YSGOL DAFYDD LLWYD February 2016 Dear Parents, New building. Thanks to all who came to have a look around! We were also pleased to see how many past pupils came – so good to see them all. Thanks also for the many ’best wishes’ cards and gifts. We shall inform everyone when we will be inviting the community. We are settling in very well. A few issues to report on; • Highways department have been informed of the need of a crossing on the car parking area. As we await this, please drive carefully on the site. • We have received our very first visit from the Environmental Health Officer and received a maximum score of 5. Also, uptake on school dinners have increased. Thanks to Val, Carol and Clair for providing a fantastic service. If you are eligible for Free School Meals please look into it further. • The Breakfast Club numbers have also increased. The hours for Breakfast Club is 7.35 – 8.35 (with Breakfast being served from 7.35 – 8.20). However, children who arrive at 8.30 will have to go immediately to the yard with their parent until a member of staff comes on the yard at 8.35. School Categorisation. As you may all be aware, The Welsh Government in conjunction with the local authority places all schools in 4 categories; green, yellow, amber or red. I am pleased to inform you that Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd has been placed in the Yellow category which means; Effective School Thanks to pupils, staff and Governors for all their hard work and to parents for your support. National Reading and Numeracy Tests. Every child in Yr. 2 – 6 will be sitting these tests between May 3rd – 10th. Attendance. Our target this year is 96% Here was the attendance for the half term before Christmas; Yr. 1; 95.2% (↓) Yr. 2; 95.4% (↓) Yr. 3; 97.6% (↑) Yr. 4/5; 94.7% (↓) Yr. 5/6; 96.1% (↓) Well done to Yr. 3 for reaching the highest %. However only 2 classes had reached the target. Please make every effort for your child to attend as much as possible. Remember, attendance data is a big part of the decision of categorisation of schools. Urdd Eisteddfod. All dates for the Urdd Eisteddfod are in our January newsletter. The closing date for the Arts and Crafts is Monday February 22nd. The Urdd Art and Craft section will be adjudicated here at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd on Thursday, February 25th. The exhibition will also be held here on Saturday, February 27th. Celebrating St David’s Day – March 1st. We would like all children to wear either the Welsh Traditional Costume or Wales’ sports top or anything red. Parents are warmly welcome to attend our annual Ceremony Chairing of the Bard which will be held in the hall at 1.30. St David’s Day lunch will be Pork and Leek Sausage Or Homemade Glamorgan Sausage (vegetarian option) with Cheesy Leek Mash and Baked Beans or Spaghetti Hoops, Welsh Cake and Milkshake. World Book Day – Thursday March 3rd. 2016 is the centenary year since Roald Dahl‘s birth. Therefore we would like everyone to dress as any character from a Roald Dahl novel. Sport. Netball. Played their best - won 2 games, lost 2 games in the 1st round. Football. Our team lost in the semi finals – Mr Green was ‘gutted’ – but said they played so well! Swimming. Freya – swam her very best at Cardiff and beat her personal best! Well done. Sound of Wales. Mr Andrew Mantle (our keyboard teacher) is taking part at a concert at Hafren Theatre on Friday March 4th. Details and tickets from the theatre. Eisteddfod Powys. The officials of Eisteddfod Powys wish the community of Newtown to discuss the possibility of Newtown hosting The Powys Eisteddfod in 2017. There will be a meeting held here at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd on Thursday, February 11th at 6 o’clock. Please come along, if you would like to know more or if you support the idea and would like to help in any way. All non Welsh speakers are most welcome. Welsh Lessons for the community. I am at the moment discussing very exciting arrangements for holding Welsh lessons here at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd for members of the community. This will be a fantastic opportunity for your and your friends to learn Welsh and in doing so enabling you to help your children with Welsh medium education. More details will follow. Also, an interesting programme was shown on BBC Wales recently called - ‘Welsh or English? Lucy Owen’s Big School Dilemma.’ I would encourage you to watch it on the IPlayer. Welcome. We welcome Miss Jazmin Herdman to our staff as class assistant for 2 terms. Additional Dates. February. 10/2 – Dental Screening for Yr. 1. 11/2 – Athletics tournament for Yr. 5/6. 11/2 – Powys Eisteddfod 2017 meeting at 6 o’clock at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd. 12/2 – National Book Quiz – first round. 22/2 – Closing date for Urdd Art and Craft. 27/2 – Exhibition of Urdd Art and Craft at Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd. 1/3 – Celebrating St David’s Day – 1.30 Ceremony of the Chairing of the Bard. 3/3 – World Book Day. 4/3 – Sound of Wales – Hafren Theatre at 7.30. Yours sincerely Mrs Sian Davies Headteacher .