Latest News
Latest information and news!
-
World Book Day 2026!
Thu 05 Mar 2026Check 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 20269th 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 2026This 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 2026Year 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
-
Vaccines now require electronic consent, please read (Y9 parents).
Fri 23 Jan 2026Teenage 3-in-1 Booster and MenACWY Year 9 Pupils
Dear Parent or Guardian,
The School Nursing Team will visit your child’s school on 05/02/26 to offer year 9 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 9, 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.
-
Spring Newsletter
Sat 17 Jan 2026Please see the Newsletter tab for the Spring edition. A copy has been sent to every pupil. Please get in touch if you have any questions!
-
NEW ALN Toolkit for parents and carers of children and young people with ALN
Mon 22 Dec 2025Welsh Government has announced the launch of the Welsh Government’s ALN Parent and Carer Toolkit. Developed in collaboration with parents, carers, and professionals across education, health, social care, local authorities, and the third sector, this resource explains how the ALN system works and where families can access support.
The toolkit is available in English and Welsh, with accessible formats including Easy Read, please see the ALN section of our website or use the following link:
https://www.gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2025-11/a-guide-for-parents-and-carers-of-children-with-additional-learning-needs.pdf
-
Winter Water Safety advice
Mon 15 Dec 2025Young people urged to stay safe around open water this winter
Tragically 54 people drowned in Wales in 2024, an increase from 2023, with many taking place during winter months.
We at Water Safety Wales, would like your support in raising further awareness of our water safety messages to children and young people on the importance of staying safe around the coast and inland waterways including rivers, lakes and reservoirs during the winter period.
One drowning is too many. We would urge your teaching staff to reiterate our simple live saving messages to your learners and families to help them stay safe around open water. Knowing these tips can save a life.
Key Messages:
· Stay Away from the Edge: Keep back from slippery banks and avoid walking on ice. Stick to well-lit areas and plan your walks during daylight. Avoid walking or driving through floodwater.
· Keep Children and Pets Close: Teach children to stay off the ice and avoid floodwater. Keep dogs on a lead near ice and slippery banks.
· If You Fall Through the Ice: Keep calm and call for help. Float on your back until you feel calm, then try to climb out. If you cannot climb out, continue to float and keep your head clear of the water.
· If You See Someone in Trouble – Call 999: Do not enter cold water, ice, or floodwater to rescue someone. Try to reach them from the bank using a rope, pole, tree branch, or clothing tied together.
· Flood Safety Updates: Check your local flood risk on the Natural Resources Wales website. Sign up for flood warnings and stay informed about weather conditions and flood warnings.
Resources: Please share the attached leaflet with parents and guardians and the social media messages on your schools accounts.
Winter is a beautiful season, but it also brings certain risks, especially around water, with flooding and ice being major concerns. By working together, we can significantly reduce the number of water-related incidents and ensure the safety of our children. Your support in this initiative is invaluable, and I am confident that with your help, we can make a meaningful difference.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need further information.
Chris Cousens, Chair, Water Safety Wales
https://nationalwatersafety.org.uk/water-safety-wales
The latest figures from the Water Incident Database (WAID), which is maintained by the National Water Safety Forum, highlight drowning trends from 2024. Key accidental drowning death WAID insights for Wales include:
· Males continue to be overrepresented with 82% of accidental fatalities.
· Males aged 20-29, 50-59 and 70-79 were the highest groups for accidental fatalities.
· Recreational activities, such as adventure sports, angling, boating, and waterside activities, accounted for 67% of all accidental fatalities.
· Accidental fatalities occur at both inland (lakes, rivers, canals, reservoirs and quarries) and coastal waters, with 56% occurring at coastal locations.
· Of the 193 accidental fatalities in the UK, 18 were in Wales, 136 were in England, 33 in Scotland and 6 in Northern Ireland.
-
Education & Inclusive Services - Draft Strategic Plan 2026-30 Consultation
Sun 30 Nov 2025Please see attached information regarding the RCT Strategic Plan for Education and Inclusion Services.
Parents, carers and families are encouraged to read the plan and take the opportunity, should they wish, to offer feedback.
Thankyou. Please see the parent tab of the website for the document.
https://rctcbc.welcomesyourfeedback.net/s/5nzsd4
-
Christmas Fayre
Mon 24 Nov 2025All are welcome!
Christmas Fayre 11th December 1pm
School Hall
Christmas crafts and refreshments, bring your pennies!
