7 Mawrth 2026
In this edition
Welcome to this week’s blog. It has been a wonderfully busy and exciting week in school as we celebrated both St David’s Day and World Book Day. These special events brought lots of energy and enthusiasm across the school, with pupils enjoying opportunities to celebrate Welsh culture as well as their love of books and reading.
From creative activities to shared celebrations, it has been fantastic to see so many smiles and such a positive atmosphere throughout the week. Most importantly, these occasions have helped bring our whole school community together, with pupils and staff alike taking part and enjoying the celebrations. We hope you enjoy looking through this week’s highlights and seeing some of the wonderful things that have been happening in school.
Celebrating Saint David’s Day
This week has been full of celebrations and activities led by the Cymraeg Department and Cyngor Cymraeg regarding Saint David’s Day, which took place last Sunday on 1st March. Monday started with a whole-school assembly about Saint David and his message, gwneud y pethau bychain.
Students were encouraged to gwneud y pethau bychain, such as picking up litter around school, helping out at home or sharing a smile to brighten someone’s day. At breaktime, the Cyngor Cymraeg organised a successful bake sale to raise money for Marie Curie. Meanwhile, the Welsh department hosted a free bilingual bingo session at lunchtime for all students to enjoy.
Welsh lessons throughout the week also included Saint David’s Day themes and messages. However, the highlight was a visit from Mr Urdd on Wednesday afternoon, when he popped in to visit some Key Stage 3 Welsh lessons.
The Cymraeg department would like to ddiolch everyone who helped to organise and take part in this bendigedig week of activities. They also look forward to seeing the difference made by everyone doing the pethau bychain.
Year 13 Mock Interviews with Employers
We were delighted to welcome a range of employers into school on Thursday to interview our Year 13 students. The event gave students a valuable opportunity to practise their interview skills in a realistic setting as they prepare for university, apprenticeships and employment. Our students represented themselves and the school brilliantly, approaching the interviews with confidence, professionalism and enthusiasm.
Employers commented on the high standard shown by students and the thoughtful way they engaged with the process. We are extremely grateful to the employers who generously gave their time to support this event and provide such valuable feedback to our students. Consequently, their involvement helps ensure our students are better prepared for the next stage of their journeys.
Special thanks go to the HR Department at Airbus, the Chamber of Commerce, Atlas Copco, Cheshire College South & West and Susan Williams for their support with this opportunity.
Furthermore, it was rewarding as a school to see the cycle come full circle. Previous Castell Alun students Adam Clark and Vlad Bucutea, along with their colleague Luke McManus, led interviews for Airbus. They benefited from this experience two years earlier ahead of securing employment on the Engineering Degree Apprenticeship at Airbus.
Da iawn to our students and diolch yn fawr to all the employers involved in this invaluable experience!
Celebrating World Book Day
We have had a huge amount going on in school to celebrate World Book Day and to promote reading for pleasure, alongside our whole-school commitment to developing both reading for pleasure and reading for learning.
On World Book Day, Year 7 began the morning with a fun live online literacy sports quiz, hosted by The Literacy Trust, which gave students a great start to the day and encouraged them to think about the connections between sport, stories and famous sporting figures in books.
Throughout the day, the library hosted a book swap, where students had the opportunity to bring in a book they had already enjoyed and exchange it for something new to read. It was fantastic to see so many students taking part and discovering new titles.
Our Year 9 students also took part in a “Caught Reading” challenge, where they could earn praise points if they were spotted reading in unusual or unexpected places around the school. It was brilliant to see students embracing the challenge and enjoying their reading.
Meanwhile, Year 7 tutor groups have been busy decorating their classroom doors with themed displays based on their favourite books. The creativity and effort that has gone into these displays has been fantastic.
We will be sharing photos of the decorated doors and other highlights from the day with you next week.
Young Flintshire Voice 2026
Two of our students, Olivia and Olivia, proudly represented Castell Alun at the Young Flintshire Voice event this week. The event provided an excellent opportunity for young people from across the county to come together, share their views and learn more about issues that affect their communities.
During the day, they took part in a range of election workshops and attended informative talks from several organisations. These included sessions led by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, updates on climate change, discussions around the Health and Safety Charter and a session focusing on Welsh in Education.
The event allowed students to develop their understanding of local decision-making and the role young people can play in shaping the future of their communities. Well done to both students for representing the school so positively and engaging so thoughtfully with the experience.
Book Donation Drive
Last week we shared news of the Sixth Form Charity Committee’s book collection in support of members of our local community, and we are delighted to say that the response so far has been fantastic.
We have already received a wonderful pile of books generously donated by our families, and we are truly overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity shown by our school community. It is fantastic to see so many people getting involved to help support others.
All donated books will go to Hope House Tŷ Gobaith Children’s Hospices or Pendine Park Care Home, where we hope they will bring comfort, enjoyment and companionship to those who receive them.
There is still time to contribute if you would like to take part. Donations of books suitable for children, teenagers or adults are very welcome. Students can bring books into school and hand them directly to Miss Jones in T11, or place them in the large Book Donation Box in Reception.
Even a single donated book can make a real difference, and we are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our school community.
Sporting Achievements
Great Sporting Effort from Our Teams
Our boys had a cracking game against Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, narrowly losing 25–24 in a very close encounter. It was a fantastic match with great effort, determination and teamwork shown throughout. Da iawn boys – a performance to be proud of!
Meanwhile, our U15 girls’ football team continue their excellent run in the Welsh Schools FA Championships. They secured a 2–1 victory against Friars, earning their place in the semi-finals of the competition.
A huge congratulations to the players and staff involved, and best of luck to the girls in the next round!
Rugby Success: Ben Probert
We are delighted to celebrate the achievements of Year 12 student Ben Probert, who continues to impress as part of the Sale Sharks U18 Academy. This is one of the most competitive and prestigious pathways in English rugby.
Ben recently represented Sale Sharks in fixtures against both the Yorkshire Academy and Gloucester. He showcased his versatility and talent by playing second row against Yorkshire and Number 8 against Gloucester, performing strongly in both positions against some of the best young talent in the game.
Ben’s commitment to his development is outstanding. He travels to Manchester several times a week for training, combines this with intensive gym work and still manages to devote significant time and focus to his studies. Therefore, his dedication on and off the field sets a fantastic example to our school community.
Looking ahead, Ben will continue his season with upcoming matches against Saracens on 2nd April, Leicester Tigers & Yorkshire on 12th April, Bath on 19th April and Newcastle Falcons on 26th April.
A huge well done, Ben—we are incredibly proud of you and look forward to following your journey.
Success at the Wales County Hockey Championships
Over the February half term, several of our students had the fantastic opportunity to represent the North East County teams at the Wales County Hockey Championships in Swansea.
A special congratulations goes to Isaac, who was part of the North East boys’ team They finished the tournament as overall winners and being crowned Welsh Champions. This is a fantastic achievement and a testament to the hard work and dedication shown throughout the competition.
We would also like to congratulate Bethan, Harriet and Morgan, who were selected to represent the U15 North East girls’ team. The team performed extremely well, finishing third overall after narrowly losing a hard-fought semi-final against the eventual winners.
A huge well done to all the students involved for representing their county and school so proudly.
Success at the Swim Wales Regional Championships
A huge congratulations to four of our students who competed in the Swim Wales Regional Championships. This event took place in the long course pool at Wavertree from 6th to 8th February 2026.
Idele, Rhiannon, Caitlin and Eva, who all swim for Wrexham Swim Club, took part in a number of challenging races across the weekend. Their events included the 200m Individual Medley, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle and even the demanding 1500m Freestyle.
The girls produced some excellent performances, achieving a number of fantastic personal bests along the way. A huge well done to all four swimmers — you should be very proud of your achievements!
Lost Property Gallery
Each Friday, staff photograph all unclaimed items and share them on the School Blog for parents.
They also post them on Google Classroom for students.
Students should speak to their group tutors to arrange collection during registration or another suitable time that day.
In Closing
As always, we would like to thank our pupils, staff and families for the enthusiasm, support and positivity they bring to our school community each week. From celebrating Welsh culture and a love of reading to recognising the fantastic achievements of our students both in and out of school, it has been another week that truly reflects the spirit of Castell Alun. We look forward to sharing more highlights with you next week.
Diolch yn fawr am eich cefnogaeth barhaus, a chael penwythnos hyfryd.
Thank you very much for your continued support, and have a wonderful 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.
