Friday 5th July 2019


Well, let’s hope the warmer weather sees us through to the end of term now.  It’s great to see so many Year 6 students here with us today and I can assure you that they are all getting stuck into activities!  Thank you for your understanding with car parking and it was great to meet you so many of you at our New Intake Induction evening on Wednesday also. We look forward to working with you.

As you are aware, we have spoken to all students this week about the incredibly unlikely necessity for a genuine school lockdown.  We knowthat such events can cause distress and would ask you please to support us further in dispelling any fears about our lockdown practice which will happen at some point next week.  The safety of our students is the single most important thing to us and, as all other local schools, we will build in an annual practice for such an eventuality. We will, of course, talk to our students in advance of any practice, to ensure that things run smoothly and nobody feels any unnecessary anxiety.  Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

We’ve had a really busy week, and on Monday a group of boys and girls represented school at the Golf Tournament in Llandudno.  Our girls won second prize on net score and also took the longest drive prize.  Great job girls!  Well done also to our Year 10 students who really enjoyed their sponsored walk (postponed from last week due to the weather) on Tuesday and the small group of Year 9 students who took on an adventure challenge on Wednesday.

Yesterday our Year 9/10 Boys’ Tennis team were crowned North Wales Champions and now progress to the National Championships.  Incredible performance lads – well done!  We really hope those of you who are going to Wimbledon next week have a fantastic time.  Also, yesterday afternoon, a group of our students attended the ‘Pop In’ at Hope Church to perform some of their songs from last week’s Night at the Musicals.  Well done everybody and thanks also to those Sixth Form students who went along to have a chat with some of the guests present.  A large number of Year 7 students had a fantastic time at the Llangollen Eisteddfod yesterday also, and they thoroughly enjoyed this major cultural event… and the ice cream that went with it!

Some of you may well have been following the Women’s World Cup, and we are very proud to tell you that Seren (Year 8) is travelling to the Isle of Man to play for Flintshire Schools’ Girls’ football team in the near future.  Have a great game Seren…. the next World Cup is only four years away!

Another Silver cohort of Duke of Edinburgh students are out on expedition this weekend, with a Gold trip due to depart in a week’s time.  All the best everybody!  We’re really proud of the number of students who get involved in Duke of Edinburgh at Castell Alun…. it’s more than most other schools put together!

Next week sees our Year 10 students undertaking their Welsh Baccalaureate Community Challenge.  This year we have an extensivevision to work alongside various partners in order to further enhance the local area of natural beauty around the Hope Quarry.  Everybody is really excited about their activities and we cannot wait to see just what our groups of students are capable of.  Please do remind your sons and daughters to dress appropriately and remember the safety rules and regulations that we have put in place to ensure that everyone has a fantastic time and we make a real difference in our local area.

On Tuesday afternoon next week our Year 9 students will gather in the School Hall for an end of KS3 celebration event.  The awarding of certificates will take place for students who are found to have tried exceptionally hard and performed to the highest standards in the subjects they have studied this year.

We are all looking forward to our School Sports Day on Thursday and this is one of our highlights every year.  This year records are again expected to tumble and let’s hope staff avoid injury as they compete against each other in a relay race!

Have a lovely weekend.