Christmas Letter

December 2019

Dear Parent/Guardian
Annwyl Riant/Warchodwr

I am writing to you at the end of a very busy and very productive first term of the academic year. As you will be aware, we had a great set of results in the summer, which started the year well. The positivity of these results has continued throughout the term. I am looking forward to sharing with you the Categorisation of the school by GwE once it has gone through local and regional moderation.

Whilst all of the above is really important, what makes me most proud of the school and the learners in particular is that the vast majority of learners continue to work hard and make a positive contribution to the school. This is a pleasure to be part of each day.

Term Dates and End of Term Arrangements 
As you will already be aware, term ends on Friday 20th December at the usual time of 3.10pm. Learners should be in uniform on this date but they will be allowed to wear Christmas jumpers or accessories. It is crucial that all Year 11 learners ensure that they have full school uniform because they will be having their official school photographs on that day. They will, of course, be able to add Christmas accessories after the photographs have been taken. All this information has been shared with learners over the last few weeks.

The new term will start for all learners on Tuesday 7 th January 2020 

Winter Showcase and Carol Concert
The school hosted its second Winter Showcase in school last week. It was a fantastic event and I would like to thank all the parents and family members who attended this. The learners were wonderful and certainly made us all feel more festive. This week we have had our annual carol concert. This is always a great opportunity to take Year 7 and Year 8 to a church in the community and celebrate together. There were lovely performances from many of our talented learners.

Appointment of New Headteacher
As you are already aware from my earlier letter, I will be leaving my post at the end of the summer term to take up the Headship of another secondary school. I am pleased to report that the Governing Body have appointed a new Headteacher to the school. Mrs Nichols, currently Deputy Headteacher in the school, will replace me as Headteacher from the 1st September 2020. Mrs Nichols is currently in her 30th year of teaching at the school and knows the school and the community well. She is looking forward to working with you to continuing to develop the school.

Attendance
Attendance to school has been lower across the whole school this year. Many of our learners have been affected by recent illness and we are aware of this. We will be sending out a letter at the start of the new term to inform parents of their child’s current attendance. We want to ensure that every learner maximises their attendance to school to give them the best chances of success. As a school, we are committed to co-operating with you as parents/guardians to promote excellent attendance and punctuality for our learners. Ultimately, their success is dependent on high attendance to create a foundation for learning. Please assist us by ensuring that your son/daughter arrives in school before 8.55 am as key tasks are undertaken in PDP every day.

Uniform
I would like to thank the support received from the majority of parents/carers in ensuring that their child attends school in the correct school uniform. This is a very important part of being a member of the Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan school community. I will be asking all Pastoral Leaders to contact home where uniform is not as agreed in the school prospectus to ensure that any issues are rectified. I would appreciate you supporting the long-established expectations in terms of uniform.

Traffic Management on site
I would like to take the opportunity to remind you of the procedures we have in place to maximise the safety of learners, staff and members of the public whilst on the school site:

• Site speed limit of 5mph - please adhere to this.  
• One way system in operation within the school grounds. 
• Designated bus bays - please refrain from parking in these. 
• Designated chevron drop off areas at the front of the school to be used for learners to be disembarked from vehicles.  
• Designated crossing areas and footpaths - please encourage your child to use these. 
• School gates are closed at designated times to allow safe boarding of buses by learners at the end of the day. 

Thank you for your patience and support with these procedures. They are in place predominantly to ensure the safety of all of our learners.

Next Term 
We are already looking forward to the start of the new term. Please follow us on Twitter and visit the website regularly to see what is going on in the school.

As part of our plans for the new term, we will be investing £100,000 in the development of the Design Technology area of the school. This will provide further enhancement to the learning environment and the facilities that our learners have access to. We will keep you informed of the progress.

Finally, I would again like to thank you for your support over the last term and your continuing support as we continue to make Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan a place we are all proud of.

Best wishes for Christmas and the New Year/Nadolig llawen a blwyddyn newydd dda. Dare to Achieve@Emrys

Yours sincerely Yr eiddoch yn gywir
Mr L. Cummins
Headteacher / Prifathro

Welcome Back

Welcome to the first blog of 2019.  


It has been fantastic to be back at school. 
This year we have welcomed over 180 new Year Seven learners to the school and they have made a really positive start to their time in Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan.  We look forward to seeing them grow and develop as their time continues in the school.  They have already been involved in some great learning!

We have also welcomed back over 100 learners to the Sixth Form at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan.  Many of these are former learners however, we are also delighted to welcome new learners from many other schools.  Again, the Sixth Form have had a very positive first week and we look forward to working with them to make sure that they make outstanding progress.

There are many opportunities throughout this first half term for all our learners.  Please make sure you keep up with them on the Engage@Emrys part of the school website.  We really do want all our learners to take the opportunity to gain new skills and try new things.

Duke Of Edinburgh Expedition

Congratulations to all the Year 11 learners who took part in the Duke of Edinburgh expeditions this week.  I am sure it was hard work, but you all did your very best.

This week learners will be starting to prepare for the elections to the school council.  Mr Wood has carried out assemblies in each year group so all learners are aware of the way the elections will be carried out. 

We are looking forward to another productive and enjoyable week at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan.

Sixth Form Results 2019

Today our learners saw the rewards for their hard work, their ability and their commitment to their own learning.  So many Year 13's achieved and exceeded their own expectations it was fantastic to see.

Below is some more detail about the successes of our learners however, the most important thing was they all demonstrated, through the time at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan a determination to 'Dare to Achieve'.

The learners, parents and staff at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan are celebrating the best set of A level and AS level results the schools has ever achieved. The pass rate for A level was 99.5% and over two thirds of the grades awarded at A Level were the higher grades. The school has performed well at both A- Level and vocational qualifications. There was exceptional performance in Applied Science where over half of the learners achieved a distinction. Learners who studied for the industry standard qualification in Hair and Beauty also passed with flying colours.

The school was pleased to be joined by Dafydd Ifans- Head of Education Services and Cllr Julie Fallon- Portfolio Holder for Education Services. They met with learners and parents to share in their success.  

Due the outstanding results many learners are now gearing up to head off to university to follow their chosen path with others heading off for work or apprentiships. The joy of the results is that all learners are able to move onto the next stage in their learning journey.

Headteacher Lee Cummins says he is delighted with the Year 12 and 13 learners’ results.

He said “The learners have again achieved a great set of results across the range of academic and vocational subjects we offer at the school. Each year learners are out performing the previous year which is great to see however, the most important outcome for these results is that learners can fulfil their ambitions and I am delighted that so many are able to move onto university or other routes based on their stunning performance.

He added “The sixth form provision in the school continues to grow and develop and these results are testimony to the hard work of the learners and staff who have worked tirelessly to make them happen. We couldn’t do this without the great support we receive from parents and I would like to thank them for helping us make sure every young person achieves at the highest level’

Some exceptional performances included;

Matthew Fox A*A*A

Patrick Davies A*AAB

Sam McDonald AAB

Sadie Wagstaff AABC

Eve Wetton Dist*AAB

Learners in Year 12 performed equally well with some great performances. Many learners in the year group achieved 3 or more A grades. John Symour, head of Sixth at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan commented that

“This year’s performance at AS level means that learners can move confidently into their final year at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan knowing that they can achieve their best.”

Some of the exceptional performances include;

Cristina Costea - AAABC

Lillian Crabtree – BBB

There is still time to enrol on courses for 2018-19. Please contact Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan on info@emrysapiwan.conwy.gov.uk or visit the school on Friday 23rd August between 9am and 11am. Enrolment will also be available on the 2nd-3rd September between 9am and 3pm. Application forms can also be completed from the school website.

The Sixth Form

I wanted to use this Blog to focus on our Sixth Form.  Having a Sixth Form, which focuses on both the Academic Routes and the Vocational Routes for our learners is something which makes Post 16 Education at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan unique.  It is an area of our work that we are really proud of.

Whats on offer?
We offer a wide range of courses to suit all learners.  There are links to the prospectus below.  If you need further information please contact us using the contact details on the website.




























What do our learners say?

‘The learners and teachers at Emrys are friendly and helpful.  Coming from a different school they made me feel welcome and helped me to settle in immediately’

‘Emrys Sixth Form provides difficult yet motivating challenges – the school ensures learners are fully supported so that they can achieve their goals’

‘My teachers have been passionate and motivating and the help received in completing my UCAS application has been brilliant’

‘Emrys Sixth Form has been an enjoyable challenge in a familiar and supportive environment.  I have matured, developed in confidence, broadened my experiences and improved incredibly in my learning’

How successful is the Sixth Form?

This is a very exciting time for our Sixth Form after a summer where we achieved our best ever A Level results. This isn’t something that happened by accident -  we believe that every learner matters and to this end we plan everything that we do to meeting the needs of every individual. We are able to offer a wide range of advanced courses, small class sizes, individual mentoring and private study support. We have invested considerably in improving the accommodation and facilities for our sixth form.  As a school we value our sixth formers and are committed to enabling them to thrive academically and personally. Our Sixth Form aims to provide a structured and supportive environment where learners flourish and develop the skills needed to go on to be successful in their chosen careers, training and/or Higher Education. We offer a full range of qualifications including A-Levels as well as vocational BTEC courses. Learners are also encouraged to broaden their experiences, involve themselves in the community and to enjoy learning in its broadest context.

Where can I get more information?

The Sixth Form has a dedicated area on the schools website.  This can be accessed by following the link below.

The Sixth Form Website

You can also contact Mr John Seymour, Pastoral Leader for the Sixth Form by emailing him on the address shown below.

You can also contact the school by telephone on 01745 832287

If you are interested in joining Emrys Sixth, please complete the Admission Interest form below.  We also welcome external applications from other schools.

If completing electronically, right click and 'Save As'.  Open the form using Adobe Acrobat Reader (free download).  Complete the form, Save and email to Mr Seymour at:   staff.jps@emrysapiwan.conwy.sch.uk

   Sixth Form Admission Interest Form

The actual application form will be available once the option blocks are finalised during the summer term.

LINC Conwy

   LINC Conwy Application Form

Consultation on School Modernisation in Abergele

As many of you will be aware the Council have started a consultation on the plan for Primary and Secondary School provision in Abergele.  Whilst the plan is mainly focussed on the provision for Primary Schools it does give a once in a life time opportunity for everyone in the community to have an input into the 'shape' of education in this area.

An event took place this week, in Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan, for all stakeholders to come and express their opinions on what education could look like in the area.  There is also a questionnaire which is shown at the bottom of this blog page which you can use to feedback your views.

I would encourage all members of the community to have their say and make sure we end up with the high quality provision that continues the success of education in the Abergele Community.

Link to Further Information

School Modernisation Questionnaire

Update...

I just thought I would take the opportunity to share with you a few things that are going in in school at the moment.  It has been a great start to the term. 

For any of you that did not receive a copy of my letter at the end of the last term I have included a link below to this.

 Headteachers Easter Letter

Year 11 

The majority of Year 11 learners have made a really positive start to the GCSE Exams.  We know how challenging time it can be and we are doing everything we can to support the learners.  Please make sure you are looking on the school website to see the plan for each week.  All lessons are being used for revision and preparation.

Follow the link below to the Study for Success section of the website.

Study for Success

Using Time Wisely

Last week the whole school reflected on how we can use time wisely.  We identified that there are
86 000 seconds in each day.  We also talked about the fact that you can not 'bank' this time or save it for another day.  It is was money we would make sure it was spent.  As time we should use it wisely. 

A great way for learners to use their time is to get involved in the activities offered through the Engage @ Emrys programme.  Details of the current activities on offer can be found on the school website.

Inspiring Writing 

Last week learners from Year Seven took part in our 'Inspiring Writers Day'.  We had lots of great visitors who inspired our learners to undertake some amazing writing. 

Learners as Leaders - Part 1

Giving the learners in Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan the opportunity to develop leadership skills is a really important  part of our work.

We try to ensure that all learners get the opportunity to lead teams inside and outside the classroom.  We know that the opportunity to practice and develop these skills is a really important part of the education we offer.

Some of the groups of learners who lead elements of the schools work are shown below.  We have also tried to highlight the areas of the school and the wider community that they influence.

AMBASSADORS 

Who:  For learners from Year 9 who volunteered, and who were willing to be elected, were chosen to act as representatives for the Children’s Commissioner for Wales, Sally Holland, to promote young people’s rights and the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child.

Purpose:  Inform other learners in the school about the Children’s Commissioner for Wales and her work.

Make sure other pupils know about young people’s rights under the UNCRC.

Achievements in 2018/19

Planned an assembly on their roles in the school (dates still to be finalised)

Planned and to deliver a session for Year 8 to be delivered on the Enrichment Day on the 28thMarch

SPORTS AMBASSADORS 

Who:  A Young Ambassador is an outstanding and committed sports leader that takes on the additional responsibility of increasing participation, promoting PE and school sport and being a link between teachers and young people.

Purpose:

• Be the young person's voice for PE and School Sport.
• Promote the positive values of sport at Emrys ap Iwan and in the wider community.
• Be a role model and PE champion at all times.
• Increase participation opportunities and promote healthy lifestyles
• Participate in Engage clubs on a regular basis.
• Lead a warm up/cool down with lessons or during club.
• Be involved with sporting events within school sport.
• Manage and assist with the organising of sporting events in the PE calendar.

Achievements in 2018/19:

1. Sports ambassadors’ day at Nant BH. Outdoor Education day to understand their roles and responsibilities, as well as how to develop sport in the school community with Conwy PE and sports officers.
2. Successful meeting to highlight their peers views on curricular and extra-curricular provision, which feeds into the engage@emrys programme, self-evaluation and assist with curriculum mapping.

ECO COMMITTEE

Who: 

Purpose:  Identify opportunities to improve the school environment and enable the school to operate sustainably. Implement any actions required to improve the school environment.

Achievements in 2018/19

• Produced a whole school audit and currently discussing actions required and the priorities for these actions.