July 2016
Year 8 return on Tuesday 6th September 2016
Dear Parent/Carer
I am delighted to enclose your child’s End of Year 7 Report. This is a reflection of your child’s progress this year. I would ask you to read it with your child, and should there be any issues arising, please feel free to contact us.
Your child moves into Year 8 on return in September and I am sure you will feel this has been a very fast year in your child’s life. In Year 8, your child will embed initial work undertaken in Year 7 and will build on skills and knowledge developed.
Your child will no longer be amongst the youngest in the school and this brings with it responsibilities. We look to Year 8 to help support new Year 7 and to show them friendship and kindness as they start at Cefn Hengoed, just as your child did a year ago.
If you have any queries regarding your child’s progress in Year 8, or as a result of this report, do not hesitate to contact Mrs Williams (Key Stage 3 School Manager/KS2-3 Transition Manager) or Mrs Lucas (Key Stage 3 Pastoral Support Officer). Updated school information is available on our website at We also update our Twitter account @Cefn Hengoed on at least a daily basis. Please follow us on Twitter. We send few letters home and publish them instead, along with details of school events on our school website and on Twitter
Year 7 pupils have received a Global Target Grade which is derived from data on entry and which is used to measure your child’s progress in each subject. From this, your child receives feedback twice a year when we do our Academic Review in October and February. We have used this process as a school for some time and now feel we want to place the child at the centre of their own progress planning by involving them in sharing feedback on whether they are working on, below or above target. As previously, academic progress is recorded in pupil planners twice a year. We tie our mid-year (Interim) reports into the first Academic Review and you will receive one in December 2016 so you get some feedback at an early stage on how things have gone in Year 8.
Please purchase new items of uniform carefully. Remember that we are in an exposed position at the top of the hill and flimsy shoes do not last. Feet become wet and children become uncomfortable. Please purchase shoes carefully to reflect the Autumn/Winter weather. Shoes must be black and we do not allow trainers to be worn in school. No fashion bags in school please, keep them for weekends. Your child will need a rucksack or similar bag, in any colour or make to manage their Key Stage 3 books and resources.
Please remember that we do NOT allow piercings at school nor tramline style haircuts. We love the Swans but we do not want to see them shaved into hair styles in September. Also, whilst we understand pupils may like to colour their hair, we will only accept ‘natural’ colours at school e.g. no bright red, blue etc. The disruption this causes to daily school life is not acceptable to us. It is always useful to flag up these reminders at this time of year. Also mobile phones and portable music players are not allowed at school. I hope these reminders help you to plan your child’s return to school. Thank you for supporting us on these and should your child not support any of these sensible rules, do not be offended when we address them with you and your child.
All of us at Cefn Hengoed hope you and your family enjoy a pleasant summer and we look forward to welcoming your child back to Year 8 on Tuesday 6th September 2016, to give us a chance as a school to settle the new Year 7 in on their own on the Monday.
Yours faithfully
S Y Hollister (Mrs)
Headteacher