CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL

July 2020

Resilience

Wellbeing Week After a very busy few months of distance learning, with the school working extremely hard under challenging circumstances, it was time to take a breath. It was important for us to have some time to reflect, relax and renew connections before the next phase began. Beginning on the 22nd of June, we invited students from all year groups to stop, rest and reflect.

A Google classroom was created and students were offered a range of restful, mindful activities to support their wellbeing. Each day’s activities were based upon a positive word: Joy, gratitude, resilience, connections and curiosity. Wellbeing advice was also offered to parents in order to support their children. Students were encouraged to submit any work that they felt proud of and the following galleries show the amazing work completed during Wellbeing Week. All of the galleries have been shared on our website.

Torfaen Educational Psychology Service were so impressed with this programme they shared it with other schools across the region.

Here are some collages of work that our students have completed during wellbeing week. Each day had activities based around words of wellbeing. From resilience, gratitude, joy to connections and curiosity. The team have been quite overwhelmed by the thoughtful response and the number of students who are clearly so very proud of their projects. It is clear that they have thoroughly enjoyed their time of reflection and creativity.

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Gratitude

Joy

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Staying Connected

Curiosity

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During Wellbeing week, the Health & Wellbeing department set daily challenges for students to engage in and we had a host of sporting celebrities to pass on their good wishes and encouragement. We would also like to thank our past Internationals for sending their regards, Natasha Cockram, Danielle Jordan & Dan Babos.

Other celebrities to pass on the well wishes included Rhys Webb, Ross Moriaty, Pat Lam, Byron Hayward and Anita Asante.

Our two egg timed omelette challenge set by Mr Rogers even had a Great British Bake off celebrity get involved.

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Message from Executive Head Teacher, Mrs E Lewis

Time certainly does fly by! It hardly seems possible that I have been at Croesyceiliog School for a whole term as the Executive Head teacher. It is wonderful to present our final newsletter for the academic year that celebrates the varied contribution of our talented students. This edition focusses on what our students have achieved and engaged with during the forced school closure. It is pleasing to note how digitally literate our students have become and how they have made the most of what was a very different way of learning. This newsletters also shares some changes to our staffing structures. To support me in my role as Executive Head teacher and give clarity for our school community Miss V Harris will now undertake the role of Head of School. This means when I am not on site as Head of School Miss V Harris shall lead the school. She will ensure changes we have made to our provision and our new systems and structures are adhered to. We have also shared information on our new Wellbeing Team that are focussed on developing our students into well rounded citizens. Our formal partnership with King Henry VIII School has developed well this term and we hold our first partnership committee before the end of term. Senior staff in particular have enjoyed working with colleagues in similar roles. The sharing of ideas, resources and thinking has been very productive. As we move into the new academic year and hopeful relaxing of social distancing expectations our intention is to provide additional opportunities for staff across the two schools to work together in a supportive collaborative environment. It was lovely to meet many of our students as part of our ‘Check In, Catch Up, Prepare’ phased re- opening. They were respectful of our new safe routines and were polite and kind. All the attributes I expect from students at Croesyceiliog. These behaviours bode well for the future. In this newsletter you will also find an update on the progress we are making towards addressing the Estyn recommendations to improve the standard of education at Croesyceiliog. We have made progress. This has been due to the sustained hard work of the staff, teaching and support staff and the governing body. Finally can I thank all students, parents and guardians for your efforts through what has been a challenging time. I hope next term I can meet parents and guardians. I trust you will all have a safe and enjoyable summer holiday.

Message from Acting Head of School, Miss V. Harris

In all difficult situations, recent times have certainly been very challenging indeed, there are always positives to be found. It has been a privilege for our school to host ’s secondary-aged children’s childcare hub throughout the period of school closures during the Covid-19 situation. In partnership with all of Torfaen’s secondary schools and the Youth Service, we were able to provide a caring and supportive environment for some vulnerable students and the children of key workers. The experience of meeting a range of wonderful young people from different schools in Torfaen was uplifting for all involved. It was also highly beneficial to work so closely with colleagues from other schools and especially the youth workers who were exceptional in their commitment and care. In addition, we enjoyed hosting some children from Crownbridge School and staff from the Playservice. Further, our Learning, Respect, Ambition

CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL staff worked and supported the cluster childcare hub at Primary School. Again, those involved thoroughly enjoyed this experience and we are delighted that our many partnerships across all other schools and organisations have grown and developed despite the difficult times. Finally, our Technology Department took it upon themselves to manufacture PPE visors which were distributed to local care homes, Stadium and to local opticians through Optometry . Overall, Croesyceiliog School community can look back on the past few months with great pride not just in the extraordinary resilience and efforts of our fantastic students, but also in the part we played together with other schools and organisations to support the national effort during the Covid-19 pandemic. I want to thank all of you who supported the school in some way during this time. Every email expressing gratitude, every offer of support and every kind gesture has been appreciated. Thank you.

Message from Assistant Head Teacher, Mrs R. Spencer

Distance Learning Since the closure of the school on the 22nd March, the staff have worked together to provide distance learning online lessons for all students in all subjects. To offer guidance and support for our students and parents, a dedicated page for distance learning was created on the school website. All subjects now host all their lessons and resources on Google Classroom, and we are very pleased with the engagement of our students with this new way of learning. The move to remote learning has involved upskilling the staff and students very quickly! Mr Willis, Lead for ICT, has created lots of video tutorials to help us all use digital technology effectively. From June, we moved to a Blended learning approach, combining the face-to-face sessions in school with lessons hosted on Google Classroom.

This is likely to be part of the ongoing offer for our learners and we are continuing to look at new digital technologies to support our learners in the future. The reopening of school offered us the opportunity to ‘Check in, Catch up, and Prepare’ our students. Teachers have checked in on the students’ emotional and physical wellbeing, and lessons have allowed our students to reflect on the past few months, and the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on them, our community and the world. The students have also had sessions with subject specialists that have helped them catch up on any learning they have missed.

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Wellbeing Team As we move forward into September, there will be some changes to the pastoral structure; the titles of pastoral roles will change. A description of the new system is below, along with an introduction to the Wellbeing Team. Directors of Wellbeing We have two Directors of Wellbeing, one that works alongside Key Stage 3 and one alongside Key Stage 4. These senior members of teaching staff have a reduced teaching timetable and are committed to working with students and parents/carers. They also will work closely with the Wellbeing Leaders and Form Tutors.

Directors of Wellbeing Key Stage 3 (Years 7-9) I'm Mrs Kent and I am the Director of Wellbeing for KS3. I have been teaching English and modern foreign languages for 19 years. I love keeping fit, reading and travel with my family. I've been a Head of Year for six years and I'm really looking forward to supporting our Leaders of Wellbeing to guide our younger students as they move through our school from Year 6 to Year 9.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10 & 11)

I am Mrs Edwards and have worked in the pastoral field for the past 7 years at Croesyceiliog School. As a Head of Year, it has been a privilege to support our students academically and emotionally on their journey through Croesyceiliog School. After leading my current year group from year 7 to 11, I am now very much looking forward to stepping into my new role as Director of Wellbeing for KS4; supporting our new Year 10 and 11 students as they begin and continue with their GCSE studies. Wellbeing Leaders Each year group will have a Leader of Wellbeing. Each Wellbeing Leader will be keeping a day to day eye on the wellbeing, standards and behaviour of the whole year group. The Wellbeing Leaders are the first point of contact for any parent or carer. These key members of staff will be the primary contact for each year group. They do not have a teaching timetable and are committed to working with pupils, parents/carers and staff to ensure all children are ready to learn. They will work closely with the Directors of Wellbeing.

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Year 7 I am Mrs Hurn and I have been fortunate enough to be involved in a variety of roles within a school community both in the UK and internationally. My roles have ranged from Geography/ Humanities teacher, Subject lead, Head of Key Stage Three and Assistant Head of a primary school. I am looking forward to returning to a pastoral role as Lead of Wellbeing for year 7 and in particular, working alongside staff, students, families and the wider community to promote wellbeing and achievement for all at Croesyceiliog School. Year 8 Hello, my name is Mrs Burnett and I have worked at Croesyceiliog School for 8 years. During my Croesy journey I have always been linked to the Pastoral Team as Pastoral/Inclusion officer and then as Attendance Officer. I have been a Learning Coach for 8 years and have worked in colleges and as a training provider delivering a variety of courses. I have thoroughly enjoyed all of these roles. I have worked in Pastoral care for 17 years and enjoyed supporting many students and their families. Year 9 Hi, I’m Mrs Webb and I’m part of the Wellbeing team at Croesyceiliog. I have worked as a teacher and support member of staff with children across the age range in education and pastoral care, as young as nursery and all the way up to further education. I feel very fortunate to be able to support students and their families at Croesy School. The most important part of my role is ensuring students feel safe, secure and happy at school and that they can approach me to listen and help them should they need to. I’m really looking forward to following my year group into year 9 and beyond. Year 10 I’m Mrs Roberts. Since joining Croesyceiliog in 2018 I have supported Mrs Newland-Jones within the Pastoral Support Team. Previously, I have worked in a variety of educational venues, including the Education Dept. of the LA. I have worked with the current Year 9, and hope the students know I will continue to work hard to ensure their wellbeing is being taken care of. As a new phase of the students’ education dawns, I am confident we can take on the new challenges of Key Stage 4. I am really looking forward to working with staff, families and pupils in this exciting new role. Year 11 I am Mrs Cook and I have supported students and their families at Croesyceiliog School for the past eight years. I have worked with our current year 10 and their families delivering pastoral support and guidance since they started with us back in year 7. I am looking forward to continuing to work with this wonderful year group and seeing them grow and achieve in their final year at Croesyceiliog.

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Good News from our Area of Learning Experience: Literacy, Language & Communication Faculty

English Our students have been exploring a range of different themes, including reflecting on life during lockdown. They have produced some fantastic creative pieces through poetry, essay and prose, capturing their moment in history. Here are some excellent examples of their work. More can be found on our website.

Although lockdown may take us apart It’s not that bad And stress out many, It’s not that bad waking up at 9.00am It’s all part of Earth’s beautiful art No rush, schools at home again That we will never take for granted. What day is it? Who knows? We are forever thankful for the many life Wearing PJs is my choice of school clothes It's not that bad, sunshine and cleaner air savers Football in the garden, dodgy home-cut hair That we will never forget, Playing board games and doing daily exercise Who are applauded for by us and all the Helping people, clapping hands for heroes saving neighbours lives. And deserve all the praise they get. It's really not that bad to be able to say Everyone following the rules are heroes That I'm safe inside my house day after day And should be proud of what they’re doing. Having fun with my family, learning a new skill Because sooner or later the cases will be down A cleaner, healthier world outside my window sill to zero, It's not that bad going on the xbox, talking to And we will all get through it. friends Making the most of this time before it comes to an There is no stopping, we continue to move end ahead. So for now, I'm a grateful and chilled lock-down kid With the countless efforts helping, Writing this poem to remember the great things I Even the guy DJing for the street in his shed. did. There is a lot going on in this lockdown period And many lessons to be learnt. Mum baking and making exquisite dishes, But one thing that will never change – For us all to enjoy, whilst juggling home and Our fire inside will never be burnt. schoolwork. We have come so far Energetic, spotted Dalmatian sprinting up and As one big community, down the garden, To keep everyone safe As fast as a Formula One car. And find an immunity. As lockdown continues family time extends, We have come so far; we will never stop Quality time, time for each other, supporting, trying. assisting. As we come closer to finishing the journey, Just being there for each other. And put an end to all the crying. But in the end, it’s all one big lesson we’re learning.

Ioan R Year 8 Rhys P Year 7

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The harsh grinding of the rusted gate hinge pierces the night’s silence as it opens. Stepping into the overgrown garden, the violent thorns claw at my legs. Vengeful roses trap the unobservant in their painful grip. I step over the snake pit and head up to the porch. The black house looms over me, its eyes staring down with a piercing light. The curtains close abruptly. I have been seen. In this suspended blink, I take fleeting action. I turn to run, but realise my mistake. The ashen branches of formidable trees lunge at me. Even nature has turned against me. I look up to see a silver eye gazing back. Cratered sclera; ghostly white, it seems to roll itself; disappointed that I have fallen into the trap of my own intrigue. I lean against a pillar and I am ambushed yet again. The snake slithers over and wraps itself around me. I am bound by fear. I seek clarity, and desperately stare to the sky for guidance. I am ignored. Cassiopeia stares into her mirror. She does not avert her gaze. The snake whispers to me its venomous words with drawn-out syllables. The more I deny it, the tighter it pulls me. The sky clouds over. Everything is dark. The only purity that remains is a butterfly. It flits just out of my reach. The butterfly hovers above the garden. The fury of nature reaches out to drag it down, but it flits out of their grasp too. Hope. The symbol of life; how it changes and ends swiftly.

The glistening aura; it radiates virtuousness. The unachievable soul ascension we dream of. My thoughts are diverted. Steps are heard from inside the house. The butterfly smiles at me as the reward of unending time beneath limbo reaches out a wrathful hand. I unwillingly embrace the black sulkiness of the Stygian Marsh, and gaze beneath the rending hatred to see more anguish and torment. Am I to perform this waltz for all of time? The vicious snapping and snarling; the savage loathing. It is surely wrong to envy the sullen hatred of those beneath the river. They lie gurgling; choked by the rage that consumes their soul. With alacrity, I accept the future, whatever outcome it may be. The snake lets go and returns to the brambles from whence it came. I am no longer submerged. The butterfly lands in my hands. I am elated by the touch of hope. The return of reason. I open my eyes. The sun shines. Nature doesn’t want me dead; the flower beds house peaceful bulbs. The calls of songbirds fill the air around me. The doorbell chimes as I press it. A friendly face greets me. I hand over the bunch of roses, and the butterfly flies away.

Cameron P Year 10

Pontypool Community Council Poetry Competition Learning, Respect, Ambition

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The work of 27 students has been entered into the Community Council poetry competition. The competition theme is “Life in Lockdown” and fits perfectly with an assignment that was set for students earlier in the year. All the students are aged 11-13 and the poems show a variety of styles and themes around the topic of lockdown and what it has meant to people. Amazon vouchers are available to be won, so here’s hoping Croesyceiliog School brings home some prizes. Environmental- Covid impact viral by Sophie W Year 9

Covid-19 hit. The streets are empty, cities are silent, factories are empty, and the skies are quiet. Aeroplanes parked up in bays, abandoned and still. Motorways like ghost roads stretching between each of the muted cities and towns. Scenes that at first were so mind blowing, and yet now we are almost accustomed to our new way of life.

Pollution and greenhouse gas emissions have fallen across continents as countries fight to contain the spread of the virus. The world has seen a huge transformation in a very short period of time, bringing with it positive change for the environment. As a race, we are in the middle of the biggest battle, whereas the world around us has started to repair and heal. It is a truly remarkable trade off that personally fascinates me.

During lockdown we got to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth day. On this day we saw skies clear of pollution, wildlife returning to clear waters, flights scrapped, and crude oil so worthless that the industry would have to pay you to take it off their hands. It was an Earth day that environmentalists could only dream of! Although with Covid-19 ravaging the world with its destruction, it's hardly something we can be pleased about. It's a very double-edged sword in that respect. It is also not enough, say scientists. For example, the cut in emissions are still less than we would need every year this decade to avoid disastrous climate impacts for much of the world. I suppose you could describe this situation as the worst possible way to experience environmental improvement, and just shows us the scale of the task!

How people react to the return of normalcy after the pandemic will define us. Will we have a ‘green recovery’? Will we seize the opportunity to create jobs in renewable energy and in making coastlines more resilient to climate change?

In my opinion, watching things unfold and the media reporting on scenes such as the Himalayas being seen by the Indian people due to the mist of pollution lifting, and jellyfish and dolphins reclaiming the Venetian waters back is amazing. Lions lounging on roads normally filled with safari-goers in South Africa and bears and coyotes wandering around the empty accommodation in Yosemite are all wonderful scenes, and I think it reinforces my own belief that we are only guests on this planet. It's our job to respect, care and create a safe home for us all alongside Mother Nature.

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Doppelgangers by Seren W Year 9

As she walked into the coffee shop it felt like a warm hug embracing her. The coldness of the outside was replaced by a gentle heat that made her loosen her rainbow-striped scarf and take off her thick bobble hat. She could hear the hiss of the coffee machine as it made the flat white milk, frothy and bubbly. There was a bubbling of excitement in the cafe from the chatter of groups of friends dotted at the various tables, small groups of people huddled around cozy tables, talking animatedly to each other. A lone man sits, drinking his tea, a pot for one, and reading his newspaper, glancing with annoyance at the gaggle of women gossiping on the table next to him.

As she joined the end of the queue, she glanced longingly at the rows and rows of tempting pastries and scrumptious cakes lining the counter, her mouth watering with expectation; golden cookies, moist and rich chocolate cake, fruity muffins, thick, white iced buns. The blackboards overhead were full of colourful chalk indicating prices and special offers. As she inched closer and closer to the front of the queue, she tried to make up her mind which one to choose. She breathed in, the smell of deep, dark, inviting coffee beans overpowered everything else.

As she inched forward in the queue at the counter waiting for her drink entranced by those sweet treats, she accidentally bumped into the woman in front of her. She immediately apologised but as the woman turned around she gasped in shock. The other woman was just as surprised. The women were identical, some would say like twins swapped at birth. Both women were the same age, had long dark curly hair and deep brown eyes. It was almost as if they were both looking in a mirror. “Who are you?” said the one girl.

‘Who are you?’ exclaimed the other.

It was almost as if time had stopped still as their eyes fixed on each other. The silence was broken by the barista behind the counter shouting in a shrill voice, ‘Next, please!’ The staring between the women was broken. ‘Isn’t this nice, twins out for a coffee together,’ the barista continued.

‘We’re not twins, I don’t even know her,’ the woman tried to explain.

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Modern Foreign Language Department

In MFL, distance learning has been another great opportunity for some of our young linguists to develop many qualities and skills. They have worked incredibly hard and through sharing their experiences, we have felt so proud to see them become more ambitious, more capable, more enterprising, more creative, healthier, more informed, more ethical and more confident! From year 7 to year 10, students have continued to make outstanding progress and produced work of such a high standard, often beyond the level expected for their year group.

Year 7 writing towards an impressive level 5:

Year 9 working towards level 7 and beyond, ready to take on our GCSE course in September.

The Welsh Department

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Year 7, 8, 9 and 10 have been involved in an MFL/Eisteddfod competition to produce an anti-Racism poster. The winner – still to be revealed- will have their poster professionally printed and displayed in all MFL rooms at Croesyceiliog in September 2020! Here are a few amazing entries by students at Key Stage 3 Jessica G 7AI, McKenzie W 7AI, Marissa Q 7 LO, Ruby B 7LO, Sienna W 7CE, Hollie H 8ZL, Bawna R 8JS, Cody P-B 8LJ, Finley M 8LJ, Isabel F 8CJ, Meredith LL-T 8AH, Isaak H 9SM, Mia R 9SMU

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What have our students been doing during lockdown? Grace A (7AI) became a hairdresser, Fearne S (7LO) baked yummy brownies, Morgan F (7RJ) taught his little sister how to ride a bike, Francesca R (10TB) developed her artistic skills, Finley M (8LJ) completed the “put a tee-shirt on whilst standing upside down against a wall, Hollie H (8ZL) practised the art of fancy make up, Lauren G (10JC) ,was grateful for her dog, Megan B (9NH) looked after a baby goat & James C (8ZL) took part in the ice bucket challenge.

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Welsh Department

Key Stage 3 students have been competing in a virtual Eisteddfod. Students were presented with a variety of competitions with all entries being submitted digitally. There have been some fantastic entries so far by students and the Welsh Department are looking forward to the judging stage of the competition. Check out @CroesyCymraeg on Twitter for some of our entries.

GCSE students have been practising their Welsh writing skills, showcasing a variety of different sentence patterns and tenses. We have also received excellent presentations on Llangrannog. Students have researched the facilities and benefits of visiting Llangrannog and have presented the information to encourage future students to take part in school trips. The Welsh Department are extremely proud of the diligent effort and work produced by our students.

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Good News from our Area of Learning Experience: Maths & Numeracy Faculty

The Maths department have been hugely impressed with the effort and resilience students have shown since working from home. This has been a challenge in itself due to needing to show methods and use mathematical operations but students have most definitely risen to the challenge by submitting work in various formats. The teachers are especially thankful for students teaching us a thing or two along the way. Keep up the excellent work!”

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Good News from our Area of Learning Experience: Science & Technology Faculty

Science What can we say… apart from how extremely proud we are of the way that Croesy students have taken to the new challenges that distance learning has placed upon them and us. The science department have made fantastic progress with their support for our pupils working from home. They have set and provided feedback on student work based on the topics they have covered this year in school, also awarding class chart points for students. All classes are now on Google classroom, with work being set and monitored by all the teachers in the department. This is new to most of the science department, so teachers have been taking this opportunity to learn new skills too! Each week students have been set assignments using Educake, GCSEPOD and past paper questions. These are supported with all new google slides which have been written with extra guidance specifically with working from home in mind. We have even started using videos of us explaining and modelling key concepts, which is very new to us! Year 11 and 12 pupils have not been forgotten, science staff have created Google classrooms which will give them access to newly created transition work so that they will have a head start when they start their AS/A2 course in the college. Students have been completing some fantastic work as part of the science curriculum, completing online work to an excellent standard and responding diligently to feedback. This has been celebrated by nominating our Home Learning Heroes each week (although we were too enthusiastic at the start with the number of nominations and had to be capped to one each per week, there was too much good work going on!). We have also been setting students extra challenges throughout lockdown which we called the ‘Science@home Croesy challenges’. We hope that they brought as much enjoyment and giggles to you and your families as they did to us teachers. Thank you from us all for keeping us entertained and laughing through some tough times! We have been thrilled each challenge to see the participation and creativity of our science students (although at times it has caused some lengthy debates in our Friday lunchtime meetings as to who should be the winners of each challenge!). Here are some examples of the work that has been going on… Science@home Croesy challenge 1 was the Boat Challenge – how many/how much value in coins can you float in a vessel made out of one piece of A4 paper. The winners were as follows:

David P 10NR with £22 & Dominic C 10SE with 79 coins Ella E 9SMU with £29.29 & Ieuan B 9LJ with 61 coins

Alfie A 8NP with £25.60 and Fynley M 8LJ with 42 coins… Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Year 7 winners are Morgan M 7RJ with £26.50 and Tinisha R 7PD with 55 coins…

The second Science@home Croesy challenge was the Rube Goldberg Challenge, and we were so impressed! We can tell the effort that went it to this challenge, and we even had appearances from Buzz Lightyear, the Christmas elf, guinea pigs and a dog! Da iawn pawb for all your creativity. The winners were Arianwen 10LM, Zac D 9AS, Fynley M 8LJ and Isobella B 7RE and Emily B 7CE. Excellent effort from you all! For the full videos follow @Miss Hubbard on Twitter and see for yourself!

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The next Science@home Croesy challenge was the Task Master Challenge as introduced by the one and only Mr Norman himself…the task was to put together a video on any science topic of your choice…

We were thoroughly entertained and overwhelmed at how fantastic these videos were, thank you so much for all of your efforts.

After MUCH debate (we had to roll discussions forward to our break time Monday meeting!) we decided that Keian M 8JS was the winner for his video on the senses and the nervous system. Well done!

Year 7 were challenged to grow sunflowers… here is Marissa Q 7LO’s so far…

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And to find household items for the pH scale… here is Fearne S 7LO’s one

Year 7 have recently studied a topic on nutrition. They looked in some detail into the digestive system. One of the tasks was to pretend they were a sandwich and write the story as it goes through the digestive system. Here is one example of the extended pieces of writing, Miss Foxwell’s favourite, by Lily P 7RE

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And last, but not least, we can’t not share these awesome poems from Year 8 on the topic of ‘the senses and the nervous system’ that they have been studying during distance learning. Bendigedig Blwyddyn 8, they are awesome!

Sense & Stimuli The Senses (Fresh Prince theme tune) There are five basic senses we use everyday, They ensure we stay safe, in our school, home Now, this is story all about how and play. You can identify the five senses found, And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right Our senses are sight, touch, taste, smell and there hearing, I'll tell you the stimuli on senses everywhere. They react to our environment or danger appearing. In the body where I spend all of my days Chilling out, maxing out, the eyes are amazed The first of our senses is the wonder of sight, Stimuli started making trouble in my Our eyes process information from the stimuli, neighbourhood light. Light, colour and movement make seeing so good Next there's touch that relies on receptors in skin, I whistled for a cab, and listened with my ear Heat or pain cause a response to begin. If anything I could say this sense was rare It picks up pitch, loudness and timbre We rely on many taste buds on our tongue for Sound changes in the air. our taste, Chemicals in food let us choose to eat or I pulled up my nose at about seven or eight waste. Something didn't smell so great Chemical substances in the air Our nose receptors react to chemicals for us to Creating a scent for which I didn’t care smell, Not all odours are good, as I am sure you know I looked at my plate, my food was finally here well. My taste sense was about to get flipped, turned upside down Our last sense is hearing, and sound enters the Sweet, salty, sour and bitter ear, Chemical reactions on my tongue all around. And this process gives us the ability to hear.

Without using senses we could not survive, Looked at the kingdom I could feel it there They are important for responses that keep us My skin receptors reaching out alive. Responding to temperature, pressure and pain

no doubt!

Now you know the senses and stimuli with

flare. Kieron M 8JS

By Kyran W 8JS

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Senses Skin, oh skin, you wonderful thing, You make me aware of even the prick of a pin. The pressure I feel, when something is pressed up to you, The slightest touch and I feel anew.

Eyes, oh eyes, you wonderful things, Information from the outside world you bring. Colours and hues, such wonderful light, Processed by the brain into my precious sight.

Ears, oh ears, you wonderful things, Enabling me to hear the little birds sing. Those flaps of skin to my head that are bound, They pick up everything, even the slightest sound.

Mouth, oh mouth, you wonderful thing, Everything that goes in, makes my taste buds ring. From liquids to solids, chemicals to paste, It is the flavours from these that allows me to taste.

Nose, oh nose, you wonderful thing, So much more than a receptacle for bling. Pleasant, or rancid, you can always tell, By sniffing the aromas that we frequently smell.

By Ben S 8JS

As a department used to delivering regular practical lessons to students, we are missing being in school and teaching face to face and carrying out experiments. We are incredibly proud of the work students are putting in at home, continuing to learn and develop new skills. Students, parents and staff have all been supporting each other brilliantly during these strange times. We are so happy to have been able to see some of you recently. We hope you are all staying safe and well and can’t wait to see you all again as soon as possible.

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ICT KS3 students have been working on a standalone ICT qualification during their time away from school. The qualification is recommended by many schools, colleges, universities and some employers to ensure that their students / employees have the relevant skills and knowledge for their chosen field. The iDEA (Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award) qualification is currently available at Bronze and Silver levels whilst the Gold Award is still under development. Students have been completing badges from four main categories; Citizenship, Worker, Maker and Entrepreneur. Citizenship badges included such topics as e-safety, cyber security and fake news. Examples of other badges that have been completed are from a wide range of digital topics and include random coding, animation, social media in business and game designing. In order to gain the Bronze Award students needed to gain 250 points including at least 50 points in each of the four main categories. A number of students in KS3 took initiative and have completed the Bronze award and have moved onto the Silver Award. Well done to the following students for showing the initiative and drive to complete the Bronze award: Tinisha R 7PD; Theo J 7RE; Jessica G 7AI; Elizabeth J 7AI; Mackenzie W 7AI Meredith LT 8AH; Finlay M 8JL; Holly E 8NP; Triston H 8LJ; Rares T 9AS; Olivia N 9SMY; Ellie B 9SMY; Eve G 9SMY; Keenan P 9MI; Cameron C 9MI; Katie H 9AB and Isaac H 9CJ. Congratulations to you all!

This is Fynley M 8JLshowing his iDEA Bronze Award certificate. Fynley has been completing the award during lockdown and along with the others listed have passed the qualification.

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Design and technology department: During the recent challenging times of remote learning, the Technology department have been really proud of how hard some of our students have continued to work. They have been busy creating, designing, modelling and making some fantastic pieces.

• The home baking theme has been strong with many of our students making delicious treats at home. Not only has this developed skills with accurately weighing out, reading instructions and independence, it has also brought joy and happiness to many of us during the recent uncertain times.

• The product design homemade challenges have also seen a good number of innovative game designs. Students have done great job in researching existing ideas, producing a fantastic set of design iterations and making finished prototype.

The photos below are just a collection of the work that has been submitted over the last few weeks. We look forward to seeing and sharing more culinary delights and product designs from you in the following terms. Year 8 – Food hygiene and safety

Year 8 – “ Eat for Victory” literacy piece celebrating VE day back in May

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Year 8 – Vegetarianism task

Year 9 – Eat for Victory literacy and practical work – celebrating VE day back in May

Wholemeal loaf using one of the war time recipes listed on google classroom – amazing effort by this student!!

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Y9 Nando’s research challenge

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Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Good News from our Area of Learning Experience: Humanities Faculty

History The History department has been delighted with the level of engagement of our students for the work being set on google classroom. Year 7 have provided excellent work on Medieval Life and we were impressed with the arguments that they made as to whether it would have been better to live in a village or a town. Year 8 have investigated life in industrial towns and cities in the nineteenth century and found out how difficult life was for working class people alive at the time. Their creativity was tested when they designed a brochure for a theme park based on an Industrial Town in the 19th century. The outstanding work submitted by Fynley can be seen below:

Year 9 have studied different events, people or Day’s that have shaken the world. They have looked at the role of individuals such as Florence Nightingale and Winston Churchill and studied the Watergate Scandal. They have impressed us with their ability to argue a case and test the evidence that they have been given.

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During lockdown we marked the 75th anniversary of VE day. While commemorations had to be cancelled, modified or delayed our students had the opportunity to find out about what happened during that period and gain an empathetic understanding of what the day must have felt like for the people of Britain. Below are two exceptional extracts from pieces of work produced by Sophie and Olivia who are both in Y9.

I walked home and there certainly was change in the air, something had happened, something had changed. There was a buzz in the street, people milling around, chatter in the air. I knew then that an announcement was due, i felt it in the atmosphere, and I felt it in my heart. Well Sally, there was an announcement, it was over! Churchill looked so proud reading those words, the Royals stood on the balcony as elated as we all were. A crowd of 20,000 gathered at the palace and the echoes of that crowd singing ‘For he's a jolly good fellow’ rang and bounced around London like the most beautiful birdsong. Rationing of fabric was stopped so this allowed us to make bunting, I was so proud of mine, the little flags of red, white, and blue waving in the breeze made my heart dance a little every time Ii saw it! We made jelly for our street, June next door, do you remember June? She used to live near the river by Grandma, she made the most amazing Victoria sponge cake. All our chairs from inside came out, the sun was beaming down on us, almost illuminating our way to the celebrations. Those flags fluttered, the music blared, and we danced, oh how we danced.

It feels like I have waited forever for this day, not just 16 months. Having travelled to London yesterday Margaret, Lillian and I all set up in a good spot to stay the night to guarantee we got to see the Queen today. There were about half a million of us sleeping rough at the Mall, even though it was a wet night and it was so cold, we all huddled together, singing songs and eating our sandwiches, the excitement kept us all going. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I am so glad I could share it with my best friends. The coronation marked the fortunes of the people still recovering from the Second World War and marked the beginning of the new Elizabethan age.

VE Day The clock struck three When the prime minister declared, That WW2 was over No longer should we feel scared.

After years of fighting Taking unprepared cover, The beautiful world we live in Many of our students Could people start to discover. also took up the extra challenge and wrote a The 8th May was an emotional time poem about this That many people had hoped for, momentous event. We From here children could grow up happy For it was officially the end of the war. received many excellent entries Huge crowds started to form including the one below Dressed in white red and blue, written by Mia C. Cheering outside Buckingham Palace Celebrating what they had survived through. Learning, Respect, Ambition

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The Y10 History students have continued to study the GCSE course and have not only produced very good notes but have been completing GCSE type questions in readiness for the new academic year.

Religious Studies The Religious Studies Department continues to be impressed by the work being completed by students who are engaging with home learning. Students across the Key Stages are enjoying completing Thinking Skills activities and have used Key Person Profiles to research important figures from the world of religion and ethics. Additionally, students are regularly completing pop quizzes and many are achieving full marks in these. Members of the department have also enjoyed returning to school to teach students in the ‘Check in, Catch up and Prepare’ sessions. The Religious Studies sessions have provided learners with the opportunity to debate a range of issues, from wealth and poverty to abortion, and teachers have been impressed by the maturity of responses from students in these discussions. In recent weeks, Year 7 students have explored the beliefs and practices of Judaism. Amongst other activities, pupils have had the opportunity to create menus that adhere to Jewish Kosher food laws.

Year 8 students have researched the religion of Buddhism and have examined areas such as the life of the Buddha, Buddhist pilgrimage and the country of Tibet. In addition, some students have produced excellent work on Buddhist meditational techniques – information that some will no doubt use in the future to help cope with exam pressure!

Year 9 students have begun to explore the GCSE course and have started investigating scientific and religious views of how the universe began and have even touched on some philosophy.

GCSE students have continued with their studies in Human Rights, exploring people as varied as Oscar Romero and Martin Luther King. Students have also had the opportunity to research what Christians and Buddhists think about a wide range of issues from the Indian caste system to censorship.

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R.S. Star Student! Grace W (Year 10) has gone above and beyond by conducting extra reading on the study of philosophy. She has submitted extra written tasks that display her passion for the subject. It is clear that Grace has a real passion and natural talent for the subject. After speaking with her, Grace has suggested that this area of study is one which she will pursue in the future.

Geography As a department, we have been impressed with the quality of work that has been completed at home by our students. The department has not shied away from setting difficult tasks that would require the students to be challenged and to be resilient. Year 7 started the home learning continuing with the study of world development. Students investigated how development differs around the world and the impact that it has for the population.

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After May Half Term, Year 7 started a new Scheme of Learning on the Geography of Sport. Students evaluate how positive and negative the game of football was on the world, through the development of new sporting facilities, the role of sweatshops to create football as well as how the media can influence a place both positively and negatively.

Year 8 students have been learning about the characteristics of Tropical Rainforests and how the plants and animals here have specific qualities that allow them to survive in such a special environment. This literacy task allowed the students to present their knowledge and understanding of rainforest ecosystems whilst developing their writing skills, using descriptive language with a focus on the five senses.

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Year 9 continued the study of conflict around the world. Students investigated how conflict differs around the world and the impact that it has for the people, economy and environment.

Year 10 have continued with Unit 1 Rural-Urban Links of the GCSE specification. This section of the course focuses on how rural and urban areas are changing around the world and the opportunities and challenges this poses. The work produced by students has been of a very high quality, with students showing synoptic links between their learning.

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Good News from our Area of Learning Experience: Health & Wellbeing Faculty

During lockdown, the PE department has been setting a range of daily and weekly challenges for the students to engage with:

The daily quiz has proved popular with Mr Jones doing a live stream through Instagram to announce the lucky winners. Students have taken part in various fitness workouts (including PE with Joe – The Bodycoach), Tik Tok challenges, Dance workouts and Netball/Multi-skill workouts. We have also set up a school Strava page for students and staff to show their progress. Over the next couple of weeks, students are encouraged to join our Virtual Sports Day, which will see a different event posted each week for the students to complete.

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Year 10 GCSE PE have been submitting work through Google Classroom along with using The Everlearner as an additional learning platform.

Welsh Baccalaureate The majority of students are engaged in their Individual Project. This challenge gives students the opportunity to research a topic of their choice and is worth 50% of the final mark. So far, we have had some fantastic titles submitted, encompassing a range of issues that show the students at Croesyceiliog School are truly global citizens. The students have decided on topics such as Ethical Gaming, Impact of Brexit on the South Wales Valleys, Childhood Vaccinations, The Decline of Automotive Engineering and Are Protests Effective in Mobilising Change? Other topics include the Impact of Veganism, Racism in Football, Plastic Pollution, Physical Activity in the Curriculum and Sustainability of the Fashion Industry.

The Health and Wellbeing department would like to thank all students and their parents for their support during these difficult times. Please follow us on Twitter - @Croesype Instagram – croesype and on Facebook – Croesyceiliog School PE Dept

Duke of Edinburgh – Well Done All! We are very proud to say that 21 Year 13 students successfully completed the Silver Award and 46 Year 11 students completed the Bronze Award. 1 sectional certificate was awarded to a Year 11 student.

It is unfortunate that the awards presentation evening could not go ahead at the end of March but the safety of students, parents and teachers was paramount. We hope to share photos of students and their certificates through Twitter (@croesydofe) over the next week or two to celebrate their success and hard work over the last two years. The current Year 9 students will get the opportunity to sign up to the Bronze award in September. As a school, we may need to slightly alter how we deliver the award during this current period but it is possible.

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Expressive Arts Faculty

Drama All year groups have adapted well to studying a wide range of Drama topics on Google Classroom. Highlights have seen Years 8 & 9 submitting some great work exploring how performance skills are used in TV shows and creating their own scripts, while year 7 have submitted some excellent reviews of their favourite films or plays. In Year 10 students have been analysing a range of streamed online performances from companies such as the National Theatre and The Old Vic, as well as recording their own voice monologue performances from home. Art Department The Art department staff have been delighted to see students continuing to make great progress at home working through the tasks set by teachers at KS3, 4 and 5. Students have used varied and experimental materials and have excelled in their creative skills. The Art department staff would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the hard work of our students as they continue to grow as artists. We wish all of our Year 11, 12 and 13 students the very best of luck for their successful futures in the Arts! Below are some examples of the wonderful work our artists have been creating over the last couple of months. YEAR 10 and 11 GCSE PHOTOGRAPHY

YEAR 10 and 11 GCSE ART Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Year 12 and 13 Artists

Year 12 and 13 Photographers

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Year 7 – 9 Artists

Additional Learning Needs Department

We are so pleased to be able to welcome back our students to school. They have been reflecting on their experiences over the past few months, whilst engaging in a number of wellbeing activities. Students have become more confident in the use of google classroom, as part of the school’s blended learning approach.

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Progress towards the Estyn recommendations – Mrs E Lewis, Executive Head Teacher

Following the Estyn Monitoring Report February 2020 the school was tasked to write a Post Inspection Action Plan. Due to the COVID-19 crisis Estyn suspended all operations and deadlines. All schools in a statutory category were provided with a named contact for support and advice, ours is HMI Steve Pringle. As all operations were suspended schools could choose if they wished to engage with Estyn and make progress against their recommendations. We chose to engage. We met with Estyn on Monday 8th June and are pleased that our Post Inspection Action Plan has been approved. Below is a summary of the actions undertaken this term. Much of the work has been about laying a solid foundation that will allow us to secure improved student outcomes in terms of standards, skills, attendance and wellbeing in the next academic year.

Recommendation 1: Raise standards at key stage 4, improve pupil’s skills and develop their independence and resilience in learning. To improve standards across all subjects, students need to be secure and confident in tacking literacy and numeracy tasks across the curriculum. We have worked with our partner school to develop a literacy and numeracy form tutorial programme that will develop this confidence. In September all staff will receive training on our whole school approaches to literacy. Our lead practitioners for literacy and numeracy will also work with subjects to develop their capacity to teach these skills within their own subject context. Finally we have strengthen our capacity to support students that have a weakness in one of these areas. This again has been supported by high quality training. R2 Improve the quality of teaching All teachers and teaching assistants have worked really hard since the middle of June with Professor Mick Waters on our co-constructed Croesyceiliog Learning Manifesto. This has all happened virtually and there have been some great discussions about what make ‘great teaching and learning’. We have one session left and shall then have a draft manifesto. This document captures our approach to how we shall learn at Croesyceiliog and will underpin the quality of the experience for our students in the classroom.

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This is a very important aspect of our work and shall continue throughout the year with regular training sessions for staff.

In September we shall work with our students as well to unpick how they become great learners and how we can support them to do this.

R3 Improve attendance This term we have finalised our new Wellbeing Team and our inclusive approaches to education at Croesyceiliog School. Staff have undertaken training on Adverse Childhood Experiences and are now prepared to train staff and support our students that need that extra bit of help. The wellbeing aspect of our provision is important as happy children come to school. We are lucky that within Torfaen we are part of the Welsh Government Mental Health in Reach programme. This is an excellent pilot project and will allow us as a school to develop a comprehensive response to Mental Health. R4 Strengthen leadership at all levels The extended leadership team have engaged in a programme of training to support highly effective leadership behaviours. This included the ‘Colourworks Coaching’ programme, one to one reflection of strengths and areas for development, challenging conversations and agreed leadership behaviours. Led by AHT R Spencer staff on a rolling programme have completed the School as a Learning Organisation survey. This has identified key areas for improvement next term. The partnership with King Henry VIII School is developing and already there is a joint school collaborative approach.

R5 Strengthen arrangements for self-evaluation and improvement planning, in particular the role played by middle leaders in this aspect of the school’s work As outlined in recommendation 2 the key driver for school improvement will be our ability to secure an improvement in teaching and learning at Croesyceiliog. A key aspect of this will be our ability to judge accurately the standards we see in students work and in their lessons. We have designed a draft programme of self-evaluation activities and this will be implemented next term. Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Transition Croesy Cluster Champs (Year 6 and 7)

Mrs Kent set up a ‘Croesy Cluster’ google classroom and assigned work that was also set by some of our year 6 primary teachers. Year 6 and 7 students were challenged each week to research a topic and to submit a piece of work based on the research. Themes ranged from VE day to a day in space which was inspired by NASA’s rocket launch last month. Croesy Cluster Champs certificates were awarded to the most deserving pieces of work produced by our Year 6 and 7 students.

Year 7 Mrs Kent and Miss Bowen have been really impressed with the dedication to learning and resilience that has been shown by our year 7 students during lockdown. Students have worked hard to learn how to access google classroom and have made a big effort to join in with whole school challenges such as Wellbeing week, Sports day and the virtual Eisteddfod. Year 7 students are regularly receiving lots of Home learning Heroes awards and certificates from all school subjects in school and we feel very proud of you all. It has been really exciting to receive your emails and tweets about the creative way that you are choosing to learn. We have really enjoyed watching the videos of your crazy science experiments this term! One student really amazed us by putting his maths skills to the test by designing and making a skate ramp for his garden with the help of his family. We hope that he will have lots of fun using it!

One of our year 7 students has set up a WhatsApp group to help the students in her class when they are finding work difficult. Several students and families have let their form tutor know that they are very grateful for her support and advice. Year 7 students have also been making resources to welcome Year 6 to our school. Grace A has written a letter of welcome that has been sent home to all new year 6 students, Nathaniel W has recorded a short video to be used in our virtual parents evening and many other students have also contributed ideas to help us to create our transition help guide which is available to read on our transition page of the school website. Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Year 8 We have received so much positive feedback regarding home learning engagement from teachers. The list for ‘home learning awards’ has increased each week illustrating our resilience working from home. The quality of work which has been produced is something to be proud of. Some students have also engaged with virtual sports days, competing against staff and other schools. Collectively, staff and students have also contributed to physical activity time, logged on Croesy Strava. Croesy Wellbeing Week was a huge success and it was fantastic to see so many Year 8 students involved with the daily activities. Year 9 We have a new Twitter page, @Croesy Y9 Wellbeing. Here you find information solely for your year and a way of directly messaging the Mrs Roberts. Please follow. Pontypool Cancer Research Relay for Life

A group of Year 9 students have been involved in the Youth Committee for Pontypool’s Relay for Life this year. They have been fund raising, attending committee meetings and raising awareness of cancer and cancer prevention throughout this academic year, with many being involved for a number of years with this event. Unfortunately the event could not go ahead this year but the Youth Committee still marked the occasion by holding a virtual Candle of Hope ceremony. They have helped to raise £24, 328 this year, adding to the £266,528 that had been raised in the previous four years. This money will go towards funding vital research in Wales to improve cancer treatments and to help fund cures for cancer. We asked for feedback from teachers to highlight the excellent work that has been completed and to mention all the students who have been working above expectations and were bombarded with hundreds of names and examples of work from teachers and all subjects.

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Moving onto Year 10 Now that the students have been informed of their options, it’s time to look forward to September and the new learning and skills that will take place.

Students will possibly be with peers that they have hardly spoken to, so it will also be a great time to forge new friendships and relationships.

Year 10 We are now in very different times and yet again the great attitude and maturity of Year 10 is in evidence. We have been inundated with messages on Twitter and email from pupils and parents alike. The commitment to learning shown by some is exemplary. Pupils going over and above what is being asked is not uncommon. We have seen many examples of the caring side of our students; asking after a friend they haven’t heard from, letting us know someone is struggling and could do with a call, asking how we are coping and just messaging for a chat. We must also give credit to the excellent way in which pupils are communicating with us. Sometimes we could forget that these are young students and not experienced adults in a professional role. The caring nature of students was shown again when we set them a challenge by the local Health Board. The Health Board are running a project where young people write letters to local care home residents. We have been so lucky to have read these letters before they have gone out to the care homes. We have some very talented young people who most certainly know how to write a chatty, friendly and often amusing letter. Some letters contained short stories, jokes and poems. Amazing. We are sure they have brightened many days for many local residents. This is Miss Priestley’s last report from the Year 10 office. Huge thanks to each and every one of you, parent/carer or pupil, for all your support over the years.

Year 11 It was so lovely to see some year 11 students return to school last week, despite the fact that their time at Croesyceiliog School would have ended in June in normal circumstances. Students were given the opportunity to catch up with some of their teachers/form tutors and engage in sessions on Blended Learning and Health and Wellbeing. The students said that they found the Blended Learning session very useful as it enabled them to develop their knowledge and skills with online learning and improve their confidence ready for when they start college. The Health and Wellbeing sessions gave them an opportunity to express their opinions about lockdown, share their own personal experiences and voice their feelings about the way year 11 ended for them. Students found it beneficial to discuss these issues with their peers, with a few laughs along the way! Coleg also came in to lead a session, providing students with information and responding to queries regarding transition in September. Despite the fact it has not been possible to arrange a farewell assembly for Year 11, Mrs Edwards, the Head of Year has created a virtual yearbook which celebrates their 5 years at Croesyceiliog School and contains some lovely farewell messages from staff. This will be shared with year 11 students via the school website before the end of term. Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Sixth Form Year 13 UCAS This academic year 55 students have applied to study at Universities in the via the UCAS process.

28 students have confirmed their first choice at Russell Group Universities. Examples of these Universities are: Cardiff; Exeter; Birmingham; Bristol; Imperial College London; Southampton and Edinburgh. Students at Croesyceiliog have accepted a wide range of courses to study. Examples of these courses are: Biomedical sciences; Biochemistry; Law; Maths; Theology; English Literature; Civil Engineering; Fine Art; Psychology; Criminology; Nursing/ Paramedic Science and Education. Two students have places to study medicine and one student has a place at a Conservatoire to study Music Performance. All students have been well informed by UCAS and the school that they will receive confirmation about their University place at 8am on Thursday 13Th August and that Clearing will go live at 3pm. There will be plenty of help and support from staff at Croesyceiliog School to guide students.

Year 12 UCAS Year 12 students have had plenty of support and guidance both from School and Coleg Gwent about the University process. They have all been advised to join up to the UCAS Hub as this gives them information on how to apply to Oxford and Cambridge, Medicine and Dentistry courses due to the deadline being 15th October. Also they have been taken through the process of how to write personal statements which they can work on throughout the summer and our students have had the opportunity of meeting the UCAS coordinator at Coleg Gwent before their transition in September.

STUDENT SUPPORT CENTRE An eagerly anticipated return to school was equally matched with a positive energy by all in the Student Support Centre. We have all worked hard to develop our confidence using google classrooms, balancing academia with some well-needed health and wellbeing activities. Project Pond is underway as a foundation to expand our understanding of the local ecosystem. We are looking forward to developing our wildlife garden as well as continuing to grow our own fruit and vegetables.

Socially distanced pond construction with Mr Venn and Morgan W Learning, Respect, Ambition

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Farewell to staff As this very unusual school year draws to a close, there are several changes within our team of staff and a re-structuring of roles as we move into the new Autumn Term. We would like to wish the following staff a fond farewell at the end of term and wish them well in their new ventures:

Mrs S Lewis RE & Head of 6th Form Miss C Priestly Biology & Head of Year 10 Mrs J Picton MFL Mrs J Robinson ICT Mrs L O’Beirne English Mrs B Greenall Sociology Miss S Trigg Maths Mr D Roberts Cover Supervisor Mr O Underhay Cover Supervisor Mrs H Burgess LSA Mrs A Smith School Support Officer Miss T Stanley PSO

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