School Blog (25/10/24)

School Blog

Blog Ysgol

25th October 2024
25 Hydref 2024

Last School Blog of this Half Term

Welcome to the Castell Alun High School Blog.

As we draw close to the half term, it’s a great time to reflect on the incredible progress we’ve made as a school community. This half term has been both productive and inspiring. We’ve seen our core values of respect, determination, and honesty shine through in everything we’ve done.

Respect has been at the heart of our interactions this half term. Whether it’s in the classroom, during group projects, or in our extra-curricular activities. Students have shown tremendous support for each other, creating a positive and inclusive atmosphere that allows everyone to thrive.

Our students have also embodied determination, tackling challenges head-on and striving to reach their full potential. Their commitment has been truly commendable.

Finally, we’ve seen incredible honesty. Whether in reflective self-assessments, open conversations about progress, or the way students have taken responsibility for their learning and behaviour.

Join us to take a look at all the exciting activities in our final School Blog of this half term.

Eco Council Champions Sustainability

This week, the Eco Council has been hard at work alongside Kehoe Countryside Ltd. They have been repurposing wood from trees felled along Fagl Lane. Through hands-on workshops, students took part in replanting trees and crafting useful items. These included bat and bird houses to enhance the school’s natural environment. These activities not only benefit wildlife but also foster skills such as creativity, problem-solving and environmental stewardship. Seren from Year 8 shared how much she enjoyed the experience. She especially learning new skills like drilling and creating habitats for local wildlife.

Cindy and Alna emphasised the importance of sustainable actions. They helped build planters for herbs and vegetables and worked on signs to encourage eco-friendly behaviours. Cindy noted how bats and birds play crucial roles in pollinating many plants worldwide. Alna highlighted the health and wellbeing benefits of maintaining a clean, eco-friendly environment. This initiative encourages students to actively contribute to sustainability. It also supports the Curriculum for Wales’ focus on healthy, confident individuals and ethical citizens.

Diolch yn fawr to Kehoe Countryside Ltd for their time and expert guidance in the creation our environmental area. 

Languages Meet the Beautiful Game

Recently, Year 10 students of French, Spanish and German had the opportunity to take part in a virtual event. Called ‘Languages Meet the Beautiful Game’, the event was run by Pierce Kiembi. Pierce is a UEFA A Licence Coach. He also speaks 5 languages and has co-founded an app called ‘Futbol Lingo’. The app is designed to help sportspeople succeed in the elite sporting world by teaching them to speak different languages. Our Year 10 students saw how useful learning a foreign language is to being successful in international sport. Despite some differing opinions about the ‘best’ football team, they learned about the languages they needed to learn to get where they are today. Merci, danke and gracias to Pierce and Futbol Lingo for including us in your fascinating event!

Students Shine at the Mold Food Festival

Our students had the fantastic opportunity to volunteer at this year’s Mold Food Festival. The event was was a great success despite the weather. They represented the school with pride and professionalism while working closely with celebrity chefs in the cooking theatre. Our students had the privilege of assisting Graham Tinsley MBE. Graham is the Executive Head Chef at Carden Park and Culinary Director of the Culinary Association of Wales. Graham showcased some delicious dishes and offered valuable cooking tips. Additionally, they worked alongside Calum Smith, Sous Chef at Shrewsbury Private School, Harry Paynter Roberts, Sous Chef at The Vines Restaurant at Carden Park. They also met Naomi Spaven, the writer behind the popular baking blog, The Little Welsh Foodie.

Behind the scenes, our students helped prepare and serve dishes for the chefs during their demonstrations. This gained them valuable hands-on experience in a fast-paced culinary environment. This invaluable opportunity allowed them to develop important skills such as teamwork, communication and practical cooking techniques. For those interested in pursuing a career in hospitality and catering, the experience was particularly rewarding. We are incredibly proud of the way they represented the school and the skills they gained in the process.

CER Education Sponsors Our Day Out

We are thrilled to announce that CER Education has generously sponsored our upcoming production of Our Day Out. Their £600 donation helps to not only brings our school community closer together but also provides an invaluable opportunity for our students to engage in the expressive arts. This is one of the key areas of learning in the new curriculum. The cast was overjoyed to receive the cheque. This contribution will go a long way in making our February production a truly memorable experience for all involved!

Nicaraguan Cultural Exchange

On Thursday, 17th October, the school was privileged to receive a visitor from Nicaragua. Sebastián Mendieta, who represents the Nicaraguan teaching union ANDEN, came here to observe good practice in a school in Wales. He has worked for many years as a P.E. teacher. He now collaborates closely with the Nicaraguan government to enhance education in the country.

Sebastián was bowled over by the warm welcome he received from staff and students alike. He thoroughly enjoyed being shown around the school by our Sixth Form Spanish group. The group excelled in their translation and interpreting skills as Sebastián does not speak English. His lesson observations included Spanish, P.E. and Welsh sessions, all of which he found inspiring.

Nicaraguan schools are now developing bilingualism in Spanish and English in their classrooms. A visit to Castell Alun provided Sebastián with a valuable model of how we promote bilingualism here.

This visit stemmed from Ms Brennan’s fortnight in Nicaragua this Summer as part of an NEU delegation. The group aimed to observe educational practices and deliver workshops to Nicaraguan English teachers. This enables them to establish meaningful links between the UK and Nicaragua. Many thanks to all the staff and students who made the visit such a success. 

Disgo Cymraeg Blwyddyn 7

Last night our Cymraeg department hosted a disco for our Year 7 students. It was a popular event with around 150 students getting involved.  All enjoyed dancing and spending some time with their new friends outside of the classroom. Students danced the night away and ended the evening with Dafydd Iwan’s ‘Yma o Hyd‘. This resulted in lots of our students singing their hearts out in Cymraeg! A fantastic way to end a first half term. Da iawn Blwyddyn 7. Diolch yn fawr to the Welsh department and the Year 13 helpers.

Sporting News

We always have many sporting success stories to celebrate in our School Blog! Llongfarchiadau to our Year 8 girls’ football team for winning the Utilita Football Girls competition with Wrexham AFC! We’re excited to represent Wrexham AFC in the next round – da iawn, genod! Also congratulations also to our Year 11 boys’ football team. They recently secured an impressive 6-0 victory away at Ysgol Elfed in the Welsh Schools FA. Diolch for a great match!

A special mention goes to Kelly and Olivia in Year 9 and Charlie in Year 10. The hav e successfully passed their 1st Dan black belts at Hope/Wrexham Taekwondo! We also congratulate Chloe in Year 10 for achieving her 2nd Dan and Lucien in Year 8 for passing his black belt star grading.

Additionally, we’re excited to share that Liv, Caitlin, and Bethan had the incredible opportunity to meet Rhys Darbey! Rhys is a double Paralympic medallist with Gold and Silver medals. They met at the Conwy Autumn Meet earlier this week!

Upcoming Events

Here’s a quick look at our most upcoming events.
For full details and updates, visit our Events Calendar and stay in the know about what’s happening.

In Closing

Amongst all the activities this week, our Year 10 students have been busy completing their oracy exams, showcasing the communication skills they’ve developed through hard work and preparation. Well done to all involved for your hard work and effort leading up to this important assessment. Keep up the great work!

As we head into the Autumn break, we want to thank every student, parent, and member of staff for their hard work and dedication. Let’s carry this momentum into the next term, continuing to live by our values and make the most of every opportunity. We will see you back here after half term for the next edition of the School Blog.

Mwynhewch yr egwyl haeddiannol!

Enjoy the well-earned break!

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.