School News..

COVID-19 Update 24.02.2020

Statement by Kirsty Williams, Minister for Education

 I’d like to thank parents for listening to the advice and keeping most children at home. I’d be grateful if tomorrow morning you only use schools or childcare as a last resort.

 The advice has not changed as a result of tonight’s decision to further restrict movement, which our First Minister, along with other UK leaders took with the sole aim of slowing the spread of coronavirus.

 Children should be at home wherever possible, critical workers will still need to have safe care arrangements for their children.  Our schools and childcare settings are providing a vital service to support critical workers and our most vulnerable children.

 Those involved in the current arrangements looking after children should continue. Many thanks to our amazing teaching and childcare professionals for their commitment in this time of national need.

 This situation will continue for the immediate term but we will be reviewing with healthcare professionals, local authorities and our teaching unions.

Datganiad gan Kirsty Williams, Gweinidog dros Addysg

 Hoffwn ddiolch i rhieni am wrando ar y cyngor a chadw’r rhan fwyaf o blant gartref. Byddwn yn ddiolchgar bore fory os fyddech ond yn defnyddio ysgolion neu ofal plant fel dewis olaf.

 Nid yw’r cyngor wedi newid o ganlyniad i’r penderfyniad heno i gyfyngu ymhellach ar symud, penderfyniad a gymrwyd gan ein Prif Weinidog, ynghyd ag arweinwyr eraill y DU, gyda’r nod o arafu lledaeniad coronafeirws.

 Dylai plant fod gartref lle bynnag y bo’n bosibl. Bydd angen o hyd i weithwyr critigol gael trefniadau gofal diogel ar gyfer eu plant. Mae ein hysgolion a’n lleoliadau gofal plant yn darparu gwasanaeth hanfodol i gefnogi gweithwyr critigol a’r plant sydd fwyaf agored i niwed.

 Dylai’r rhai sy’n ymwneud â’r trefniadau presennol barhau i ofalu am blant. Diolch yn fawr i’n gweithwyr addysgu a gofal plant anhygoel am eu hymrwymiad yn y cyfnod hwn o angen cenedlaethol.

 Bydd y sefyllfa hon yn parhau am y tymor byr ond byddwn yn adolygu gyda gweithwyr gofal iechyd proffesiynol, awdurdodau lleol a’n hundebau athrawon.

COVID-19  Local Authority statement. 

Dear Parents, Carers and School Colleagues,

RE: COVID-19

I am writing directly to you to provide reassurance at the current time in relation to the coronavirus outbreak of COVID-19. Schools provide education and care to all pupils in our communities. School leaders and their staff are professionals who continue where possible to come into work and prioritise our children and young people because they deserve and thrive on the experiences that schools provide. I applaud their continued support for education in Pembrokeshire at this difficult time.

I have also become aware that a number of our school leaders and staff have been subjected to verbal abuse and online abuse for following the advice provided directly by the government. This is unacceptable. Where parents and families have genuine and legitimate concerns they should raise them through the school’s complaints policy.

All our schools are following the guidance provided by Public Health Wales and the Welsh Government in relation to school opening. The latest guidance is here. https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-educational-settings-guidance  Closing our schools when we are currently able to provide sufficient staff would have a significant impact on our communities. This includes key workers particularly in our health service. If schools were closed at the current time many key workers would have no option but to stay at home and this would disrupt our health service. In due course we may have to change our position and that will be communicated via the council’s website and schools

Yours faithfully,

Steven Richards-Downes

Acting Director for Children and Schools

Estyn November 2019.

We are delighted to share with you the outcome of the recent Estyn inspection visit. Estyn have confirmed that the school has addressed all of the issues identified in the May 2018 inspection.

Key highlights from the report are:

• The standards of teaching and learning have improved significantly across the school. 
• Teachers provide exciting, relevant learning experiences that engage pupils successfully. 
• Teachers have high expectations that their pupils will work hard and try to do their best. 
• All staff have worked hard to develop a consistent approach to providing feedback to pupils 
• Collaborative working at all levels has improved since the core inspection. 
• Teachers and learning support assistants know that their work is valued and are committed to achieving the best outcomes for their pupils 
• The headteacher has managed the changes at the school thoughtfully. He has been consistent in his expectations that all teachers will take part in the school’s improvement journey. There is now a purposeful working culture at the school. 

The school is committed to building upon these firm foundations, ensuring that all pupils make the progress of which they are capable.

To access the full report click here.

Open Afternoon.

Thank you to parents and guardians who attended school for our open afternoon, sharing the learning journey we have gone on as a school. It was a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon with children sharing and leading the learning for parents. The school is always looking for ways to improve, it has made significant progress during the past 14 months and is keen to maintain this development.  Your views are important to us as a school and we encourage all parents to provide feedback helping the school continue its journey.

Message from our Mr Allen and the Governors. 

Choosing the right school for your child is vitally important. Parents want a good education for their child but they also want them to be happy and to feel safe and secure. At Saundersfoot School we believe that we can offer all these things.

The dedication of all staff ensures that they support the development of resilient, creative and ambitious learners who will become positive members of the local and wider community. We also pride ourselves in having strong values within the school to drive good citizenship and help our pupils to be valuable members of our future society. 

Reading about the school is helpful, however, visiting the school is essential so you can experience the nurturing, inclusive ethos within each class and the school.