Closing the Academic Year and Looking Ahead
Welcome to the School Blog. We are disappointed to have to postpone today’s Sports Day due to poor weather. Student safety is our highest priority, but we understand the disappointment this decision brings to many. We are exploring the possibility of holding a more succinct version of Sports Day next wee. We will confirm plans as soon as possible.
Busy Weeks and Enriching Experiences
Staff and students have been incredibly busy over the past few weeks, with a variety of school trips taking place. On Thursday, 6th July, 100 Year 7 students enjoyed Youth Day at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod. They participated in circus-skills workshops and enjoyed multi-cultural performances in the main tent. The students also practiced their Cymraeg while purchasing souvenirs and soaking up the atmosphere. We attend this event annually, celebrating our school’s heritage.
Last week, 35 students from Years 9 to 11 embarked on a trip to Belgium and Germany. They visited Bruges, Cologne, and Boppard, using their language skills to order food and drinks. Highlights included a visit to the ‘Choco-Story’ in Bruges, where students learned about the history of chocolate and enjoyed sampling the many varieties. At the Olympic Museum in Cologne, students attempted to beat world records and even played football against a German school. The trip concluded with awards for “Most Target Language Spoken,” “Most Fears Faced,” and “Most Involved in the German Culture.”
On 7th July, 32 A Level History and RS students traveled to Berlin, Germany. They visited historical sites such as the Berlin Wall, the Topography of Terror, the Jewish Museum, the Olympic Stadium, and the Reichstag building. The students experienced life in one of Europe’s most vibrant cities under temperatures above 30°C. After three days in Berlin, they headed to Krakow, Poland, where they visited the Galicia Museum and Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp. This poignant experience will stay with all participants for a long time.
Upcoming School Festival and Activities
This week, nine Year 7 students attended the Aura Sport Games at Deeside Leisure Centre, participating in dodgeball, boccia, ice skating, and more. Next week, students in Years 7 to 10 will participate in our school festival, where they will try new activities and engage in various events.
Year 7 students will join our School Eisteddfod on Monday, singing, dancing, and reciting in Welsh in a friendly but competitive environment. They will also participate in interform rounders, a game-a-thon, a trip to Caergwrle Castle, and creative arts activities, including making business t-shirts and sampling Italian.
Year 8 students are excited about their visit to Park in the Past and will also engage in performing arts, team sports, an Italian language class, comic creation, and a reading picnic.
Year 9 students will spend half a day at Park in the Past and participate in team-building activities, interform competitions, strategy games, STEM activities, and cooking.
For Year 10, we have planned a range of creative and sporting opportunities, from Olympic weightlifting to strategy games. We hope for an enjoyable close to the term, with students and staff making the most of these last few days.
Flintshire County Council and School Essentials Grant
Flintshire County Council is working to make the process for claiming a School Essentials Grant (formerly the Uniform Grant) more efficient. If you would like more information about these changes for the 2023/24 academic year, please follow this link.
CAFA: Thank You and Looking Ahead
CAFA (Castell Alun Friends Association) would like to say a big diolch for all the support shown this year. Thanks to events like the Fashion Show, Quiz Night, and Car Boot Sale, CAFA has helped fund various projects, including setting up a STEM group in Science, a UCAS Fair trip for Sixth Form, refurbishing the school counselling room, and more. CAFA’s first meeting of the new academic year will be on 12th September at 6:30 pm in school. New members are always welcome, so if you can spare some time to support our students, please join us.
Looking Forward to the New Academic Year
As we close this academic year, we are extremely grateful for your support and hard work. A Headteacher’s letter will follow with key information for the new term. For now, we wish you all a lovely summer and hope everyone gets some rest and enjoyment with friends and family to face September with a spring in our collective step!
Have a wonderful summer! See you at next September’s first School Blog!
