It has been a most eventful week and thank you so much for the many kind words, thanks and general encouragements we have received via so many different sources in the last few days specifically. As you will now know, Welsh Government has just declared that all Welsh secondary schools should use remote learning with students next week, and will only be open for younger students who cannot be supervised at home, or those who have exams to sit. We will provide a classroom for students in Years 7&8 if parents / carers feel these children are unable to remain at home if unsupervised. If you require this provision it is vital that you let us know about this by the end of today please by emailing main@castellalun.flintshire.sch.uk or phoning school. To be fair to our Years 12&13 mock examination students, we do intend to continue with these important papers and attendance for these assessments is a parental / student wellbeing choice.

Headship

Thank you for your heart-warming support and various questions regarding my personal decision not to apply for the permanent Headship position. Our Governing Body yesterday appointed Mr Colin Ellis, currently Deputy Headteacher at the Alun School Mold, to become our new Headteacher, to begin duties in the Summer Term. I personally know Mr Ellis to be a man of genuine integrity and vision, and he is passionate about getting the best for all students, a value which is very much in keeping with our own. We look forward to that which he will undoubtedly bring to the Castell Alun family. Thanks must also go to our Governing Body for all of their efforts in making this appointment, despite the very great challenges of the current circumstances.

Next week

With our move to remote learning next week, please remind all students that they should follow their normal timetable and our current lesson timings will continue. These lesson timings will be published again on Google Classroom Year Group Noticeboards as a reminder to all.

Year 11 German

Our Year 11 German language students have recently been learning more about German traditions. In particular they have been learning about St. Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht, the dark companion of St. Nicholas, who rewards good children each year with gifts and candy on December 6, St. Nicholas Day.

Students watched a video explaining the history of the story and this special day, and then examined how this is celebrated today in Germany. In keeping with the spirit of the theme, students brought in shoes which had been ‘left to them on the doorstep’, wrote their Christmas wish list  and then ‘woke up’ to find their shoes had been filled with either sticks or sweets – sweets if they had been good, from St. Nikolaus, and sticks from Knecht Ruprecht if they had misbehaved!

Engineering and Construction

Our Engineering and Construction group are now well into their course, provided by the contractors for the new build, Wilmott Dixon. Groups of Year 9, 10 and 11 students are being provided with the opportunity to learn more about engineering and construction as potential career paths.

The sessions to date have gone really well, with students engaging in the experience and making the most of this fantastic opportunity and insight,

Related to which, the new build is now really taking shape, with the steel frame now being erected and the outline for the building and ow it will sit visible. Some of our school community attended a ‘signing the beam’ ceremony today in school, with representatives from Willmott Dixon and Flintshire County Council and Local Authority.

Fitmas Advent

As mentioned last week the PE departments Fitmas Advent is taking place, each day in tutor group sessions, and online via the PE Google Classroom pages.

This week we have had, mindfulness, yoga poses, jogging on the spot and a wall sit to your favourite Christmas song! Well done to those taking part, especially those who have completed every day so far.

Students can, of course, continue to do this from home next week.

Parents’ Evenings

We are currently considering the use of the virtual Parents’ Evenings package ‘School Cloud’ for our parents’ evenings in the New Year. We will keep you informed of progress and have been told by many other schools that this method works effectively for both parents / carers and staff, as all appointments are managed by a secure automated system. We’ll write to you in the New Year with further information.