Weekly Newsletter 27.02.26

School News

Dear Parents, Carers and Friends,

What a truly wonderful day we shared at our School Eisteddfod! It was a celebration filled with talent, creativity, joy and community spirit. The atmosphere throughout the event was simply fantastic, and it was clear how much everyone enjoyed being part of such a special occasion.

We were incredibly proud of all our pupils. Their behaviour was exemplary, and they represented the school beautifully. From the very beginning of the preparations to the final applause of the day, the children demonstrated enthusiasm, respect and encouragement towards one another.

The level of participation in the competitions, both in the lead-up to the event and on the day itself, was outstanding. Whether performing in singing, disco dancing or choral speech, our pupils showed tremendous confidence and bravery. Standing up in front of an audience takes courage, and every single performer should feel immensely proud. Their energy and enthusiasm lit up the hall, and the smiles on their faces said it all!

We were also delighted with the incredible effort that went into the home– school craft competitions. A heartfelt thank you to all parents and families who supported the children with these wonderful creations. The imagination, skill and originality on display have been truly inspiring. The quality of the entries made judging a very difficult task!

Our event concluded in traditional style with the Chairing of the Bard. Congratulations to this year’s winner, Imaani. What a proud and memorable moment! Finally, we would like to extend our sincere thanks to parents for their generous donations towards the hall decorations. Your contributions helped transform our space and made the environment feel even more special and celebratory. We are so grateful for your continued support in making events like this so meaningful for our children.

Heddlu Bach

Our new Heddlu Bach are excited to launch their very first challenge for Derwendeg! Pupils in Years 2–6 are invited to design a poster promoting one of the following themes: a healthy school environment, where to go if you need help or feel upset, our school values (Be Kind, Be Ambitious, Be the Best You Can Be), or internet safety. Entries must be submitted by Wednesday 18th March at 3pm, and winners will be announced in a Celebration Assembly – with prizes to be won!

World Book Day

A reminder that we will soon be celebrating World Book Day on Friday 6^th March! Children are invited to come dressed as a reader with their favourite book or as a book character of their choice. We are very much looking forward to a wonderful day celebrating our love of reading together.

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!

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

Important Dates

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

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 5^th January
Friday 13^th February
Monday 13^th April
Monday 20^th July

March
Thursday 20^th March – Dosbarth Porffor – Royal Welsh college of Music and Drama Performance
Thursday 26^th March – School disco
Friday 27^th March – break up for Easter holidays

April
Monday 13^th April – INSET
Tuesday 14^th April – pupils return to school
Wednesday 15^th April – School Council visit Senedd
Wednesday 29^th April – Year 5/6 visit to London

May
Monday 4^th May – BANK HOLIDAY (SCHOOL CLOSED)
Monday 18^th May – Spain trip
Friday 22^nd May – break up for half term

June
Monday 8^th June – Year 6 leavers photos
Wednesday 17^th June – Dosbarth Glas Ystrad Mynach Library visit
Thursday 18^th June – Dosbarth Porffor Ystrad Mynach Library visit
Friday 19^th June – Dosbarth Enfys Ystrad Mynach Library visit
Monday 22^nd June – Year 6 swimming sessions start (3 week block)

July
Monday 6^th July – Spain visit to our school
Friday 17^th July – break up for Summer holidays

School Menu

Click here to see the school menu.
Week beginning Mon 2^nd March will be Week 3

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: 92%

Weekly total
(Week ending 13th Feb): 90%

Dosbarth Oren: 95%
Dosbarth Melyn: 89%
Dosbarth Gwyrdd: 89%
Dosbarth Glas: 91%
Dosbarth Porffor: 88%
Dosbarth Enfys: 94%

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: Layla-Ray MP & Isla-Rose P
Dosbarth Oren: Oaklyn E & Harlan P
Dosbarth Melyn: Deacyn TB & Zayden P
Dosbarth Gwyrdd Theo B & Primrose D
Dosbarth Glas: Isla-Mae D & Daisy I
Dosbarth Porffor: Reuben P & Phoebe W
Dosbarth Enfys: Brooke P & Tate J