WHAT'S NEW AT PENYGAWSI?

• St David's Day Menu

  Mon 23 Feb 2026

  🌼 St David’s Day Menu Information for Parents 🌼

   

  We’re looking forward to celebrating St David’s Day with a special themed menu for the children! Please take a moment to read the important information below to ensure everything runs smoothly and safely for all pupils.

   

  🥕 Allergen & Dietary Information

  The Primary St David’s Day menu includes vegan options and provides full allergen information, clearly highlighting all 14 major allergens. 

   

  🥔 Jacket Potatoes

  Please note that jacket potatoes will not be available on the themed day. Due to staffing pressures and limited oven capacity on what is always a very busy day, we are unable to offer this option.

  If your child does not wish to choose the themed meal, we kindly ask that they bring a packed lunch from home.

   

  📋 Medically Prescribed Diets & Resolve Registration

  If your child requires a medically prescribed diet, they must be registered on Resolve. This is particularly important for pupils who do not usually have a school lunch but may wish to take part in the themed meal. Registration ensures our kitchen staff can prepare meals safely and appropriately.

   

  Thank you, as always, for your support in helping us keep all of our children safe while still enjoying these special occasions together. 🌼

  

• Spring 2

  Sun 22 Feb 2026

  We hope you all had a wonderful half‑term break, and we are excited to welcome you back to school tomorrow for what promises to be a busy and enjoyable half term. We will begin with Welsh Week in the lead‑up to our Eisteddfod to celebrate St David’s Day, followed by World Book Day and our new event, Prynhawn Teulu Eisteddfod.

   

  On Thursday 26th of February, the photographer will be in school to take St David’s Day photos. Pupils are invited to wear traditional Welsh costumes or a Welsh top. Please note that school trousers or skirts must be worn with Welsh tops—own clothes should not be worn.

   

  Later in the term, we will also be holding our Parent Progress Meetings. Appointment slots will be available to book on MCAS soon.

• PCSO Visit

  Mon 09 Feb 2026

  On Friday 13th February, our local PCSOs will be visiting Penygawsi to introduce themselves to our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils. This visit will give them the chance to explain their role, answer questions, and begin building positive relationships with the children in our community.

  They will also be sharing important messages about staying safe, understanding who to turn to for help, and how they work with schools to support the wellbeing of young people.

  We are looking forward to strengthening our relationship with the PCSOs and hope to welcome them back for future events and activities here at Penygawsi Primary School.

• Water Supply Update

  Fri 06 Feb 2026

  The current water issue affecting the school has not yet been resolved. We will therefore continue to provide bottled water for all children to drink. Hand sanitiser will also be encouraged after handwashing on Monday to ensure good hygiene throughout the school day.

  I will share a further update at the beginning of next week, or sooner if the situation changes.

  Thank you for your patience and understanding.

  Mrs Black

• Community Safety Update

  Wed 04 Feb 2026

  Dear Parents and Carers,

   

  Following recent conversations with South Wales Police, I wanted to share some important information to ensure everyone is aware that the police are monitoring reports of suspicious activity in the vicinity of the Penygawsi estate. 

   

  As many of our Year 5 and Year 6 pupils walk to and from school independently, we felt it was important to make you aware of the situation so that you can decide whether you still feel confident allowing your child to walk unaccompanied at this time.

   

  The police have requested that if you witness any suspicious activity, you contact 101 and report it immediately. The more concerns that are reported, the more action can be taken.

   

  South Wales Police have also recommended that families sign up to South Wales Listens if they would like to stay informed.  South Wales Listens is a community messaging service run by South Wales Police that provides local updates, safety information, incident alerts, and advice directly to residents. By signing up, you can receive timely information about what is happening in the local area and how the police are responding.  If you would like to join South Wales Listens, please complete the Microsoft Form by clicking on the link below, by no later than midday Thursday 12th of February. We will then share your details with our local police officers, who will add you to the system.

  https://forms.office.com/e/6CpmfSd41C

   

  In the meantime, you may notice an increased presence of PCSOs and police officers around the school. They are working closely with the school and local residents to ensure the safety of our children and the wider community.

   

  I am also working with our local PCSOs to arrange a date for them to visit the school. This will give them an opportunity to introduce themselves to the children, explain their role, and talk about how pupils can seek help if they ever feel unsafe when out and about.

   

  Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep all members of our school community safe.

   

  Kind regards,
  Mrs Black
  Acting Headteacher

• Water Update

  Tue 03 Feb 2026

  Dear Parents and Carers,

   

  Thank you for your support and patience over the last 48 hours, it has been greatly appreciated.

   

  I am pleased to let you know that tomorrow’s lunchtime menu will return to normal, including jacket potatoes. We now have access to water for handwashing, and hand sanitiser will also be available throughout the school.

   

  At the moment, we do not have filtered drinking water available from the water fountains. Please can I kindly ask that all children bring a full water bottle to school until further notice. If your child finishes their bottle during the day, we have plenty of bottled water available and are able to refill it as needed. Bottled water will also be provided at lunchtime and during Breakfast Club.

   

  The side gate to the Key Stage 2 yard will be open as normal at the end of the school day for collection.

   

  Thank you again for your continued support. I will provide a further update later this week when I have more information regarding the drinking water supply.

   

  Kind regards,

  Mrs Black

• Important Update – Water Supply Issue on School Grounds

  Mon 02 Feb 2026

  Dear Parents and Carers,

  I am writing to inform you that unfortunately we are currently experiencing an issue with the water supply on the school grounds. As a result, there will need to be some amendments to our usual arrangements tomorrow.

  Please note that school and Breakfast Club will remain open as normal.

  Drinking Water

  • Children will be provided with bottled water throughout the day.
  • We strongly recommend that pupils bring their own filled water bottles to school, as this will help us manage supplies more effectively.
  • If children finish their own water, bottled water will be available.

  Lunchtime Arrangements

  Due to restrictions on food preparation:

  • There will be an alternative menu tomorrow.
  • A single hot meal will be available for all pupils, including a vegetarian option.
  • We will not know the exact meal options until pupils arrive in school.
  • Jacket potatoes will NOT be available tomorrow.
  • If your child may not like limited choices, we advise sending a packed lunch.

  Breakfast Club

  • Breakfast Club will offer cereals only tomorrow.
  • Toast will not be available.

  Toilets and Hygiene

  • Toilets remain fully operational as they run from a separate system.
  • Hand sanitiser will be provided for pupils after using the toilet.

  We understand that this situation is inconvenient, but it is unfortunately outside our control. We are working closely with the Local Authority and Robertsons to ensure the school remains open and children’s learning continues with minimal disruption.

  I will update you further about the situation tomorrow.

  Thank you for your understanding and support.

   

  Kind regards,

  
  Mrs Black
  Acting Headteacher