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CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL July 2020 Resilience Wellbeing Week After a very busy few months of distance learning, with the school community 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. Learning, Respect, Ambition CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL Gratitude Joy Learning, Respect, Ambition CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL Staying Connected Curiosity Learning, Respect, Ambition CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL 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. Learning, Respect, Ambition CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL 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 Torfaen’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 Llantarnam 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, Cwmbran Stadium and to local opticians through Optometry Wales. 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. Learning, Respect, Ambition CROESYCEILIOG SCHOOL 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.

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