Start of term letter

10^th September 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

We have been delighted to welcome pupils back to Ysgol Bryn Castell over the last week and hear about their adventures from their Summer holidays. There have been a few updates over the Summer holidays which are included below for your information: 

Department Names

Following Welsh Government changes to the curriculum and discussions as a school, we have made the decision to change the name of the names of the departments in the school moving forwards:

	New names
KS2	Ogmore
KS3	Candleston
ASD	Coity
KS4	Dunraven
P16	Newcastle

Staffing updates 

Miss Sara Kulpa has left her position as Home School Liaison Officer at YBC to move to a new position within Bridgend Local Authority where she will study, whilst working, to become a Social Worker. Sara has supported many pupils and families at YBC and I am sure you will all join with me as we wish her much luck, love and happiness in her new career. 

The school is pleased to announce that we have appointed 3 new teachers:

• Mrs Rose Enos who joins the Candleston department 
• Mrs Amy Stephens who joins the Coity department
• Mrs Rebecca Williams who joins the Newcastle department

School vision

The school have been working with pupils, staff, parents/carers and governors over the last year to update the vision for the school and would welcome your feedback on the new vision. Please send any feedback for consideration by 27^th September 2024 by:

• E-mailing feedback@ybc.bridgend.cymru
• Completing the online survey at: https://forms.office.com/e/MzMw4yyzvV

Our vision is to enable our learners to experience success and make progress within a happy, safe, nurturing and healthy environment, where they are enabled to develop lifelong skills to prepare them for their futures.   All learners will experience fun, acceptance and happiness on their individual learning journey at Ysgol Bryn Castell. They will work with the school community to develop healthy relationships and experience broad opportunities for learning including through play and community-based education.   The school recognises that learners thrive and enjoy the best individual success and progress when the whole school community works together as one. Ysgol Bryn Castell actively involves Parents/Carers and the community in supporting learners’ health, wellbeing, learning and development.   We recognise that it is only by working together as a school community, as a YBC Family, that ‘together we can achieve’ the very best for our learners and enable them to celebrate their achievements and individual journey through our school.

The staff and I look forward to working with you during the 2024/25 academic year, recognising that it is only through working together that we can achieve the best possible outcomes for our pupils and YBC Family. We would encourage you to get in touch with the school by phone (01656 815595) or e-mail (admin@ybc.bridgend.cymru) with any queries or concerns.  

With best wishes

Helen Ridout (Headteacher)

End of Term Letter

22^nd July 2024

Dear Parents and Carers,

I wanted to write to thank you for your ongoing commitment and support in enabling your child to make progress and working with Ysgol Bryn Castell during 2023/24. We recognise that it is only through working together that we can achieve the best possible outcomes for our pupils and YBC Family.

As we reflect on our achievements over the academic year, we take time to wish members of our YBC Family past and present lots of love, luck and happiness, wishing ‘pob lwc’ to our leavers who move onto new adventures and spare a thought for the members of our YBC Family who are sadly no longer with us.  

Parent/Carer Governor vacancies

The school currently has one vacancy for Parent/Carer Governor on the Governing Body and nominations are now being sought. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our Governing Body. The role of the Governing Body is to set up and oversee the strategic direction of the school; determine the aims, policies and priorities and to promote high standards of educational achievement and behaviour amongst its pupils. A Governing Body is made up of various categories of Governor such as Parent/Carer, Community representative, Teacher, Support staff, and Local Authority appointed; all of whom come together for the sole purpose of ensuring the success of the pupils of the school.

If you are interested in one of these positions please submit the following information by midday Monday 9^th September 2024: 

1. Your name, address, e-mail address and telephone number
2. Your child’s name and class
3. A short statement of no more than 100 words of why you would like to be a Governor. 

This will be included on the ballot form, if we receive more than one expression of interest. Should this be the case, BCBC will arrange a Parental/Carer ballot. 

Those elected to the Governing Body will be required to complete a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) application form (formally known as a CRB check). There is an expectation that all Governors attend regular training courses which are provided free of charge.

 

Staffing updates 

Mrs Lynne Groom is retiring from her position as Senior Admin Officer after 21 years at YBC and over 31 years supporting learners within schools within Bridgend.  

 

Mrs Groom has been pivotal in the developments of YBC over many years and has worked tirelessly to support our learners by helping to organise the Summer and Christmas Fayres, and Leavers Assemblies each year, alongside being a Trustee of the Friends of YBC. We wish her much luck, love and happiness in her retirement, surrounded by the treasured memories and experiences she has had at YBC. 

Mr Nick Lyddon (Teacher) is moving onto a new position as Teacher in Charge of a Specialist Teaching Facility at Ysgol Maesydderwen. Mr Lyddon has been at YBC since 2015 and has helped to support the growth and development of Animal Care and Duke of Edinburgh at YBC; Mr Lyddon has enabled our pupils to participate in a range of unique experiences from camping overnight to raising our own duck at the school. Diolch o galon Mr Lyddon; we wish him much luck, love and happiness in his new role as he uses his expertise to support pupils at Ysgol Maesydderwen.  

Term dates

I can confirm that there will be two scheduled inset days for the school on Monday 2^nd September and Tuesday 3^rd September 2024. This will mean that the Autumn term for pupils will begin on Wednesday 4^th September 2024. 

A number of inset days have been confirmed for 2024/25 as below and the school hope to confirm the remaining two inset days early in the Autumn term to support Parents/Carers with planning:

	Date
Day 1	02/09/2024
Day 2	03/09/2024
Day 3	17/02/2025
Day 4	04/07/2025
Day 5	TBC
Day 6	TBC

Thank you for your ongoing support, encouragement and feedback; we wish you a peaceful and relaxing Summer holiday period. 

With best wishes,

Helen Ridout (Headteacher)