Ukraine – Refugee Donations

Thank you for all of your donations for the Ukraine refugees, it has been absolutely amazing.
Thank you to Viv, Katherine and Kelly for making the journey to the drop off points, I know your cars were very full last night!
Thank you once again for your support,
Mrs P Hill - Assistant Headteacher

UKRAINE: NEWS FOR CHILDREN

Download this week’s coverage for a clear, age-appropriate explainer about what is happening in Ukraine

With the situation developing in Ukraine, your pupils may be asking questions that you are unsure on how to answer. We know how important it is for young people to have a trusted news source on issues like this, so we wanted to give you this Friday's First News Ukraine coverage early.

The six-page special report has been written specifically to help teachers, parents and children understand what’s happening, presenting the events in a non-sensationalised and unbiased way. We also showcase some of the positive actions and people that have come out of this terrible event, to show children there are more good people than bad in the world.

FREE access to this Friday's full First News edition.

School Closures Denbighshire

Dear parents and carers,

 

Further to the email that was sent out to you earlier today, the school has since been informed that all Denbighshire schools are now closing tomorrow because of the severe weather forecast due to Storm Eunice. This is a decision was taken by Denbighshire County Council.

We therefore write to inform you that the school will NOT be open on Friday 18th February and we will move to online learning for this day only.

Students will be able to access their learning online via TEAMs where work will be set by their class teacher for lessons that they are timetabled. An email will follow from Mr. Barons who will outline the specific plan for the online learning provision for tomorrow.

The own clothes day that was due to take place tomorrow will be rescheduled. This date will be confirmed after half term.

We hope that everyone stays safe tomorrow and we wish our students a lovely half term break.

We will see all students back in school on Tuesday 1st March.

 

Yours faithfully

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA. Pennaeth Headteacher

School Closure – Online Learning – Friday 18th Feb

Dear Parent/Guardian,
Following the announcement from Denbighshire County Council that all learning will move online for the final day of this half term (18-02-2022) I would like to inform you of our provision for this day.
All students will be set work following their normal timetable using Microsoft TEAMS. This work should be completed and submitted back to the class teacher on the same day. Work set will be in line with the learning they would have completed following their learning plans. Teachers will be available on TEAMS during school hours to support pupils with their learning.
May I take this opportunity to wish you a safe and happy half term.
Many Thanks
Alex Barons
Assistant Headteacher

Half Term – COVID-19 Update

Dear parents and carers,

COVID-19 update As the half term draws to a close, I wanted to update you with some changes in relation to our Covid-19 procedures in school. Following the Welsh Government’s announcement this week, learners no longer need to wear masks in classrooms on their return to school after half term, unless they choose to continue to wear one. However, pupils and staff are still required to wear masks in communal areas such as the corridors and the Diner, except for when they are eating. Furthermore, after half term, pupils and staff will only be asked to test using a Lateral Flow Device twice a week, not three times a week as we have been doing since January 2022. Pupils, students and staff are to now test on a Sunday and a Wednesday each week. Please ask your child to collect their boxes of LFTs from their year room as usual so that they can continue to test.

The school has worked incredibly hard this half term to remain open for face to face learning for all year groups despite the significant challenges we have faced due to the ongoing pandemic. We once again have got through a half term without having to switch to online learning for any year groups. We want to thank all of our young people and their parents who have supported our efforts in keeping the school open and following the guidance. We continue to ask that you remain alert to the signs and symptoms of Covid-19 and do not send your child to school if they have a temperature, loss/ change of taste and smell or a new, continuous cough. Only by us all working together can we keep the school as safe as possible.

Community update
On another matter, you may also have seen recent reports in the papers about anti-social behaviour in the Prestatyn community by a small minority of young people in the area. We want to reassure all of our school community that this sort of behaviour is not tolerated by the school and the school is doing all it can to support the police and the local community in addressing this unsavory behaviour. These young people are letting the community down and spoiling it for the vast majority of amazing young people we have in the school. As the school closes for the half term break, we ask that all parents and carers are aware of where their children are and who they are spending their free time with and ensure that they are conducting themselves in a responsible and respectful manner at all times.

Festival of Culture
Finally, we end the half term positively with our festival of culture and diversity, the last day being a non-school uniform day. As mentioned in a previous letter to you, we ask that a contribution of £1 is made for this day as we are raising money for New Hope, a school in Kenya. Many thanks to those who have already sent a contribution for this. This can be paid via ParentPay or by giving the money to the year teams on Friday morning.

I hope you have a nice half term break. We will see all students when they return to school Tuesday 1st March as school is not open to pupils on Monday 28th Feb due to this being a training day.

Yours sincerely
Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA. Pennaeth Headteacher

Understanding Your Child – FREE online courses

Do you live in North Wales? FREE online courses for all residents! Evidenced based & accreditedThis is an enjoyable, well established and trusted way of understanding your child. The courses were developed in the NHS together with front-line practitioners. It can be accessed on any PC, iPad, laptop or smartphone, at a time and pace to suit family life. Parents who complete the course say they feel calmer, more confident and have a better relationship with their child.

1.Understanding Pregnancy, Labour, Birth and your Baby – for everyone around the baby (Mums, Dads, Grandparents, friends and relations).Written by Registered Midwives, Infant Feeding Specialists and NHS Professionals

2.Understanding your Baby – for everyone around the baby, supporting you and the new arrival. Written by Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Health Visitors

3.Understanding your Child – Popular online course about being the best parent, grandparent or carer. Award winning with trusted content

4.Understanding your Teenagers Brain (short course) – Find out what happens to the brain in adolescence and how this explains some of the changes you may have noticed about their behaviour

To access these FREE courses please contact either Michelle Jones or James Williams via email and provide a contact number they can reach you on.

majones@prestatynhigh.co.uk | jwilliams@prestatynhigh.co.uk

 

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Prestatyn school supports 999 Cenotaph campaign

Vale of Clwyd MP Dr James Davies has praised Prestatyn High School for raising funds for a £3.2m campaign to build a cenotaph honouring NHS and emergency services workers. The 999 Cenotaph campaign was set up to support the two million people currently working and volunteering within the emergency services, all of whom have shown commitment to public service throughout the pandemic.

Applauding their contribution to the campaign, James, who visited the school last week to congratulate the staff and pupils in person, said: “This is a fantastic effort by both staff and pupils at Prestatyn High School and I thank them all for taking part. “Our NHS and emergency service workers have always done a sterling job, but they have gone above and beyond over the past two years. Having a cenotaph to honour them will be incredible but raising the £3.2 million needed is no mean feat and therefore every little helps. “I put an appeal out to schools in the area to get involved and I am very pleased that Prestatyn High School decided to do so. I know their contribution to the cenotaph will be very much appreciated.”

Whilst there are various monuments dedicated to each of the emergency services, there is no one national monument where the NHS and emergency services are honoured together - which is why a 999 Cenotaph was proposed. This important monument is aimed to be located on Whitehall at the heart of Central London and is being sculpted by Philip Jackson CVO and supported by HRH The Duke of Cambridge.

Assistant head teacher at Prestatyn High School, Pam Hill, said: “We were very pleased to help raise funds for the campaign and thank James for letting us know about it. “It was an enjoyable day raising vital funds for a very worthy cause.”

On Friday December 3rd last year, staff and pupils at Prestatyn High School supported the 999 Cenotaph campaign by wearing a colour from the emergency services (red, blue, green or orange) with their full school uniform. They also made and sold key rings and cakes with the colours represented by the emergency services and in total raised £202.85.