Pontrhondda Primary School
Y Bont i Lwyddiant / The Bridge to Success
Welcome
Noticeboard
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KS2 Eggs - travaganza
Wed 23 Mar 2022Dear Parents / Guardians,
Dosbarth Melyn, Gwyrdd and Porffor homework for the next 2 weeks will be to create an Easter eggstravaganza – Decorate an egg. Who can be the most inventive??? Please bring them into school for judging by Wednesday April 6th, 2022.
Diolch
Miss Lewis, Mr Carroll, Mrs John
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FP Easter Bonnets
Wed 23 Mar 2022Dear Parents / Guardians,
It is almost time for our annual Easter Bonnet / Hat Parade!!! Because of Covid, we haven’t been able to enjoy this well-loved event but thankfully it’s back!! So, on the morning of Thursday April 7th, 2022, the Foundation Phase will be wearing their Easter bonnets / hats and will be walking around our local area. Our route will take us through Pontrhondda Road, up onto the main road, down to Partridge Square and through Sherwood back to school. If you see us please give us a big clap and a wave!!!!
Therefore, homework for the next 2 weeks will be to create an Easter bonnet / hat with your child. Please bring them into school by Wednesday April 6th, 2022.
Diolch
Mrs Dando, Miss Brabon & Mrs Morris
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Red Nose Day
Fri 18 Mar 2022Red Nose Day 18/03/2022
Thanks so much for putting Red Nose Day 2022 in your diary. We’re over the moon that you’re joining in the fun.
Red Noses will be on sale at Pontrhondda Primary School for £1.50 and can be purchased from tomorrow onwards.
Children can take them home or we are more than happy to keep them safe at school until Red Nose Day.
If you’d like to know a bit more about Red Nose Day and why it’s so brilliant that you’re taking part, here are a few quick facts.
What is Red Nose Day?
• Red Nose Day is a fundraising event run by Comic Relief.
• Comic Relief is a UK charity which aims to create a just world free from poverty.
• The money raised is used to transform lives in the UK and around the world.
Why we’re taking part
• Pupils learn valuable life skills and gain understanding and empathy for others in the world.
• It’s a great way to get together for a giggle.
• Our school can really make a difference to people’s lives.Where the money goes
• £5 could provide school stationery to a child living in poverty in South Africa.
• £10 could get 40 meals to children and families in need in the UK.
• £50 could buy a bike for a health visitor in Ghana so they can provide vital health care for hard-to-reach families.Whatever you decide to do, we can’t thank you enough for getting involved. After all, we couldn’t do it without wonderful people like you.
Thank you
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On behalf of the Welsh Government- COVID-19 Vaccine
Tue 15 Mar 2022Dear Parent/Guardian,
We are writing to let you know that we can now offer a COVID-19 vaccine to your child.
Vaccination is the best way to protect your child from potential serious illness. This letter
provides information to help you and your child understand more about the vaccine.
In the next few weeks NHS Wales will be contacting parents and guardians of children aged
5 to 11 years to offer vaccinations. For local information, health board vaccination web
pages are listed here: Gov.Wales/covidvaccine.
Most 5 to 11 year old children will be offered two doses of the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine, 12
weeks apart. If your child has been identified as at clinical risk, or a household contact of
someone who is immunosuppressed, the interval is 8 weeks.
The UK independent medicines regulator, the Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA), has confirmed this vaccine is safe and effective for children of
this age. They have carried out rigorous reviews of safety, quality, and effectiveness of the
COVID-19 vaccine for this age group.
The Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) advises that two doses of the
vaccine should give your child long-lasting protection against complications of infection. It
could also prime their immune system against future variants.
As the parent / guardian, you will need to consent to them having the vaccine. You'll also
need to go with your child or authorise another care giver to do so, with your written
consent. If your child is unwell with a fever or has had a positive coronavirus test in the 28
days before the appointment, you should delay their vaccination as outlined in the links
below. Please let your health board know.
Vaccinations are given in a safe, child-friendly environment. Experienced and supportive
NHS staff will be happy to answer any questions you may have. It may help for younger
children to take a toy, book or device to distract and entertain them, and a snack for
immediately following the procedure.
Nearly 9 in 10 eligible people (age 12+) in Wales have already had both of their primary
doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Please use the resources in the links below to help you and
your child reach a joint decision about taking up this offer.
14/03/2022
These links will take you to accurate and trusted sources containing information on
vaccines. They have facts on safety, effectiveness and potential side effects (which are
usually mild and don’t require treatment). It would be good to involve your child in looking at
some of the child-friendly resources below too:
Public Health Wales https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/covid-19-
vaccination-information
Public Health Wales information for 5-17 year olds
https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/covid-19-vaccinationinformation/resources-for-health-and-social-care-professionals/covid-19-guide-5-17-textonly-version-1-english/
Public Health England https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccinationresources-for-children-aged-5-to-11-years
British Society of Immunology https://www.immunology.org/public-information/guidevaccinations-for-covid-19
Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation -
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-vaccination-resources-for-childrenaged-5-to-11-years/a-guide-for-parents-of-children-aged-5-to-11-years
Vaccination saves lives. The World Health Organisation estimates that at least 2-3 million
deaths are prevented every year through immunisation. If your child has missed any routine
vaccinations during the pandemic please let your General Practice know. They can arrange
for them to be rescheduled. Visit https://111.wales.nhs.uk/LiveWell/vaccinations/ for more
information.
Yours sincerely,
The Office of the Chief Medical Officer for Wales -
Talking to children and young people about the war in Ukraine
Wed 09 Mar 2022A guide for Parents/Carers
As much as we want to protect our children and young people it is likely that they have seen and heard of the events in Ukraine. The words ‘war’ ‘invasion’ and ‘attack’ and the violent and upsetting images being shown in the media are going to be frightening for all children, particularly those who have experienced traumatic pasts.
It is possible that children will be trying to make sense of this information by asking questions. Our own emotions can influence how we respond to these questions sensitively and appropriately.
This document aims to help you consider what information to share and how you can help your child/young person understand what is going on. Links to other helpful resources are also shared.Take care of yourself
- Whilst watching or reading the news can help keep us. informed, limiting news intake can help to reduce anxiety.
- The emotions that you’re feeling can be overwhelming. Remember to take time for things that you enjoy.
- Talk to someone you trust about your thoughts and feelings.Listen to your child/young person
When listening
- Stay honest – if you don’t know the answer, that is OK.
- Keep it simple - consider the child/young person’s age and stage of development.
- Normalise all feelings - there are no “bad” or “wrong” emotions.
- Follow their lead – respond to questions and give them to the space to ask.
- Be mindful of language- avoid phrases like “calm down” or “stop worrying”.
Consider how to help them feel safe
- Maintain routine- consistency helps in times of uncertainty. If change is unavoidable, communicate this change in advance and give your child time to adjust.
- Check social media engagement- the current events are trending across social media platforms and are easily accessible by children and young people.
- Watch where they are getting their news- Not all the information is accurate or appropriate.
- Make time for fun- encourage children to take part in activities that help them feel calm e.g., spending time with friends, painting, swimming.Empower you child/young person
Despite the devastation there is so much help, care and love being demonstrated around the world. Help your child consider these and think about what they can do to help. Examples can be found here.Helpful Links
Newsround have explained some of the key terms being used to talk about the war in Ukraine. The link can be found here.
Newsround also have a page on their website titled ‘Advice if you are upset by the news’. It shares some tips about what to do if children/young people are feeling upset about what they have seen/heard. This can be found here.
Time for Kids – Shares news for children – it gives you the opportunity to input the child’s age to find the most appropriate material.Credit and Thanks to:
EDPSY - https://edpsy.org.uk/blog/2022/talking-to-children-and-young-people-about-war-in-ukraine/
Dr MDC - https://www.drmdc.co.uk/
TISUK – www.traumainformedschools.co.uk
Save the Children - How to talk to children about war | Save the Children UK
Barnardo’s Ireland - talking-to-children-about-war.pdf (barnardos.ie)
BPS- Supporting children to manage anxiety over war, conflict and crises | BPS -
Dydd Gwyl Dewi - St.David's Day Celebrations 2022
Fri 04 Mar 2022 -
Just Play Football
Wed 02 Mar 2022
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Online courses
Tue 01 Mar 2022
Dear All,
It’s been an anxious year for many adults, children and young people alike. We know many of you are worried about the impact of the pandemic on your children.
BRAND NEW!! Online course ‘Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing’ from the Solihull Approach (NHS).
Access for free:
Did you know Public Health Wales have PRE-PAID for every parent and carer in Wales to access a course for parents/carers (access now for life-long access)? FREE (with access code: SWSOL or NWSOL at: www.inourplace.co.uk) for residents in our area. There are courses for parents, carers and grandparents about children from bump to 19+ years.
How do I access for free?
Go to www.inourplace.co.uk and register, and then please use SWSOL if you live in South and Mid Wales and NWSOL if you live in North Wales to get free access to all the online courses (funded for residents): or
If, like many parents, you have already used this code, log into your account here and this course will be ready in your dashboard to start whenever you are ready.
Can I tell my family and friends?
Absolutely! Share the news with family members and other families in the area so that they too can take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.
How long is it?
‘Understanding your child’s mental health and wellbeing’ itself is in 2 parts (2 modules long in total):
1. Take Part 1….
2. …then take ‘Understanding your child’ OR ‘Understanding your child with additional needs’ (11 modules each taking 10-15 minutes to complete, benefitting from time to digest in between)….
3. …then take Part 2.
If you like this…
…you might like the other courses ‘Understanding your teenager’s brain’ (short course) or ‘Understanding your child’s feelings’ (taster course) , or other courses in the series. www.inourplace.co.uk
