Festival of Culture and Diversity

Dear Parents and Carers,

Download the letter - Festival letter 22-3-23

Last academic year, we provided you with information about the school’s anti-discrimination campaign: Discrimination: It stops with me. Since then, the campaign has been growing and building momentum. We have an inspirational group of young people supporting the school’s progress with the campaign. We have enhanced our procedures to address discrimination and we now have a bespoke curriculum called ‘Social Responsibility’ which allows us to educate our young people about being responsible and respectful citizens, as well as tackling many relevant issues and topics. We have had many opportunities to celebrate our success, ranging from our young people receiving a Police and Crime Commissioner’s Award, sharing good practice with other schools in the area, and we are awaiting a visit from the Education Minister of Wales, Jeremy Miles. As always, we are working with local partners and external agencies to support effective delivery and to ensure that our young people are receiving the very best in personal and social education at Prestatyn High School. Further information about the campaign can be found on our website.

 

We wanted to let you know that next week we have some exciting plans to celebrate diversity and culture, starting with a visit from the Police and Crime Commissioner on 27th March. During the week, students will take part in activities to celebrate cultures from around the world and they will positively focus on diversity with a variety of workshops and activities. These workshops will range from Jamaican cooking, Mandarin lessons, Irish dancing and African drumming. The week is going to be an exciting week of celebration which will also include our PHS Awards’ Evening. Students can also enjoy the new diversity mural that has been painted in school by a local artist. This signifies our student voice in a stand against discrimination and is a joyful representation of the celebration of our school community and the amazing people that make this community great.

 

At the end of the festival, on Friday 31st March, students are invited to come to school in their own clothes, as it will be a non-school uniform day. Students are encouraged to wear dress that represents their culture or character in a visual celebration of diversity that all of the school community can get involved in. Students are asked to donate £1 or bring in a can of food for this non-school uniform day. This will help the school support the local food bank and local charities.

 

We know that discrimination and hate are present at times in our community, Wales, and around the world. If we all work together, we can take a stand and drive out discrimination wherever we find it, step by step and lesson by lesson. It stops with us! Many thanks for your continued support.

 

Yours faithfully,

Mrs C Turner
Deputy Headteacher

Mrs K Garside
Head of Social Studies

Free school meals extended to April and May holidays

The WLGA has welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that Free School Meal provision will continue to be available to children from lower income families for the Easter and Whitsun school holidays.
£9m has been invested to help councils offer nutritious meals to eligible pupils up until the end of May half term holiday, including all bank holidays during this period.

Councillor Ian Roberts (Flintshire), WLGA Education Spokesperson said:

“So many families hit hard by the current cost of living will be benefited by the extension of free school meals.

“I am so proud of the work our councils have done, and will continue to do, to ensure those eligible get this vital support.

“This is another example of how communities benefit from close co-operation between local and Welsh governments.

LLS – Women Who Lead

Female students from LLS Online Prestatyn and prospective students from Prestatyn High School were invited to Calderstones Park in Liverpool to attend the second annual Women Who Lead event.
This was an opportunity for the girls to hear the stories of some inspirational women from the world of sport, begin to develop a professional network and have some fun with other like minded girls from the nationwide LLS group.
They also got to watch Bianca Cook, British Taekwondo athlete and 3 time world champion, lead a practical demonstration and then meet with her afterwards.
It was a great occasion celebrating International Women's Day 2023.

School term dates 2022/2023

Dear all parents and carers - Download the letter Letter to parents changes to term dates & INSET days 2022-23

I do hope this letter finds you well.

There have been two changes to the calendar for the remaining academic year.

The first is the addition of an extra bank holiday day on the 8th May to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III.

 

The second change is the addition of an extra INSET day on the 23rd June. This has been allocated to all schools by Welsh Government for the planning and delivery of the new curriculum. We have chosen this date for the additional INSET day as it falls after the exams are over. You will also find the amended academic year calendar on the back of this letter.

 

Spring Term 2

Easter Holiday – 3rd April to 14th April 2023

 

Summer term 1

INSET day (4) – Monday 17th April 2023

Pupils return to school – Tuesday 18th April to 26th May 2023

Mayday bank holiday – Monday 1st May 2023

Coronation bank holiday – Monday 8th May 2023

Half term – 29th May to 2nd June 2023

 

Summer term 2

Monday 5th June to Wednesday 19th July 2023

INSET day (5) – Friday 23rd June 2023

INSET day (6) – Thursday 20th July 2023

End of the academic year.

 

 

Please contact the school if you have any questions about the dates provided.

Yours faithfully

 

Neil Foley – BSc, MA
Pennaeth/Headteacher

ELECTION OF PARENT GOVERNOR

Dear Parent/Carer
Three vacancies have arisen on the School’s Governing Body for a position as Parent Governor as a result of three of our existing parent governors resigning due to other commitments.
Attached is a nomination paper for these positions and if you are interested in standing or inviting another parent to stand please ensure the nomination paper is fully completed and returned to (Mrs. Liz Thomas, Clerk of Governors) by 1.00pm on Tuesday 14th March 2023. Download the nomination paper - PHS PGOV_ELECTIONS
The role of Governor can be both demanding and interesting and I would be happy to discuss this with anyone who would like further information.
Yours faithfully
Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.
Pennaeth Headteacher

Industrial Action – 2nd March

Dear Parents/Carers,

 

As you will be aware, the strike action scheduled for the 14th February was postponed due to some progress in the talks between the unions and Welsh Government. This industrial action was postponed to the 2nd March to allow for further negotiations. Despite these negotiations, there has not been a sufficient breakthrough and, therefore, the NEU teaching union has announced a second day of national strike action on the 2nd March, 2023. This dispute is not with the school, but with the Welsh Government over pay and the funding for schools. We accept that this continued action is frustrating and disruptive for parents. For further information on why teaching unions are taking this action, please read the additional document I attached to the last letter sent out in January.

As a large proportion of our teaching staff will be involved in this strike action, I have again had to take the decision that the school will be closed to all students for that day. This is due to not having enough staff available to safely supervise pupils within the site. This decision has not been taken lightly, and follows a thorough risk assessment of the situation. The school needs a certain number of staff to be present to function and keep everybody safe. Due to the nature of the industrial action, no online learning will take place on the day of the strike.

The school will reopen as normal on Friday, 3rd March.

 

If your son/daughter is entitled to free school meals, they are eligible to pick up a packed lunch from the main reception of the school between 12.00 and 12.30pm. We would encourage eligible students to take this offer up.

 

Further strike action is proposed for the 15th and 16th of March.

 

We hope that talks between Welsh Government and the unions will reach a resolution before this date; however, if they do not, I will communicate closer to the time about arrangements for those days.
Many thanks for your continued support.

 

Neil Foley – BSc, MA
Pennaeth/Headteacher