Dear Parents and Carers
I hope you and your family have had a good summer break. It was a pleasure to celebrate very pleasing GCSE, AS and A level results with our students over the summer break. It was wonderful to note the very many individual successes, with good numbers returning to our Sixth Form. We wish all our students heading off to university, apprenticeships, work, or college every success and happiness.
We are looking forward to welcoming our pupils back to school next week:
Monday 4 September 2023 - Year 7 and Year 12 return to school from 0830
Tuesday 5 September 2023 – Years 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 return to school from 0830
Attendance and punctuality
We monitor attendance closely, as all children should aim to be in school and on time every day. Improving attendance and punctuality will be a key focus for our school from the first day in September onwards. Rewards for good attendance and punctuality will be readily available; sanctions for poor attendance and punctuality will be issued. Please note that all students are expected to be in school in good time for the start of the school day. The first bell rings at 8.30am and all students should be on site in readiness for assemblies and form time by 8.25am.
School uniform
There are five compulsory parts to the uniform which should be worn every day – our school blazer, school tie, white shirt, black shoes, and black skirt or trousers. Please ensure school uniform complies with our policy which is on our school website. We will be insisting on the highest standards of uniform in September. Please note that facial piercings are not allowed, and students will be instructed to remove them. Refusal to do so will lead to an immediate sanction.
Thank you to those of you who have donated good quality, second hand school uniform items to the school. We welcome all donations (please leave these in reception), as we wish to keep a good stock which our pupils can swap, borrow or take.
Mobile phones
If your child has a mobile phone, please speak with them about mobile phone use on school site. Mobile phones should not be seen or heard in lessons or in registration. They should be turned off and in the child’s bag. If a child asks to go to the toilet in a lesson or in registration, they will be instructed to leave their mobile phone turned off on the teacher’s desk whilst they go to the toilet.
Pastoral Support
Mr Harrison (Assistant Headteacher) will oversee Behaviour and Pupil Wellbeing in 2023/24 across Years 7-13, whilst Mr Dickinson (Assistant Headteacher) will oversee Safeguarding and Attendance in 2023 across Years 7-13. Our Pastoral Team for 2023/24 are:
Year 7
Mrs Barton (Head of Year 7)
Miss Harding (Pupil Support Year 7)
Year 8
Mrs Buswell (Head of Year 8)
Mr Hopkins (Pupil Support Year 8)
Mrs Harris will cover Mrs Buswell’s maternity leave as Head of Year 8
Year 9
Mr Owen (Head of Year 9)
Mrs Manship (Pupil Support Year 9)
Year 10
Mrs Thomas (Head of Year 10 Tuesday-Friday)
Miss Stewart (Pupil Support Y10)
Mr Ross will cover on every Monday for Mrs Thomas as Head of Year 10
Year 11
Mr Corke (Head of Y11)
Mrs Francies (Pupil Support Y11)
Year 12/13
Mrs Croll (Head of Y12/13)
Mrs Davies (KS5 Support)
Attendance Officers - Mrs Matthews and Mrs Mordey-Jones
School email address
Please note that the main school email address been changed to stcenyddschool@sch.caerphilly.gov.uk
Your contact details
We will be changing the way in which you receive your child's school reports using a new system called Go4Schools. Reports will now be delivered by email. In the coming weeks we will be writing to all parents and carers to ensure that the contact details we hold for you are correct. If your address or phone number have changed recently then please let our admin team know. We will also be renewing our privacy notice, the medical details for your child, and consent for photography and local visits / fixtures.
Free school meals
If you think your child may qualify for free school meals, please complete a CCBC online application https://www.caerphilly.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals. Free school meals can be applied for for children in Years 7-13. If you are already claiming free school meals for your child, you do not need to reapply each year. Children in Year 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 who qualify for a free school meal also qualify for a grant to help with school uniform, school visit costs, and equipment purchases. If you would like any assistance with your application, please contact your child’s Head of Year or Pupil Support Officer who will be happy to help.
Senior Students 2023/24
Congratulations to our Senior Student team on their appointment – Etienne Hackett and Jess Jones will lead the team as Head Boy and Girl, with Connor Stone and Violet John as their deputies. Cameron Diniz and Rhys Potts have been appointed as Senior Prefects. Applications for our Pupil Senedd will open soon.
As you know, we expect all to Aspire and Achieve here at St Cenydd by making positive choices each day to be Ready, Respectful, Safe i.e. ready to learn by arriving on time, with the right equipment and positively contributing to their learning; showing respect for themselves, others and their environment; safe choices, behaving well and in a sensible manner.
Yours sincerely
Miss Collins
Headteacher
