Newsletter: 11th March 2022
Posted on March 11, 2022 | By Mr Cole
End of Consultation Period
Just a reminder that this weekend marks the end of the statutory consultation period for the proposed formation of the Village Schools Partnership federation with Parkham and Buckland Brewer schools. If you’ve not yet contributed your views and/or questions please use this form so that Governors can consider all opinions when they make their decision at a special meeting on Tuesday. https://forms.gle/sJqKJqTL88hRFvqe8
All parents in all three schools will receive a letter next Friday to inform you of the outcome of the Consultation: whether or not the Governors are proceeding with the Federation or not.
Leadership Changes…
Regardless of the outcome of the consultation on federation, next Friday will be the first day where I am “in charge” of all three schools in the current Management Partnership. This is because next Thursday is Mrs Finch’s last day in post at Parkham and Buckland Brewer. This means that from week commencing 21st March, all three schools will receive the same Newsletter from me. For Woolsery families, there won’t be any change (other than in the content of course) as the Newsletter will continue to be published every Friday via the Woolsery Primary School Blog & Website.
If, as hoped, Governors agree to the Federation, my role as Executive Headteacher across the three schools will become permanent; if they decide not to proceed, I will remain as Acting Executive Headteacher of Flying Start Federation (as well as Head of Woolsery) until the Flying Start Governors are able to advertise and appoint a successor to Mrs Finch. This process would not be complete until the end of the Summer Term at the very earliest.
Woolsery Does Red Nose Day
Please remember that due to Ashmansworthy Class’ trip to Exeter next Friday, we will be marking Red Nose Day a day earlier, on Thursday 17th March. As Connie’s fabulous poster shows, we’re encouraging everyone to wear red or accesorise with red. Charity Voice are also running a red-themed Art Competition with the RND22 title “Funny Is Power” as the inspiration. This can be anything at all, as long as it’s created with red or shades of red. Please bring any entries into school on Thursday where we’ll make a display before announcing the winner. Thank you for your support!
If any children have any questions, they should ask their Family Group Charity Voice representative.
Football Success!
Well done to everyone who took part in this week’s Football Matches against Hartland. It really is lovely for the children to have the opportunity to welcome other schools to the site for events like this and I know it generated a lot of excitement in both Woolsery and in Hartland.
From the four games played, I am delighted that Woolsery won 3 and lost 1 – well done everyone!
Thank you also to everyone who came along and gave that all-important support, and also to Mr Davies for organising this opportunity.
Family Group Cross Country
Next Tuesday sees the return of our Family Group Cross Country Festival. The event gets underway at 1:45pm beginning with Year 6 races and then working our way down through the school. You are very welcome to come along and watch the races: the car park pedestrian gate will be open from about 1:30pm.
Please could you ensure that your child has PE kit in school including trainers which will be OK for running on the field – these should not be in-school shoes (which shouldn’t be trainers anyway) as things are likely to be muddy! Thank you for your support.
School Uniform
We’ve noticed that since the half term break, there are a number of children coming to school with inappropriate clothing. Please could I just remind everyone that our full school uniform policy is back in action after the disruption of the pandemic so all children should be wearing:
- red polo shirt – with or without the school logo
- Navy school sweatshirt with logo
- Grey or navy trousers, shorts or skirt
- Dark coloured shoes, not trainers
- If tights are worn these should be grey or navy
- A school fleece can also be worn, in place of or as well as a coat but this is optional.
Thank you for your continued support in ensuring our children are as smart as possible – it really does make a difference!
Yurt Help
We’re still looking for some volunteers to bring our storm-dmaged yurt back into use. Not only is the yurt an important Forest School learning space, but we also use it for group work and as additional PE changing space, so if you are able to come in and help us out, we’d really apreciate it. Please arrange with Sue or Tina in the office. Thanks.
Parking and Dropping Off
Unfortunately, we are still having parents dropping off children on the zig zag lines on the approach road to school. We are now running two school buses for our children who come to us from outlying areas and they are the only vehicles who can park on the zig zags. Please park further away and walk in if there is no space to leave your car on Old Market Drive. I know that’s not pleasant when it’s raining like today, but that is also the time when other people’s children are rushing to get in the dry and won’t be taking taking proper care crossing roads – the safety of other people’s children is in your hands, so please do the responsible thing and avoid parking on our zig zags at all times, without exception. Thank you.
Sickness Bug
We’re aware that another sickness bug is making its way through the school and staff have again increased sanitising of hands and work surfaces as a result. If your child is sick, please don’t send them in to school but keep them at home for 48 hours. Thanks.
There is also a seasonal cold/cough going around at the moment – please make certain this isn’t actually Covid by testing your child if they have any of the well-advertised Covid symptoms so we don’t see a resurgance of coronavirus in the school.
Well done to everyone who received their Headteacher Award this week!
Sunflowers: Ida (dolphin) – settling into daily routines in Sunflowers amazingly well!; Emily (dolphin) – settling into daily routines in Sunflowers amazingly well!
Cranford Class: Ronnie (spider) – writing amazing sentences this week; Joshua (dolphin) – super reading this week
Burscott Class: Jenson (dolphin) – a brilliant attitude to his learning; Juniper (owl) – Getting on with all her work beautifully and using what she has learnt before to improve her work;
Stroxworthy Class: Scarlett (dolphin) – diving into her learning in English reading comprehension about Marie Curie; Jacob (dolphin) – creating an amazing comic strip about natural disasters
Alminstone Class: Georgia (spider) – making links with times tables knowledge in her fractions work to develop her understanding of equivalent fractions; Paddy (spider) – making connections in his English writing when writing his fabulous story ideas and setting descriptions
Ashmansworthy Class: Louie (tortoise) – being resilient in PE and trying his best with Cross Country; Ralph (spider) – making links and connections with percentages in maths.
| Monday |
Consultation period ends Burscott and Sunflowers Forest School sessions |
| Tuesday |
Family Group Cross Country 1:45pm – all welcome Governors’ Meeting to determine future school structure: 6pm at Parkham School |
| Wednesday |
ARC Tennis for Cranford and Burscott Classes
|
| Thursday |
Woolsery Does Red Nose Day – wear red to school, Funny Is Power art competition
|
| Friday |
Parents informed of Consultation outcome and future structure of the school Ashmansworthy Class to Exeter Cathedral for singing performance – depart 8:40am, return 6:20pm approx |
Mr Cole’s planned working pattern:
| Buckland | Parkham | Woolsery | |
| Monday | Morning | Afternoon | |
| Tuesday | Morning | Afternoon | |
| Wednesday | All Day | ||
| Thursday | All Day | ||
| Friday | Exeter with Eagles Class | Exeter with Hawks Class | Exeter with Ashmanworthy Class |
With best wishes,
Matt Cole, Headteacher