4 Gorffennaf 2025
Croeso
This week at Castell Alun, we’ve seen our core values of respect, determination, and honesty come to life through a wide range of exciting opportunities for our students. From welcoming our new Year 7s with warmth and enthusiasm, to celebrating our Careers Wales Quality Award success, to embracing Welsh culture and hands-on STEM learning—our school community continues to grow, connect, and thrive. Each event highlights our commitment to building successful futures and nurturing confident, compassionate learners ready to make their mark on the world.
Welcoming Our New Students
Last Friday, we were delighted to welcome our incoming Year 7 students for their transition day at Castell Alun. The day was all about helping students feel at home in their new school environment, getting to know their tutor groups, and meeting their group tutors. Students took part in a range of engaging lessons, including Art, English, PE – and even a fascinating introduction to Criminology! Of course, a firm favourite of the day was the visit to the canteen, which never fails to impress.
A huge thank you to all the students who attended, the staff who delivered such exciting sessions, and to Mrs Lisa Allen, our SDM, for organising such a successful and enjoyable day. We’re looking forward to seeing you all again in September!
Jamie Oliver World Record Attempt
On Tuesday 1st July, Mrs Molloy and our fantastic Year 9 students who have opted for GCSE Food and Nutrition took part in a truly exciting event — a Guinness World Record attempt as part of the Jamie Oliver Cookery School! Joining over 15,000 people across the UK, the aim was to break the record for the world’s largest cooking class. The session was packed with passion, perseverance, and plenty of pasta, as our students rolled up their sleeves and cooked along with enthusiasm and energy. We are still awaiting official confirmation — but stay tuned to see if Castell Alun can now call itself World Record Holding!
Building Successful Futures
I’m pleased to share that Castell Alun High School has successfully passed moderation for Stage 2 of the Careers Wales Quality Award (CWQA) today! This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication from everyone involved. Thank you all for your commitment—let’s keep up the great momentum as we continue to enhance our careers provision.
Careers education is a vital part of the new curriculum, helping students develop essential transferable skills such as communication, problem-solving, and teamwork. It enables them to make sense of their learning by connecting classroom knowledge to real-life, authentic contexts. This approach not only supports informed decision-making but also builds confidence and resilience, preparing students to thrive in an ever-changing world. By embedding high-quality careers guidance and experiences, we equip students with the tools they need to succeed academically and personally, while opening doors to future education, training, and employment.
This award recognition confirms that we are on the right track to providing excellent careers support and that our students are gaining meaningful insights and experiences that will shape their futures. We look forward to continuing this important work and making careers education an integral part of every student’s journey at Castell Alun.
Year 7 Parents’ Evening
Last night we were delighted to host our Year 7 Parents’ Evening, which was very well attended and full of positive energy. It was a fantastic opportunity for families to meet with subject teachers, discuss the progress students have made during their first year at Castell Alun, and celebrate their achievements. The evening was marked by a strong sense of partnership between home and school, with parents and carers engaging thoughtfully in conversations about how best to support continued success. Thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to such a positive event.
Inspiring Welsh Language
On Wednesday a group of 34 year ten and twelve Cymraeg students went to the Summer Festival of Welsh, hosted by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol at Prifysgol Wrecsam’s Plas Coch Campus.
The students enjoyed a day full of Cymraeg and hwyl, beginning with inspirational talks in the morning from Welsh speakers and learners such as Doctor Cymraeg, Bobi Jones award-winning actor Isabella Colby Browne, and pro Wrexham footballer Rosie Hughes. This was followed by a dramatization of the story of Capel Celyn and the flooding of Cwm Tryweryn by the theatre company Mewn Cymeriad and an information fair over lunch with stalls from local and national Cymraeg organisations, such as Menter Iaith Sir y Fflint a Wrecsam.
The afternoon consisted of sessions about the A-level Welsh course, the history of the Welsh National Eisteddfod, which will this year be held in Wrecsam during the first week of August, and an acting workshop with Isabella. All of the students had a bendigedig day and really enjoyed celebrating Cymraeg and their Welsh culture. The Welsh department hopes to build from the success of the visit and invite some of these speakers in to inspire as many of our students as possible.
Airbus Inspires at STEM Workshop
On Wednesday, our Year 8 students had the exciting opportunity to take part in a dynamic STEM workshop led by the Airbus team. The session aimed to inspire and engage students in the world of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through interactive learning.
The workshop focused on the basic physics of flight, with students exploring key concepts through hands-on activities and play.
Students worked in teams throughout the session and followed instructions carefully. They developed key workplace skills like collaboration, communication, and spatial awareness. It was a fantastic opportunity for them to see how STEM subjects apply to real-world industries and careers.
A huge thank you to the Airbus team for delivering such an informative and inspiring workshop. The experience has certainly sparked curiosity and enthusiasm for STEM among our Year 8 learners!
Sporting Success
A huge well done to Erin in Year 8, who represented the Wales U13 Regional Academy in Cardiff this weekend. Erin’s team performed brilliantly throughout the tournament and were crowned runners-up after a closely contested final. We feel incredibly proud of her achievement and look forward to seeing her succeed on and off the pitch. Da iawn, Erin!
Upcoming Events
We’re excited to share that on Thursday 17th July, the last day of term, all students will visit Castell Alun’s Summer Fayre! It promises to be a fantastic event full of fun, creativity, and community spirit.
During the autumn term, Year 9 students completed their Global Citizenship Challenge for the Welsh Baccalaureate. This term, they have worked hard on their Enterprise and Employability Challenge. As part of this, students designed and created products to sell at the Summer Fayre. They have shown excellent teamwork, innovation, and entrepreneurial skills.
We encourage all students to bring a small amount of money to enjoy the fair’s stalls and games. Half the profits will support Hope House, a local hospice and charity. Castell Alun students have proudly raised over £30,000 for this cause so far. The other half will fund future educational projects that benefit all learners at our school.
We look forward to seeing everyone enjoy this brilliant event while supporting both a great cause and student-led enterprise.
You can see our full range of upcoming events by heading over to our Events Calendar page.
In Closing
Our students and staff achieve so much together, and we are proud of their continued success. Today, Year 12 students leave for the summer break. We thank them for their hard work this year. The Sixth Form trip to Berlin sets off this Saturday, and we wish them the very best. We look forward to hearing about their experiences soon!
Thank you for being part of our journey. Your support helps make Castell Alun such a special place to learn and grow.
Diolch yn fawr am eich cefnogaeth barhaus. Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable weekend.
Safeguarding
If you have any safeguarding concerns, please contact our Designated Safeguarding Officers: Mr Ellis, Mrs Davies or Mr Stewart. You can reach them via the School Office or by using our Contact Form.
