As we approach our final week of half term in school there is a clear sense of focus and purpose in our school family, perhaps especially amongst those who are now in the final stages of preparations for external examinations this summer. We feel it is an appropriate time to re-introduce our study club buses and hope that these will be useful for all students to access extra-curricular facilities, catch-up activities and examination preparation sessions. Study club will be held on Mondays and Tuesdays, commencing on Monday 14th February, and we would encourage all students to make good use of this facility.
On the theme of examination preparations, next week we have invited ‘Positively You’, a study skills specialist training company, to address all students in Years 11, 12 and 13 on either Thursday 17th or Friday 18th February, during the school day. We have worked with this company before and student feedback has been exceptionally positive. We are pleased also to be able to announce that Positively You will run an evening event for parents of examination class students virtually on Wednesday 16th February. From 5pm to 6pm parents/carers of current Year 11 students will be invited to join a bespoke support event and at 6pm parents/carers of Sixth Form students will be able to participate in a session tailor-made for Sixth Form studies. Both sessions will focus on how parent/carers can support and encourage students over the coming months. Previous experience indicates that it could be most useful for parents of examination class students to engage with these events.
Our Year 9 Parents’ Evening will run via School Cloud on Thursday 17th February from 4pm and we would like to thank you for signing up to appointments so promptly. Year 9 is a pivotal year in the development of our students and this evening should provide vital opportunities to not only discuss progress to date but also to consider potential further courses of study as students transition into Year 10. Parents/carers may speak to current teachers but also explore new courses available on this evening and all families should now have received a Programme of Study for Year 10 students (September 2022).
A group of some forty Year 8 students are visiting Glan Llyn on Friday next week and will doubtless be treated to a day packed full of activities and have lots of fun as they develop further their Welsh language skills. We hope to be able to show you photos of this in the near future.
Although still a few weeks off, it could be useful to remind parents of Year 10 students that this year group will sit their internal examinations on the week beginning Monday 28th February. It is vital that all students strike an appropriate balance between revision and time off during the half term holiday.
Congratulations to Ffion and Alexandra (Year 8), Sophie (Year 9) and Ruby and Nell (Year 10) who have been selected to represent North East Wales in Cardiff in two weeks’ time at the Welsh Netball Inter Area Championships.
In the spirit of the current Winter Olympics in Beijing, Oscar (Year 8) has kicked off his 2022 skiing season with a great start by achieving a well deserved 3rd place amongst tough competition at the National Slalom Awards in Llandudno in January – Well done Oscar!
And finally, please remember that you now only have a couple of days left to purchase your virtual balloon in support of Castell Alun to participate in the virtual race on Valentines Day. Please follow this link to join the fun.
Let’s hope for a better result in the rugby this weekend! Have a nice one everybody!