor & Enfys – Police assembly on our Community and helping others
Tuesday 12^th January – Year 6 Period Dignity workshop

February

Tuesday 2^nd February – Reception children Vision and Growth Screening
Friday 5^th February – Inset Day – School closed to children
Friday 5^th February – Break up for half term
Monday 15^th February – Children return to school

March

Tuesday 9^th March – Year 6 Trip – Change the Game workshop
Friday 19^th March – Break up for Easter holidays

April

Monday 5^th April – Inset Day
Tuesday 6^th April – Children return to school
Tuesday 6^th April – Year 6 pupils swimming lessons everyday for 3 weeks

May

Monday 3^rd May – Bank Holiday, school closed
Wednesday 26^th May – Year 5/6 Summit Residential Trip
Friday 28^th May – Break up for half term

June

Sports Days – Dates to be confirmed

July
Friday 16^th July – Break up for Summer Holidays
Monday 19^th & Tuesday 20^th July – Inset Days

School Menu

Click here to see the school menu.
Week beginning Mon 2^nd Nov 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: 91%

Weekly total
(Week ending 16th Oct): 88%

Dosbarth Oren: 89%
Dosbarth Melyn: 89%
Dosbarth Gwyrdd: 90%
Dosbarth Glas: 87%
Dosbarth Porffor: 87%
Dosbarth Enfys: 88%

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 Oren: Ella S & Layla-Ray M-P
Dosbarth Melyn: Brody T & Kanley Y
Dosbarth Gwyrdd: Nila S & Jax B
Dosbarth Glas: Bessie C & Jayden W
Dosbarth Porffor: Leo V & Olivia N
Dosbarth Enfys: Aneria McG & Hollie E
Dosbarth Seren: Oliver K