We know how disruptive the last year has been for everyone. We want to keep your child in school as much as possible, but we also want to keep our schools and communities safe from the effects of COVID-19. Everyone has a role to play to if we are to achieve this and we kindly ask for your support.

As we continue to manage Covid-19 within our educational settings, we would like to remind you of some key information:

The three key symptoms of COVID-19 are:

• a high temperature: this means that they feel hot to touch on their chest or back
• a new, continuous cough: this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours
• a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste: this means they’ve noticed they cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal.

If your child is over the age of 5 years old and has any of these three key symptoms:

1. Do not send your child to school;
2. Arrange a PCR test for your child immediately. You can book a PCR test online through the NHS website at gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test or by calling 119. Anyone else in your household with any of these three key symptoms should also isolate and take a PCR test.
3. Inform the school as soon as reasonably possible of the reason for your child’s absence (including any siblings).

If your child receives a positive result, please keep your child at home to isolate for 10 days and inform the school as soon as is reasonably possible as you would with any other absence. Follow the rules set out at gov.wales/self-isolation. They must not return to school until their isolation period is over and they show no key symptoms. If the test is negative, your child can return to school as soon as they feel better.

If your child is under the age of 5 years old they should remain off school whilst they have symptoms. They must not return to school until their isolation period is over and they show no key symptoms. They should not take COVID-19 tests unless directed to do so by a doctor or if you believe a test is absolutely necessary and in the best interests of your child.

As the parent/guardian you will be contacted by Test Trace Protect either by SMSs to complete an electronic tracing form online or by phone. Please ensure that you provide the details of those who live in your household and those people who have had close contact with your child so that they can be advised appropriately (this will help us to prevent the virus from spreading).

Yours faithfully

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA. Pennaeth Headteacher

Friday 19th November is this year’s BBC Children in Need Day. We are excited to be joining in with others around the UK to participate in fundraising for this good cause.

At Prestatyn High School, we feel that the best way we can support the event is for students to accessorise their school uniform with something spotty, pupils can also bring in their favourite teddy. A suggested donation of £1 should be made via ParentPay if your child would like to participate.

We will also be holding a cake sale at break time on Friday, all proceeds will go to Children in Need.

We look forward to your child helping us raise as much money as possible.

Thank you for your continued support.

Dear all parents and carers - Term dates ltr

As I am sure you are aware, there will be an additional bank holiday next year for the Queen’s Jubilee. The bank holiday falls in the same week as the June half term break in 2022. Denbighshire CC have decided that this additional day of holiday will be taken at the end of this term.

This means that the last day of this term for Prestatyn High school will be Tuesday 21st December 2021. School will be closed from Wednesday 22nd of December until Wednesday January 5th 2022.

Thursday 6th and Friday 7th of January are training days for teachers and pupils will return to school on Monday 10th January 2022.

Please find on the back of this letter the amended calendar of term dates and INSET days for the next academic year for the Prestatyn cluster. Term dates are fixed by Denbighshire CC and the INSET days have been agreed by the six cluster schools.

Autumn term 1

INSET days (1&2) - Wednesday 1st and Thursday 2nd September 2021

Pupils return to school - Friday 3rd September 2021 to 22 October 2021

Half term – 25th October to 29th October 2021

Autumn term 2

Monday 1st November to Wednesday 22nd December 2021

Christmas Holiday – 23rd December to 5th January 2022

Spring term 1

INSET days (3&4) - Thursday 6th January and Friday 7th January 2022

Pupils return to school - Monday 10th January 2022 to 18th February 2022

Half term – 21st February to 25th February 2022

Spring Term 2

INSET day (5) – Monday 28th February 2022

Pupils return to school – Tuesday 1st March 2022 to 8th April 2022

Easter Holiday – 11th April to 22nd April 2022

Summer term 1

INSET day (6) – Monday 25th April 2022

Pupils return to school – Tuesday 26th April to 27th May 2022

Half term – 30th May to 3rd June 2022

Summer term 2

Monday 6th June to Wednesday 20th July 2022

Please note that the calendar of events will be published throughout the year based on the latest Covid guidance. Please contact

the school if you have any questions about the dates provided.

Yours faithfully

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.

Pennaeth Headteacher

S'mae (hello)!

We’re seeking your views on what we should include in our Welsh Language Strategy for 2022-27.

The Welsh language is an important part of life for many people in Denbighshire. The Welsh language has legal status in Wales and our strategy is our way of ensuring we are doing what we can to make sure that the Welsh language can thrive and grow in Denbighshire.

The Council would be grateful if you could complete the consultation questionnaire. It is split into three sections:

• About you – this will help us to understand which communities need the most support with the Welsh language and what challenges there are.

• About your experiences with the Welsh language – this will help us to understand what the Welsh language means to you.

• About our Welsh Language Strategy – this will help us to understand whether you think we are doing the right things to ensure that Welsh is a language that continues to be loved, supported and spoken in Denbighshire and whether we are doing the right things to improve awareness of the Welsh language and to increase the number of Welsh speakers locally

Cymraeg: https://countyconversation.denbighshire.gov.uk/projectcy/631

English: https://countyconversation.denbighshire.gov.uk/project/631

Job reference: YPHS00250W3SJE Location: Prestatyn High School Salary: Grade 1 £9.30 per hour Hours: As and when required during examination periods

We are looking to appoint suitably enthusiastic and / or experienced individuals as a bank of Invigilators to cover the main examination periods of January, May, June, November and December. These posts are casual contracts with hours and days varying according to needs of the school. Appointed invigilators will be responsible for supervising GCSE examinations under the direction of the Examinations Officer. No experience is necessary as full training will be given, but applicants should have good communication skills and be able to adhere to strict guidelines as set out by the Examination Boards. Appointment subject to Disclosure & Barring Service Check and satisfactory references.

If you are interested in this vacancy, please apply on-line via the website www.denbighshire.gov.uk.

For alternative methods of applying please contact Customer Services on 01824 706101. Candidates must complete our application form to be considered.

We regret that we are unable to reply to all applications. If you have not received a reply within three weeks of the closing date, you must assume that you have not been short listed for interview.

More information & download the advert - 00250

Closing Date: 28th October 2021 Interview Date: 4th November 2021

Dear parent

It is a pleasure to see all our learners back in school and the vast majority working extremely hard in their lessons. Learners sitting external exams in the summer have faced unprecedented challenges and disruption, however, we are working hard with our learners to mitigate these challenges and ensure they are well prepared for their exams.

We have recently received communication from Qualifications Wales (Download qw-cc21-04e-lettertolearners-arrangementsfor2022 ) outlining their approach to summer exams; a copy of their letter has been emailed to you and is available on our website. The main points are as follows:

1. Welsh Government, Qualifications Wales and WJEC expect exams to go ahead as planned in the summer. To take into account the lost curriculum time due to the pandemic, the WJEC have made significant changes to each qualification. The qualification changes have been made following a consultation with schools and will enable learners to move on to their next stage of learning or employment. Heads of Department have amended their learning plans to ensure they are teaching the correct content and skills. Qualifications Wales and the WJEC have reassured schools that the grading process will be fair and that they will take into account the disruption experienced by learners.

2. If Covid cases continue to rise, and exam series are cancelled, there is a contingency plan in place. Schools will be asked to award grades based on the work completed by learners during their qualification. We await further guidance from Qualifications Wales but the evidence used might include:

• Summative Assessments, APPs and mock exams completed during the qualification.

• Completed Non-Examined Assessments / coursework.

• Classwork and homework completed during the qualification.

It is therefore essential that all our learners try their very best as teachers can only award grades that can be validated by work completed by our pupils and students. Now is the time for our learners to work harder than ever before and ensure their teachers are provided with enough evidence to award top grades if exams are cancelled.

We will continue to provide regular updates via our website and social media. If you have any specific questions please contact your son's/ daughter's Head of Year.

Yours faithfully,

Mr G Turner
Deputy Head

Miss S Reed
Head of 6th Form

Dear parents and carers,

We are writing in relation to the recent statement that came out from the Welsh Government who are changing their guidance about household contacts. From Monday 11th October, the Welsh Government are advising that if anyone in your household tests positive for Covid-19, as well as undertaking PCR testing on day 2 and day 8, that young people should also use the Lateral Flow Devices to test every day for 7 days. This should start on the day a household contact is confirmed as positive from either a lateral flow device or a PCR test result.

Lateral flow device testing kits continue to be available through school for the routine twice weekly testing. Should anyone require further test kits for the purposes of testing due to being a household contact, please contact your year team.

Further information about this can be found on the following link:

https://gov.wales/written-statement-future-arrangements-covid-19-testing-children-and-young-people-and-staff-working

Yours sincerely

Neil Foley - B.Sc. MA.
Pennaeth Headteacher