Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

The school has been busy this week with preparations for our Rhos St School Eisteddfod next Thursday, with children finalising their art pieces and practising their Welsh performances across the school. Yr. 5 really enjoyed their small-group presentations on banknotes from around the world with Charles Henshall and our brilliant Bronze Young Ambassadors organised and delivered a series of excellent sessions for the classes from the Nursery right up to Yr. 6, raising money for a Disability Sports Wales.

Language and Play Sessions
Language and play sessions are free to attend and take place throughout Denbighshire. The sessions are run by Family Link Workers on a weekly basis during term time. All of our sessions have planned activities that help children build language and social skills in preparation for school in a fun, friendly environment.
Language and Play sessions will be taking place at Rhos Street School from 1:15pm to 2:45pm on: Wednesday 1st, 8th, and 15th of May 2024.

Parking Request
Dear Parents and Carers,

I have had concerns raised by members of the school community regarding some parents and carers parking on the double yellow lines in the lower portion of Ffordd Glasdir, rather than entering the Ysgol Pen Barras / Rhos St car park during pick up at the end of the day.
I am concerned that cars parked in this manner cause an obstruction to vehicles entering and exiting the school car park. They provide a physical and visual obstruction to pedestrians, often with small children who are not visible behind parked cars, and who must then navigate between the parked vehicles when crossing the road. Cars parked on the double yellow lines also reduce the ability of motorists to see children walking on the pavements and crossing the road with an associated increase in risk of harm.
The car park has been specifically designed to ensure, as much as is possible, to give safe pedestrian access to vehicles properly parked in the bays. Occupants of cars parked on the double yellow lines are having to exit and enter their vehicles in the street, creating an additional obstruction and increased risk of harm.
I would therefore request that all parents and carers use the school car park at drop off and pick up and avoid parking on the double yellow lines in Ffordd Glasdir. I have contacted Ruthin Police, who will be making regular visits to the site at drop-off times to help discourage this behaviour, as well as Denbighshire County Council’s Road-Safety officer.
Many thanks, in advance, for your support in regard to this important safety issue.

Ceri Roberts & Andrew Davis
Pennaeth / Headteacher
Ysgol Pen Barras / Rhos St School

Rhos Street School PTA’s £20.24 for 2024 spring challenge!
This summer term we are challenging each of you to raise £20.24! You can raise as much or as little as you like and do this on your own, as a family or in a team with your friends. Perhaps you could ask parents, grandparents or even neighbours to sponsor. Money can be raised in any way you choose; we want you to use your imagination and get creative with it!
All of the money that you raise will go to the school PTA, who help pay for resources, experiences, equipment and treats, with an aim to make your time at Rhos Street School the best it can be!
Here are a few ideas of how you could raise the money: Sell 24 cupcakes, keep your room tidy for 24 days, sell 24 old books or toys, hop 24 times a day for 24 days, help your family with 24 jobs, score 24 goals, dance for 24 minutes.
We have attached a sponsorship form, please bring any cash into school in an envelope clearly marked with your child’s name and class. We also have a JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/2024springchallenge
please use your child’s name and class as a reference on the website. The deadline for all donations is Friday 7th June 2024.The class that raises the most will receive a movie afternoon and snacks!
We would love to see the children having fun taking part in the challenge, you can share photos with us on facebook, twitter and Instagram by searching for Rhos Street PTA.
There is no pressure for your child/ren to take part in this challenge, it’s a bit of fun for fundraising but if they don’t want to join in that’s absolutely fine.
Good luck everyone and thank you for your continued support! Rhos St P.T.A

Bronze Young Ambassadors – Fundraising
Our Rhos St School Bronze Young Ambassadors did themselves proud yesterday as they delivered their fun games sessions for each class; from the Nursery, right through to Yr. 6. The children had a brilliant time taking part in the activities, and eating the cakes, and raised a fantastic £248.75 for the charity Disability Sport Wales https://www.disabilitysportwales.com/en-gb . We’re so proud of our Bronze Ambassadors who were responsible for the whole venture, from initial idea, through planning, organisation, publicising and finally delivery of a really positive event. A big thank you to all the children, parents and carers and staff who supported this event.

Achievers

This week’s multi-talented achievers are: Mia, Amelia, Maisie, Daisy. Freya. Hannah, Poppy, Evison, Alice Logan and Tommy. Well done to them all!

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

The school has been full of the wonderful sound of Welsh this week as the classes prepare for our Rhos St Eisteddfod on May 2nd. A fun hockey tournament and great living with autism presentation for the Yr. 6 children have made up just some of the activities keeping everyone on their toes. A sunny weekend in store, I hope, maybe spring has finally sprung, at least for a little while.

Language and Play Sessions
Language and play sessions are free to attend and take place throughout Denbighshire. The sessions are run by Family Link Workers on a weekly basis during term time. All of our sessions have planned activities that help children build language and social skills in preparation for school in a fun, friendly environment.
Language and Play sessions will be taking place at Rhos Street School from 1:15pm to 2:45pm on: Wednesday 24th of April and 1st, 8th, and 15th of May 2024.

Breakfast Club
Just a quick reminder that Breakfast Club opens at 8.00am, with breakfast being served until 8.30am. Doors close to Breakfast Club at 8.40am until school opens at 8.50am. For safeguarding reasons please can all parents and carers of Foundation Learners please walk their child / ren up to the Breakfast Club entrance. Parents and carers with more than £20 arrears with Breakfast Club payments will unfortunately be unable to access the provision until the outstanding balance is settled.

Bronze Young Ambassadors – Fundraising
Our brilliant Bronze Young Ambassadors, Tahapenes, Merri, Charles and Isabella gave a clear and informative presentation in service this morning all about their great fundraising idea to raise money for the Disability Sports Charity – Sports Foundation for The Disabled. The fundraising day will be held on Thursday 25th of April. Children are invited to come dressed in their favourite sports clothing, as a favourite sports star, or in their own clothes for a donation of £1. The donation will also cover a fun-sports session in the hall, run by the Bronze Ambassadors. They are also requesting donations of cakes, for a cake stall, as part of the fundraising efforts. Please can I request that all donated cakes are clearly labelled with their ingredients as we have pupils with specific allergies. Many thanks.

Spare Clothing

I have had a request from the teachers for spare clothing/ uniform, for all primary age groups, which can be incredibly useful in a broad range of situations. If you have any clothing that you child has grown out of, we would really appreciate it here at school. Donations of clothing can be given to the class teacher or left in reception. Many thanks for your help.

Living With Autism Presentation
The Yr. 6 children had a brilliant presentation this morning from Gethin Humphreys, who came in to talk about how he lives with autism. Gethin gave the children a real insight into how autism affects his life and the challenges that he faces every day. He also talked about how important it is that all of us should be aware of people with autism and how they can be helpful and supportive of those with the condition. We are extremely grateful to Gethin for giving his time and for offering us such an interesting and informative insight to such an important topic.

Cornel Cymraeg – Welsh Corner
Across the school, Yr. R to Yr. 6, as part of our inclusive work developing Welsh language, classes are preparing for our Rhos St Eisteddfod on May 2nd. Parents, carers, family and friends are invited to come along at 9.15am – 10.15am (approx.) on Thursday May 2nd to see our artwork, based on this year’s Urdd theme of Energy, and Welsh-language performances.

Missing Bookbag
A child in the Nursery class is missing their named, blue Rhos St bookbag, which has her glasses in it. Please can you check your child’s bookbag to see if it has been brought home by mistake. Many thanks for your help and support.

Fun-Hockey Tournament
Well done to our Yr.5/6 team who took part in Thursday’s hockey festival in Denbigh. The emphasis was on fun and participation with everyone enjoying themselves and learning new skills. A big thank you to Julie Debicka (our Chair of Governors) for helping with transportation and to Denbigh/Ruthin Hockey Coaches

Denbigh Hockey Club are offering 2 free taster sessions for Juniors (4-14 yrs) and Seniors (13+yrs) all equipment provided. They are also offering summer hockey sessions which will be starting soon.
Contact: club@denbighhockey.co.uk 07723649406 Facebook and Instagram @ Denbigh Hockey Club

Achievers
This week’s fantastic achievers are: Eva-May, Liam, Paige, Hugo, Harri, Ethan, Willow, Elliott, George, Ethan, Fleur, Evison and Archie. Ella shared her gymnastics and dance awards, and Alys shared her swimming Wave 2 award.
Congratulations also to Mia Kell who was selected to be a mascot for the women’s Wales V Croatia football game.

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

It was wonderful to welcome everyone back to school on Tuesday, April living up to its showery reputation not damping our spirits too greatly. All of the children have settled back into school so well, ready to learn and eager to get their teeth into this term’s exciting themes and topics. A longer term than the previous bijou one, but one that is always full to bursting with activities, events and one that always flies past.

Attendance
Why is school attendance important?
At Rhos St we believe that being in school is important to your child’s academic achievement, wellbeing, and wider development.  There is evidence to suggest that regular school attendance is a key mechanism to support children and young people’s educational, economic, and social outcomes. Schools can facilitate positive peer relationships, which contributes to better mental health and wellbeing.
Attendance at school is crucial to prepare young people for successful transition to adulthood, and to support their longer term economic and social participation in society. There is also evidence that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A level results.
Research found that pupils who performed better both at the end of primary and secondary school missed fewer days than those who didn’t perform as well. For example, data from 2019 shows that 84% of Key Stage 2 pupils who had 100% attendance achieved the expected standard, compared to 40% of pupils who were persistently absent across the key stage.
We are committed at Rhos St school to ensuring the very best outcomes for all our learners and believe that attendance is a vital aspect of this. In line with Denbighshire policy no term-time absence will be authorised unless it is in exceptional circumstances.
We will work closely with families to promote good attendance and will, where appropriate, seek the guidance and support of Educational Welfare Officers if an individual pupil’s attendance remains lower than expected. Please can parents and carers ensure that school is advised of any pupil absence by email or telephone message on the first day of absence.
Please see attached with this newsletter, from Denbighshire County Council, school attendance information and frequently asked questions regarding holidays in term time.

Kick It Sports
Kick It Sports are offering a series of four fun sports sessions on a Monday afternoons 3.15pm – 4.30pm. You can view a video all about the great activities offered by Kick It Sports by following this link:https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I1xd6LiOVQ6jDrj6NbfdE6XDnVd9w-QD/view?usp=share_link and book a place on the course by following this link: https://bookwhen.com/kickitsports

Language and Play Sessions
Language and play sessions are free to attend and take place throughout Denbighshire. The sessions are run by Family Link Workers on a weekly basis during term time. All of our sessions have planned activities that help children build language and social skills in preparation for school in a fun, friendly environment.
Language and Play sessions will be taking place at Rhos Street School from 1:15pm to 2:45pm on: Wednesday 17th, 24th of April and 1st, 8th, and 15th of May 2024.

Breakfast Club
Just a quick reminder that Breakfast Club opens at 8.00am, with breakfast being served until 8.30am. Doors close to Breakfast Club at 8.40am until school opens at 8.50am. For safeguarding reasons please can all parents and carers of Foundation Learners please walk their child / ren up to the Breakfast Club entrance. Many thanks.

Tempest Photography

Tempest Photography will be in school on Monday 15th of April to take individual pupil photos. Parents and carers wishing to have photographs including children who do not attend Rhos St should arrive at 8.30am.

Yr. 2 Family Service
We were treated to a wonderful performance from the Yr.2 class this morning in their family service all about stories, books and reading. The children performed brilliantly, singing, reciting, and speaking so clearly. There was also some top-drawer fan dancing! A huge thank you to the children for all their hard work, to Mrs. Liddy and her team for preparing the children so well for their performance and to the parents, carers, family, and friends who came along to support us here at school. Yr. 1’s family service is next up on May 23rd.

Gardening Club
Gardening club will begin next Wednesday (17th April), beginning with the Yr. 5 & 6 pupils, and will run, every Wednesday until half term 3.30pm – 4.15pm. Mrs. Davies and Ms Williams will be running this brilliant and popular club with the children.

Dates for the Diary
15th April Tempest Photography – Individual Photographs
Kick It Sports 3.15pm – 4.30pm
17th April Language and Play Session
Yr. 5 Swimming
Gardening Club 3.30pm -4.15pm
18th April Hockey Fun Festival
Chester Football – After-School Club
22nd April Kick It Sports 3.15pm – 4.30pm
23rd April Yr. 5 Banknote Presentation
24th April Language and Play Session
Yr. 4 Swimming
Gardening Club 3.30pm -4.15pm
25th April Yrs. 5/6 Rugby Sessions
29th April Kick It Sports 3.15pm – 4.30pm
1st May Language and Play Session
Yr. 4 Swimming
Gardening Club 3.30pm -4.15pm
2nd May Rhos St School Eisteddfod
Yrs. 5/6 Rugby Sessions
6th May May Day Holiday
8th May Language and Play Session
Yr. 4 Swimming
Gardening Club 3.30pm -4.15pm
13th May Kick It Sports 3.15pm – 4.30pm
Yr. 6 Bikeabilty
14th May Yr. 6 Bikeability
15th May Language and Play Session
Yr. 4 Swimming
Gardening Club 3.30pm -4.15pm
23rd May Yr. 1 Family Service
25th May – 2nd June Half Term
5th June Yr. 3 Swimming
6th June D-Day Commemorations
Yr. 6 Dangerpoint
14th June Staff Training Day
18th June PC Llinos Yr. N & Yr. R
19th June Yr. 3 Swimming
21st June Yr. R Family Service
25th June Yr. 6 Brynhyfryd Sports Afternoon
26th June Early Years trip to Wizz Kids
27th June Yrs. 1 & 2 Trip to SC2 – Ninja Tag
28th June Yr. 6 Trip to Laser Tag
29th June Ruthin Festival Singing / Performing
2nd July Sports Day
3rd July Yr. 3 Swimming
4th July Reserve Sports Day
5th July Yr. 6 Transition Day
Yrs. N – 5 Moving-Up Day
8th July Parental Consultations
12th July Yr. 6 Leavers’ Service
Infant Sleepover
18th July End of Term
Additional dates will be added once confirmed

Child and Teen Vaping: A Parent Support Event
ASH Wales are offering support for parents worried about teen vaping on 25th April 18:00 – 18:30
ASH Wales will be sharing the latest insights into teenage vaping in Wales with the results of our national vaping survey. They’ll also be explaining the latest regulations and efforts to protect under 18s from addictive vaping products, and most importantly they’ll be answering your questions and signposting to support for you and your family. This webinar is perfect for parents, carers, teachers, or anyone who works with or cares for young people impacted by these products.
Please follow this link to sing up for the event: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/worried-about-teen-vaping-a-parent-support-event-tickets-879428563507
The ticket price of £5 is a donation towards the ongoing work ASH Wales are undertaking to educate and protect young people on this issue.

Measles
Measles is currently spreading in the UK with large outbreaks in areas such as the West Midlands and other parts of England. A significant number (1 in 5) of unvaccinated children who have contracted measles have required hospital treatment.
• Measles can spread very quickly among children and adults who are not vaccinated and can cause some people to become seriously unwell and in rare circumstances die
• Measles is spread by the respiratory route. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. A person with measles is infectious (can spread the disease to other people) from four days before the typical rash appears.
• The best way to protect your family is for you and your children to have had the scheduled two doses of the MMR, a safe and effective vaccine that protects against Measles, Mumps and Rubella
• If you or your children are not up to date with your vaccines contact your GP and they will arrange for you to receive the MMR
• For more information about MMR, speak to your GP or Nurse or visit this link to access a briefing document for schools:https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/vaccines-professionals/measles-and-mmr-vaccination-programme-briefing-document-2024-pdf/
NHS Wales are asking parents to be alert for symptoms of measles and to not send their children to school if they are unvaccinated and have any of the symptoms below:
• cold-like symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing and cough
• red, sore, watery eyes
• high temperature (fever)
• rash that usually starts on the head/neck before spreading down the body
• small white spots inside cheeks and the back of lips
It’s very unlikely to be measles if you’ve had 2 doses of the MMR vaccine or had measles before. If you or your child develops these symptoms and is unvaccinated, please call your GP or NHS 111. The person with suspected measles should not go to any health setting (GP, hospital, or pharmacy) without ringing ahead first and advising of any symptoms that might suggest measles.
For further information please visit: Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) – Public Health Wales (nhs.wales) or Measles – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Weekly Wellbeing
This week’s wellbeing quote is from Isaac Asimov, an American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the “Big Three” science fiction writers, along with Robert A. Heinlein and Arthur C. Clarke. The quote reminds us that we are all constantly on the incredible journey of education.

“Education is not something you can finish.”

Isaac Asimov

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

As we cross the finish line of the spring term it’s time to pass the baton, A.K.A – chocolate-infused, excited children, over for the two-week Easter break. A huge thank you to all the children for their hard work, exuberance, and positivity this term, I’ve been so impressed with them all in so many ways. Thanks also to our brilliant Rhos St staff who have shown their usual fortitude, surviving all the bugs and illnesses doing the rounds and, as always, giving their very best, in so many ways, for the children here. Thank you finally to our amazing Rhos St school community for their ongoing support. Have a fantastic Easter, from everyone here at Rhos St School, see you all on April 9th.

PTA Easter-Egg Hunt
Huge thanks to the, always brilliant, Rhos St PTA for organising the Easter-Egg Hunt today, Casey, Natalie and Wendy orchestrating the whole event superbly. The children had a wonderful time racing around finding the clues and eggs. They all definitely enjoyed receiving their Easter Egg gift from the PTA too… which may help a little to gain back some of those expended calories.

Foster Wales
Foster Wales is the national network of not-for-profit Local Authority fostering services across Wales, and our Denbighshire team is your local support network. We’re not your standard fostering agency – we’re far more connected. All across Wales, there are children who need us. They need you too. These children are babies, toddlers, teenagers, siblings, and young parents. Each child has a unique story, but our mission is the same for each one: to create a better future. To find out more information please visit: www.denbighshire.fosterwales.gov.wales

Attendance
Why is school attendance important?
At Rhos St we believe that being in school is important to your child’s academic achievement, wellbeing, and wider development.  There is evidence to suggest that regular school attendance is a key mechanism to support children and young people’s educational, economic, and social outcomes. Schools can facilitate positive peer relationships, which contributes to better mental health and wellbeing.
Attendance at school is crucial to prepare young people for successful transition to adulthood, and to support their longer term economic and social participation in society. There is also evidence that the students with the highest attendance throughout their time in school gain the best GCSE and A level results.
Research found that pupils who performed better both at the end of primary and secondary school missed fewer days than those who didn’t perform as well. For example, data from 2019 shows that 84% of Key Stage 2 pupils who had 100% attendance achieved the expected standard, compared to 40% of pupils who were persistently absent across the key stage.
We are committed at Rhos St school to ensuring the very best outcomes for all our learners and believe that attendance is a vital aspect of this. In line with Denbighshire policy no term-time absence will be authorised unless it is in exceptional circumstances.
We will work closely with families to promote good attendance and will, where appropriate, seek the guidance and support of Educational Welfare Officers if an individual pupil’s attendance remains lower than expected. Please can parents and carers ensure that school is advised of any pupil absence by email or telephone message on the first day of absence.

Kick It Sports

Kick it Sports are offering a 6-hour Easter sports club on Monday 25th of March. The cost for the day, 9.00am – 3.00pm, is £20. Bookings and payment can be made by following this link: https://bookwhen.com/kickitsports/e/ev-supp-20240325090000
Kick It Sports will be coming into school, at the start of the summer term, with information about their after-school club sessions on a Monday evening.

Language and Play Sessions
Language and play sessions are free to attend and take place throughout Denbighshire. The sessions are run by Family Link Workers on a weekly basis during term time. All of our sessions have planned activities that help children build language and social skills in preparation for school in a fun, friendly environment.
Language and Play sessions will be taking place at Rhos Street School from 1:15pm to 2:45pm on: Wednesday 10th, 17th, 24th of April and 1st, 8th, and 15th of May 2024.

Breakfast Club
Just a quick reminder that our Breakfast Club is available, during term time, from 8.00am – 8.50am for a cost of £2 -per child. Breakfast is served between 8.00am and 8.30am with entry closing at 8.40am. There is no charge for Breakfast Club for children in receipt of Free-School Meals (not Universal Free School Meals), or for the third child + in a family. For safeguarding reasons please can parents and carers of early-years and infant children ensure that they are brought to the hall door by an adult, not sent up on their own from the car. Many thanks.

Banknote Presentation
The Yr. 6 children were treated to a fascinating presentation from Charles Henshaw, a long-time collector of banknotes from all over the world. Charles shared his collection with the children and talked about the amazing history of banknotes as well as some of the incredible security features which they contain. All the Yr. 6 class were so engaged, and Charles was really impressed with their interest, focus and brilliant behaviour. Charles has kindly agreed to repeat his presentation with the Yr. 5 children in the summer term. The Yr. 6 class were set the competition of designing a Welsh banknote, sadly lacking from the banknotes of the world, which Charles will be judging next term. We are really grateful for his time and expertise and for sharing with us his amazing collection.

Dates for the Diary
25th March Kick It Sports – Holiday Session
8th April Staff Training Day
9th April School reopens
10th April Language and Play Session
11th April Chester Football – After-School Club
12th April Yr. 2 Family Service
15th April Tempest Photography – Individual Photographs
PTA Meeting 3.30pm
18th April Police Liaison Officer – Yrs. 2 & 6
Chester Football – After-School Club
25th April Bronze Young Ambassadors – Charity Sports Fundraiser
May 2nd Rhos St School Eisteddfod
May 23rd Yr. 1 Family Service
May 24th Close for Half Term
Additional dates will be added once confirmed

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel
Huge thanks to our brilliant school community for all their support with the Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel. There have been over 1,200 active journeys taken over the fortnight with children walking, wheeling, scooting, skating and riding to and from school, making a fantastic contribution to a healthier, environmentally sustainable future for us all.

Weekly Wellbeing I Took His Hand and Followed

My dishes went unwashed today
I didn’t make my bed
I took his hand and followed
Where eager footsteps led
Oh Yes, we went adventuring
My little child and I

Exploring all the great outdoors
Beneath the sun and sky
We watched a robin feed her young
We climbed a sunlit hill
Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky
We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was so neglected
That I didn’t brush the stairs
In twenty years no one on earth
Will know or even care.

But that I’ve helped my little child
To noble adulthood grow
In twenty years the whole wide world
May look and see and know.

— Author Unknown

Achievers
This week’s brilliant achievers are: Leighton, Coby, Arlo, Jude, Freya, Elianna and Caden-James.
Liam, Jess, Maya and Scarlet received Headteacher’s Awards.
Ryan shared his swimming Wave-7 Award. Ella shared her gymnastics trophy. Eva and Ruby shared their gymnastics and baking awards, Grace shared her Best Dancer certificate and Emily shared her Brownie Promise badge. Well done to them all!

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,
The penultimate Friday of the term brings us ever closer to the Easter break and, as usual, it’s been a very busy week: football tournament, active journeys, maths challenge, family service and red nose day…phew! One week to go, not that we’re counting…

Red Nose Day

An amazing turn out for our Red Nose Day at Rhos St today. All of the children looked brilliant in their clothes and costumes raising money for an excellent case. Many thanks also to the children who took part in the Junior competition, designing a unique red nose, and the Infant colouring competition.

Scarlet Fever
We have eight confirmed cases, and several cases awaiting confirmation, of Scarlet Fever / i-Gas at school currently. Please see attached information / advice on identification and appropriate action for Scarlet Fever / i- Gas.

Maths Challenge
Yesterday some of our fab mathematicians from Yrs. 5 & 6 went as far as Ruthin School to take part in the Maths Challenge. They had a brilliant time, and certainly got their thinking caps on. Well done to all of our amazing mathematicians!

Chester Football

Coach Kalvin is unfortunately not available next week for the Chester Football After-School Club. He has scheduled two additional after-school club sessions, after the Easter break, on the 11th and 18th of April.

Parental Consultations
Our parental consultation meetings are scheduled for next week. You should have received your ten-minute appointment with your child’s class teacher to give you the opportunity to view their work and discuss progress to date. The appointment will also be an opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns you may have. Teachers will be confirming medical information, held by the school, during the consultation so please have and necessary details with you for the appointment should there be an update. Yr. 4 parental consultations will be scheduled after the Easter break.

Yr. 3 Family Service
The Year 3 children did themselves proud this morning with their fantastic service all about Roal Dahl, books and the joys and benefits of reading. They spoke, recited and sang brilliantly, showing real resilience in overcoming the pesky microphone issues, and showing us all how much that they have learned about this term’s theme. A big thank you to the children for learning their lines and songs so well, to Mrs. Hughes, Miss. Pugh and the Yr. 3 team for preparing the children so well and to the parents and carers for helping to practice lines and for coming along today to support us here at school.

Vale of Clwyd Football Competition
Our football team did themselves proud on Wednesday this week, winning their group and only missing out on progressing to the next stage by 2 goals. They battled the wet and windy Welsh weather, showing real grit and determination as well as some great football skills, we are all so proud of them. Many thanks also to Leanne and Shanny, who returned from the tournament with a certain ‘windblown’ aura, for looking after the team so well during the event.

Unaffiliated Social Media
I was saddened this week to hear that some children had been upset by others’ use of social media, unaffiliated to the school. The use of unaffiliated social-media platforms is of great concern to us here at Rhos St as their misuse can often cause upset and distress which then leads to ongoing issues at school. I would request that parents and carers closely monitor their child’s social media use to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. If your child receives inappropriate messages or images through these platforms, from another pupil at school, we strongly recommend taking screen shots of the material and sharing with your child’s class teacher, who will then be able to investigate the incident and seek advice through our Police Liaison Officer, should that be necessary. Information and advice from the NSPCC on the dangers of WhatsApp, particularly for children, under the recommended-usage age of 13+, can be found by following this link: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/online-safety-blog/2023-01-12-is-whatsapp-safe-for-my-child/
Frequently asked questions around the use of WhatsApp can be found by following this link:
https://faq.whatsapp.com/695318248185629
Many thanks for your help and support regarding this extremely important issue.

Dates for the Diary

18th March Parents’ Evening Week
Yr. 6 Life Saving Skills
Yr. 5 Sign Language
Yr. R Hearing Screening
Yr. 3 Author Visit
20th March Yr. 5 & 6 Banknote Presentation
21st March Yr. 6 Autism Talk
Yr. 3 Visit to Ruthin library
22nd March PTA Easter Egg Hunt!
End of Term
25th March Kick It Sports – Holiday Session
8th April Staff Training Day
10th April Language and Play Session
11th April Chester Football – After-School Club
12th April Yr. 2 Family Service
15th April Tempest Photography – Individual Photographs
18th April Chester Football – After-School Club
May 2nd Rhos St School Eisteddfod
Additional dates will be added once confirmed

Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel
Our Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel has been a great success, despite the less than balmy weather this week, with lots and lots of active journeys, to and from school, taking place. Please support us if you can for the final week of the initiative making active journeys to school whether walking, wheeling, scooting, or riding.

Weekly Wellbeing
In this Big Walk and Wheel fortnight, where we all think about our impact on the world that we share, this quote is from form ex – U.S. President Barack Obama:
“We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and the last generation that can do something about it.”
Barack Obama
Achievers
This week’s brilliant achievers are all of the Reception class, Luna, Niamh, all of the Yr. 3 class, Emily, Morgan, Daisy, Amelia, and Leo. Our Maths Challenge superstars are Claire, Myah, Ruben, Jay, Henry and Charly. Well done to all our amazing achievers this week.

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

What a tremendous turnout for our Rhos St World Book Day event today! All the children and staff looked fabulous in their costumes, there was a books quiz in our morning service and there were lots of great book-related activities in class to celebrate the event.

As the second half of the spring term careens by I’d like to take this opportunity to show how grateful I am to our incredible staff here at Rhos St, who always give their absolute best for the children, in what can be an extremely challenging role. Through the, well documented, pressures under which all schools are finding themselves currently, with its wide range of complex and increasingly diverse causes, I’m sure you will join me in thanking our brilliant staff for their ongoing resilience, kindness, and professionalism.

World Book Day
A huge thank you to all the children, parents, and carers for their efforts in preparing for our World Book Day event. The turnout was amazing, and the children looked incredible!

Scarlet Fever
We have two confirmed cases, and several cases awaiting confirmation, of Scarlet Fever / i-Gas at school currently. Please see attached information / advice on identification and appropriate action for Scarlet Fever / i- Gas.

Parents’ Evenings
Our parental consultation meetings are scheduled for the week beginning18th of March. A ten-minute appointment has been made with your child’s class teacher to give you the opportunity to view their work and discuss progress to date. The appointment will also be an opportunity to discuss any issues or concerns you may have. Teachers will be confirming medical information, held by the school, during the consultation so please have and necessary details with you for the appointment should there be an update. Yr. 4 parental consultations will be scheduled after the Easter break.

Chester Football
The excellent Chester Football sessions with coach Kalvin continue at school, with the turn of Yr. 2 and Yr. 4 pupils on Thursday afternoon. It will be the turn of the Yrs. 5 and 6 pupils on the afternoon of March 14th and Yrs. R and 3 on the afternoon of March 21st. Kalvin will be providing two additional after-school sessions, to replace those previously missed, after the Easter break on the 11th and 18th of April 3.15pm – 4.15pm. Many, many thanks to Chester FC for providing the afternoon sessions free of charge and for the high-quality after-school football club.

Communication with School
We are extremely fortunate at Rhos St to have such a positive and supportive school community, working together with school staff for the best possible outcomes for the children. We are always ready to listen here at school to any queries and concerns and welcome the open, constructive dialogue we have with the great majority of our families. We always encourage parents and carers, should they have any concerns, to discuss them directly with the class teacher in the first instance, as it is the class teacher who is able to provide the most detailed and pertinent information in the vast majority of instances. Further discussion, should it be necessary, can be organised with the heads of phase: Mrs. Liddy, in the case of the Foundation learners and Mrs. Davies in the case of the Junior children. Following this I am, of course, more than happy to discuss individual concerns with parents and carers.
Our core values here at school are respect, kindness and being the best that we can be, we continually promote these values with the children here, as well as doing our very best to embody them as a staff. We feel that the vital home-school relationship is at its most effective and beneficial for the children when these values are also shared and exhibited by our school community.

Flickr
Our Rhos St School Flickr account has been recently updated, so please head over to our website: https://rhosstreetschool.co.uk/ and check out all the latest pictures of our adventures, activities and events. Our World Book Day event pictures will be uploaded soon and available to view.

Dates for the Diary

11th – 22nd March Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel
Yr. R Height and Weight
13th March Football Festival
Yr. 5 Swimming
14th March Chester Football
Maths Challenge
15th March Red Nose Day
Yr. 3 Family Service
18th March Parents’ Evening Week
21st March Chester Football
Yr. 6 Autism Talk
22nd March End of Term
25th March Kick It Sports – Holiday Session
8th April Staff Training Day
11th April Chester Football – After-School Club
12th April Yr. 2 Family Service
15th April Tempest Photography – Individual Photographs
18th April Chester Football – After-School Club
May 2nd Rhos St School Eisteddfod
Additional dates will be added once confirmed

Weekly Wellbeing

‘Ships don’t sink because of the water around them; ships sink because of the water that gets in them. Don’t let what’s happening around you get inside you and weigh you down.’

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Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel
We are taking part in the 15th year celebration of Sustrans Big Walk and Wheel, the UK’s largest inter-school cycling, walking, wheeling and scooting challenge. The challenge runs from 11-22 March 2024. It’s free to take part and we would love everyone to be involved. What do you need to do: Encourage your child(ren) to walk, use a wheelchair, scoot or cycle to school on as many days as possible during the event.

Achievers
This week’s wonderful achievers are: All the Reception Class, Stanley, Megan, Jaxson, Dolly, Lucas, Jacob, Chloe and Ryan. Eden shared her badminton award and Talent for Writing certificate. Well done to them all!

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

St David’s Day brings us to the first day of meteorological spring and along with some longer days hopefully some warmer weather, despite there being hill-snow in this week’s forecast! The children all looked resplendent in their Welsh colours this morning and have all been learning about the importance and power of empathy as part of our Empathy-Week focus, both in and out of class.

St David’s Day
What a wonderful sight it was this morning to see everyone in their red, green and white in celebration of St David’s Day. This morning’s service was all about the story of St David and there has been lots of work in class about his importance to the Welsh people and all the brilliant things about living in Wales.

Parking
Can I please request the parents and carers do not park in the drop-off area between 2.45pm and 3.30pm as it is required for taxis. We are expecting signage from Denbighshire County Council soon which will codify this for car-park users. Unfortunately, when the drop-off area is used taxis have been forced to use the disabled parking bays, with the associated issues for parents and carers with additional access requirements. Many thanks for your help regarding this important safety matter.

Yr. 2 Family Service
A quick update on the Yr. 2 family service which has moved to Friday 12th April 9.15am – 9.45am (approx.)

Lost Cardigans
We have been informed that two children have lost named blue cardigans, please can you check your child’s clothing to see if they have inadvertently been taken home. Many thanks.

Sky Room
We were so excited to welcome Chloe Dymond, a wonderful artist and painter to school to transform a drab workroom into our amazing Sky Room. Chloe worked with groups of Rhos St children to transform the workspace. We are intending the Sky Room to become an integral part of our nurture work here at school which will be used for nurture activities, ELSA (Emotional Learning Support Assistant) sessions as well as drawing-and-talking sessions to support children in expressing and managing their emotions. As you can see it is quite the transformation…

School Lunches – Menu Update
There are a couple of changes next week to the advertised menu for school lunch:
Monday: Junior Choice
• Hot carvery bap filled with turkey, stuffing, roasties and gravy.
• Yogurt pot – toffee, raspberry, or strawberry.
Thursday:
• Pork roast dinner: apple sauce, carrots, broccoli, and gravy.
• School cake with icing and sprinkles.

Peanut- Allergy

Due to some pupils’ sensitivity to peanuts, exposure to which can have extremely serious and even life-threatening effects, can I ask that parents do not send peanuts, peanut butter or food items containing peanuts into school for snacks or as part of a packed lunch. Many thanks for your support.

Achievers
This week’s brilliant achievers are: Aidan, Amelia, Jack, Elsie, Louie, Florence, Omran, Evan, Noah and Nils.
Sebastian and Cecily shard their swimming certificates and Neve shared her Brownies – Moonwalk Challenge certificate and Guides – Cariad Challenge certificate.