Latest information and news!

• Holocaust Memorial Day 2021

  Wed 27 Jan 2021 Mrs Cox-Wall

  We were extremely fortunate today to welcome the Chair of the Management Committee, Mr Martyn Silezin, to school to talk to us about Holocaust Memorial Day.

  Mr Silezin spoke to a small group of KS3 pupils (at a social distance) about the life of his Father, now passed away, who had fled religious persecution in Poland during the rise of Nazi Germany.

  Hearing the story, almost first hand and seeing some photographs was very moving. Our pupils are very aware of their rights under the UNCRC and know that they have the right to follow their own religion, but not every child in every country has that right upheld, even decades after WWll.

  The group lit a candle to support the theme "be the light" and responded very thoughtfully and with sensitivity.

  Thankyou to Mr Silezin and our very sensible pupils, a postcard home has been sent to each parent or carer to recognise their positive and mature response.

  

• Letter to learners from Qualifications Wales

  Sat 23 Jan 2021 Qualifications Wales

  Letter to all learners in Y11 from Qualifications Wales, please note we have had to change the formatting to add the letter to the website.

   

  Dear Learner,

                        GCSE and AS/A level, Vocational qualifications, what should you do now?

  If you haven’t heard of us before, Qualifications Wales make sure that qualifications in Wales are the best they can be for learners and we make sure that those who create exams and assessments, such as the WJEC, create exams and assessments in an appropriate way and to a high standard.

  What’s changing?

  Following the First Minister’s announcement today (8 January 2021) that most learners will continue to learn remotely until 29 January or possibly even February half term, Qualifications Wales is announcing that the spring internal assessment window for GCSE, AS, and A level, which were planned to take place between 22 February and 23 April, will not take place and new arrangements will be made.

  This was a new assessment window that was announced before Christmas as part of new arrangements to award these qualifications in Summer 2021. Why is it changing? We’ve decided to do this because we don’t think you will have enough time with your teachers or lecturers to prepare for these assessments.

  How is it changing? We are working with a group of head teachers and college leaders, set up by the Minister for Education, Kirsty Williams, called the Design and Delivery Advisory Group (DDAG). This group will now be considering the way forward and more detailed information about revised arrangements will be made available shortly.

  The assessments for some vocational qualifications are still available this January for those who are ready and able to take them. If you can’t sit your exams now, you will have the opportunity to be assessed in the summer. Support We know you may be anxious about what it means for you and you want to have clarity on how and when you will be assessed as soon as possible.

  We will publish more information as soon as we can. We’ll make sure that the changes will mean you’ll have a fair chance to gain your qualifications this year – this is our focus. In the meantime, if you are concerned about any of this please do discuss with your school, college or wherever you get your education.

  We will be providing regular updates on our website, if you have any specific questions, contact us via email on communications@qualificationswales.org.

  Yours sincerely

   

   Philip Blaker

  Chief Executive Qualifications Wales

  

• Dragon Savers Success!

  Mon 18 Jan 2021 Mrs Cox-Wall

  Well done to 24 of our learners who have achieved between £2 and £14 for their Dragon Savers accounts for the Autumn term 2020!

   

  All Ty Gwyn learners had the opportunity to earn £2 per week in the Autumn Term for complying with the Smoke Free Policy in school and the No Mobile Phone policy.

   

  These savings go into their Dragon Savers accounts with the Aberdare branch of the Credit Union. Check it out at:

  https://www.dragonsavers.org/Dragonsavers

   

  We are very pleased that the following learners achieved the following account credits:

  R - £8

  S - £5

  T - £2

  S - £7

  C - £1

  M - £5

  D - £14

  M - £12

  K - £6

  M - £11

  L - £8

  C - £14

  C - £4

  R - £7

  A - £7

  J - £3

  E - £1

  H - £9

  E - £4

  R - £5

  M - £1

  R - £4

  E - £2

  L - £4

  

• Letter from the Director of Education

  Fri 08 Jan 2021 RCT

  *Ty Gwyn is open to learners as we are specialist provision, all lessons are taking place and are also being placed in our Google Classrooms, all details have been posted out to you. Please contact us if you need help to access this.

  Dear parent/carer,

  This morning the First Minister announced further changes for schools in Wales. The key elements are summarised as follows:

  •           All children, with the exception of high priority vulnerable learners and the children of critical workers, will continue to access remote learning until the 29th of January. If rates of infection have not reduced by this time, schools will continue with remote learning until the February half-term break.
  •           Only high priority vulnerable children and the children of critical workers will have access to on-site education in schools along with learners undertaking essential exams and assessments until the 29th of January (or until the February half term if rates remain high). 
  •           Schools are not more unsafe now or pose a higher risk for teachers and children. However,  the new variant of Covid-19 is far more infectious and is leading to increased numbers of people falling ill and being hospitalised. 
  •           For GCSE, AS and A level learners, a decision has been made to cancel the spring term assessments that were planned to take place between 22th February and 23rd April. Revised assessment arrangements for the award of these qualifications in summer 2021 will be put in place shortly and further information will follow in due course.
  •           Special school staff that provide intimate personal care for children with complex medical needs will be included as part of the priority list for vaccination to ensure that the most vulnerable are kept safe. 

  From the Monday the 18th of January, schools will continue to provide education for the children of critical workers on school sites. Eligibility has changed slightly and will only include the following groups of workers:
  •         Health and social care workers (including care home staff).
  •         Public safety (emergency workers) and national security workers.
  •         Education and childcare workers.
  •         Food and other necessary goods workers (please note this is an additional category)
  If you have explored all possible childcare options and genuinely have no other alternative and have to work, then please advise the school by Monday the 11th of your requirements for the week commencing the 18th of January. The current legislation only requires one parent to work in one of these outlined areas of work to access school based education. 

  Arrangements for high priority vulnerable learners will remain unchanged.  
   
  Please note, that places will be capped to ensure the health and safety of your child and school staff during this concerning period. The safest place for your child currently is at home but if essential, your school can provide education for vulnerable learners and the children of identified critical workers in school. Where demand for places exceeds supply, requests will be prioritised based on need. If you have any concerns or exceptional circumstances, please raise these directly with your child’s school. On-site provision is for education and not childcare, as school staff still have a responsibility to deliver education remotely to all children throughout the school day. In addition to this, they will continue to provide remote wellbeing support for those that require this. 

  Thank you for your continued patience and for supporting your child’s learning during these very challenging times. 

  Many thanks

  Gaynor 

  Gaynor Davies
  Director of Education and Inclusion Services 
  Cyfarwyddwr Addysg a Gwasanaethau Cynhwysiant 
  Ty Trevithick, Abercynon, Rhondda Cynon Taf, CF45 4UQ
  01443 744004
  * Gaynor.Davies@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk
   

• Learning from home with Google Classroom

  Wed 06 Jan 2021 Mrs Cox-Wall

  If your child or young person is not in school, all school work is also located in Google classroom.

  There are two classrooms, one called KS3 and one called Y10 and 11 GCSEs.
  All children have been signed in but they can also be accessed via the class code:

  KS3: xej6fpc

  Y10 and 11: eydpig5 

   
  You will also receive a letter this week with details of:

  GCSE Pod (videos and revision tools),

  Lexia Power Up reading intervention,

  Science revision club (after school - for Y11 only)

  How to access Google classroom via a PlayStation or XBox (also in the Google Classroom link on the website). 

   

  If you have any issues or would like help or paper copies of work, please ring school on 01656 652525 or Mr Petts (Family Engagement Officer) on 07706 656 926 or admin.tygwyn@rctcbc.gov.uk

   

  Thank you and take care, Mrs Cox-Wall.

   

• Well done and congratulations to our support staff!

  Wed 06 Jan 2021 Mrs Cox-Wall
  Well done to all our support staff who are now qualified as ELSAs (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants) and can provide immediate emotional support and small group intervention across Ty Gwyn!