Flying visit from @air_ambulance at PHS @NWAmbulance @rjournal
The air ambulance made a landing on our back field during KS3 lunch as they were called out to an incident in the local area, thankfully on this occasion they were not required to airlift the injured person away.
The pupils were excellent during the whole time.
They really did us proud, and the team from air ambulance were impressed with them.
It’s lunchtime at a high school in Denbighshire, north Wales, and the aroma of cooked chicken fills the canteen as a dinner lady in a pinstriped apron puts food on to plates. The line of children who are waiting to be served a chicken burger, beans and chips builds around the hall.
The children are here for a free school meal but those queueing won’t be going to lessons afterwards because they are being fed during the summer holidays as part of a scheme that has been boosted by £500,000 from the Welsh government .
The investment comes after a report by MPs this year said up to 3 million children across the UK risk going hungry in the holidays. This summer a record number of food banks across Britain have called for donations due to growing demand during the school holidays. And the problem of holiday hunger came into sharp relief in Wales when a food bank in Swansea ran out of stock.
In Prestatyn high school, student liaison officer James Williams says:
Parents say that having lunch is a huge help for them. Without this some children won’t get meals with the same consistency they do during term time. This is one way for us to guarantee a young person gets two meals a day.
The school’s programme includes meals, visiting speakers and sports activities. Once a week family members join the children for lunch. It has cost around £14,000 to run the scheme during the holidays with, on average, 65 primary-aged children each day in the hall. The Welsh government has given £4,250.
The school ran a pilot last year that helped 25 children, and it hoped to expand the scheme this summer by drafting in different staff and sourcing money from its free school meal budget. I don’t think we could have done it to the capacity we have without the Welsh government funding,
says Williams.
Angela Evans and her son Mathew, 11, enjoyed the lunch club and activities at Prestatyn as she says it helped him make new friends ahead of secondary school.
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The Guardian – Wales takes bite out of children’s holiday hunger
From 1st September 2017, Denbighshire County Council’s School Meals Service will reluctantly be increasing the cost of school meals by 20p. This will mean secondary school meals will rise to £2.25 per day and there will be minimal price rises on some individual menu items. The equivalent cost of free school meals will also rise accordingly.
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Secondary School Price Increase-2
Prestatyn High bucks the trend of falling GCSE results in Wales including a 19% increase in A*-C grades in English Language.
Prestatyn High has achieved excellent results this year at GCSE. This has been achieved at a time when all exams and courses are significantly more difficult and challenging.
Across Wales, many schools have seen their percentage of pupils achieving a C grade at GCSE in English, Maths and 3 other subjects drop significantly, some schools falling by over 20%.
Prestayn High has minimised the impact of the new qualifications and achieved excellent results including an unprecedented 19% increase in the number of pupils achieving C or above in English language GCSE!
There have also been many outstanding individual performances this year with many more pupils achieving A and A* grades.
New Headteacher Neil Foley said “These results are fantastic for our pupils who can now go on and study their chosen A-Levels. They are even more astonishing when you look at the national data and realise how much more difficult it was this year to achieve well in many subjects. This is the culmination of 12 months hard work, grit and determination and I would also like to thank all of the parents for their support and the staff for their tireless energy”.
Enrolment for the Prestatyn High 6th Form is at 1.30pm on Monday 4th September.
Best A-level results ever as standards rise at Prestatyn High School. Students are celebrating following the publication of the 2017 A-level results.
Higher aspirations and standards are already having an impact on results. The A-level results for the class of 2017 have seen an 11% increase in the highest grades at A-level and BTEC. The number of students achieving A*-C has seen a 16% increase across most subjects.
Glen Vernon, Head of Prestatyn High Sixth Form said,
“These significant increases are unprecedented. All the students and staff have worked extremely hard this year and I am delighted to see them rewarded”.
The vast majority of PHS students have achieved their potential and can now continue on to their University of choice this reflects real dedication, commitment and the support their teachers, families and friends.
Mr Foley, Headteacher was absolutely delighted with the improved results and said
“After pushing and demanding the highest standards from the students all year we are amazed with what our students have achieved. They are a credit to the school, their families but most of all to themselves. They have done the hard work and now can go on and achieve their dreams. Well done to all staff and students”.
Anyone interested in enrolling in the Prestatyn High School Sixth Form is invited to attend the school at 1.30pm on Monday 4th September.
Our top performers were – Holly Miller A*AA, Rohan Williams A*AA, Robin Back AAA, Mollie Jones D*D*D*D*, Mollie Herd D*D*D* and a Distinction, Olivia Ward AAB, Amelia Scott AAB, Sam Douglas AAB, Kieyara Tabingo D*AB, Daniel Furneaux AAB, Lucy Horsfield D*AB, Lewis Dawson ABB, Adam Forman ABB, Zarnaz Hadi ABB, Caitlin Rowlands ABB, James Salsbury ABB, Adam Wynne ABB.
Prestatyn High School will now be closed to pupils Friday 21st July.
To ensure the safety of our pupils the school will now remain closed for the summer holidays*.
*Any summer school or revision projects will continue as planned.
The new term will start on Wednesday 6th September.
Have a safe and pleasant summer.
The Creative Arts Department in conjunction with the English Department are delighted to announce that the school production will be the play version of Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers.
Dear parents/carers
We are fast approaching the end of the summer term. This year the school will be closing early at 1.30pm on Friday 21st July. This is an opportunity to reward our students for all their hard work.
However, I am keen to stress that I do not expect to see a dip in attendance just because it is a shortened day. Students are expected to attend school and attend lessons as normal. The school has made all the necessary arrangements for school buses/taxis to be at school early to transport pupils home.
School re-opens for new academic year: The school re-opens for students on Wednesday 6th September. The 4th and 5th of September are training days for all staff.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the students and parents of Prestatyn High School for all their support this year. My first year as headteacher at Prestatyn High School has been hugely successful and we, as a school, are making good progress to achieve the best outcomes for all our young people. Indeed, during the recent Estyn visit they praised the school for the rapid progress we are making in achieving our goals.
I look forward to seeing our years 13, 12, 11 and 10 during the summer holidays as they collect their examination results; more information will be available on our website. I’d like to wish everyone a lovely and safe break, and I look forward to welcoming our students back in September.
Yours faithfully,
Neil Foley – B.Sc. MA
Pennaeth/Headteacher
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Closing early in Sept
Dear Parent/ Carer,
It has been a busy year for staff and pupils at Prestatyn High School. The changes that have been implemented since September are making a real difference and as a school we are making good progress to achieve the best outcomes for all our young people. Indeed, during the recent Estyn visit they praised the school for the rapid progress we are making in achieving our goals. Working together we will ensure Prestatyn High School becomes an outstanding school and that all pupils fulfil their potential.
As part of this continued progress, there are going to be some changes to our school pastoral system which will be coming into effect from September 2017. The pastoral care within the school will be based around a Head of Year. The new Head of Year team are the pre-existing Heads of Houses. Each Head of Year will be supported by a Deputy Head of Year and an Assistant to the Head of Year who were previously known as Student Support Assistants.
There will be no change to the form groups and these will remain as houses. Pupils will remain in their houses for events and enrichment activities. However, each group will be overseen by a Head of Year and this will mean that for some pupils, they will have a change in the member of staff who oversees their pastoral care.
The year 7 pupils will now have the transition coordinator as their Head of Year to maintain the fantastic induction process they have received on their transfer to the school.
The year 11 pupils will engage in bespoke and personalised interventions each morning during their form time with a focus on excellence and academic achievement on their return to school in September. There will be a member of the student support team who will assist in coordinating these academic interventions and another member of the support team who will assist with the pastoral care both working alongside the Head of Year 11.
Thank you for your support during this academic year and I would like to wish you all a pleasant and safe summer.
Yours faithfully
Mr Neil Foley
Ms Claire Austin
Mrs Lindsay Davenport
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Parental letter June 17 v3 NF CLA LD