Prynhawn da,
Well, we are nearly half way through the school year and have just had a very successful Sixth Form Open Evening last night. We greeted a great number of families through the door and each one was invited to a talk by Mr. Ellis, Headteacher and Miss Edwards, Director of Sixth Form Studies. There was great enthusiasm from our students and also the large number that attended from other neighbouring secondary schools and we are hopeful for a suitably packed Sixth Form once again in September 2024. However, if you are interested in exploring the possibilities that Castell Alun has to offer, and weren’t able to attend last night, please do not worry as we are always happy to have further conversations and indeed host personal tours of the building and subjects as necessary. If this is the case, please contact the school office to book a time to come and see us on 01978 760238.
A group of Year 7 and 8 students have completed a ‘.b’ course via Young and Mindful, who deliver self education courses to young people. Mrs. Shilpa Vyas discussed the programme with some of our students who have expressed an interest in becoming Young and Mindful advocates, a kind of peer support to other students. Hopefully, we can keep this momentum going and we will naturally have some future wellbeing ambassadors. Mrs. Vyas really enjoyed her visit to our students and hopes to return in the future. On behalf of the school we would like to thank Shilpa for her valuable input on this area.
On Monday, representing Big Ideas Wales, Mark Williams came into school to discuss how he started his business, ‘Limb-art’. Mark’s awarding winning business makes prosthetic leg covers. His session was engaging and inspirational for our Year 12 and 13 future entrepreneurs. Not only did Mark share his story, but he was also honest about the realities of setting up a business and the value that such ideas bring to both the individual and the larger organisation. He answered all student queries and questions with expert advice and was truly a role model in his approach. Thanks very much indeed for your input, Mark! It is wonderful to see how parents are keen to engage with us in developing links between their workplace and our school, in response to Miss Lauren Robinson’s appeal, and we would encourage anybody else who has a work-related story to tell to contact Miss Robinson at school and discuss whether the story may be one that could be shared.
Our Year 11 trial exams and science practicals are about to be completed. Well done to all those students who have given their best and we will have your results ready for you in the near future, on Thursday 8th February at our Mock Results Day. In general, performances have been strong across the year although it is clear that some students are yet capable of better. With approximately ten school weeks to go before the real thing, we are constantly reminding students of the need to keep working hard and to maximise their potential in the short time we have left. Although it was wonderful to see so many at our Sixth Form Open Evening last night, on a more practical level it is also important that each one now realises we are truly on the home straight and the examinations begin formally in May.
On Thursday 1st February, we invite all Year 10 students and their parents/carers to Parents’ Evening. This will be the first face-to-face opportunity to discuss the progress of these Year 10 people since the beginning of their GCSE courses and we would hope that everyone is able to attend. Following this, in the final week of the half term Year 10 students will sit their internal examinations and gain some highly valuable feedback pertaining to their GCSE or equivalent progress to date.
Thank you for the time you have taken to read this. It is always useful to keep everyone up to date during through our blogs.
Have a lovely weekend.
Diolch am ddarllen, mwynhewch y penwythnos.