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Return to school in September 2023

Updates for September 2023

As we near the end of the school year, we wanted to share with you a few updates that we will be introducing from September so that you are able to plan accordingly. As always, school teams are available to answer any questions that you may have and their contact details are:

 

The following information is in this letter:

  • School prospectus

  • Start of school in September

  • Changes to communications with parents

  • Static site at break and lunchtimes

  • Emails

  • Uniform updates

  • School uniform grants

  • School uniform swap shops

  • Free school meals

 

School prospectus

Our updated school prospectus can be accessed here with general information about the school.

https://www.ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk/about-us/prospectus

 

Our school website has been fully updated and has lots of new information on there including school term dates for the next academic year.

https://www.ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk/

 

Start of school in September

Pupils will return to school on Tuesday 5th September after staff have an INSET day on Monday. 

 

All pupils will start school at the normal school start time (https://www.ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk/parents-and-pupils/times-of-the-school-day ). There will be plenty of staff available to support our new pupils finding the right place. 

 

The dates of further INSET days will be shared with you at the start of September.

 

Communications with parents

In response to parent feedback about multiple apps, from the start of September, we will stop using Parentmail to send parent communications. From this point, we will be using ClassCharts to:

 

  • Send communications and messages to parents

  • Allow parents to report pupil absences

  • Allow parents to see their child’s current attendance

  • Allow parents to see their child’s current behaviour points

  • Allow parents to see their child’s timetable

 

We currently have around 80% of parents registered with this application and are therefore looking to increase this to 100%.

 

Static site at break and lunchtimes

From the start of September, we will not be allowing any vehicles to access the Ysgol Nantgwyn site. This is so that the car park does not have any moving vehicles while there is a high volume of pupils crossing to get from the building to the 3G/MUGA and vice versa.

 

Should you need to collect your child during these times, please get in touch to make arrangements with us.

 

Emails

Our email addresses will be changing at the start of September as we follow Welsh Government expectations to use Hwb. All individual staff emails that end with ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk will close. Parents will however be able to use the following email addresses to allow a changeover period:

lowerschool@ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk

middleschool@ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk

upperschool@ysgolnantgwyn.co.uk

 

Updated ‘Hwb’ email addresses will be shared in September. 

 

Uniform

Following a number of discussions about uniform throughout the year and, having now received several hundreds of responses to our recent survey on this matter, we have discussed and agreed to make some changes to our uniform for September 2023 onwards. All pupils consulted wanted to continue to have a distinct school identity however they wanted to try to exercise more of their individual identity by having some more choices. We are happy to support this movement however do ask that all pupils are in their chosen full uniform at all times from September.

 

The key changes we are making are as follows:

  • The full range of choices will be available to all pupils across lower, middle and upper school.

  • Pupils may wear trainers that are fully black and have a fully black sole. No additional colours on footwear are allowed. For example, no coloured writing or slogans, no white soles.

  • There will be no stipulation on the colour of socks.

  • There will be no stipulation on the colour of bags.

 

There will be no requirement to have badged items however this is fully acceptable for those that wish to do so. Iron on badges are also available from local stockists. 

 

The uniform from September is therefore as follows for pupils of all ages:

 

Bottoms

Choose from grey tailored shorts, culottes, trousers, skirt, pinafore or Nantgwyn tartan skirt or pinafore. 

 

Leggings, jeans, and sportswear are not permitted. 

 

Tops

Choose from a white or royal blue polo t shirt or a white shirt or blouse. Where a white cotton shirt is worn, it must be accompanied by a Nantgwyn tie. 

 

Choose from a plain and unbranded royal blue or navy sweatshirt, a royal blue or navy cardigan, or a navy v neck knitted jumper.

 

A navy blazer may be worn if a pupil so wishes. 

 

Hoodies are not permitted. Branded sweatshirts are not permitted. 

 

Footwear

Any fully black sensible footwear including plain black trainers with black soles. No additional colours are permitted on footwear.

 

Crocs, high heels, flip flops are examples of footwear that is not sensible for the school environment. 

 

Should a Nant pupil arrive at school wearing an item of clothing that is not school uniform, we will be in contact with parents to bring their uniform to school.

 

School uniform grants

Children whose families are on lower incomes and qualify for certain benefits can apply for a grant of:

  • £125 per learner

  • £200 for learners entering year 7 (to help with increased costs associated with starting secondary school)

 

All compulsory school years from reception to year 11 are now eligible.

Families are only entitled to claim once per child, per school year.

Further information is available here: https://www.gov.wales/school-essentials-grant 

School uniform swap shop

We have a significant amount of preloved and new school uniform available in Ysgol Nantgwyn. You are very welcome to swap items and/or donate a small amount in exchange for an item or take items. Uniforms are available via the Pantry or by arrangement with school teams. We also have ‘pop up’ events during the year.

 

The Pantry is open every Monday & Thursday 3-4pm, Tuesdays & Fridays 8.30-9.30am

 

Should you have any items that you are able to donate, please ‘post’ them in the blue bins in either Gwyn or Nant reception.

 

Free school meals

Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get financial support eg universal credit, tax credits.

 

Free school meal legislation allows foster parents to claim free school meals. As long as a parent is eligible to claim free school meals, the child can get them. A child could potentially have four parents; two foster parents and two natural parents.

 

To find out more information and submit an application click here:

https://www.rctcbc.gov.uk/EN/Resident/SchoolsandLearning/FreeSchoolmealsApplyforfreeschoolmeals.aspx 

Should you require any support filling in the form, please contact your school team.

 

I hope that you find this information helpful in planning for September.