21 Mawrth 2025
Croeso
Croeso i’r blog ysgol wythnosol. Welcome to this week’s School Blog.
With the weather warming up and daffodils blooming all around, spring is truly making its presence felt! This change in season brings a renewed sense of energy and excitement, and we have plenty to celebrate within our school community this week.
Stay tuned for some fantastic news, upcoming events and special achievements that highlight the incredible spirit of our school. Let’s make the most of this bright and beautiful time together!
Castell Alun Celebrates Silver Cymraeg Campus Award!
We are absolutely delighted to share the fantastic news that we have been awarded the Silver Cymraeg Campus Award following our assessment in February! This is a significant achievement for our school and a reflection of the hard work, dedication and passion shown by our entire school community in promoting the Welsh language.
The assessment itself was a thorough process, involving some of our dedicated Cyngor Cymraeg (Welsh Council) students who, alongside Mrs Wareing, presented the latest developments under the five Siarter Iaith outcomes. The assessors were then taken on a learning walk around the school, observing the use of Cymraeg across a range of subjects and gaining an insight into how Welsh is embedded in our daily school life. Their feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and they were truly blown away by the enthusiasm, commitment and progress they witnessed throughout their visit. It was a true team effort, and we couldn’t be prouder of what we have achieved together!
This award is particularly special because it makes us the first secondary school in Wrexham and Flintshire to achieve both the Bronze and now the Silver Cymraeg Campus Award. Our journey towards enhancing bilingualism continues, and this recognition is a testament to the school’s ongoing commitment to promoting the Welsh language at every level. Da iawn i bawb!
In addition to this exciting news, we’d like to say a huge congratulations to our Year 10 students, who have successfully completed their arholiadau llafar Cymraeg (Welsh oracy exams) this week. Each and every student has worked incredibly hard, and we are so proud of their dedication and achievements. Next week, it’s Year 11’s turn, as they sit their Welsh exams, and we want to wish them the very best of luck. Pob lwc pawb!
Spotlight on Success
We are incredibly proud to share that our very own Dr. Amanda Heath has been awarded the prestigious Secondary School Teacher of the Year award! This well-deserved recognition highlights her exceptional dedication to environmental education. It also acknowledges her inspiring work with Flintshire County Council on the carbon toolkit.
Dr. Heath’s innovative approach to teaching has seen students take an active role in understanding climate change and sustainability. She has developed resources that allow students to calculate the school’s carbon footprint and create a carbon reduction plan, giving them real-world experience in tackling environmental issues. These resources have now been incorporated into the Flintshire toolkit, which will be rolled out to other schools, helping to raise awareness and encourage action to reduce carbon emissions.
This exciting and ongoing project has already made a significant impact. Recently, a group of students had the opportunity to present their findings at the Flintshire Education Committee meeting. They shared their experiences and highlighted how this initiative has deepened their understanding of sustainability. Their work is a testament to the powerful learning opportunities that Dr. Heath has created. It is clear that her passion for science and environmental awareness is inspiring the next generation of changemakers.
Congratulations, Dr. Heath! Your hard work and dedication are making a real difference, not just in our school but across the wider community. Da iawn!
Don’t miss Our Day Out!
Excitement is building as our talented cast gets ready to bring Willy Russell’s Our Day Out to the stage. The performances will take place on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening! This hilarious and heart-warming play follows a group of students on a chaotic school trip. Expect plenty of laughs, drama and unforgettable moments. Our performers and crew have been working incredibly hard to make this a fantastic show. We can’t wait to share it with you. There are still tickets available, so don’t miss your chance to support our students and enjoy a brilliant evening of entertainment. Grab your tickets here!
Sporting Updates
Llongyfarchiadau to our incredible U16 squad, who traveled to Haverfordwest for the National Schools Finals. They secured an impressive 3rd place in Wales—missing out on second by just two goals! The team showed outstanding skill, determination and teamwork throughout the tournament. A special congratulations to Phoebe (Year 10) for being named MVP of the entire tournament. This is a fantastic achievement that highlights her talent and dedication. We are so proud of you all—what a performance!
ESTYN Visit
Next week we will have a team of ESTYN inspectors in school. They will visit a number of classes and hold discussions with staff and students alike. We welcome them from Monday lunchtime and they will be with us until later on Thursday. Parents / carers are most welcome to attend an informal meeting with inspectors on Monday at 5pm. Please do your best to join us for this.
In Closing
As we step further into this vibrant season of growth and new beginnings, it’s wonderful to see so many achievements and celebrations taking place within our school community. A huge thank you to our students, staff and families for their ongoing dedication and enthusiasm. It truly makes our school a special place to be. Let’s keep the momentum going and look forward to even more exciting opportunities ahead. Wishing everyone a fantastic weekend—da iawn pawb!
Diolch am ddarllen a mwynhewch y penwythnos.
Thank you for reading and enjoy the weekend.
Safeguarding
If you have any safeguarding concerns, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Officers: Mr Colin Ellis, Mrs Gail Davies and Mr Craig Stewart. You can reach them via the School Office or by using our Contact Form.
