Please read the following urgent and important information:

 

Dear Parent and Carer

 

We have reached the end of our first week of school closure and in our different ways, I imagine we are all coming to terms with a new routine and way of living. I am sure we could all share interesting experiences and challenges from the week that has past. Amongst all of that, I trust every family remains safe and well. 

 

We have received many comments about the work that children are completing. Thank you for so many positive comments and hopefully, staff have been able to provide the help you have requested in order to access what you need. We are aware of the issues related to internet access and are discussing how we can overcome or work around this as time goes on.

 

I am grateful to all staff for the work they have undertaken this week. Please keep in contact and they will support your child as best they can. Please be a little patient with this as I am sure you understand my staff also have their own personal and family commitments at this time. You will find contact details for staff on our website and phone numbers to ring in an emergency. If there are any concerns please get in touch. We do not want a very challenging situation getting any worse for anyone.

 

Next week we shall send you a copy of our newsletter. We will publish one of these every Monday whilst our school is closed and I hope it gives a more positive view of what is being achieved by our students, some extra ideas to keep ourselves happy and all of the information around home learning.

 

It is likely we will learn more next week about the criteria for awarding fair grades and we will make sure everyone is aware of that. Please also look at the RCT website should you require emergency childcare next week. Our school site at Pontypridd High is not open to children from now on but childcare can be applied for and accessed at Heol Celyn Primary School in Rhydfelin. Staff from Pontypridd High will form a part of the team that provides this service.

 

Having already introduced our daily workout, staff will also come 'live' to your home in the morning next week with ideas for the day ahead and to share experiences about how we are spending our time. Look out for more information on this.

 

Thank you for your support and please keep in touch. A very positive thing about this last week has been all the video conferences we have had between staff and also with the full governing body. It has been great to speak with colleagues and to be reassured by all their work and plans for the time ahead, however long that may be. 

 

Keep safe.

 

Huw Cripps

Headteacher

Dear Parent and Carer

 This week staff have been in school to provide childcare as requested by parents and carers who qualify as key workers. In truth numbers have been low and my thanks to everyone who has tried to find alternative solutions to childcare as we have been encouraged to do by the LA and Welsh government. The situation is a very changeable one for all of us and we will communicate any further advice for childcare to you as soon as it becomes available. Alternatively please use the RCT website which will update you and provide the details you need as from Monday, March 30^th.

 The key message for all of us is to work within the ‘social distancing’ guidelines and limit contact and travel wherever possible. In order for us to manage this with our own staff, our school reception desk will be closed until further notice. Please access the school website where you will find contact phone numbers and email addresses for all the key staff you may want to communicate with. Staff are available to receive messages and I can assure you we will do everything to help with any concern or request.

 As previously mentioned, staff are already in discussions about the awarding of ‘fair grades’ but we are still waiting for formal guidance from Qualifications Wales and examination boards before we can make any real progress with this. Whilst it is unknown how long our school will be closed, I can also assure you that staff are having meetings about how we can better support home learning through more communication with your child(ren). We will provide more information on this next week as plans develop.

 Please keep safe and healthy and keep in contact with staff should you have any concerns or request help in any way with the work that your child is completing.

 

On behalf of all staff and school governors

 

Huw Cripps

Headteacher

At the end of year 8 learners at Pontypridd High School are asked to choose the qualifications they would like to study throughout years 9, 10 and 11. In light of the Welsh Government decision to close schools after Friday 20^th of March 2020 we will need to manage as much of this process remotely as we can.

In response to the spread of coronavirus we have been informed that the Welsh Government has made the decision that all schools in Wales will close from Friday this week. As such there will be no school for our students from Monday, March 23rd f

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