Friday 16th November 2018


Today we are supporting Children In Need and all students have come to school in non uniform, with some of our Sixth Form preferring to wear pyjamas and Pudsy ears! Everyone is having fun in the name of this great cause, but it is a shame that such days are even necessary in modern society.

Laura and Sophie of Year 13 represented Castell Alun at the Welsh Schools’ Debating Championships last Friday. The girls had to prepare a motion for the abolition of university fees for STEM subjects. Well done girls, and it’s really hard luck that there was only one place available in the next round.

It was wonderful to see so many of you at our Year 13 Parents’ Evening yesterday, and we are confident that, working together, all of our students will achieve well in the summer examinations. Thank-you for your continued support, and please do keep all lines of communication open to us over the next few months as we seek to support these young adults through what can be a tough time.

Also this week and next, each of our Year 11 students will attend a motivational workshop, which is designed to help them combat anxiety and prepare effectively for their oncoming mock Year 11 examinations, and indeed those of next summer.

We are really pleased to announce the arrival of our new school minibus. We wish to express our deep gratitude to the Castell Alun Friends Association for all the monies that they have raised in order to supplement our School Fund, which have allowed us to afford this vital transport. We now run two school minibuses, which allow us far greater flexibility in the planning of various small trips.

Next week a number of our Upper School students will be going on a trip to the Lowry Theatre in Manchester to watch a performance of Matilda.

Good luck to all of our students who will be competing in a variety of sporting events later today and next week. We really look forward to hearing about your successes.

On Thursday next week a large number of Year 6 students will be visiting Castell Alun for a ‘social experience day’. These transition events really do help a number of youngsters as they begin to prepare for life beyond primary school.

As previously mentioned, students in Year 11 will be sitting internal ‘trial’ examinations over the next couple of weeks, and, although these exams do not contribute towards final grades, there can be no doubt that students who prepare effectively will position themselves well to succeed in all external examinations next summer. Best of luck to everyone.

And finally, we will send you an overview of our principles and practice in the setting of homework at KS3 in the coming weeks, having consulted widely on this theme. Many thanks to everybody who has offered their thoughts to assist us in our considerations.

Have a lovely weekend.