Latest information and news!

• Ty Gwyn’s published author!

  Thu 26 Mar 2026

  Well done E Y9!

  Her very spooky story has been published in the latest Young Writers anthology 👻 

  

• Easter Fayre Thursday 26th March

  Tue 24 Mar 2026

  Easter Fayre

  Thursday 26th March

  All are welcome!

  1-2pm school hall

  

• Meningitis advice from Public Health Wales

  Sat 21 Mar 2026

  Re: Meningitis awareness for educational settings

   

  You will be aware by now of the situation in Kent where a number of Meningitis B (MenB) cases have occurred and sadly two individuals have died. Public Health Wales have been liaising with UKHSA to ensure that appropriate guidance is provided to educational settings in Wales to assist during this evolving situation.

  Investigations have confirmed some of the cases visited Club Chemistry in Canterbury between 5 to 7 March 2026 prior to becoming unwell. UKHSA’s Health Protection Team is working closely with the nightclub and partners including the University of Kent to limit the spread including use of preventative antibiotics for potential close contacts.  UKHSA webpages give advice for those who have visited these settings during these dates. 

  Whilst there are no cases in Wales linked to this incident, it is important that individuals are aware of the signs and symptoms of Meningitis and Invasive Meningococcal Disease can rapidly progress from mild symptoms to severe illness. 

  Public Health Wales have developed some resources on Meningitis infection which students and staff may find useful to understand IMD and prevent onward transmission which are attached. This includes links to current vaccination recommendations in the UK which help protect against some strains of the disease. 

  Please follow this link to the Public Health Wales website for advice regarding symptoms and vaccines.

   

  https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/meningitis-and-meningococcal-disease/ 

   

• CF44 Gym project with RCT YEPs presentation

  Fri 20 Mar 2026

  A small group of Y10 and 11 boys (the girls were invited) have worked for the last 8 weeks on a health and fitness programme with CF44 Gym and RCT YEPs. 
  The group had the opportunity to use all the gym equipment and were trained and supported to do so. The gym also has a juice bar and lots of healthy smoothies were enjoyed!

  There were sessions at Dragon’s Academy also and the pupils had the opportunity to gain a First Aid accreditation which is very valuable and maybe one day might save a

  life! 
  Well done to:

  Mckoley-Jay

  Kam

  Dylan

  Darius

  Austin

  Brooklyn

  Ollie

  Logan

  

• Parental permission for learners to participate in Decipher and Cardiff University Mental Health research

  Wed 11 Mar 2026

  Please use this link to complete the form:

   

  https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=MEu3vWiVVki9vwZ1l3j8vNNReNM7uuZHoUhV39YsSQFUMFk0TktHRFVIU0M3VEI1NDFNNkNYNUMzUC4u 

   

  Thank you. Please ensure you read the following information from the project organisers about the project prior to giving consent:

   

  Learner group interviews

  For the two learner group interviews (in April 2026) we will be undertaking a creative activity, alongside our creative partner, Hollie Withers https://uk.linkedin.com/in/holliejwithers  an artist who is going to co-facilitate the session with the research team to support the learners to each produce a visual ‘map’ of the people and places in school and how these supports their health and wellbeing.

  No children will be identified in any of the data or information collected. 

   

   

• “Red versus Blue” school wars warning. Please check your child’s phone.

  Sat 07 Mar 2026

  Please read this article from Wales on Line, there are lots of articles on reliable sites such as the BBC, should you need more information.

  Remember social media sites, such as Facebook, are opinion and not fact based so not always reliable.
  Don’t be alarmed as there are no “local to us” concerns, but please be aware and monitor your child’s phone usage and content. Thank you. 
   

  https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/warnings-issued-attempt-organise-fights-33511603.amp 

• World Book Day 2026!

  Thu 05 Mar 2026

  Check out the picture gallery tab for more pics!

   

  Ty Gwyn staff always dress as various literary characters and join in the spirit of World Book Day, making reading and books fun and accessible!

  Lots of children may not have a book of their own at home and with our “goodie” bags we are making sure that every child at Ty Gwyn has a book to take home. 
  It is the National Year of Reading and as a reading school we are joining in all the activities to promote reading, books, comics and newspapers! 
  World Book Day is a national charity: worldbookday.com

  #therightoaneducation

  

• Letter to parents and carers re vaping and just how dangerous it can be. Vapes are not permitted in school.

  Mon 09 Feb 2026

  9^th February 2026

  Vaping in school

  Dear Parent/Carer,

                                       Your child has been seen in school in possession of a vape, this may be their own or one they have “borrowed” from another pupil in school.

  Vaping is not permitted in school, inside or in the grounds. It is harmful to health and against the law for under 18s.

  All pupils have been reminded of the dangers of vaping and the fact that it is illegal in assembly and form family time.

  Going forward, any pupil seen with a vape will be asked to hand it to a member of staff, if they do not, senior staff will offer support and encouragement to the pupil to hand the vape in.

  If the pupil still does not hand the vape in, a parent/carer will be asked to come to school and collect the vape. Following this, should the pupil continues to bring vapes to school and use them, they will be excluded and you would again be asked to come to school for a return to school meeting.

  There has been a recent incident in the news where a small group of children in an RCT school were rushed to hospital for life saving treatment after becoming seriously ill after consuming vapes with harmful substances in. This illustrates the dangers of vaping and of course there are longer term health risks which are not fully known.

  Please see overleaf a letter from Tonyrefail Comprehensive School which the Headteacher has sent to all parents and carers in light of this very serious matter which could have ended in a fatality.

  We ask for your full support in this matter:

  • Do not allow your child to bring a vape to school
  • If we contact you during the day re collecting a vape as your child will not hand it in, please support this as best you can.

  Thank you.

   

  Victoria Cox-Wall

  Headteacher

  Ty Gwyn Education Centre

   

  From the Headteacher of Tonyrefail Comprehensive

  Dear Parent/Carer,

  I am writing to clarify and remind you of the schools’ position regarding the possession and use of vapes (e-cigarettes) in school. We feel it is important to work together to ensure everyone understands the risks and the school’s position on this matter. Vapes are not permitted on school premises under any circumstances. This includes carrying them in bags or pockets, lending them to others, or using them during the school day.

  • Any vape found in a learner’s possession will be confiscated and disposed of. Vapes will not be returned under any circumstances.

  • If there are any concerns with the vape, we may refer the matter to the police for further analysis and investigation.

  • If a child refuses to hand over a vape parents/carers will be contacted.

  • If we are concerned for learner welfare and we deem it appropriate or necessary, we may also refer the matter to the Police.

  • There may be occasions where learner behaviour in relation to the possession, use of vapes or cooperation may result in sanctions being issued such as a fixed term or a permanent exclusion and or a referral to the Police.

  While many young people believe vaping is harmless, evidence shows that:

  • Vape liquids can contain nicotine and other very harmful substances.

  • Devices bought online or from unregulated sources in the community can pose additional health risks.

  • Young people can become quickly addicted, even if they feel they are “just trying it.”

  • Vape liquids can cause serious medical emergencies.

  We kindly ask for your support in:

  • Talking with your child about the risks of vaping.

  • Checking bags or belongings if you have any concerns.

  • Reinforcing the message that vapes are not allowed in school.

  • Support us as a school when we confiscate and dispose of vapes.

  We will be linking in with external agencies to provide a range of suitable education for

  learners as part of our wellbeing program and assemblies.

  Our priority is to keep all learners safe, healthy, and focused on their learning. If you

  have any concerns or feel your child may need support, please contact us and we will

  be happy to help or share details of agencies that can offer support.

   

   

• Ty Gwyn’s new arrivals 🐣 🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣🐣

  Thu 05 Feb 2026

  This spring term, our Science teacher Ms Fowler has worked with the Living Eggs project to bring 10 chicken eggs into school for learners to have the experience of caring for them, watching them hatch into chicks and then maintaining their fluffiness for a further 5 days.

  Feedback has been eggs-ellent and all our learners have been extremely careful and caring, lovely to see, though maybe we now have a few vegetarians! 

  

• Vaccines now require electronic consent, please read (Y10 pupils)

  Fri 23 Jan 2026

  Year 10 Pupil Catch Up

   

  Teenage 3-in-1 Booster and MenACWY Catch up

  Dear Parent or Guardian,

  The School Nursing Team will visit your child’s school on 05/02/26, to offer catch up sessions to year 10 pupils the Diptheria Tetanus, Polio (known as 3-in-one booster) and Meningitis ACWY vaccination. The NHS recommends that your child receives the vaccine to protect against life threatening illnesses. This consent form must be completed by a parent or a guardian with parental responsibility for the child. For current information about the Vaccines please click on the link School age children and young people - Public Health Wales

   

  As is already standard practice in man other Health Boards across Wales, we will be piloting an Electronic-consent (E-consent) for this vaccination programme. We have worked closely with colleagues in the Health Board and Local Authority to make sure this new consent process is simple, convenient, and most importantly secure.

   

  Please click on the link or scan the QR code in Welsh or English to complete the electronic consent form:

   

  https://d2e9adtx5us38g.cloudfront.net/ty-gwyn-edu-centre-secondary/index.html?form=1160b7e5-2a43-4d83-b468-f20ba9102a3f

   

  If you have more than one school age child in year 10, please complete one form per child. The form must be completed prior to the school nurses visiting your child’s school to deliver the vaccination. This gives our staff time to check each individual form.

  We encourage parental engagement and consent wherever possible for young people. However, everyone aged 16 years and over is presumed to have the capacity to give consent themselves, unless the opposite is demonstrated. If a child under the age of 16 fully understands what is involved, they are legally able to make an informed decision to consent from the age of 13. They are advised to inform their parent/guardian. However, they have the right to not disclose this information if they wish.

  If you have consented to this vaccination and for any unforeseen reason your child is unable to be vaccinated on the day of the session, you will be contacted with an alternative opportunity. Should your child receive the vaccination elsewhere please inform the school nursing service as soon as possible. CTM.SchoolNursesImmunisationTeam@wales.nhs.uk If you experience any difficulties with accessing the form, please contact the School Nursing team. Alternatively, your child’s school will also be able to support with accessing the form on a school device

   

  Following the completion of our E-consent pilot, we will be sending out an evaluation form to all parents/carers, to capture your feedback on the E-consent form and your experience of using it. Immunisations your child receives will be recorded within the NHS for the purpose of record-keeping and vaccine-monitoring. To find out how the NHS uses your information, visit 111.wales.nhs.uk/AboutUs/Yourinformation/ We will share your child’s name and date of birth with the school to ensure smooth running of the session