Dear parent/carer

I would like to provide you with a further update in respect of the rest of this term’s emergency childcare and ‘Check in, Catch up and Prepare’ arrangements.

In order to provide appropriate school-based support for a considerably greater number of children, all local authorities have established alternative arrangements to ensure all eligible children are able to access safe and manageable school-based supervision.

Summer term school-based support arrangements

Due to potential staffing issues in many schools during the week commencing Monday 20 July, all Bridgend schools will close on Friday 17 July.

Bridgend has not taken this decision lightly. However, the safety of our learners and staff is our top priority and I am satisfied that this decision is in the best interests of both groups.

I have asked schools to reconsider their ‘Check in, Catch up and Prepare’ plans and to reorganise school-based provision into a three-week timetable. Schools will aim to ensure that all pupils still receive the two full days’ school-based support we originally envisaged.

I must reiterate that it is for parents/carers to decide if their children attend school during June and July and there will be no sanctions for non-attendance.

Your child’s school will contact you shortly to confirm arrangements.

Summer holiday childcare arrangements

From today, Monday 22 June, many of the 3000 school-based staff in Bridgend will be asked to provide emergency childcare for the pupils of key workers (including school staff) in their own schools.

Please be advised that there are no plans to provide emergency childcare for the children of key workers in Bridgend during the summer break (ie from Monday 20 July to Monday 31 August inclusive).

It is important, therefore, that parents/carers who are key workers make alternative childcare arrangements for their children from Monday 20 July.

Similarly, and as previously advised, parents/carers are reminded that emergency childcare provision for eligible families only is available between 8.30am and 4.30pm, in their child’s own school, from Monday 22 June (to Friday 17 July).

Check in, Catch up and Prepare’ provision for nursery pupils

From Monday 29 June, schools will also be providing school-based ‘Check in, Catch up and Prepare’ support for learners.

You will be aware that, in Bridgend, we have taken the decision to offer two full days of ‘Check in, Catch up and Prepare’ provision for all learners, with the exception of the ‘rising 3s’ (those nursery pupils who traditionally attend part time in their first year of nursery).

While this may be disappointing to some of you, I am sure you will understand that in making these arrangements at such a challenging time, the local authority must take into consideration the potential limited availability of school staff and therefore the risk of schools not being able to provide safe staffing levels.

In the meantime, individual schools will communicate opportunities for school visits for full-time nursery pupils who have recently been offered places for September 2020, where safe to do so.

I continue to be grateful for your support and patience.

Lindsay

Lindsay Iorwerth Harvey (Mr)

Corporate Director – Education and Family Support

Annwyl riant/gofalwr

Hoffwn roi rhagor o wybodaeth i chi am y trefniadau gofal plant brys dros weddill y tymor hwn a’r trefniadau ar gyfer ‘Dal fyny, dal ati i ddysgu a pharatoi’.

Er mwyn darparu ar gyfer cynifer o blant yn yr ysgolion, mae’r holl awdurdodau lleol wedi rhoi trefniadau newydd ar waith i wneud yn siŵr bod goruchwyliaeth briodol ar gael i’r holl blant cymwys yn yr ysgol.

Trefniadau yn yr ysgolion dros dymor yr haf

Oherwydd problemau staffio posibl mewn nifer o ysgolion yn ystod yr wythnos yn dechrau ddydd Mawrth 20 Gorffennaf, bydd holl ysgolion Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn cau ddydd Gwener 17 Gorffennaf.

Nid oedd hwn yn benderfyniad hawdd i Ben-y-bont ar Ogwr. Fodd bynnag, diogelwch ein disgyblion a’n staff yw’n prif flaenoriaeth ac rwyf wedi fy narbwyllo mai dyma’r penderfyniad gorau o safbwynt lles y ddau grŵp.

Rwyf wedi gofyn i ysgolion ailystyried eu cynlluniau ar gyfer ‘Dal fyny, dal ati i ddysgu a pharatoi’ ac i ad-drefnu eu darpariaeth ar eu safleoedd i gyd-fynd ag amserlen tair wythnos. Bydd yr ysgolion yn ceisio sicrhau bod pob disgybl yn cael dau ddiwrnod llawn yn yr ysgol, yn unol â’r bwriad gwreiddiol.

Rhaid i mi danlinellu mai’r rhieni/gofalwyr sydd i benderfynu a ddylai eu plant ddod i’r ysgol yn ystod mis Mehefin a Gorffennaf ac na chânt eu cosbi os bydd eu plant yn absennol.

Bydd ysgol eich plentyn yn cysylltu â chi cyn bo hir i gadarnhau’r trefniadau.

Trefniadau gofal plant dros wyliau’r haf

O heddiw, ddydd Llun 22 Mehefin ymlaen, byddwn yn gofyn i nifer o’r 3000 o staff ysgolion Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr ddarparu gofal plant brys i blant gweithwyr allweddol (gan gynnwys staff ysgolion) a hynny yn eu hysgolion eu hunain.

Sylwch nad oes cynlluniau i ddarparu gofal plant brys i blant gweithwyr allweddol ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr yn ystod gwyliau’r haf (hy rhwng dydd Llun 20 Gorffennaf a dydd Llun 31 Awst, gan gynnwys y ddau ddyddiad hynny).

Mae’n bwysig, felly, fod rhieni/gofalwyr sy’n weithwyr allweddol yn gwneud trefniadau gofal plant gwahanol i’w plant eraill o ddydd Llun 20 Gorffennaf ymlaen.

Hefyd, fel y dywedwyd eisoes, mae angen i rieni/gofalwyr gofio mai dim ond rhwng 8.30am a 4.30pm y bydd gofal plant brys ar gael i deuluoedd cymwys, a hynny yn eu hysgolion eu hunain, rhwng dydd Llun 22 Mehefin (tan ddydd Gwener 17 Gorffennaf).

Darpariaeth ‘Dal fyny, dal ati i ddysgu a pharatoi’ i ddisgyblion meithrin

O ddydd Llun 29 Mehefin ymlaen, bydd ysgolion hefyd yn trefnu sesiynau ‘Dal fyny, dal ati i ddysgu a pharatoi’ i’w dysgwyr.

Fe wyddoch ein bod ni ym Mhen-y-bont ar Ogwr wedi penderfynu cynnig dau ddiwrnod llawn i bob disgybl ‘‘Dal fyny, dal ati i ddysgu a pharatoi,’ ac eithrio plant sy’n codi’n tair oed (yn eu blwyddyn gyntaf yn y dosbarth meithrin).

Er y bydd hyn yn siom i rai, rwy’n siŵr y byddwch yn deall bod yn rhaid i’r awdurdod lleol, yn ystod cyfnod mor anodd, ystyried y posibilrwydd y bydd prinder staff yn yr ysgolion ac, felly, na fyddai modd sicrhau lefelau staffio diogel.

Yn y cyfamser, bydd y plant hynny sydd wedi cael cynnig lle amser llawn mewn dosbarth meithrin ym mis Medi 2020 yn cael cyfle i ymweld â’u hysgolion os bydd yn ddiogel gwneud hynny.

Rwy’n parhau i fod yn ddiolchgar i chi am eich cefnogaeth a’ch amynedd.

Lindsay

Lindsay Iorwerth Harvey (Mr)

Cyfarwyddwr Corfforaethol – Addysg a Chymorth i Deuluoedd