Children In Need and Christmas Card reminder

Dear Parents Children in Need Just a reminder that tomorrow is Children in Need and the theme of the day is to wear pyjamas and bring a donation for the privilege. As usual, our Year 6 pupils will be organising their stalls and pupils can bring in pocket money to buy cakes etc. Our School Council will be presenting a Children in Need Assembly with some fun audience participation!! At 10am in the main hall, all pupils from Nursery to Year 6 will be joining in the fun. PTA Christmas Cards The final date for collection of PTA Christmas Card orders is tomorrow at 3.30 p.m. at the very latest. Please note that the PTA will not be able to process any orders after this time. Thank you for your continuing support S Harwood

RCT Admission Proposal

Dear Parents,

As many of you will now be aware, the Local Authority has issued a consultation on the changes they would like to make to services in RCT based on the budget savings they need to find. The main proposed change that affects our school is the change in provision for 3 year olds in school. I include the proposal below for those who are not yet aware of it.

 Proposal 1: School Admission Arrangements It is proposed that we (the LA) introduce consistent admission arrangements across all our schools (where there is space in the school to do so). The consistent admission arrangement should be based on;

 • Part-time (half day) provision from the term after a child’s 3rd birthday (pre-nursery and nursery); and

 • Full-time provision from the September after a child’s 4th birthday (reception); This reduction to the current arrangements still represents a service level above our statutory requirements.

 I very much appreciate that many parents of 3 year olds currently in school and parents of children yet to start school are concerned by the proposed changes.

 I would encourage anyone with a strong view on the proposed changes to make their views known through the consultation process that the Local Authority has put in place. Information on the consultation can be found on the posters we have put up in school, by asking for a leaflet from the foyer or by going to the link below.

The link will take you the LA pages on the proposed changes.

http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/councildemocracy/consultations/servicechangeproposals/servicechangeproposals-phase1.aspx 

To download the full consultation pack go to

http://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/en/relateddocuments/publications/consultation/phase-1/consultation-pack.pdf

There is a shortcut at the bottom of the page for anyone who would like to complete an online survey / response to the proposals. This can be found at:

http://www.snapsurveys.com/swh/surveylogin.asp?k=138323787082

 Please make sure that if you want your views heard, that you complete the survey before 2nd December 2013. As employees of the Local Authority, members of staff are advised not to support public displays of concern with parents. However, this does not stop the school and any employee from expressing their views through the consultation process. The next steps for the school will depend on the outcome of the consultation process.

The Governors will take advice and decide on how to respond once we know if the changes are going to take place. I thank you for your support at this challenging time.

 Please make the most of your opportunity to have your say.

 Many thanks,

Miss S Harwood
Acting Headteacher

Games and Dance After School Clubs

Dear Parents I am writing to inform you that both Games Club and Dance Club will not be on today but will be back as normal next week. Football Club is on as normal. Yours sincerely Miss Harwood

Gate Closure times, Harvest Assembly,

Dear Parents,

Gate Closure

To increase the security of our pupils, all school gates will now be closed from 9.10 am and the Infant gates will then be unlocked from 3pm onwards. Gates to the Junior yard will be opened from 3.20 pm.

Catering Direct

Please find on the reverse of this letter the new menus that will be served after the half term holiday. However, please remember that the first two days will be as described in our newsletter dated 18 October - Homemade Pizza or Pasta King on Monday and Sausage Appreciation day on Tuesday.

 Harvest Festival

Just a reminder that we are having an in-school Harvest Assembly on tomorrowr. We will be collecting loose change to fill our harvest picture. Please could children come to school on tomorrow with their loose change collections and we will donate the money raised to the Charity, Tŷ Hafan. We will once again this year donate tins/cans/dry goods (no fruit or vegetables) to the local Food Bank Scheme at Bethel Baptist Church.
Thank you

We would like to give a big thank you to our PTA for donating a fantastic £15,000 for the outside play equipment in all on our playgrounds. We are also very grateful to Pontyclun Community Shop for their donation of over £3,000 which has allowed us to purchase storage for our Foundation Phase outdoor learning equipment.

Thank you for your continuing support. 

A Llewellyn Acting Deputy Headteacher

Catering Direct Menus from 04.11.13

WEEK ONE

Monday Beef Burger in Soft Bag or Cod Chunks, peas or baked beans. chipped potatoes or pasta twistsLemon Sponge Juice or Water Tuesday Homemade Pizza or Pasta King, salad or coleslaw, herby diced potatoes or boiled potatoes Fruit Cocktail Juice or Water Wednesday Chicken Breast or Lamb & Mint Grill, gravy and stuffing, cauliflower or carrots, boiled potatoes Welsh Cake Juice, Milk or Water Thursday Homemade Bolognaise Sauce or Lemon Sole, salad or peas, pasta twists or creamed potatoes Chocolate Banana Cake with creamy custard Juice or Water Friday Pork Loin served with Gravy or Salmon Goujons, broccoli or sweetcorn, pepper rice or creamed potatoes Fruity Flapjack Juice, Milk or Water

 WEEK TWO

Monday Oven Baked Sausage or Cod and Salmon Fish Fingers, peas or homemade salsa, chipped or creamed potatoes Chocolate Orange Sponge with creamy custard Juice or Water Tuesday Homemade Minced Beef Pie or Pasta King, mixed vegetables or salad or green beans, boiled potatoes Decorated fruit jelly Juice, Milk or Water Wednesday Turkey Breast or Pork Loin, gravy and stuffing, broccoli or carrots, creamed potatoes Banana flapjack Juice, Milk or Water Thursday Homemade Cheese Wheel or Spicy Quorn Sausage Pasta Pot, baked beans or sweetcorn, oven baked mini potato waffles or boiled potatoes Citrus Punch Cake Juice or Water Friday Chicken Bites or Chip Shop Fish, coleslaw or pea and sweetcorn mix, pepper rice or creamed potatoes Fruity Friday Juice, Milk or Water

WEEK THREE


Monday Birds Eye Fish Fingers or Farmhouse Brunch, baked beans or peas, chipped or creamed potatoes Toffee Apple Pudding with creamy custard Juice or Water Tuesday Homemade Lasagne or BBQ Chicken, medley of roasted vegetables or salad, jacket potato or wholegrain rice Trifle Juice or Water Wednesday Oven Baked Turkey Sausage or Pork Loin with gravy and stuffing, broccoli or cabbage, creamed potatoes Fruity Rice Pudding Juice or Water Thursday Homemade Chicken Curry or Pizza Wheels, carrots or salad, wholegrain rice or tomato pasta twists or creamed potatoes Ice Cream Sponge Roll Juice, Milk or Water Friday Cooks Choice Pasta Pot or Fishcake, pea and sweetcorn mix or salad, boiled potatoes or pepper rice Fruity Flapjack Juice, Milk or Water

October Newsletter

Dear Parents Spooky Disco The PTA are holding their Spooky Disco on Thursday, 24th October. Tickets are available from PTA representatives and cost £2.00 each. Parents can also pay on the door. Infants 5.00 – 6.15 p.m. (must be accompanied by an adult) Juniors 6.30 – 8.00 p.m. (must be picked up by an adult) Harvest Festival We will be having an in-school Harvest Assembly on Friday 25 October. We will be collecting loose change to fill our harvest picture. Please could children come to school on Friday with their loose change collections. In memory of Mrs Davies, we would like to raise money over the year for her favourite Charity, Tŷ Hafan. We would also like to support a local Food Bank scheme at Bethel Baptist Church and would welcome any tins/cans/dry goods for this Charity. (No fruit or vegetables) Chair of Governing Body Mrs Sian Bolton, our Chairperson of the Governing Body has resigned as a Governor after serving a fantastic 16 years with the School. We would like to thank Mrs Bolton for her tremendous support over this period. Her service to the School has been immeasurable and we are grateful for her contribution over so many years. We would also like to offer a very warm welcome to Miss E Godwin who has taken up the position of Chair of our Governing Body. Lunch Menu Changes Catering Direct is changing the menus from Monday 4th November. The new menus will be displayed outside the main hall doors should you wish to view them, please note that chips will now be served on Mondays instead of Fridays. However for our first week back, there will be a slight change as it is National School Meals Week. On Monday 4th November, there will be homemade pizza or pasta king, salad or coleslaw, herby diced potatoes or boiled potatoes and fruit cocktail. On Tuesday, 5th November, as this is National Sausage Appreciation Week, there will be jumbo sausage, potato croquettes, baked beans and dessert or fruit yoghurt. Meals from Wednesday onwards will be as described in Week One menu. P.T.O Dinner Money Dinner money should be paid to School every Monday morning FOR THE FORTHCOMING WEEK. If parents wish to pay for a longer period of time, e.g. half a term, that is acceptable. Please note that meals cost £2.25 per day. CHEQUES FOR DINNER MONEY SHOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO RCTCBC. Please write your child’s name and class on the back of the cheque. Whenever possible, please do not send in cash. I would like to remind all parents that if there are any arrears outstanding on Friday 25th October, these will be reported to the arrears team of the LEA. Parent Evenings Parents evenings are scheduled for 26th and 27th November. Appointment letters will be sent out in the new half term. Absence from School – when your child is absent from school, please ring School on the first morning of your child absence and leave a message stating your child’s name together with specific details of your child’s absence. Dogs Please may I remind parents that dogs are not permitted onto the school yard, either walked or carried. Stomach Bugs If your child has suffered a stomach bug, namely vomiting and/or diarrhoea, please note that your child must not come back to school until 48 hours has elapsed from the last episode of not being well. Children in Need Friday 15th November – we will inform you of the theme after the half term holiday. I hope everyone has a good half term holiday. Mr Llewellyn

Games and Football Clubs - Monday 14th October

Dear Parents Please note that there will be NO Games club for Year 2 and NO Football Club for Years 5/6 on Monday 14th October. Clubs will continue as normal on Tuesday 15th October. Thank you for your continuing support. Miss Harwood

Yr 3-4 Football Club Cancelled

Dear parent(s), Unfortunately, due to the heavy rain I am forced to cancel tonight's football practice for Yr 3-4 boys. Hopefully the weather will be kinder to us for next week Thank you for your continuing support Mr. Llewellyn