Ysgol Gynradd Penygawsi
Primary School
Latest News
WHAT'S NEW AT PENYGAWSI?
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End of day arrangement
Thu 08 Oct 2026Since returning to school in September, we have noticed an increasing number of requests for pupils to be collected by older siblings at the end of the school day.
For safeguarding reasons, our school policy states that we do not release pupils to anyone under the age of 16. However, pupils in Years 5 and 6 may be released to an older sibling under the age of 16, as these pupils are also entitled to walk home independently when parental consent has been provided.
A permission form will shortly be sent to parents and carers of pupils in Years 5 and 6 who wish their child to be collected by an older sibling. The form will outline the procedures and permissions required before we can agree to these arrangements.
Please note that pupils in Year 4 and below will not be released to anyone under the age of 16 under any circumstances.
These arrangements are in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all pupils. We appreciate your understanding and support.
Mrs Black
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Parents Evenings
Tue 06 Oct 2026Parents Evenings will take place in the school hall on Monday 19th October and Tuesday 20th October. As in previous years, we have opened one afternoon session per teacher alongside the evening appointments. This arrangement has worked well and has helped to provide greater flexibility for families, so we will be continuing this approach this year.
Parents Evening booking slots will be available from 10:00am on Thursday 8th October. Your 10 minute appointments can be booked through the MCAS app.
Please note that teachers will only be available during their allocated Parents' Evening sessions or afternoon appointments. These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss how your child has settled into their new class, which is the main focus of the Autumn Term Parents' Evening, as well as to celebrate their successes and discuss any areas where additional support may be needed.
We look forward to meeting with you and sharing your child's progress.
Mrs Black
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A Great Start to the New Year
Fri 11 Sep 2026We have had a fantastic start to the new school year at Penygawsi, and it has been wonderful to see so many pupils arriving on time each morning, happy, settled and eager to get into class.
This week has been our Health and Wellbeing Week, which has provided a perfect opportunity for teachers to get to know the pupils in their classes and begin building positive relationships for the year ahead.
Thank you to everyone who attended our Meet the Teacher sessions on Monday. We have received excellent feedback, and it is clear that these sessions are very valuable for parents. If you have not already done so, please take a few minutes to complete the feedback form by clicking on the link below.
Meet the Teacher 2026 - Parent Feedback – Fill in form
We would also like to ask all parents and carers to ensure that items of clothing are clearly labelled with your child's name. This week alone, we have found numerous brand-new jumpers and coats that have been left around the school. Unfortunately, without names on them, we are unable to return them to their owners.
A reminder to all parents from Reception to Year 6 that pupils should be dropped off at the school gate each morning, where they will be welcomed by a teacher. There is always a member of staff waiting to receive the children at their class door, and this helps us to know exactly who is on site at the start of the day.
On Monday 14 September, we will be holding our Whole School Immersion Day. Please keep an eye on your child's class page for further information, as some classes may request that pupils come to school dressed in a particular way for the day.
Thank you for your continued support in helping us get the children back into school routines and learning so smoothly.
Have a lovely weekend!
Mrs Black
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Flu Vaccinations
Thu 10 Sep 2026Flu vaccinations will be taking place in school soon for Reception to Year 6 pupils. The flu vaccine is a safe and effective way to help protect children against flu and reduce the spread of infection to family members and the wider community.
If you would like to find out more about the flu vaccination programme, including its benefits and any frequently asked questions, please click on the link below for further information from Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
Further Information:
Flu schools stakeholder toolkit
Flu nurseries stakeholder toolkit
Thank you for your support in helping to keep our school community healthy.
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Meet the Teacher
Sun 06 Sep 2026πβ¨ Meet the Teacher – Monday 7th September β¨π
We are looking forward to welcoming our Nursery to Year 6 parents and carers to our Meet the Teacher sessions on Monday 7th September! π«π
Following feedback from last year, we are offering two sessions to make it easier for families to attend:
π Session 1: 3.45pm – 4.10pm
π Session 2: 4.15pm – 4.40pm
During the session, you will have the opportunity to:
π Find out important information about the year ahead
π©π« Meet your child’s teacher
π« See your child’s learning environment
π¬ Ask any questions you may have
We look forward to seeing you all and starting the new school year together! π
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School Places Available 2026
Sun 06 Sep 2026π«β¨ SCHOOL PLACES AVAILABLE AT PENYGAWSI PRIMARY SCHOOL! β¨π«
Are you looking for a school place for your child?
We currently have availability at Penygawsi Primary School and would love to welcome new families to our school community. π
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Applications are now open for:
πΆ Pre-Nursery – starting January 2027
π± Nursery – September 2027
π Reception – September 2027
π Would you like to see our school for yourself? We would be delighted to show you around Penygawsi and give you the opportunity to meet our staff, see our wonderful facilities and find out more about our school.
π If you would like to arrange a visit, please contact the school office.
π Apply for a school place here: https://orlo.uk/2psO4 We look forward to welcoming you to Penygawsi Primary School! π
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Last day of term
Fri 17 Jul 2026As we close our doors for the final time this academic year, I would like to wish all of our families a very happy and relaxing summer.
Thank you for your continued support throughout the year. Your encouragement, partnership and commitment to your children's education have been greatly appreciated and have helped make this another successful year at our school.
A special thank you must also go to our wonderful staff, who have worked incredibly hard throughout the year to support, nurture and inspire our pupils every day. Their dedication, care and commitment have made a real difference, and we are extremely grateful for all they do.
Finally, thank you to everyone for the many kind words, cards and thoughtful gifts we have received. Your generosity and appreciation mean so much to us and are deeply valued by all members of staff.
We hope you enjoy a well-deserved summer break, creating lots of happy memories with family and friends.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to school on 2nd September.
Have a wonderful summer and thank you once again for your continued support.
Mrs Black
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A Wonderful Sports Day
Wed 08 Jul 2026A huge thank you to all the parents, carers, grandparents and family members who came along to join us for Sports Day today. It was lovely to see so many people supporting and cheering on our wonderful pupils as they took part in a day full of energy, determination and fun.
After having to cancel twice because of rain, it was quite unbelievable that our final date brought such beautiful sunshine and very warm temperatures! We are incredibly grateful to the parents who kindly provided gazebos, helping us to create some much-needed shade throughout the day.
A very special thank you must go to Liam. He has spent weeks practising with every class and, thanks to his excellent organisation and hard work, the whole event ran so smoothly. Liam is an absolute superstar, and we are so grateful for everything he did to make the day such a success.
Most importantly, we are so proud of every pupil who took part. They showed fantastic sportsmanship, resilience and encouragement for one another from beginning to end.
Thank you once again to everyone who helped make this year’s Sports Day such a memorable occasion. We hope everyone enjoys a well-earned rest after such a brilliant day!
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Transition Morning, Class Information for September and School Reports
Mon 29 Jun 2026Dear Parents and Carers,
We are delighted to share that our transition session this morning was a great success. The children all had a wonderful morning getting to know their new class teacher, spending time in their new classroom, and becoming familiar with the routines ready for September. It was lovely to see their enthusiasm and excitement for the new school year.
We can now confirm the staffing for each class for the 2026–2027 academic year:
β Y Garth (Nursery) – Miss Leyshon, Mrs Bull and Mrs Hargreaves
β Caerau (Reception/Year 1) – Mrs Payne, Mrs Hawkes, Mrs Rowley and Mrs Evans
β Y Graig (Year 1/Year 2) – Miss Morris and Miss Binding
β Cadair Idris (Year 3) – Mr Jones
β Tryfan (Year 4) – Mrs Evans
β Crib Goch (Year 5) – Mrs Rees and Mrs Farrell
β Yr Wyddfa (Year 6) – Miss John
All pupil reports will be uploaded to each child’s Hwb files on Friday. Once the reports are available to view, we will send an announcement via MCAS to let you know they can be accessed.
There will be an opportunity for parents and carers to meet their child’s class teacher at our Meet the Teacher session on Monday 7th September at 3:45pm. Further information about this event will be shared with you at the start of the new school year.
We hope your child enjoyed their transition morning as much as we enjoyed welcoming them into their new classes.
Kind regards,
Mrs Black
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RED WEATHER WARNING β SCHOOL CLOSURE (EXTREME HEAT)
Tue 23 Jun 2026Dear Parent / Carer,
You will be aware that a Red Weather Warning for extreme heat has been issued for parts of Wales, including RCT, for Wednesday and Thursday this week.
While the Local Authority has not directed a full county closure, schools are expected to assess their own circumstances and act in line with national guidance. Government advice states that a red heat-health alert presents a serious risk to health and life, even for healthy individuals, and may also cause significant disruption to daily activities and travel.
After careful risk assessment and consultation, we have made the decision that:
The school will be CLOSED to pupils on Wednesday and Thursday.
This decision has not been taken lightly. However, the health, safety and wellbeing of our pupils, staff and families must remain our priority.
Key factors informing this decision include:
- Indoor temperatures within classrooms reaching unsafe levels (around 30°C)
- Very limited or no shaded outdoor areas available on site
- Restricted access to cooler outdoor environments (including the forest area, which is currently out of bounds for health and safety reasons)
- The presence of vulnerable individuals, including pupils with additional needs and pregnant staff
Although measures can reduce risk, current conditions mean a safe learning environment cannot be consistently maintained.
Learning provision during closure
Online learning will be available on both days via J2Homework on HWB for any pupils who wish to access it.
This will consist of:
- One Language activity
- One Mathematics activity
These activities may be cross-curricular in nature and are intended to provide light, manageable learning during the period of closure.
We appreciate that closures can be disruptive, and we thank you for your continued support and understanding as we take necessary steps to protect our school community during these exceptional conditions.
Yours sincerely,
Headteacher & Chair of Governors
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