Dear Parents and Pupils

I do hope that you, your families and the whole Prestatyn community are doing well during these unprecedented times. I would like to pay tribute to the whole community in your efforts to follow the guidelines on staying at home during the recent firebreak and observing the social distancing rules. Years 7 and 8, who attended school last week, were fantastic and it was pleasing to see so many Yrs. 9-13 engage with their teachers online.

Historically exams have been the fairest way to differentiate attainment and award achievement, however it has been clear for some time that due to the number of schools that have had to send entire year groups home, it would be unfair to hold end of year examinations. Today the Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, announced there would be no end of year exams for GCSE, AS and A level qualifications in 2021.

In her press release she has outlined how externally set and marked teacher assessments will form the basis for centre assessment grades.
Please read the letter from Kirsty Williams Minister for Education - 2020-11-10 - letter to schools and colleges Summer 2021

The Welsh Government will be finalising their plans in December and schools will be given further guidance in the spring term.

Once Welsh Government expectations becomes clearer we will keep you updated via letters and the school website on any new information we receive off the Government, WJEC and Qualifications Wales.

Yours faithfully,

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.
Pennaeth Headteacher

Dear Parent/Carer

Two vacancies have arisen on the School’s Governing Body for a position as Parent Governor as a result of two of our existing parent governors’ term of office coming to an end.

A nomination paper will be sent home with Prestatyn High School pupils for these positions and if you are interested in standing or inviting another parent to stand please ensure the nomination paper is fully completed and returned to (Mrs. Liz Thomas, Clerk of Governors) by 1.00pm on Thursday 19^th November, 2020.

The role of Governor can be both demanding and interesting and I would be happy to discuss this with anyone who would like further information.

Yours faithfully

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.

Pennaeth Headteacher

20^th October, 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

Download the letter - PHS November Circuit Break

I do hope you are well and coping with the extraordinary times we are going through.

As announced on the 19^th October by the First Minister, Wales is entering a short period of lockdown with secondary schools only to be open to Year 7 and 8 pupils for the week beginning 2^nd November.

During this time the school will remain open to all staff and we will switch to online learning for Years 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. This means that the working methods we established and developed during the first lockdown will now swing into operation. Your teachers will soon be in touch with you with further instructions about how the online learning will work. For the year groups that will not be in school it is important to remember that this is not an extended holiday, they are expected to work from home for this week.

As a school, we are extremely disappointed that five out of the seven of our year groups have been asked to work from home for the week after half term, especially with most of these years having important examinations coming next year. Unfortunately, this is beyond our control, but we will do everything we can to ensure continuity of learning for these pupils and students.

If any pupils and students have issues accessing online learning please inform the school before we break for ½ term so that we can organise alternative arrangements. Pupils and students that were issued with a school device during the first lockdown must use these devices again to access the online work set by your teachers.

Key points

• Pupils and students in receipt of free school meals will once again have money paid into their parent’s accounts. Please contact DCC direct if you do not receive these funds using the following phone number 01824 706000, or email address: 

benefits@denbighshire.gov.uk

• The Year 7 and 8 pupils that remain in the school for the week after ½ term will continue to receive a full, broad and balanced curriculum. We will also make sure that we remain fully compliant with the latest COVID-19 guidance and ensure the safety of all staff and pupils.

• As there will be less pupils in school we will try to give Year 7 the full experience of secondary school that they have so far missed out on. Examples of this are; accessing the diner at lunch time and full use the science labs. We will also make sure that their lessons, where possible, are out of their base rooms.

• Year 8s will also have amendments to their timetable to ensure they too get a fuller experience of school life.

• Pastoral staff will work over this period to make sure they contact any pupils that are highlighted as needing extra support. They will also contact any pupils and students that are not accessing the online work.

• All external exams in November will still take place. All students involved will be contacted by the exams team to explain how, when and where these will be organised.

• Any students or members of our school community that have been instructed by Public Health Wales to isolate must continue to do so until the end of the time period highlighted in their letter.

Whilst in this temporary “circuit break”, it is essential all members of our school community follow the guidance and restrictions set out by the Welsh Government so that this period of partial closure can make a real difference to the spread of the virus in the future. I am sure you all join me in hoping that the measures they are putting in place will be the last that they need to impose on us all.

I will write to you all again, as and when we get further guidance from Welsh Government

Please email prestatyn.high@denbighshire.gov.uk if you have any questions or concerns and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

Stay safe

Best wishes

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.

Pennaeth Headteacher

Download the letter - Information letter for Parent-Carers

NHS Wales Test, Trace, Protect has been informed of a confirmed case of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Prestatyn High.

Prestatyn High remains open. It is working closely with Public Health Wales, the Local Authority and NHS Wales Test, Trace and Protect to ensure that all the appropriate measures are in place to protect students, staff and the wider community. This letter is to inform you of the current situation and to provide advice on how to support your child.

All close contacts of the case have been identified and have received appropriate advice to self-isolate.

This has impacted 18 6^th form students and one member of staff.

An additional 4 students, 3 Y12 and 1 Y13 are now having to self-isolate up to and including the 29^th October

1 member of staff must self-isolate up to and including the 29^th October

As previously mentioned as a precautionary measure all Y13 students will not attend school from this coming Monday, for one week and will access school work via Teams

Your child has not been identified as a close contact and therefore does not need to self-isolate and does not require testing for COVID-19. They can continue to attend school as usual.

However, as a precaution, please be alert for any symptoms of COVID-19:

• A new or continuous cough
• A high temperature
• A loss of or change to sense of smell or taste

If your child develops any of these symptoms, even if they are mild:

• Book a test for them by phoning 119 or through the online portal: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test
• Inform the school that they are unwell with COVID-19 symptoms and that you have requested a test
• Your child should self-isolate for 10 days from when their symptoms started
• All other household members should isolate for 14 days from when your child developed symptoms
• Do not visit a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital but if you require medical advice please contact NHS 111 or telephone your GP; if there is a medical emergency phone 999
• Please follow the advice provided when your child receives their test result

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading, there are things that everyone in your family can do to help. These include:

• washing hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds
• using hand sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available
• washing hands as soon as they get home
• covering their mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not their hands) when they cough or sneeze
• putting used tissues in the bin immediately and washing hands afterwards

Further information on symptoms and self-isolation can be found here https://gov.wales/symptoms-and-self-isolation-contact-tracing

Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

For general information on COVID-19 https://gov.wales/protect-yourself-others-coronavirus

The COVID-19 online symptom checker can tell you if you need medical help and advise you what to do https://gov.wales/check-if-you-need-coronavirus-medical-help

With best wishes,

Mr Neil Foley

Head Teacher

On behalf of Public Health Wales Health Protection Team

Dear Parent/ Carer,

I hope you are all keeping safe and well during these unpredictable times. To keep the school safe and secure during this challenging period, it is necessary to work within our current strict, Covid-19 parameters and risk assessment. These measures involve keeping our year groups in ‘bubbles’ and not allowing them to mix. Each year group has its own designated area during breaktime and lunch so that they can get fresh air during their free time. Due to the limited space inside the school we have to use all of the outdoor spaces to keep the pupils apart. This also means that they are separated during their allocated time in the diner, when one year group moves into the diner, another year group goes outside.

As the weather turns against us, we will still need to utilise all of the outdoor spaces to keep the bubbles apart unless the weather is extreme. Only on occasions of heavy rain or other similar weather conditions will we bring the pupils in from their designated outdoor space. I request that all pupils bring a coat to school so that they can stay warm whilst outside. I ask all parents to remind your son/ daughter to bring a coat with them to school.

Yours faithfully,

Mrs Claire Turner
Deputy Headteacher

Dear all parents

Message from Denbighshire CC and the Welsh Government

It is essential for the safety of our community and our schools that all members of the public who are contacted by the Test, Trace and Protect team:

• If instructed to self-isolate, they do so immediately
• They remain isolated for the full length of time they have been instructed
• They remain home until isolation is over

Full information and guidance is available on the Welsh Government website: https://gov.wales/coronavirus

Many thanks for your cooperation

Neil Foley