WAW!!! Llongyfarchiadau enfawr i’n Criw Cymraeg sydd wedi ennill cystadleuaeth Den Y Dreigiau Ysgolion Castell Nedd Port Talbot heddiw. Enillon nhw £1000 i wario ar ddatblygu’r Gymraeg o gwmpas yr ysgol a’r gymuned leol. Roedd eu cyflwyniad dwyieithog yn hynod o broffesiynol ac angerddol dros yr iaith. Diolch yn fawr i Miss Holland, Mrs Thomas a’r staff i gyd am yr holl waith i gefnogi’r criw.
WOW!!! Huge congratulations to our Criw Cymraeg who won the Neath Port Talbot Schools Dragon’s Den competition today. They won a prize of £1000 to spend on developing the use of Welsh across our school and local community. Their bilingual presentation was very professional, highlighting thier obvious passion for our language. Many thanks to Miss Holland, Mrs Thomas and all staff for their support to the crew.
Cynhelir wasanaeth Dydd Y Cofio parchus ac urddasol yn yr ysgol ar ddydd Mawrth. Roedden wrth ein boddau i groesawu S4C am y gwasanaeth. A very respectful and dignified whole school Remembrance Service was held on Tuesday. We were delighted to welcome S4C to the service.
Please click here to see the coverage of our service, as shown on the S4C programme Heno on Tuesday evening.
Llongyfarchiadau enfawr i Ceirion yn dosbarth 7MLA sydd wedi ennill y gystadleuaeth ffotograffiaeth Blwyddyn 7-13 yn Eisteddfod Y Cymoedd yng Nghaerffili eleni. Huge congratulations to Ceirion in class 7MLA who recently won the Year 7-13 photography competition at the Valleys Eisteddfod in Caerphilly.
Hyfryd iawn oedd gweld Rocco ac Ariana o Flwyddyn 11 yn cynrychioli’r ysgol yng ngwasanaeth Sul Y Cofio yn Llansawel. It was lovely to see Year 11 pupils Rocco and Ariana representing the school at the Remembrance Sunday service in Briton Ferry.
Llongyfarchiadau to our Seren Yr Wythnos Cayden Macey and Dylan Fernandez, awarded to both for their outstanding teamwork and example to others. Congratulations to the Year 7 pupils who have been selected to join our Health Eco Action Team and to those chosen to play a leading part in our Whole School Remembrance Service on Tuesday 12th November 2024.
Blwyddyn 8/Year 8
Da iawn to this week’s Seren Yr Wythnos, Naomi Gomedza and Amelia Edwards. This has been awarded for their fantastic contribution to the girls’ basketball team and their sportsmanship, which has seen the team qualify for the Welsh finals! Da iawn merched. This week has also seen Year 8 launch the annual Mr X Christmas Appeal to all year groups across the school. The charity ensures disadvantaged children in the local community receive gifts on Christmas Day! This is always well supported by the YBB School Community and their families.
Huge congratulations to our year 7&8 girls’ basketball team; Neath and Port Talbot Regional Champions.
This Week
Remembrance Service – 12th November 2024
Sports Fixtures
Fixtures/training week beginning 11th -15th Nov
Mon 11th – Year 7/8 Netball training/matches 3-4pm
Tues 12th – Year 7 Boys rugby development festival (9.30-12pm) at St Josephs Comp.
Year 9 and 11 Netball fixture v Maesteg (Home)
Year 8 boys football v St.Joseph’s (away)
Year 10 boys football v St Josephs (home)
Year 9/10 Girls Basketball Tournament (Sports Hall 1-3pm)
Year 8/9 Hockey training (after school)
Weds 13th – Year 7 Hockey training (lunchtime)
Year 7 boys rugby v Llangatwg (home)
Thurs 14th – Year 7 girls’ rugby festival (Brynteg Comp, Bridgend – 9.30-12pm)
Children In Need
Friday 15th November
Non Uniform Day – £1 donation
Lunchtime fundraising—face painting, stalls, games and activities, raffles (please bring in loose change.)
Achievement Tree at YBB
A big well done to the pupils who have been nominated for September & October for an impressive start to the school year. Focus for November & December now turns to setting a good example to others. Thank you to Mr John (Art) who co-ordinates this initiative. It is an impressive art display and pupils really do enjoy seeing their names up on the wall!!
Charity Fundraising
A big thank you to all who supported our last fund raiser – The Megan Mai Foundation. Megan’s dad, came into school and we presented him with a cheque for £150 for the amazing charity he runs to support seriously ill children and their families, in many ways through their difficult times.
Llongyfarchaidau enfawr merched! Pencampwyr Pel-Fasged Blwyddyn 7&8 Castell Nedd Port Talbot! Huge congratulations to our Year 7&8 Neath Port Talbot Basketball Champions!
Click here to see details of our Whole School Remembrance Day service, taking place in school on Tuesday 12th November 2024, due to GCSE exams for year 11 on Monday 11th November 2024. We kindly ask that all pupils are in full school uniform with a suitable coat for the weather conditions on the day (25 minute outside service).
As we approach a well-earned half-term break, I would like to thank all pupils, staff and parents/carers for their continued support since September. There are a couple of things I would like to draw to your attention in readiness for pupils returning to school on Tuesday 5th November (Monday 4th November is an INSET Day).
Attendance
Whilst attendance levels in the primary and secondary phase have increased on this time last year, we are like many schools, still below pre-COVID levels. We have a variety of provisions within school to support attendance and regularly reinforce the importance of good attendance with pupils. If for any reason, a pupil is going to be absent, please contact the school reception so that an appropriate absence code can be applied. The Welsh Government now class a pupil as being a persistent absentee if their attendance is below 90%.
Punctuality
Various changes to protocols for recording and improving punctuality to school introduced in the summer term has seen a reduction in numbers of children arriving late to school. Can I remind pupils in the secondary phase and parents that registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Please make every effort to be there on time.
Uniform
Thank you again to those parents who are ensuring pupils arrive in school in full school uniform. We hope our flexible approach to having fewer branded items mean that it is more affordable for parents. Please ensure that when we return to school after the holiday, pupils are in uniform as described on our website. It is not acceptable to arrive in school wearing sporting attire unless it is for a legitimate sporting activity – in which case the PE Department will have communicated this.
Secondary Breakfast Club
We have manged to secure funding to provide free toast and a hot chocolate from 7:45 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. This will be available in the small canteen area every day and there will be staff supervision. We are hoping to secure additional funding in order to be able to continue this initiative in the Spring Term.
Safeguarding
Keeping everybody safe on the school site is a priority. I kindly ask that parents/carers avoid parking their cars on the double yellow lines by main reception. If you are dropping pupils off for breakfast club, nursery etc please park in one of the designated parking bays. Similarly, I would ask that parents remain in their cars with the engine off after school if you are parked in the front car park. The gates are closed between 2:40 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. to minimise the amount of traffic moving on site. This way I can continue to allow people to park on site and ensure pupils leave in a safe manner.
School Production
We are delighted to announce that this year’s school production will be The Wizard of OZ. It will take place 18th-20th February 2025. It is fair to say that excitement levels are rising already!!
I hope everybody has a lovely half-term and we look forward to welcoming the pupils back on Tuesday 5th November.
An evening of celebration for our current Year 11 pupils has been provisionally booked to be held at the Manor Park Country House, Clydach, on Tuesday the 24th of June 2025.
We have tried to promote this event as fully inclusive and as such there is certainly no expectations of formal dress. Return transport will also be provided for all pupils who wish to attend. Whilst we all want to enjoy the evening, school cannot be responsible for any extra costs associated with this event and encourage all families to keep this in mind when making choices. This year the ticket cost will be approximately £42 and will be payable via Parent Pay when opened in the Spring Term. We will confirm the ticket price as soon as the venue release their new season prices in the new year.
Pupils and their families and friends can meet at the front of the school, for photographs between 5:15 – 6:00pm. We will leave school promptly at 6:00pm and travel by coach to the Manor Park Country House for the celebrations, which include a raffle, buffet, and disco. This is always an enjoyable night and a great end to their school lives. The pupils need to be collected from the rear school car park on their return at approximately 11:00pm. As usual, we thank parents in advance for not attending the venue due to the logistical and safety issues this presents.
All pupils will start the year with an invite, and we hope that by embracing their final year of school in a positive way this evening of celebration can be shared by everyone. However, if there are any reasons why this may not be the case the pastoral team will be linking with pupils and parents to try to support a positive outcome, but this will be at the discretion of the Headteacher.
Additionally, there will be a Leavers Assembly on Friday 20th of June at school for Year 11 pupils only and further details will be shared closer to the time.
BINGO! Our Year 7’s have been completing their kindness bingo cards this week, displaying a number of random acts of kindness. We have used our lovely manners, we have offered each other help, positive praise and shown a respectful attitude. Kindness spreads kindness and it is scientifically proven to be good for us.
Llongyfarchiadau to our Seren yr Wythnos this week, Jaxon Malyn for his incredible kindness and Callan Boxall for a consistently excellent effort and attitude. Equally, llongyfarchiadau to our winners for Gwobr Cymreictod, Abdullah Nazirov and Erin Jones for their positive attitude towards Wales, Welsh, its culture and heritage.
Blwyddyn 8/Year 8
Well done to this week’s Year 8 Seren Yr Wythnos which went to Michael Owen and Casey Button for achieving such a high number of positive perxs in one week and being a remarkable friend and role model respectively. Well done and congratulations both!
This week 8GDA planned and presented a fantastic assembly to Years 7 and 8 on Diwrnod Shwmae and the importance of keeping the Welsh language alive. Thank you to Mr Davies and the pupils in his form. Finally, several pupils from 8ACH and 8JLE have been busy rehearsing this week for Monday’s ‘BANG’ project which will be performed to Year 6 on Monday to highlight the dangers of Bonfire Night and how pupils and their families can enjoy the event safely.
Eisteddfod Y Cymoedd Ysgol Cwm Rhymni 18 Hydref 2024
Ar nos Wener, aeth 35 o’n disgyblion i Ysgol Cwm Rhymni er mwyn cystadlu yn Eisteddfod Y Cymoedd 2024. Mi roedd yn noson hyfryd a llwyddiannus iawn iddynt, diolch yn fawr iawn i Mrs Murphy-Harries am baratoi’r grŵp i berfformio a mynd â nhw am brofiad gwerthfawr iawn,
On Friday night, 35 of our pupils visited Ysgol Cwm Rhymney to take part in Eisteddfod Y Rhondda 2024. It was a lovely and very successful evening for them, huge thanks to Mrs Murphy-Harries for preparing the group to perform and taking them on a very valuable learning experience.
2il Chloe Evans Ysgol Bae Baglan 3ydd Grace Smith Ysgol Bae Baglan
Art Department
A selection of our pupils are currently exhibiting their work at the Queen Street Gallery during the Neath Arts Festival. Mr John and Mrs Noonan also have their own artwork on display.
Over 40 pupils have entered the Hoop Education ‘create a pumpkin’ competition. Many thanks to all that contributed. We’ve had some amazing entries and winners will be announced over the next few weeks.
Upper School
Year 10 Personal Development classes have been working with MorganStone Construction as part of their Careers and Work Related Education. Pupils have enjoyed learning about a wide range of careers in construction. They have been matching skills to Project Managers, Health and Safety Officers, Quantity Surveyors along with Marketing and Digital Services.
Pupils had the opportunity to create their own bluprints of homes and public buildings when learning about maths in construction. Past pupil Dylan Samuel is working for the company, he is in the process of completing a higher apprenticeship. Dylan has been very engaging and he has been excellent at building relationships with pupils.
Year 11 have had a busy week starting with parents’ evening on Monday. Pupils have also had end of topic tests in Science and English assessments.
The Rugby Leaders spent the day in Llandarcy working with primary pupils using rugby skills to build confidence.
Year 11 Leaders met to plan Children in Need activities, Year 11 are looking to oversee the events for November 15th.
Neath Port Talbot College came into year 11 assembly to discuss further education options.
On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of meeting with the Year 11 Leaders. As well as takaing the opportunity to award the pupils with their certificates for their successful applications, it was a nice opportunity to listen to their views and opinions about a range of issues and their plans for the year ahead.
PE Department
Summary of results for this week (14th-18th Oct)
Rugby
Weds 16th – Our Year 11 Rugby leaders assisted with Primary festival at Llandarcy Academy of Sport
Thurs 17th – Year 7 boys rugby v Cwm Brombil – Lost
Netball
Thurs 17th – Year 7A v St Josephs – Won
Year 7B v St Josephs – Won
Year 7C v St Josephs – Lost
Year 8A v St Josephs – Lost
Year 8B v St Josephs – Lost
Football
Weds 16th Year 7 boys football v Cwm Brombil – Won
Year 9 boys football v Cwm Brombil – Won
Thurs 17th – Year 11 boys football v Cwm Brombil – Lost
Fixtures/training for next week (14th – 18th Oct)
Monday 21st
Year 7 boys rugby training (lunch)
Year 8 netball training (3-3.45)
Tuesday 22nd
Cross Country Relay races (Cwmtawe school -12pm until 4.30pm)
Year 8/9 Girls rugby – “Road to the principality” competition (Ysgol Bae Baglan 9am -2.30pm)
Year 9 boys rugby development festival at Cenfig School
Year 8/9 Hockey training (after school)
Year 7 netball v Cwm Brombil (away)
Wednesday 23rd
Year 8/9 boys rugby training (lunch)
Year 7 hockey training (lunch)
Year 10 football match v Cwm Brombil (home- after school)
Year 9/10/11 netball training (after school)
Our Year 11 Rugby leaders will once again be assisting with a Primary festival at Llandarcy Academy of Sport
Thursday 24th
Year 10/11 girls rugby – “Road to the principality” competition (Aberavon Green Stars- 9am -2.30pm)
35 of our amazing pupils visited Ysgol Cwm Rhymni in Caerphilly on Friday evening to compete at Eisteddfod Y Cymoedd 2024. Click on the link here to read more about their fabulous success at the event.
