Newsletter: 16th November 2018
Posted on November 15, 2018 | By Mr Cole
Fleet Air Arm Museum Visit
Well done to everyone in Stroxworthy Class who made the epic journey to the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton yesterday. After a very early start, the children had a great day finding out about aviation first hand in connection with their Project on flight. Mrs Kersey was delighted to hear from the museum staff that the children were “A credit to the school” – which is always lovely to hear! A huge thank you to all of the parents (and grandparents!) Who helped out on the day – we hope you had a good time enjoying the company of the children.
Visits like this, Ashmansworthy’s Bodmin Jail trip and Alminstone’s class visit to Bideford last week are an important component of the WILD curriculum which we launched earlier in the term. Thank you to all of our amazing parents who continue to support trips and visits and the value they add to the learning our children experience at the school.
Absence Reporting
Please remember that you must contact the school as early as possible if your child is going to miss a day’s school through illness or other unforeseen events. Unless the absence is for a fixed period of time (e.g. 3 days for diarrhoeah, 2 days for vomiting etc) you need too call the school each morning to confirm the continued absence. Also, if your child’s attendance is under the Government’s minimum acceptable level (90%) we are unable to give authorisation for any absence without evidence of a visit to the doctor or other medical professional. Many thanks for your understanding.
Anti-Bullying Week
This week has been very quiet here at school for what is normally a high profile annual event: Anti Bullying Week. Usually, some members of our Community Voice travel to Instow Primary to take part in an Atlantic Coast Co-operative Trust movie-making morning on the year’s Anti Bullying theme, which they then present to the rest of the school in assembly. Sadly this year, Instow were not able to accommodate all the children on their site in time for this important week, but please be assured that a date next term is already in the diary for all of the children from across the Trust to take part in this really important activity, meeting at Instow on 16th January and presenting to the rest of the children at the end of that week.
Non-Uniform Day
On Friday 23rd November, we’ll be holding another Non-Uniform Day in order to collect in raffle items for all of the end of term events FOWS have planned leading up to Christmas. This means that instead of paying money, we ask each child who comes to school in non-uniform to bring in an item which can be used in the raffles.
So we get a broad variety of things, please try to bring:
- Cranford and Sunflowers: small toys or craft items
- Burscott and Stroxworthy: sweets or chocolates
- Alminstone and Ashmansworthy: toiletries and smellies
Please remember the Football Club’s Big Breakfast at the Community Hall tomorrow morning:
Badminton Club
Did you know Junior Badminton takes place at Woolsery Hall on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 8pm. It’s open to ages 9+ with a £5 joining fee and then just £1 per week afterwards. All equipment is provided, and all abilities welcome -including children who’ve never played before. Just turn up if you’re interested in having a go!
Children In Need Thanks
Our annual Children In Need appeal was very well supported today – thank you! The children clearly enjoyed the Something Spotty theme and ate their way through 120 Children In Need biscuits. A huge thank you to Charity Voice for giving up their playtime today to run the stalls, and also to Dave for baking the biscuits ahead of the big day. As soon as we know the total raised, I’ll add it to the newsletter HERE, so do check back later in the day. Grand Total (so far) is £238.70 – well done everyone!
Mealtime Assistant Vacancy
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, we have a vacancy for a mealtime assistant to replace Mrs Lynsey Eavis, who moved to her post as a Teaching Assistant in Cranford Class at the start of term. Our new SEN Teaching Assistant, Mrs Naomi Phelps, has been covering the vacancy temporarily as a way of getting to know the children and school routines, but now needs to develop her own role to support those children who find the free time around the middle of the day tricky – this means we have an opportunity for someone to join our very committed team of MTAs, helping the children through the lunch hall and encouraging their play outside. Full details are on the front page of the school website, or drop in to school if you’d like to pick up an application form.
FOWS Christmas Fayre
This year’s FOWS Christmas Fayre will be held from 3pm on Friday 30th November. The children have been working hard in their Family Group time to produce items for sale, and we hope you’ll come along and support their efforts! Both the School Band and the school’s Clovelly Lights Singers will be performing in the hall near the start of the fayre.
Smile!
Just another reminder that whilst you’re Christmas shopping, you can generate funds for FOWS…
…without having to do anything other than register. Just go to smile.amazon.co.uk and search for Friends of Woolsery School on the charity search page, then sign up and provided you shop on Amazon via the Smile landing page (not the regular Amazon.co.uk) we’ll get 0.5% of each purchase you make. It’s paid straight into FOWS’ bank account and we don’t see what you buy! By going to Smile first, you still get all your order history, payment details, wish-lists, etc. Supporting FOWS on this could be very important for us in the run up to Christmas, so please take time to sign up if you can.
Contact next week
I will be out of school for much of next week for family reasons. If you need to contact the school about anything, please could I ask you to direct queries to the school admin mailbox (admin@woolsery.devon.sch.uk) rather than my mailbox. I am also taking a group of childen to sing at Exeter Cathedral on Monday 26th November and have meetings at the Teaching School on Tuesday 27th, so hopefully I will be back in school as normal from Wednesday 28th November. Thanks for your understanding. (There will be no Recorders CLub next Wednesday, but there will be Choir as usual after school on Friday)
Headteacher Awards
Our amazing learners this week, who have all received a Headteachers’ Award, are:
- Cranford: Bella – trying hard to learn all of her letter sounds; Olivia – writing her first full sentence
- Burscott: Arron – working really hard to make sentences in his writing, using colourful semantics; Jamie – writing clear sentences using colourful semantics and remembering full stops.
- Stroxworthy: Albie and Henry – both for asking interesting quesions during our trip to the Fleet Air Arm Museum
- Alminstone: Joanne – always working hard and being a good friend to her classmates; Chloe N – Exceptional work in class and for amazing homework
- Ashmansworthy: Nelly – always trying her hardest wither her work, even when she find it challenging; Rohan – showing great commitment to his learning – especially for his “Highwayman” writing.
The Week Ahead
- Monday: Swimming continues for Y4 and Y5, Governors’ Resources Committee 5pm; Full Governors 6:30pm
- Tuesday: Mrs Miles out (am) – Health & Safety Briefing; Mrs Kersey out (am), Mrs Burns supply
- Wednesday: No recorder club after school
- Thursday: Photos for Bethlehem programmes being taken (am)
- Friday: FOWS Non-Uniform Day – see above