Dear Parents,

A very Happy New Year and warm welcome to; Ceri-Anne, Ben, Yves, Rowen, Sarah, Joshua, Mari, Eleanor & Amelie, who have started in Dosbarth Derbyn. We also welcome four new Learning Support Staff - Amanda Jones who started at the end of last term, Delun Evans, Tina Jones and Mandy Daniel who started this term. We hope that all of these children and staff will settle quickly and enjoy their time at Ysgol Comins Coch.

This is a short term with only 10 weeks due to an early Easter, so there will be plenty of learning to do in a short space of time! I am encountering great difficulty in giving you firm dates for Inset closure days. This is due to complications at District level and arrangements for schools to be closed in time for the Royal Welsh Show. The closure days at the moment are 18th February, 20th March, 6th May and 4th July. Some of these may well be cancelled and as soon as we receive confirmation I will let you know.

We ask your help with children's coats and bags. We ask that every child's coat has a hook or loop inside so that it can be hung properly. Many children are only able to drape their coat on a peg and are upset when it falls on the floor as the next child brushes past. Could you also make sure that the bag used for PE kit, lunch or reading books is of an appropriate size. Don't believe any child who says the bag needs to be big enough to smuggle a friend home to play! Thank you for your understanding with this.

Year 4 children will be off to the Kingswood Computer Centre on Sunday, we are sure they will have a wonderful time.

DVDs of the Christmas Shows are on order and we will issue them as soon as they arrive.

Urdd Club will start next Wednesday 16th January. This term is also Eisteddfod time and many of the competitions will require children to learn and practise their parts at home, we ask for your assistance in helping the children as much as possible.

Parents Evenings will be held on 4th and 5th February this term and we remind parents that this is the occasion we ask you to book appointments. The list of times will be placed outside classrooms on Monday 21st January.

We are looking forward to a busy and exciting term and trust that you will continue as always to support the work of the school. As always, if you ever have any questions at all, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely,

Tom Fanning