Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
Friday 29th January
Dear Parent/Carer
Many of our school community enjoyed fun in the snow on Sunday and Monday but that also unfortunately meant that our school site was incredibly dangerous: the site is on the side of a hill and is west-facing so the low winter sun barely appears over the top of the campus on some days. This meant that despite our best efforts and the use of a snow plough and gritter, the site only became safe mid-morning on Tuesday once temperatures started to increase.
It has been a very busy time at school, with staff trying to balance on-site and off-site provision. Last week we were able to offer places for on-site provision to 52 pupils and over 87% of our learners are currently engaging in activities with the school including accessing work packs, participation in online sessions and through attending on-site provision. That all just goes to show what an amazing job you are all doing at home – thank you for your hard work and for supporting our special young people to engage with education as much as possible.
We recognise that this period of lockdown can be very challenging and would continue to encourage Parents and Carers to develop some kind of routine so that your son/daughter has structure during these very strange times. Our school priority remains focussed on the health and wellbeing of pupils, staff and the whole school community, and we recognise that placing high demands on pupils can lead to conflict and challenging behaviour. If there is something that would make a positive difference to you or your child and you have any suggestions or recommendations for the school to consider then feel free to share these with school staff during your regular communications or by contacting us on 01656 815595.
YBC are launching an Around the World Challenge next week, where we will be joining together to virtually travel around the world. You just need to track the physical activity of you and your family each week in miles (for example from walking, running, cycling) and then share those with class staff to add to the overall progress each week. We are hoping this will be a positive way to enable everyone to work together towards achieving a fantastic goal, whilst improving our fitness levels and health and wellbeing.
I sincerely hope that all members of our school community who are currently unwell make a full recovery and that you and your family remain as safe and well as presently possible.
Thank you for your continued support: together we can achieve!
Mrs Helen Ridout
Uned Cymorth Cyfarwyddiaeth Addysg a Chymorth i Deuluoedd (UCCACD)
Education and Family Support Directorate –
Directorate Support Unit (EDSU)
Deialu uniongyrchol / Direct line: 01656 642617
Ein cyf / Our ref: EDSU/critical workers
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Dyddiad / Date: 25 January 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
I am sure you will appreciate that Bridgend has been significantly affected by the pandemic. With this in mind, we have had to restrict the eligibility criteria for on-site provision in our schools to limit the impact positive Covid-19 tests are having on staff, pupils and their families.
You will note from the guidance that, while local authorities must have regard for the Welsh Government’s critical worker list, it is for individual local authorities, based on their current situation to determine eligibility.
Bridgend County Borough Council (BCBC) currently identifies critical workers as:
We will continue to review the situation and inform parents/carers if a decision is made to revise Bridgend’s eligibility criteria.
It is hoped that employers will be able to support the local authority’s efforts to control the spread of the virus by demonstrating understanding and flexibility in their approach to the situation, working with their employees who are parents/carers to negotiate solutions to help manage this exceptional set of circumstances.
Please note that on-site, in-school provision is available to support those critical works who are required to attend their work site and should only be used where no one is working from home who can care for their child/children.
In order to secure an on-site place in a school for your child, it is expected that you can confirm that:
No one has tested COVID-19 positive in your child’s household including any support bubble.
No one in your child’s household including, any support bubble, is currently COVID-19 symptomatic or awaiting a test result.
To your best knowledge, has your child has not come into contact with anyone, including outside your household, who is COVID-19 positive, symptomatic or awaiting a test result.
Your child does not have a new continuous cough.
Your child does not have a fever or a high temperature.
Your child has not experienced a loss or change in their sense of smell or taste.
With my thanks for your ongoing support.
Yours sincerely
Lindsay Iorwerth Harvey (Mr)
Corporate Director – Education and Family Support
Bridgend County Borough Council
Monday 11th January 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
Happy New Year to you all. I sincerely hope that you have had an enjoyable Christmas break and that you and your families remain as safe and well as possible. Sadly a number of our school community have contracted Covid-19 recently, some of which are quite poorly and I am sure you will join with the YBC Family to wish them all get well wishes.
It was a very busy week in schools last week, with lots of changes from Welsh Government impacting on the provision in schools. However as per the letter from Mr Lindsay Harvey dated 05/01/2021 the position in Bridgend remains that Schools will remain open for children of critical workers (as determined by the local authority) and vulnerable learners.
The level of infection in Bridgend remains very high and as you are aware we have seen a high number of cases of coronavirus in Ysgol Bryn Castell in the Autumn term. Due to the high levels of infection which continue to circulate in the school, Ysgol Bryn Castell will continue to offer a distance learning package for all pupils as below.
Distance learning package
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ASD Distance Learning Package |
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KS2 and KS3 Distance Learning Package |
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14-19 Distance Learning Package |
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During this period the school will continue to offer the following support:
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Support offered |
Information |
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Work packs |
Work Packs are available on request through daily contacts. |
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Online learning through;
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User log-ins and passwords have been sent and can be requested through daily contacts.
NB Usernames and passwords are case sensitive |
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Daily communication with school staff [Monday to Friday in term time during school hours for pupils not receiving any provision] |
Daily communication with families via Teachers2Parents, Class Dojo, phone calls and/or e-mail |
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Telephone counselling offered by Mrs Joy Wilkins - School Counsellor |
Telephone counselling to be offered to Pupils and Parents/Carers
NB Please request during daily communication if you would like to access this |
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Telephone support for behaviour and families in crisis [Monday to Friday in term time during school hours] |
Please call YBC on 01656 815595 and leave a message and we will get back to you asap to offer support |
We recognise that this period of uncertainty can be very challenging and would continue to encourage Parents and Carers to develop some kind of routine so that your son/daughter has some structure during these very strange times. We also continue to recognise that placing high demands on pupils currently, could lead to conflict and challenging behaviour.
The school has unfortunately received notification today that Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has taken the decision to postpone all non-essential work for six weeks to support the considerable pressure that the health board is under. Therefore all school based immunisations which were arranged for January and February are to be postponed and rearranged for later on in the year.
I sincerely hope that all members of our school community who are currently unwell make a full recovery and that you and your family remain as safe and well as presently possible.
Thank you for your continued support
Mrs Helen Ridout
Uned Cymorth Cyfarwyddiaeth Addysg a Chymorth i Deuluoedd (UCCACD)
Education and Family Support Directorate –
Directorate Support Unit (EDSU)
Deialu uniongyrchol / Direct line: 01656 642617
Ein cyf / Our ref: EDSU/LH
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Dyddiad / Date: 5 January 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
You will be aware that Welsh Government has agreed that all schools in Wales should move to online learning only until 18 January.
Schools will remain open for children of critical workers (as determined by the local authority) and vulnerable learners, as well as for learners who need to complete essential examinations or assessments.
This means that on-site/in-school provision for vulnerable learners (up to and including pupils in Year 8) and the children of critical workers will continue between 6 and 8 January (inclusive), and 11 and 15 January (inclusive).
On-site provision for these pupils will be available during normal school opening hours only.
Your child’s school will contact you to provide further information regarding the on-site provision available to you this week.
I will provide a further update to parents/carers should the situation change.
With my thanks for your continuing support
Lindsay Iorwerth Harvey (Mr)
Corporate Director – Education and Family Support
Bridgend County Borough Council
Uned Cymorth Cyfarwyddiaeth Addysg a Chymorth i Deuluoedd (UCCACD)
Education and Family Support Directorate –
Directorate Support Unit (EDSU)
Deialu uniongyrchol / Direct line: 01656 642617
Ein cyf / Our ref: EDSU/LH
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Dyddiad / Date: 5 Ionawr 2021
Annwyl Riant/Gofalwr
Fel y gwyddoch, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cytuno y dylai pob ysgol yng Nghymru ddysgu ar-lein yn unig tan 18 Ionawr.
Bydd ysgolion yn aros ar agor i blant gweithwyr allweddol (fel y’u pennir gan yr awdurdod lleol) a dysgwyr agored i niwed, yn ogystal â dysgwyr y mae angen iddynt gwblhau arholiadau neu asesiadau hanfodol.
Felly, bydd ddarpariaeth ar y safle/yn yr ysgol ar gyfer dysgwyr agored i niwed (hyd at, a chan gynnwys, disgyblion Blwyddyn 8) a phlant gweithwyr allweddol, yn parhau rhwng 6 ac 8 Ionawr (gan gynnwys y ddau ddyddiad), ac 11 a 15 Ionawr (gan gynnwys y ddau ddyddiad).
Bydd y ddarpariaeth ar y safle ar gyfer y disgyblion hyn ar gael yn ystod oriau agor arferol yr ysgol yn unig.
Bydd ysgol eich plentyn yn cysylltu â chi’n ddiweddarach yn yr wythnos i roi rhagor o wybodaeth am y ddarpariaeth ar fydd ar gael ar y safle.
Byddaf yn cysylltu â rhieni/gofalwyr eto os bydd y sefyllfa’n newid.
Gyda diolch i chi am eich cefnogaeth barhaus.
Lindsay Iorwerth Harvey (Mr)
Cyfarwyddwr Corfforaethol – Addysg a Chymorth i Deuluoedd
Cyngor Bwrdeistref Sirol Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr
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