Ysgol Gynradd Tre Uchaf Primary School

Newsletter 3.5.22

Dear Parent / carer

I hope you all had a relaxing, extra-long bank holiday weekend. We were very lucky with the weather so I hope you all made the most of the sunshine and managed to enjoy the outdoors. This half of the summer term is relatively short so we will be making the most out of every opportunity and fitting in as many authentic learning experiences as possible.

INSET Days

We have two remaining INSET days this academic year- Monday June 6^th and Friday 22^nd July, have now been allocated to staff training. Please put the dates in your diary and spread the word!

CAMHS School In-reach is offering a two-session parent workshop on supporting your child with their worries. 
Learn how to manage your child’s worries in a supportive manner that fosters emotional resilience in your child. The workshop offers an opportunity to understand the science behind worry while providing practical strategies to manage worry in the home and for life outside of school. Look inside the worry cycle, understand the physical feelings of worries and how to manage them, and explore when extra support may be needed. Come along to the school on 24^th May and 7^th June between 2pm-3pm

Year 6 party

The Year 6 leavers’ party will be on Friday 15^th July. Your child should have received a letter with the information and a payment plan. Please contact the school office or Lisa Davies (Joseph’s mum) for more information.

Year 5 hoodies

The year 5 children have been asking me about the leaver’s hoodies for next year. This seems to be an exciting time for the children! After discussions with the year 5 class and JSTF children, we have decided that the selection of colours will not be as wide this year and we will be sticking to just 5 colours to choose from. Order forms and sample sizes will be available over the next few weeks for parents. More information will follow before half term.

New curriculum parent event

From September 2022, our school will be embarking on a journey towards a new curriculum for Tre Uchaf. Whilst the teaching staff and children have all shared their ideas about what our curriculum should look like in our school, it should also be acknowledged that you as parents and carers will also have your own ideas and suggestions about what our children should experience.  Everyone is welcome to attend but I am also particularly interested in encouraging parents and carers who may belong to underrepresented groups such as BAME parents, parents in the LGBT community, parents of children with additional learning needs and parents who have children who speak English as a second language. As you know, we are a positive and inclusive school and I want to hear your thoughts and suggestions about what you think our children need to achieve or experience before leaving us at the end of Year 6. Come along to the school hall on Wednesday 18^th May at 1.30pm to discuss the new curriculum and have a cup of coffee and a slice of cake!

After school clubs

I am delighted to tell you that after-school clubs are back on for the Summer term. The children will receive a letter for consent to attend and information regarding times and days etc. Please collect a letter from your child’s class teacher or staff member organising the group.

Football matches against other schools will be ongoing throughout the summer term with Mr Jones.

Monday

Cricket from 3pm-4pm on the school field Years 4,5 and 6  with Mrs Davies

Netball in the gym  for  Years 5 and 6 with Miss Trotman

Active citizens for Year 5 and 6 with Mr Smith

Clwb Cymraeg with Mrs Havard and Miss Morgan in the  Year 4 classroom

Advanced Makaton with Mrs Pugh Year 3,4,5 and 6

Tuesday

Beginner Makaton with Miss Hughes in ISTF class Years 1,2 and 3

Dance with Miss Legg in the gym

Wednesday

Basketball from 3pm-3.50pm in the gym with Mr Walker (Years 4,5 and 6)

Thursday

Coding Club with Mrs Edwards in Year 2 with Years 2,3 and 4

Cycling club with Mr Civil- limited numbers due to health and safety. (Years 4,5 and 6)

Friday

Art and craft with Mrs Hall (Years 1 and 2)

A big thank you to the staff who are giving up their time to host these activities for our children.

Mrs Davies

Newsletter 8.4.22

Dear Parent / carer

Happy Easter-Pasg Hapus!

The children have had a great week learning about Easter traditions and making cards and gifts for family and friends. The Easter raffle yesterday raised over £230 and I would like to say a big thank you to Benjamin and Aimee who have been busy selling tickets on behalf of our enterprising group- Diolch yn fawr iawn! Thank you for supporting the children by buying a ticket or donating an egg, it is much appreciated. I must also comment on how thoughtful our children are because several of the children’s tickets came out more than once and they were happy to let someone else have a go. This has made me an extremely proud headteacher.

The standard of Easter bonnets during the parade today and the creativity of our children shown through the decorate an egg competition was second to none. I felt sorry for Mrs Seager, our mystery judge, she had the most difficult job in the school!

Bank holiday

Don’t forget school will be closed on Friday 29^th April for the extra Queen’s platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday that falls in the May half term.

Afternoon nursery

The afternoon nursery will start after Easter from 12.50pm until 3.05pm. Please spread the word and share this information with anyone who is yet to secure a place. These sessions are for children who have just turned three and will have another year of nursery from September. Mrs Lauren Hall will be the afternoon nursery teacher.

I hope you all have an enjoyable Easter holiday and we’ll see you back in school on Monday 25^th April.

Stay safe

Mrs Davies

1.4.22

Newsletter 1.4.22

Dear Parent / carer

Thank you for all your support on Wednesday for our ‘Onesie Wednesday’ to raise awareness of Autism during World Autism Awareness Week. We raised over £100 for the Swansea branch of the National Autistic Society. Huge congratulations to Isla who won the signed Swansea City football!

Easter Fun!

Our foundation phase children have been invited to create an Easter bonnet or an Easter hat for our parade on Friday. There will be a prize for each class and a mystery judge has been appointed! Our key stage 2 children have also been asked to decorate a hard boiled egg for a competition too. There will be a prize for each class.  Pob lwc!

Easter raffle

Thank you for your generous donations of eggs for our Easter raffle on Thursday. A big thank you to Benjamin and Aimee who’ve been very busy selling tickets this week. The tickets cost 50p each or £1 for 3.

Thank you

I would like to say a big thank you to St Vincent de Paul church who has kindly donated Easter food parcels for families in need. If you feel that you would benefit from one of these parcels or know someone who might need it, please get in touch via the school office or pop into school. Please speak to me or a member of staff if we can support you in any way.

Bank holiday

Don’t forget school will be closed on Friday 29^th April for the extra Queen’s platinum Jubilee Bank Holiday that falls in the May half term.

Absences

Please could you inform Mrs Seager if your child is absent from school? We have an online form if you use schoop or you can use class dojo if that’s easier. We will be making phone calls to those families who don’t inform us on the first day. I will be meeting with the education welfare officer on Tuesday to discuss unexplained absences and she will visit any families who are keeping children home from school for no reason. We will be sending home a report of your child’s attendance so far this year. If you wish to discuss it please telephone the school office to make an appointment.

Parents’ evening

There are still quite a few parents who haven’t yet made a telephone appointment to discuss pupil progress. I will make telephone calls this week to discuss this with you. Hopefully, we will be able to find a mutually convenient time to chat about your child.

Afternoon nursery

The afternoon nursery will start after Easter. Please spread the word and share this information with anyone who is yet to secure a place.

Start time

Thank you for responding to the change of start time in the morning. The doors now close at 8.50 and not 8.55 am. Please do not send your child in before 8.40 in the morning unless they are going to breakfast club. All children should be supervised before the doors open at 8.40am.

Goodbye and good luck!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Miss Walker a fond farewell. She will be leaving on Wednesday and taking up a new position in another school. I’m sure you will all join me and wish her the best of luck for the future.

I hope you all have an enjoyable weekend!

Mrs Davies

Dates for the diary

Friday 1^st April

Year 6 swimming

Transition council meeting in Penyrheol (Year 6)

Monday 4^th April

Easter raffle tickets on sale

Wednesday 6^th April

Pentagon play to visit to speak to the children about playground designs

Miss Walker’s last day

Thursday 7^th April

Easter raffle

Friday 8^th April

Easter bonnet parade and decorate an egg competition

Year 6 swimming

Last day of the term

Local authority advice on control measures for risk infection in schools remains until the end of term.

Following this week’s meeting of the local Incident Management Team schools are advised to remain at HIGH on the Welsh Government’s Framework until the end of term. As soon as we have a further update from the Welsh Government, especially on the wearing of face masks, twice weekly-testing and the current self-isolation period following a positive test, we will write to you again. Control measures in schools will remain the same until after Easter, at least.

Newsletter 25.3.22

Dear Parent / carer

It has been lovely to see the children enjoying the sunshine this week and working in our outdoor environment.  We are busy trying to raise as much money as possible for our new playground equipment. The enterprising pupil voice group would like to raise even more money by organising an Easter raffle. Tickets will go on sale week this week and will be 50p each or 3 for £1. We will draw this in assembly on Thursday 7th April. If you would like to donate an egg, however large or small, please hand them into Mrs Edwards in Year 2 via your child’s class teacher. Please send any raffle ticket money to school in an envelope with your child’s name.

The children are putting together a ‘Playground fund-o-meter’ to display by the entrance so you can see how much money we have raised so far!

Parents’ evening

Thank you for making an appointment to discuss your child’s progress. If you haven’t made an appointment yet, please get in touch and we will arrange something before Easter.

Afternoon nursery

We will be starting our afternoon nursery after Easter so if you have  a child who is about to turn 3 or is already 3 and not enrolled, please contact Mrs Seager for an application form.

Start time

The doors will be open promptly at 8.40 am every morning for children to enter school as they arrive and they will now close at 8.50. Please do not send your child in before 8.40 in the morning unless they are going to breakfast club. All children should be supervised before the doors open at 8.40.

Autism Acceptance Week

Next week is World Autism Acceptance Week. On Wednesday 30^th March Swansea National Autistic Society is hosting Onesie Wednesday and inviting schools to take part. We will proudly be taking part this year to raise awareness of autism, and in support of the many pupils at Tre Uchaf with autism. Children are invited to wear a onesie to school on Wednesday, and if parents would like to send in a donation for the Swansea branch of the National Autistic Society, you are very welcome. 

We will also be raffling a signed Swansea City football, and donating the proceeds to the NAS. Tickets are £1 each and the winner will be drawn on Wednesday afternoon. Please send any raffle ticket money in a clearly marked envelope addressed to Miss Smith.

Governors

As you know, some of our long-standing governors have retired recently which has left 6 governor vacancies. If you are interested in becoming a school governor, please get in touch and I can explain the role to you in more detail.

I hope you all have a relaxing weekend. Enjoy the sunshine!

Mrs Davies

Dates for the diary

Monday 28^th March -Easter Raffle tickets on sale

JSTF Football tournament

Tuesday 29^th March

Year 5 visit to Pembroke castle

Reception visit to Plantasia

Governing Body meeting at 5pm

Wednesday 30^th March- Onesie Wednesday for National Autistic Society (Swansea Branch)

Music Therapy

Thursday 31^st March

Year 3 parent consultations

Football match after school

Violins

Stringalong with Year 2

Friday 1^st April

Year 6 swimming

Transition council meeting in Penyrheol (Year 6)

Monday 4^th April

Easter raffle tickets on sale

Thursday 7^th April

Easter raffle

Friday 8^th April

Easter parade

Last day of term

Newsletter 20.3.22

Dear Parent / carer

Thank you all for supporting Comic Relief this year. We raised just over £100 but it did feel more low-key, particularly in respect of what is happening in Ukraine. Thanks again for supporting the cause.

Our Year 6 children returned from Morfa Bay very tired on Friday but they all had a fabulous time. We have asked for prices to take our Year 6 children this time next year so will update you as soon as they respond. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff who gave up their time to stay in Pendine for the 3 days. They almost had as much fun as the children! Check out our Twitter account for more photographs @treuchafprimary

Parents’ evening

Our parents’ evening is this week. If you haven’t made a mutually convenient appointment with your child’s class teacher, please do so this week.

Easter raffle

The enterprising pupil voice group would like to raise money by organising an Easter raffle. Tickets will go on sale week commencing 4^th April and will be 50p each or £1 for 5. We will draw this in assembly on Thursday 7th April. If you would like to donate an egg, however large or small, please hand them to Mrs Edwards in Year 2 via your child’s class teacher. Please send any raffle ticket money into school in an envelope with your child’s name to their class teacher from 4^th April.

Mobile Phones

Mobile phones are not permitted in school and will be confiscated if found. We understand children walk to and from school and you might want them to have a phone as a safety measure however these need to be handed to the school office and not left unattended in a school bag. We will not be held responsible if a phone is brought into school and gets damaged or lost.

Afternoon nursery

We will be starting our afternoon nursery after Easter so if you have a child who is about to turn 3 or is already 3 and not enrolled, please contact Mrs Glass or Mrs Seager for an application form.

Start time

School start times will now revert back to 8.40 until 8.50am and not 8.55am as it’s been since Christmas. The doors will be open at 8.40 for children to enter as they arrive and they will now close at 8.50. The buzzer will be changed to signal the times in the morning.

Dates for the diary

Tuesday 22^nd March

Football match against Oakleigh house. More information to follow.

Wednesday 23rd March

Music therapy

2B enterprising marketing team to work with Year 2

Thursday 24^th March

Violins and string tuition

Stringalong- Year 2

Friday 25^th March

YEAR 6 SWIMMING

Tuesday 29^th March

Year 5 visit to Pembroke castle

Monday 4^th April

Easter raffle tickets on sale

Thursday 7^th April

Easter raffle

Friday 8^th April

Easter parade

Last day of term

Please watch the video to find out how ALN is changing in Swansea over the next few years.

12.3.22

Newsletter 11.3.22

Dear Parent / carer

Thank you all for supporting the Ukraine appeal on Thursday. The children raised over £250 which is some way towards the £10,000 that Swansea schools wanted to achieve. So far the amount is £10,206 which is phenomenal.

Parents’ evening

Our parents’ evening is the week commencing 21st March. Class teachers will be contacting you about the appointment system and will be making telephone calls to you at a mutually convenient time.

Residential

The year 6 children and staff are very excited about the residential on Wednesday. Please can all parents park cars and meet the bus at the Pengry road club at 8am. The bus will leave promptly at 8.15 to get to Morfa Bay ready for the first activity of the day. We will return at approx 4pm on Friday at the same drop-off point!

New Playground

Some of the quotes have come in for the new playground and so the children are planning to raise as much money as possible on top of what has already been raised. If you know a local company that might want to donate to our playground appeal please let me know.

Twitter

Photographs of the children learning in class are shared via Twitter and not on class dojo as we have done in the past. Please follow us @treuchafprimary

Used school uniform

As part of our ‘Sustainabulls pledge,’ we would like to encourage you to donate used uniform in good condition that your child has grown out of. We would like to reduce, reuse and recycle school uniforms and have a rail at the main foyer for people to reuse. Please only take what you need!

Traffic

The local authority has monitored our car park and is concerned with the number of parents who choose to walk across the car park rather than using the path. For the safety of our children please model safe road sense so your children can follow your lead. We have also decided to lock the barrier to the staff car park from 8.30 until 3.05pm. Please be mindful that staff cars will be maneuvering out of this area outside these times.

Further to this, I will be speaking to the small minority of children and families who are behaving in an anti-social way around the back of the flats. Complaints have been made to the police and we have had several visits from the local PCSO. Children and their parents have been walking across gardens, parking in resident spaces that are private property, and are using foul language which has been heard by several members of staff. Some of the residents are elderly and I am concerned that this behaviour is affecting their health.

RESPECT Rules

You might have noticed our RESPECT rules have appeared throughout the school. The children have come up with these rules themselves and now form part of our new vision for our school. Ask them about them!

R-Ready to learn

E-Everyone treated fairly

S- Safe and supported

P- Positive and never give up

E- Everyone looks after our school

C-Caring

T- Try your best!

Covid news

I am delighted to tell you that we have had no cases in school for the last fortnight and long may this continue! We have decided to go back to phased bubbles so children will now have assemblies and lunch with the rest of their phase rather than their paired bubbles. The self-isolation period is still 5 days providing you have 2 negative lateral flow results on 2 consecutive days. Please continue to be vigilant to keep our school community safe.

Dates for the diary

Wednesday 16^th March

Music therapy

Wednesday 16^th– Friday 18^th March

Year 6 Residential to Morfa Bay

Thursday 17^th March

Fluoride varnish- Please return consent forms

Violins and string tuition

Stringalong- Year 2

The education welfare officers will be meeting with parents of children who are continually late or have low attendance.

Friday 18^th March

YEAR 5 SWIMMING TODAY

4 children from year 5 to a transition council meeting in Penyrheol comprehensive school

Week commencing 21^st March

Parent telephone calls

22^nd March

Football match against Oakleigh house. More information to follow.

23^rd March

2B enterprising marketing team to work with Year 2

Friday 8^th April

Easter parade

Last day of term

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Mrs Davies

Newsletter 7.3.22

Dear Parent / carer

The children have had a very busy and enjoyable week back in school. There has been plenty of activity around our St David’s day celebrations and being Welsh. The children have been enjoying books and stories as part of our World Book Day celebrations and looked amazing dressed up as their favourite characters. You are all extremely creative so a big thank you for supporting the children and providing costumes. A big thank you to the staff who also had a bit of fun and got involved in the dressing up! I  do hope Mrs Tucker has returned to her normal colour and hasn’t had a green weekend!

Eat them to defeat them

Our healthy bees have decided that it will be great to get involved in the ‘Eat them to defeat them’ campaign this year. They have been encouraging the school to participate by eating vegetables in the packed lunch boxes and by choosing the vegetables for their lunchtime dinner choices. The healthy bees will be encouraging the children to eat carrots, peppers, broccoli, peas and sweetcorn. Certificates will be given out to those children who give them a go!

You can find out more information here; https://eatthemtodefeatthem.com

Ukraine

Some of the children from our ethical informed pupil voice group have expressed their concerns and sadness regarding the situation and would like to send support to the people of Ukraine. They will be meeting this week to discuss plans to do this in a sensitive and age-appropriate way. More information will follow.

If you would like help and support with answering questions that your child may have please visit the following websites.

https://www.savethechildren.org/us/charity-stories/how-to-explain-conflict-ukraine-to-children

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/13865002

Speaking with Children about the War in Ukraine

Parent’s evening

Our parent’s evening is planned for the week commencing 21^st March. The local authority will be updating the risk assessment and covid guidance on March 11^th so hopefully, we can return to face to face appointments however some parents have informed me that they prefer a Microsoft Teams or telephone call appointment. I will be sending out a short questionnaire to ask your opinion during the next fortnight via dojo and schoop. Please fill it in and let us know your opinion before we make any plans.

Residential

The year 6 children and staff are very excited about the residential. Please can I remind all parents to make the final payments before next week?

Baby news

Congratulations to Mr Jones and his partner who have just welcomed a new baby boy to their family. Flynn Jacob Jones was born at the beginning of February weighing a healthy 8lbs. Congratulations to you all from everyone here at TreUchaf.

New Playground

Some of our year 5 children met with some companies this week to discuss their very big plans for developing both yards. Levi, Lacey and Kacey-rose represented the school very well and gave the opinions of all our children. Hopefully, we will be in a position to make big changes this Summer, particularly in response to the health and well-being aspect of our new curriculum. Watch this space!

Dates for the diary

Tuesday 8^th March

2pm Year 6 MAT challenge at penyrheol Comprehensive school

Wednesday 9^th March

West Wales Fire will be inspecting our school

Teachers will be attending training on emotion coaching

Thursday 10^th March

Violins

Year 2 Stringalong

Some teaching staff to visit Cadle Primary school to observe Thrive scheme in action

Friday 11^th March

Year 6 swimming

Reception visiting Gorseinon library

Pupil of the Month assembly

Wednesday 16^th– Friday 18^th March

Residential to Morfa Bay

Thursday 17^th March

Fluoride varnish- Please return consent forms

Week commencing 21^st March

Parent meetings

23^rd March

2B enterprising marketing team to work with Year 2

Friday 8^th April

Easter parade

Last day of term

Newsletter 27.2.22

Dear Parent / carer

I hope you have all had a relaxing half term with family and friends, and also that storms Eunice, Franklin and Gladys didn’t do any damage! Just a short newsletter to share with you this week to let you know what’s going on in school.

St David’s day- Tuesday 1^st March

We will be celebrating our ‘Welshness’ on March the 1^st by wearing red, white, green, Welsh rugby ot football shirts or traditional Welsh dress. We will hold mini Eisteddfods during the afternoon in class bubbles and announce the winners of the competitions set for homework.

World Book Day- Friday March 4^th

On Friday March 4^th we will be celebrating books by dressing up as a character from a story. PLEASE DON’T purchase expensive costumes, instead, find and read stories with your children and discover interesting characters who might blend into the background or maybe a small but significant character in a story. Homemade costumes are often part of the fun in dressing up so please don’t feel pressure to pay a lot of money for an elaborate costume that your child may only wear once.

Parking

Our health and safety officer has completed a traffic management observation and will be sharing the findings with me over the next week. Please can I ask you to park legally and not on the yellow lines at the front of the school? Please use the pathways to walk with your children rather than across the car park.

The Busy Bee Buzz Club

As you know, we have been trialling a school based after school club since January. Unfortunately, only 4 children were regularly attending which has made it impossible to keep open. The staffing costs are considerably more than the income from the children, especially with low numbers each night. Despite our best efforts, unfortunately, we cannot sustain this and therefore it is now closed. We are aware that some nursery parents are interested in using it when their children move to Reception so we will re-assess the situation in July.

See you on Monday!

Mrs Davies

Events this week

Tuesday 1^st March – St David’s day

Please wear Red. White or green

Wednesday 2^nd March

Playground People and Bright ideas  will be talking to the children about improving our playgrounds and making plans!

Reception- Welly Wednesday afternoon (Please wear old clothes and wellies to school)

Friday 4^th March

Year 6 swimming- Please bring a swimming kit

World Book day

Please dress as a character from a story!

Loughor Town band to work with Year 2

KS2 Scooter day

Future events

8th March

Year 6 Mat challenge in Penyrheol Comprehensive

Wednesday 16^th March- Friday 18^th March

Year 6 Residential to Morfa Bay