Newsletter: 16th June 2023

Posted on June 16, 2023 | By Mr Cole

What a busy week!

Alongside the Year 6 5-night residential to Bude, there’s been loads going on this week at school! Most of these events have their own article on the Blog and I’ve put direct links into the text to take you to them so you can see the photos:

Well done to the children who took part in the Virtual Gymnastics final. All of our children came within the top ten, which is an amazing achievement. Particular congratulations to Seren who came first in her category. you can see more HERE

Orleigh and Foxdown Reception and Year 1 child enjoyed a super day at Burford Woods as well this week – you can take a look at their adventures on the Blog as soon as we’ve put the pictures up for you.

A group of children from Buckland Brewer and Woolsery took part in the north Devon cricket tournament too this week. Although they didn’t achieve a top-of-the-rakings position, they all had a great time over at Westward Ho!.

Meanwhile some children took part in the first Swimming Gala we can remember for many years, over at Torridge Pool – they had a great time and all received medals for taking part.

Bude Residential

We’re so proud of our Year 6 children -for many, many reasons- but this week, they have really pulled together as a team and produced some brilliant results whilst on residential. Many have overcome fears, whether that’s being away from home or dangling from a rope ten metres in the air! The weather has certainly helped and hindered in equal measure; rooms down at Adventure Bude have been very hot at night, but the children have had near-perfect weather for their day-time activities. If you’ve not yet looked at the photos of the week, please do so – especially if your child is in Year 5 currently and are wondering whether to go next year or not. They are all on the Blog in the Adventure Bude 2023 category.

A huge thank you to Ms Richardson and Mr Marks for supporting the chidlren down at the Centre this week – it’s a long time for the grown-ups to be away from home too but incredibly rewarding to watch everyone’s achievements as the week unfolds.

Stand-by washing machines!

Lyme Disease

We’re now well and truly into peak tick season. This year seems to be a particularly successful year for ticks so please check your children carefully, epsecially when they’re been in long grass on our school fields, in Forest School or even walking along lanes on the way to school. Whilst ticks themselves aren’t especially dangerous, many carry Lyme Disease which can then be passon to to humans (and animals) as they  suck blood. Lyme Disease can cause dibilitating  illness if left untreated so it’s important the signs aren’t ignored.

Ticks tend to jump onto their host then head for “sweaty” areas of the body – typically nape of the neck, armpits, groin or back of the knees. They start out as an ant-size spider but as they attach and suck blood, grow steadily bigger. You must remove ticks very carefully as squeezing them, applying chemicals or vaseline, or burning them off (!!) causes them to vomit the blood they’ve already sucked back into the host’s body, along with possibly Lyme-infected material. Please use proper tick removers and follow directions on the packaging. For further advice, please Google Lyme Disease Assocation UK where you’ll find information on Lyme Disease symptoms and action if you think your child (or you) has become infected.

Sunflowers Preschool Applications

Applications for the Autumn Term sessions are now live. If you would like to request places for your child at Sunflowers (Woolsery School) then please use the Google form HERE

Autumn Term Uniform

Please remember time is running out for you to order school uniform for the Autumn Term if you would like it in time for September. This is a very busy time of year for our uniform suppliers, In-Stitches at Littleham and there may be a delay in buying new uniform in September if its not pre-ordered. All schools can order all uniform items via ScoPay. Thanks.

Colour Run

Interviews

Next Tuesday we are holding a selection day for our new teacher in Orleigh Class at Buckland Brewer. We will be involving the children, both in Orleigh Class and in School Voice, in the selection activities which will help Governors and Leaders choose the very best candidate to take Early Years at Buckland to a new level. We have had a strong field of applications – the highest I can remember for many years – so I am very confident we will be able to choose an excellent practitioner for the school. As soon as the appointment is confirmed following Tuesday’s process, i will of coruse write to let parents with children in Buckland Brewer School know.

Well done to everyone who was presented with a Headteacher’s Award this week…

Orleigh: Freya-Rose (tortoise)- for trying really hard with her phonics, taking her time to sound out carefully and then blend; Oscar (bee)- for showing amazing team work to create his den in forest school

Tythecott: Laicee (tortoise) – Brilliant resilience in Maths this week Laicee, well done you; Jacob (tortoise) – Fantastic effort with your oracy skills this week Jacob, you have been speaking in full sentences when explaining your ideas and telling us why.

Gorwood: Isaiah (tortoise) – for showing incredibly resilience and confidence when he was feeling nervous about entering the online gymnastics final; Tommy (dolphin) – for diving into his learning by entering the swimming gala and gymnastics final this week

Foxdown: Verity (owl) – Verity is now using her reading skills to read books from home – using the skills she has learnt in school to read the words. Amazing! Robson (tortoise) – Robson enjoyed writing a list of sea creatures. He challenged himself to write as many as he could!

Melbury: Odin (tortoise) – Odin showed resilience to produce a detailed set of instructions  in his best handwriting; Raife (dolphin) – Raife has dived into his learning this week, focussing hard on what he has been asked to do and listening to feedback.

Goldworthy: to follow – Mr Marks is on residential

Sunflowers: Tristan (bee) – for working together to solve problems during their water play; Maisie (cat) – for asking questions in circle time

Cranford:  

Stroxworthy: Logan (dolphin) – for diving into his learning like a dolphin and showing amazing throwing skills during PE; Archie (tortoise) – for being resilient like a tortoise and showing great progress in maths using decimals.

Alminstone: Melanija (dolphin) – for putting maximum effort into both the swimming gala and cricket festival this well. You did us proud, Mel!; Jack (owl) – reflecting on previous learning about turning, using it to gain a good understanding of different types of angles.

Ashmansworthy:  Emily-Rose (dolphin) – for diving into her learning like a dolphin.Emily has demonstrated excellent time management skills with her tasks set by Ms Richardson this week; Genevieve (tortoise) – Being resilient during the swimming gala. Despite her swimming goggles breaking, Genevieve swam her 50m front crawl and backstroke race with her eyes closed.

Mr Cole’s planned schedule

Monday			All Day
Tuesday	Morning	Late afternoon
Wednesday		All Day
Thursday	Afternoon		Morning
Friday	Morning	Afternoon	Afternoon

With best wishes,

Matt Cole, Headteacher

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