A Review of the year

As we approach another year’s end and head to a well deserved summer holiday, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all parents for their continued support during this past year. This has been the most productive year since I assumed the Headship of Gelli Primary School just over three years ago. It has been an important year in many ways. We have had success in achieving continued success in all areas of school life. On the sporting field several teams reached local and district finals. Our PESS initiative led by Mrs Carly and assisted by Miss Hatch was awarded the Activemarc Cymru and we were selected to be involved in a successful Local Authority PESS review. They also organised the first whole school Sports this summer which was very successful.
We were treated to several musical performances notably the Grandparents concert, Christmas productions, St David’s Day performances and the Foundation Phase Disney Extravaganza. Pupils competed in the Treorchy Male Choir Junior Musician Competition.
The ESTYN inspection in May was a very successful and positive experience and I am sure that you will be very pleased when you read the report which we will be able to distribute in September. If you cannot wait until then, it will be published on the ESTYN website from Tuesday 20th July. I will put a link to it on our school website when it will be available. I would like to thank everyone involved from volunteers such as Mrs Sims, Ms Burnett, and Mr Click; Mr Jones the caretaker, the Governing Body; the staff and most importantly the children. The village can be proud of its school. We can now look forward with the confidence that the strategies we are employing for raising standards and meeting our children’s needs are successful.
With the end of each year comes the usual farewell to our Year 6 pupils. I am sure that they will be successful in whatever they do in Treorchy Comprehensive. I look forward to following their career with interest.
We also say goodbye to two members of staff. Mr Hughes who is to take up an appointment as Deputy Head teacher in Ninian Park Primary School in Cardiff. Mr Hughes has a young family and wishes to pursue career opportunities closer to home. I am very grateful to him for his constant support as my Deputy and being such a good role model for the staff and children. I am sure that you would all wish him well in the future. We will appoint his successor in October.

Mrs. Griffiths, our violin teacher, is taking early retirement from the Music service. She has taught a large number of pupils in her time here who have continued their enjoyment of playing the violin in the Comp. She will continue to teach privately and continue to play in local orchestras. We wish her well for the future and thank her for her contribution.
We look forward to welcoming our new pupils in September.
I hope that the staff and pupils have a well deserved rest over the next six weeks and return refreshed in September to continue to raise standards and ensure that our pupils make appropriate progress.
Thanks to the PTA for organising the Fete and the Leaver’s Ball so successfully again this year. We welcome new members to meetings from September.
I am planning to update the school website and blog over the summer and set up class areas on our Moodle site. We hope to put video content and other material such as photos and homework on a secure part of the site that parents and pupils will access via a password system. This should further enhance our home school communication provision.
Have a good summer.