Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Update from Executive Headteacher

  Mon 30 Mar 2020

  Dear Parent / Carer

  After a very turbulent and confusing week, I write further to update you on our plans for communication and setting work during this very unusual period of time. As reassurance, we are working closely with the Local Authority and Welsh Government and monitoring the changing situation regularly. The school and everyone in it will always do our bit for the greater good but our pupils, our families and our staff remain our priority. Please communicate with us in the best way possible to ensure we continue to support each other during this time.

  Until we are told otherwise, all staff are continuing to work unless they are unwell. We have good systems for communicating with all school stakeholders, we are currently adapting and all getting used to a different way of working. We will have teething problems, and new technology will emerge all the time which will make things easier. I hope you are finding the platforms and websites with activities beneficial.

  A summary of our communication strategy to help you communicate are;

  1. General whole school checking in procedures – we are aiming to make telephone contact with all families on at least a weekly basis. These phone calls will give you an opportunity to discuss ideas and concerns.

  2. General Whole School Electronic Communication – it is vital that you have access to a couple of important ways in which we electronically communicate. These are:

  ○ Parentmail – we send a lot of communication via text and email through parentmail.

  ○ Twitter – We communicate short, snappy messages and good news stories through our Twitter feed. You will need to start an account and ask to join our feed. We need to verify that these requests are linked to our school. Please post pictures etc of the great work you are doing using the following:

  Western Learning Federation - @CardiffWestern

  Riverbank – @Riverbanksch

  Ty Gwyn – @GwynSchool

  Woodlands - @WoodlandsHS

  ○ Website – We will be putting formal communications on the Federation and each school website:

  Western Learning Federation - www.westernlearningfederation.co.uk

  Riverbank – www.riverbankspecialsch.co.uk

  Ty Gwyn – www.tygwynschool.com

  Woodlands – www.woodlandshs.com

   

  2. Teaching and Learning - All teachers are responsible with their class team for setting work, helping you to maintain structure and routine. All class teachers or members of the team will communicate with you throughout this time. Please refer to details outlined in previous correspondence for support.

  3. Support and Safeguarding - If you need any support or need to report any safeguarding concerns please use link below:

  CHandDTeamDuty.SocialWorkerMailBox@cardiff.gov.uk

   

  4. Please also refer to previous correspondence of the support available in each school.

   

  5. The health team will continue to work from the Ty Gwyn site in the interim.

   

  There has been significant discussion over the past few days over the way schools will operate moving forward. We need to remember that the purpose of closing schools is to restrict and minimise social contact and consequently reduce the risk of being infected by the Coronavirus.

  Therefore, if it is at all possible, please keep your children at home. However, when arranging childcare, please take into account government and public health advice regarding keeping at risk members of the public safe, including grandparents and any other relatives that are over 70 or have underlying medical conditions.

  Cardiff Schools and Childcare providers will provide facilities for parents who are at the forefront of the national effort to fight the Coronavirus disease, to ensure that these vital workers are given every opportunity to be in work and to get on with their efforts to protect our lives and wellbeing.

  In accordance with the above, in the first instance, we have identified children whose parents work in either the Health and Social Care sectors (including Homeless Hostels and Outreach), or the Emergency Services.

  Should you fall into one of the other Keyworker categories listed by the UK Government, we will also collate your details and will provide further information on school access.

  Please contact – WLFkeyworker@hwbwave15.onmicrosoft.com

  We will review these arrangements very carefully with the Local Authority on a daily basis and will keep you up-to-date of any changes.

  We are confident that if this advice is followed, we will all make a significant contribution towards protecting our pupils and our staff.

  I would once again reiterate our commitment to you and your family in this unprecedented period of uncertainty. I can assure you we will continue to work tirelessly in their best interests of pupils, families and staff. Essential to this is effective communication and I would therefore urge you all to continue to be patient and understanding.

  My very best wishes to you all

  W A Murphy

  Executive Head Teacher, Western Learning Federation

• Ty Gwyn Resources and Class pages

  Wed 25 Mar 2020

  To all parents,

  Please take a look at the Pupils area on the Website for Ty Gwyn Resources and Class Pages to get Ideas for home learning.

  Stay safe all

• Free School Meals Provision

  Sat 21 Mar 2020

  After talks with Cardiff Council we are pleased to confirm that pupils eligible for free school meals can collect a 'grab bag' packed lunch from their local primary school from Monday 23rd March.

   

  Please collect the lunches between 11 am and 1pm from your local primary school - they will not be available from Ty Gwyn. 

   

   

• Autism Accreditation

  Mon 02 Mar 2020

  Ty Gwyn is working with the National Autistic Society to quality assure the provision and support we provide for autistic pupils. The National Autistic Society highly promotes person centred practice and so working with the National Autistic Society has also brought benefits for all pupils across the school.

   

  The Autism Accreditation is the UK’s only autism-specific quality assurance programme f support and development for all those providing services to autistic people. It is a way for Ty Gwyn to develop and show that we offer excellent support to our pupils.

   

  As part of the accreditation we would like to gain the views of families of autistic pupils. The survey will be available for all families of autistic pupils and we would really appreciate your feedback. A link to the survey has been sent to families of autistic pupils, however if you have not received this link please contact the school and we will arrange for this to be sent to you. The survey is live now and will close on 10/02/2020. There is a separate survey for pupils over 16 to complete independently or with support, details of which will be made available on request.

   

  Thank you for your continued support

   

  Diane Stones

   

  Head of Ty Gwyn

   

• World Book Day 2020

  Mon 02 Mar 2020

  This year for  World Book Day we are holding a weeks worth of activities.

  W/C March 2nd

  The focus will be on Languages, these will include modern foreign languages such as French, and Spanish. Together with some of the pupils home languages of Welsh, Urdu, Bengali, Greek, Arabic and Polish.

  Activities for week:

  · Story massage sessions on Monday 2nd March

  · Sessions with a Dave Morris - sensory story teller on Friday 6th March.

  · Language activity tables– in Sensory garden Monday to Thursday drop in sessions.

  · Reading book activities in classes.

  · Thursday 5th March   Spanish story teller.

  · Thursday 5th March Primary assembly.

  · Friday 6th March Secondary assembly.

   

  The pupils are invited to dress up in traditional costumes from the countries, or as their favourite book characters for their assemblies and donate £1 towards

  international book aid.

  Thanks for your cooperation and looking forward to a fun filled enjoyable World Book Day week.

   

  Sallyann Davis

  ( TLR language and Literacy)