Mehefin 10fed / June 10th 2022
Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

A short, but always busy week draws to a close. Lots of sports-day preparations and the beginning of new, exciting themes and topics all around the school. We’ve had more great upgrades to the outside areas which have been put to full use this week. From the look of our bulging school calendar, it looks like it going to be a very busy term!

Outdoor Areas
Many thanks yet again to Tony Dallolio and Liz for all their hard work over half term laying pipe to the polytunnel. We now have access to water in the polytunnel and in the Garden Area. Thanks to Tony and Co again the Foundation Phase yard also had a great upgrade with the addition of a bike store, making it easy for the younger pupils to spin their wheels around the playground.

Nant B.H and Pentrellyncymmer Trips.
We will be communicating shortly regarding next year’s outdoor education residential visits. Years 5/6 will be offered an opportunity to visit Nant Bwlch Y Haearn and Years 3/4 will have the prospect of a stay at Pentrellyncymmer Outdoor Education Centre. The initial letter will be to ascertain the level of possible interest in the residential visits to see if they are viable. Further information on costs and payment plan structure will then follow. All previous residential visits must be paid for in full before families will be allocated places on forthcoming residential trips.

Yr 6 Swimming
The Year 6 pupils will begin their block of swimming sessions on Monday 13th June. Subsequent sessions will be on 27th June and 11th July. Pupils will need swimming kit, towel, goggles and a suitable bag. The pupils will be walking to and from Ruthin leisure center.

Sports Day
Sports day this year is scheduled for June 15th with a reserve date of June 23rd should the weather be inclement. The Foundation Phase event will be held from 9.30am and the KS2 pupils will begin their athletic activities at 1.30pm. Current Covid-19 regulations permit parents and carers to attend the event. Seating will be provided and refreshments will be available for purchase from the PTA.

Sign Language
The KS2 pupils were treated to a high-energy, fun packed sign language lesson on Thursday afternoon. Sign-language maestro Del had all the pupils and staff learning some beginner’s signs and performing two classic songs in sign language. Everyone had a fantastic time and learned lots and lots.

Ruthin Festival
Please see the attached flyer highlighting Rhos St’s plans for the Ruthin Festival on Saturday 25th of June. It looks like a fantastic opportunity for fun and excitement, not to mention making lots of noise! Pupils are asked to wear blue and bring blue things, preferably noisy blue things! Meet up is arranged at 10.30 am by the petrol station in Park Road.

Freezy Friday

Rhos St PTA will be selling end of the week freezy treats outside main reception 3pm till 3.30pm. Ice lollies 50p Ice cream £1

Donation of Computers
Many, many thanks to Kristy Roberts, from HKM Building Supplies, for the kind donation of computers to the school. We are going to have them installed in the Doughnut room for pupils to use for work and play.

PTA Photos
Emma Phipps has very kindly offered to take school photographs for us on Monday 13th. These will be offered for sale in support of the Rhos St PTA. Can all pupils come to school in school uniform on Monday please, irrespective of PE or Chester Football sessions.

Achievers
Our fantastic achievers this week are: Ruby, George, Eliza, Layla, Eliza, Joe, Isabella, Thomas and Ben.
Welsh awards went to: Auraya, Nancy, Sophie, Scarlet, Lilly, Mia and Finley
Kemal, Thomas, Ethan, Finley, Rayne, Josh, Jack and Charlie showed of their football awards and Isaac and Fletcher shared their ‘Most Improved Player’ awards.
Bella and Grace shared their Taekwondo orange belts and Louie shared his Taekwondo brown-stripe grading certificate.
Well done to all of our amazing achievers!

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis, Headteacher / Pennaeth

Mai 27ain / May 27th 2022
Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

Well half term is finally here and the last few weeks have been jam packed with activity from start to finish. It has been a genuine pleasure to see the outdoor areas developing so well and the commitment and dedication from the staff and children has been wonderful to witness. What with the Urdd 100 Yrs celebrations, Platinum Eco-Award, Bronze Cymraeg Campus assessment, not to mention the Platinum Jubilee, no wonder we’re all ready for a few days rest! I hope you all have a wonderful half term and have time to recuperate, all ready for the final push towards summer.

Breakfast Club
We have been a victim of our own success in Breakfast Club and the large number of children in the hall in a morning is, unfortunately, becoming an issue. After discussions with the Governing Body we will be changing some aspects of Breakfast Club from September 2022. From the start of the Autumn term Breakfast Club will open at 8.00am with breakfast being served from 8.00 am until 8.30 am. The doors to breakfast club will close at 8.40 am until the school opens at 8.50 am. School receives funding from Welsh Assembly Government to provide the breakfast, but there will be a daily charge of £1 per child for the childcare aspect of the provision. The funds raised will be used towards additional staffing and resources in Breakfast Club as well as being put towards funding activities, resources and educational visits for the pupils in school. Children receiving free-school meals will receive the childcare at no charge. Families with more than two children will pay a maximum of £2 per day for all of their children to attend.

Lyn Curran Retirement

Today we say a very fond farewell to Lynn Curran our school cook, cleaner and Breakfast-Club stalwart who is retiring after 36yrs dedicated service to Rhos St School. Lynn has been ensuring that the children of Rhos St are well fed for many, many years.. We ambushed Lyn in service this morning to thank her for all her hard work with some cards and gifts and flowers from the staff. The children from the Foundation Phase and Juniors presented her with hand-made cards showing their gratitude for everything she has done for us at Rhos St. Lyn will be greatly missed at school and we wish her a very long and happy retirement.

Parent Governor
We are looking to appoint a parent governor to our great team of governors at school. If you are a interested in becoming a parent governor on the governing body then please complete and return the attached nomination / application and return it to myself by Friday 10th of June. There will be a small number of paper copies available at the school office if any prospective applicants have issues with printing at home. If you wish to discuss any aspect of the post myself and / or the chair of Governors – Mrs Julie Debicka will be happy to arrange a meeting via the school office.

Tesco Tokens
We have been selected for the Tesco Community Grant – blue tokens. Rhos St Garden Area will be one of the options for your blue tokens from the first week of July to the beginning of September. Please think of us if you are in Tesco for essential supplies (red, white or rosé).

Urdd 100
Our 100 years of the Urdd movement celebrations stepped up a gear with the addition of Mr Urdd welcoming everyone to Rhos St. The Yr 1 class also had an amazing time visiting our friends at Ysgol Pen Barras to meet with Mistar Urdd and to enjoy a performance of their Urdd pieces in readiness for the Eisteddfod over the half term holiday. The Yr 1 children produced a lovely Pob Lwc poster for Pen Barras which they have very kindly displayed at the front of the school. With Covid-19 regulations relaxing me genuinely hope that this collaboration is the first of many opportunities for both schools to work closely together.

Platinum Jubilee
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations at school yesterday were worthy of Her Royal Highness herself. The hall was bedecked in red, white and blue and the children looked fabulous in their 1950s outfits and royal regalia. There were drinks, goodies to eat, dancing and fantastic royal-themed games aplenty. A massive thank you to the staff who organized and managed the whole event so brilliantly.

Teacher-Training Days
Just a reminder that school will be closed on Monday 6th of June and Tuesday 7th of June due to Ruthin Cluster – primary school staff training days. School will reopen for pupils on Wednesday 8th of June.

Achievers
Our fabulous, if a little distracted, achievers this week are: Chester, Ella, Will, Emiliya, Elsie, Rayne, Sebastian, Romeo, Jacob, Thomas and Maya.
Gwobr Cymraeg went to: Amelia, Thea, Lucas, Myah, Evie, Ethan and Beau. Well done to all of them!

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis, Headteacher / Pennaeth

Mai 20fed / May 20th 2022
Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

There is a definite buzz around the school at the moment as we begin to gear up for two significant events. We are making plans for our platinum jubilee celebrations, with hushed discussions about staff costumes – I know this isn’t going to end well for me! We are also busy decorating the school ready for the Urdd Eisteddfod in Denbigh and the 100 Years of the Urdd Movement celebrations. Some parents may be particularly aware of some of the bunting at the front of the building, as they had to limbo under it on Thursday morning.

Urdd Message of Peace
On Wednesday the Urdd asked schools across Wales to share their message of peace as part of a country-wide call to action. In the Urdd’s centenary year, the 2022 Peace and Goodwill Message was launched at a dedicated event in the company of the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford at the Nobel Peace Center, Oslo, Norway. Also present at the event were the students from Aberystwyth University who created this year’s message, following the partnership between the Urdd and the university.

Criw Cymraeg
The Criw Cymraeg have been working hard over the year, thinking of new ideas and creating the Welsh shop on a Wednesday lunchtime. They have also been changing children’s Welsh books and completing many other tasks in school. We have been working on our Cymraeg Campus Bronze Award and hope to achieve this soon. We have completed the different targets together. Establishing a Welsh ethos, learning about the advantages of learning Welsh, the use of incidental Welsh in the classroom, the use of incidental Welsh outside of the classroom, Welsh in assemblies, using apps and websites to enhance learning and enjoyment, enrichment activities, developing reading, using Welsh across the curriculum and developing a positive attitude towards the Welsh language and culture. Thank you for all your support. Diolch!

Update on School Attendance Guidance
Parents and carers in Denbighshire are being informed that the Welsh Government has reverted back to the use of Fixed Penalty Notices for non-school attendance (please see attached letter). Following an announcement from the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Denbighshire County Council will follow the guidance to ensure young people are accessing their education. Geraint Davies, the Council’s Head of Education, said: “Denbighshire is informing parents and carers of the update from the minister for education. We are committed to ensuring school attendance, attainment and the well-being of our young people.

Urdd Eisteddfod Tickets

You can now obtain your free tickets for the Eisteddfod online (access to the Primary Show comes automatically under the Maes ticket that you order for the whole day). Tickets are available through the link below:
https://urdd.ticketsolve.com/shows

School Decoration
As part of the 100 years of the Urdd Movement schools in Denbighshire have been asked to decorate their grounds in suitable livery. Always mindful of our eco-credentials and our Platinum Eco-Award staff and pupils worked together to produce a wonderful Mistar Urdd to decorate our emergency evacuation gate, adjacent to the bypass. He was made of an upcycled sign and lots and lots of upcycled plastic lids. Give him a wave as you pass by. He is soon to be joined by his twin, welcoming pupils, parents and visitors to Rhos St’s main entrance.

Achievers
Our inspiring achievers this week are:
Daniel, Freya, Elliot, Louis, Alex, Paige, Piper, Eira, Scarlett, Leighton, Charlotte, Trystan, and Isaac.
Welsh Awards went to:
Henry, Esme, Samuel, Eliza, Lucas, Ryan, Kalyani, Emi-Lee and Anna.
Isla shared her swimming award and Eva shared her Karate- student of the month award.

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis, Headteacher / Pennaeth

Mai 13eg / May 13th 2022
Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

The summer term is now in full swing and there is definitely a buzz of activity emanating from every classroom. Secret plans for school trips are being laid and everyone is looking forward to doing some of those fun things that we have been denied in recent years.

Music Provision
This term’s music fees are now on Parent Pay and I would ask that they could be paid as soon as is possible please. Could I also request that any outstanding fees from previous term’s music sessions be paid up to date. Many thanks.

Upcycled Display
The whole school have worked brilliantly together collecting plastic lids which have been expertly upcycled by many children, under the expert guidance of our resident artistic consultant Leanne Caton. The finished artwork is a bright, colourful and uplifting landscape created completely from upcycled materials and has been placed at the entry to KS2, brightening up every journey down the corridor. Many thanks also to Tony Dallolio for installing it for us – a real team effort. Many thanks to everyone who collected plastic caps and to all of the children and staff that worked towards its completion.

School Trips
With the alignment of school Covid-19 regulations with other sectors we are able to begin to think about school trips for this summer term. You should be receiving a letter soon regarding your child’s school visit. We are extremely mindful about the pressure on many families at the moment, in light of the cost-of-living crisis and have made every effort to keep the cost of school trips to an absolute minimum. The donation we ask for, towards the cost of school trips, is a voluntary contribution, but I would highlight that some trips or visits may not be able to go ahead if the level of contribution does not cover the costs of the planned excursion. We are looking forward to some brilliant summer-term adventures!

Swimming Lessons
It was great to see Yr. 5 heading off to Ysgol Brynhyfryd on Monday to restart swimming sessions. We are being offered a swimming session every two weeks until the end of term and have decided to focus on Yrs. 5 and 6 for this year, due to the limited number of sessions available. We are all hoping that swimming sessions will return to normal in September and the junior classes will be able to take advantage of the many benefits and opportunities opened up by school swimming sessions.

Platinum Eco-Schools Award
A massive thank you to Mrs. Davies for collating the vast quantity of eco evidence needed for our recent Eco-Schools Award assessment. We are very passionate as a school about the environment and are very proud of the rich vein of environmental awareness and practice that goes on across so many areas of the school. This ongoing approach has been rewarded by the school receiving the Platinum Eco-Schools Award! The great news was shared in service this morning with the Eco Council proudly showing off the flag and plaque.

Platinum Jubilee Celebrations
For the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations on Thursday 26th of May we are giving pupils the option of coming in a 1950s / Kings, Queens, Princess themed outfit, should they wish to. I can’t decide if I’m coming in my Princess Belle Princess Ariel outfit – decisions, decisions…

Achievers
Our dazzling achievers this week are: Ellie, Amelia, Auraya, Madalyn, Eliza, Lilly, Daisy-Jane, Darcie, Maddison, Nimrod, Amelie, Oscar, Joe, Jacob, Leighton, Jay, Grace, Luca and Tiffany. Well done to all of them!
Maya achieved a Merit in her Initial-Grade Piano Award, Layla performed her first piano recital at the English Presbyterian Church and Elsie showed off her gymnastic rosettes and medals. What a talented bunch!

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis
Headteacher / Pennaeth

Mai 6ed / May 6th 2022
Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

A busy week draws to a close, when is there any other kind! Lots going on this week trips out, some great work in the Garden Area and Living Classroom, as well as children getting their teeth into their new themes and topics. The weeks are flying by! Have a great weekend.

Minibeast Hunters
Some of Dosbarth Meithrin/Nursery have spent the morning hunting for Minibeasts. They worked in pairs using a magnifying glass and a Welsh tick sheet to see how many they could find. They were lucky to find several different types of Manifest!

Geometric Shapes
Blwyddyn 1 have had great fun making the 3D shapes they have learned about this week.

Lost Bracelet
We have had a bracelet handed in to us at school. Please call in to the office if it’s yours.

Covid19
With a recent announcement from Jeremy Miles, Welsh minister for Education, schools no longer follow the Local Infection Control Decision Framework. Education settings are now in line with other sectors and the wider community. Covid-19 regulations will now be made in consultation with the local authority and public health advisors. We will continue as a school to follow the core measures to minimise infection:
• All staff and learners will be reminded to follow the Welsh Government guidance for self-isolation.
• Regular handwashing and respiratory etiquette (Catch it, Bin it, Kill it) will be followed.
• Adequate ventilation by opening windows / adjusting ventilation systems continues to be important.
Achievers
This week’s fantastic achievers are: Thomas, Maya, Emily, Sam, Toby, Eden, James, Oliver, Zakk, Brandon, Ruben, Romeo, Oliver, Maddison, Hannah, Holly, Kian, Stacey, Grace, Bella and Tristan. Well done to all of you!

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis, Headteacher / Pennaeth

Ebrill 29ain / April 29th 2022

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

The first week of the summer term has flown by, maybe the four-day week has helped a little, and another to follow next week! New equipment has ‘magically’ appeared over the Eater break (thanks Tony) and there have been a huge variety of activities going on all across the school. It has been wonderful to see Miss Pugh settling in so well with her Nursery class and the lovely response she has had from all the children. As we head into the final term of the year I’m hopeful that we can begin to return to some sort of normality, getting back to doing the things, in school, that we have enjoyed so much in pre-covid years. Have a great long weekend.

Planting Tables / Foundation Phase Stage

Many thanks again to our multi-talented caretaker Tony Dallolio for his hard work over the Easter break constructing planting tables in the polytunnel and a fantastic stage in the Foundation Phase outdoor area. Both will be put through their paces, I’m sure, over the coming term. I am so proud of the staff and children of Rhos St for embracing our outdoor projects with so much gusto.

Artefact Workshop

Year 2 and 4 thoroughly enjoyed their workshops with @HistArchChester. A huge thanks to them for bringing in so many wonderful artefacts and for inspiring creative thinking!

Ruthin Castle

Year 2 went on a fantastic adventure to Ruthin Castle on Thursday as a follow-up to their medieval artefacts workshop on Tuesday. They learned lots about the medieval parts of the site and saw some of the wonderful decorations and furniture.

Yr 6 Team Building

To kick off their new topic, Dragon’s Den, Blwyddyn 6 had a team-building task to build the tallest tower using only paper. Despite a few setbacks, each team showed great resilience and are now ready to put their entrepreneurial skills to the test. Fantastic teamwork!

Service
The relaxation of school covid restrictions has meant that we are able to accommodate all of our children in the hall during lunchtime. It was so good to see everyone together again. And on that note we had our first whole-school service in a very long time this morning, all about friendship. Despite the amount of time that has passed since the last time the children were all together in the hall they all behaved, listened and responded brilliantly. It was a great feeling to be back doing primary-school type things again!

Job Opportunities
We have two great job opportunities at Rhos St at the moment. We are looking to appoint a cook for both Rhos St and Ysgol Pen Barras and a cleaner, at Rhos St, for two hours each weekday evening from 3.15pm – 5.15pm.
More information and the online application form for both opportunities can be found on the Denbighshire County Council website by following the Job Vacancy tab.

Achievers
Our wonderful achievers this week are: Fleur, Isaac, Elsie, Eliza, Myah, Jude, Isla, Leila, Eva, Belle, Oskar, Abbie, Elissa, Emiliya, Leon, Azam, Shraya, Joe, Maya, Issy and Elliott. Congratulations to them all!

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis, Headteacher / Pennaeth

Ebrill 8fed / April 8th 2022

Dear Parents and Carers / Annwyl Rieni a Gwarchodwyr,

The Easter holidays have arrived and I’m sure that we are all ready to take a little time to reflect and recharge. It has been a really positive term with many projects, long in the planning, beginning to come to fruition. I am immensely proud of the children of Rhos St who have met every challenge and made the most of absolutely every opportunity that has come their way. I wish you all a restful and relaxing Easter, fingers crossed for a little kindness from the spring weather. See you all on the 26th.

Eleri Morris’s Retirement
It a momentous day here at Rhos St as it is Eleri Morris’s last day of work here with us. After 42 years of dedicated service Eleri will be retiring to spend well-deserved time with her family and enjoy her garden. Eleri has been a stalwart presence at the school for over 42 years and has worked with so many children over the years, many returning as parents and even grandparents. Her caring, calm and professional presence will be greatly missed here at school, by staff, parents and children alike. The contribution that she has made over the years, ensuring that the children of Rhos St had the best possible grounding in their journey through education is huge and I’m sure that you will all join me in wishing Eleri a very long and happy retirement.

Natalie Sproston
We also this week have bid a very fond farewell to another colleague Natalie Sproston. Natalie has worked in Rhos St since 2007 and has been a wonderful asset to the school, working in a wide variety of classes and supporting many, many children on their learning journey here with us. Natalie is looking to work a little closer to home, and all of us at school wish her all the best in her future career, and thank her for her professionalism, hard work and friendship.

Old Carpet
We are putting out a request for any bits of old carpet that the school community would be willing to donate. We want to develop our wildlife pond in the Garden Area and I’m reliably informed that pre-lining with old carpet will stop sharp rocks and stones puncturing our expensive pond liner. If anyone is able to help please let us know and we can arrange drop-off or pick-up. Many thanks.

Covid-19
As I’m sure you have seen in the media recently there has been a reduction in the level of regulation around Covid-19. I wanted to clarify the situation with school-based Covid-control measures. The intention of the Welsh Assembly Government is to continue to reduce the regulations towards the goal of ‘living with’ covid-19. In school there is still a legal requirement to have a specific school-based Covid-19 risk assessment in place. This is continuously monitored and reflects local Covid levels, current Government guidance and also infection levels within the school. The current local-infection control stipulates that we continue to avoid whole-school gatherings, such as whole-school assemblies, indoor shows or performances. The wearing of face coverings, at this level, states that face coverings may be worn in and around the school building. Social-distancing and ventilation measures will continue to be an important part of school-based infection control. I will continue to provide updates on current guidance as the situation develops and would like to thank all members of the school community for their ongoing support.

School Meal Prices
The Denbighshire School Catering Service has faced ongoing increase in the prices for all major commercially procured food products, the domestic food market and across all food market supply chains. The Service has seen an average price increase of 8% across food suppliers, but is working with suppliers to mitigate increases. In the face of rising prices the service has agreed to increase the cost of school meals by 5p, this will take effect from Monday 25th April. Even after this increase, prices will still be relatively low compared to other local authority areas, and the service is confident that it is providing value for money in terms of the quality of food given to pupils across our schools. This means that the price of a school meal will increase to £2.45. Examples of the meals provided to pupils by the service can be found at: https://denbighshireschoolmeals.co.uk/primary-menus/

Let’s Play Out: Easter holidays
Let’s Play Out are open access play sessions run by Denbighshire’s Play Ranger Service where children have the chance to play, have fun, get messy and muddy and make friends. These sessions have an open access policy which means that young people will be free to leave the session at any point. Sessions are recommended for children aged 6 to 13 years old. Children under 6 years old are welcome but must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Information is available by following this link: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/leisure-and-tourism/lets-play-out-easter-holidays.aspx

Unreasonable Behaviour
At Rhos Street School, we believe that our stakeholders have a right to be heard, understood and respected. As a school we are extremely fortunate that the vast majority of our community are helpful, supportive and positive and share any queries or concerns in an appropriate manner, working with the professionals in school, as a team, to provide the best possible outcomes for learners. We also understand that people can become angry when they feel that matters about which they feel strongly are not being dealt with as they wish. If that anger escalates into aggression or abuse towards our staff, governors or pupils, we consider that unacceptable. Aggressive or abusive behaviour includes language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff, governors or pupils to feel afraid, threatened or abused and may include threats, personal verbal abuse, derogatory remarks and rudeness. We also consider inflammatory statements, remarks of a discriminatory nature and unsubstantiated allegations, to be abusive behaviour. Where a stakeholder is aggressive or abusive, we may decide to take action in line with our Unreasonable Behaviour Policy, which may limit or define the specific terms of contact with school.

Buffet
A huge thank you to local company – Pen Y Bryn for supplying a plentiful, and very tasty buffet for leaving staff. They get a big thumbs up from us all here at Rhos St.

Attendance
On our return to school for the summer term, on Tuesday 26th of April, the special Covid-19 regulations put in place for attendance at school come to an end. Monitoring of attendance data will return to pre-covid regulations. Poor attendance or lateness may incur fixed penalty notices or the involvement of the Educational Social Worker. For more information on school attendance please visit: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk and search for behavior and attendance.

Achievers
Our wonderful achievers this week are:
The whole Nursery class – for being so sensible and listening so well while preparing food.
Toby, Florence, Elsie, Isaac, Grace, Lucas, Lola, Hannah, Katelyn, Aidan, Charles, Noah L.S and Jo
Welsh awards went to Aidan, Eva and Jacob
Sophia shared a Brownies award and Holly shared her Rugby – Player of the Match medal.
Piper shared her Little Princess Trust certificate following her generous hair donation.
Eleri got a head-teachers award for hard work and being good – FOR 42 YEARS!
Well done to our brilliant achievers this week!

Yours sincerely / Yn gywir,

Andrew Davis, Headteacher / Pennaeth