Newsletter: 14th June 2019
Posted on June 14, 2019 | By Mr Cole
Miniature Gardens
Thank you for all of the wonderful miniature gardens which have appeared in school over the last few days. They will be on exhibition up at Merry Harriers Garden Centre from later today (Friday) for around a week. Anyone can vote for their favourite in each category and the winners will be presented with prizes in assembly in a few weeks’ time. Please pop up and take a look over the weekend if you can, when the gardens will be at their best.
Massive Thanks
Wow! We had an amazing response to last week’s Beach Clean – thank you so much for bringing your children along and supporting this event. It’s interesting to see how the nature of beach litter has changed since we last held an event like this – thankfully a huge reduction in beach-goers litter which hopefully means the plastics-in-the-ocean message is getting through. We still picked up lots of old fishing items though, which is a clue as to what is still swirling round our seas. Thank you also to Miss Butler and Ashmansworthy Class for organising the afternoon.
Sports Day is nearly here!
Just a reminder that next Friday is Sports Day, beginning at 11am with a family group carousel of multiskills activities and continuing after lunch with a selection of traditional races in Year Groups. Of course, you are welcome from 11am or whenever you can get here. Booking for adult BBQ lunch is via this form https://forms.gle/Nvv6VAdqW314TGCV9 Please remember that we do not allow dogs onto the school site, nor is smoking permitted. Thank you.
Trips and Visits
There are two large school visits happening next week – both on Thursday.
Ashmansworthy Class will have a very early start, catching the Oldenburg to Lundy Island for the day. This promises to be a fantastic visit and hopefully something the children will remember for a very long time! Please remember the very early start – children need to be in school to depart at 7am and will need collecting from Bideford Quay at 7:30pm.
Burscott Class and Stroxworthy Class will also be out at Buckfast Abbey for the day. The children should be in school no earlier than 8:15 but ready for an 8:30 departure and should be back in Woolsery for 4pm depending on traffic.
140th Birthday Artwork
As you know, we’re mid-way through celebrating 140 years of the school in Woolsery. As part of our commemorations, parent Rachel Coles is kindly offering to work with each class to build a permanent art display in clay to which every child can contribute a piece. If you are able to help out for around 1 hour after drop-off on Thursday 20th June, Rachel will be in school rolling out around 140 pieces of clay in preparation and would love some help. Tea and cake will be provided (remember to wash your hands!) and it will be very informal but please stop by if you can. Thanks.
The children will be making their pieces on these dates:
- Ashmansworthy Class – Today!
- Alminstone Class – 24th June (pm)
- Stroxworthy Class – 5th July
- Burscott Class – 1st July
- Cranford Class – 24th June (am)
- Sunflowers – During sessions
We will also be holding a community day so people in our locality associated with the school are able to make a piece of artwork too – more news soon.
Staffing News
We are very pleased to welcome Bysha Beani to our MTA team. Bysha will work 3 lunchtimes per week within our mealtime assistant team ensuring children are keeping active during the lunch break and are making good choices with their food.
Preschool Allocations for September
Mrs Phillips will be taking your requests for Autumn Term Preschool Sessions next Wednesday from 3:30pm. Please come along and book your sessions so that we can organise staffing. Please remember that once sessions are agreed, we cannot reduce your child’s time on an ad-hoc basis because this leaves us unable to plan finances.
Leather Footballs
We’ve noticed that several children are bringing in their own leather footballs into school to play with when football is allowed onn the field. Please make sure these are not leather ones as they can really hurt -particularly small children – when booted across the playing area. Really, there is no need for children to bring in their own balls as we have plenty here.
In-Class drinks and Playtime Snacks
Please remember that whilst we strongly encourage all children to have access to drinking water in class throughout the day, this must be water only please. We have several children who are bringing their packed lunch drinks into class, or actually bringing squash for class time and this is not allowed and we will dispose of those drinks and replace with water. We’re also seeing some children trying to eat chocolate and other non-healthy snacks at morning breaktime. Please only send your child with a piece of fruit or vegetable and remind them that they cannot have any snacks from their packed lunch box in morning breaktime. On Fridays, our Enterprise Voice team sell a range of healthy snacks for 50p an item. Thanks.
WILD Curriculum Planning
I hope your child enjoyed working in their new class this week to speak with their new teacher about possible Projects for the coming term. Teachers are now busily taking the children ideas and linking them to the National Curriculum and our subject frameworks in order to produce a cohesive plan. Once this has been developed and QA’d, teachers will be in touch again with final plans so that you can begin piquing interest with your child over the summer break.
Year 6 end of term arrangements
Year 6 parents: If you’ve not yet returned the slip asking about end of term options for Year 6, please could you do so early next week so I can reach a decision over what we can and can’t do as your children prepare to leave us in 5 weeks’ time. Thanks
Family Group Points
This half term, the children are collecting points towards an End Of Term Treasure Hunt which will take place on Thursday 18th July. The points collected so far this half term are:
- Beech – 140 points
- Elder – 175 points
- Hazel – 165 points
- Oak – 154 points
- Silver Birch – 127 points
- Sycamore – 106 points
- Willow – 129 points
Well done to everyone Who has gained a Headteacher Award this week for impressing their teachers in class…
- Cranford: Jack – working hard this week when learning about dinosaurs; Molly – trying very hard when we practised for Sports Day.
- Burscott: Tegan – helping her classmates without having to be asked; George – lovely art-work (3D at Rosemoor, 2D in class).
- Stroxworthy: Isaac – excellent teamwork in class; Arthur – excellent teamwork in class.
- Alminstone: Chloe – being an all round star, working hard, helping tohers, showing kindness and enthusiasm; JJ – working hard, improving his focus and showing a mature attitude in class.
- Ashmansworthy: Callum – working hard in class and producing good quality writing and maths work; Samanta – always working hard in class and helping other people.
- Monday:
- Tuesday: Mrs Miles out (AM) – Clerk meeting. Cranford Class to Clovelly, funds permitting. Governors Meeting 5.30pm (finance)
- Wednesday: Teaching Assistant Interviews (am)
- Thursday: Lundy Island and Buckfast Abbey trips, Clay rolling with parents from 9:15am
- Friday: Sports Day from 11am
With best wishes,
Matt Cole, Headteacher.