28 Nov 2006 - Autumn 2006 Newsletters
*********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 32
Friday 28th November 2006
Dear Parents,
What a great Christmas Fayre we had on Saturday. More people attended than ever, £ was raised and there was a lovely friendly atmosphere. A special thanks to all those who organised and help make this such a success. On a personal note, I was very touched, and very grateful, for the album and whistle presented to me at the end of the Fayre to mark my 25th anniversary.
As you know, next week is very busy with three perfomances, all in the Jubilee Hall.
On Wednesday, Classes 3 and 4 will be performing 'Up the Beanstalk' at 6.30pm. Children are asked to come in costume by 6.15pm. This will be repeated on Thursday afternoon at . The afternoon performance is when younger children usually attend as the evening performance is generally very crowded. Classes 1 and 2 will be watching Tuesday's dress rehearsal.
Friday, at 10.00am, sees the KS1 performance of 'The Wriggly Nativity'. Pre-school will be amongst the audience.
A special thanks must go to all the staff and parents who have been working so hard to put on these performances. Although not exactly a 'West End' production, the children deserve praise for their great enthusiasm and hard work.
For all performances, an entrance fee of £2 will be made for adults to help offset the cost of hall hire and various costumes and props. Any profit will go to our Action Aid sponsorship of Atilat and Sanjay.
On sale from Monday :
1. Swimbridge School Calendars, including term and birth dates and fascinating quotes from our school log books - Cost £3.00
2. Swimbridge School Recipe Books containing dozens of mouth-watering cake and pudding recipes - Cost £2.50
These both make great Christmas presents for family and friends, and profits once again will help our sponsorship of Atilat and Sanjay.
Special offer : Buy both items together for the bargain price of £5.00.
Don't forget Swimbridge Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December, 10.00am to 4.00pm in the Jubilee Hall. For sale will be original presents for all ages, traditional home-made Christmas cakes, puddings and preserves, Christmas decorations, folk art, original paintings, jewellery and pottery by local artists. Everything you need to celebrate the festive season. For further information, telephone Ian on 830878.
Dont forget :
Carol Service 9.20am in the Parish Church on Wednesday
We are still collecting Tesco Sports Vouchers
School closes for the Christmas holidays on Friday 15th December, and reopens on Wednesday 3rd January 2007.
********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 31
Friday 17th November 2006
Dear Parents,
Swimming for Years 1 - 4 has now finshed for this term, as the pool is now closed for refurbishment. A special thanks to those kind parents who contributed towards transport, and staff and parents who helped each week. All children have made good progress over the term.
This week congratulations go to :
10 metres with float
Ben Wills and Alexander Snell
Swimming unaided ;
2 metres Florence Gillard and Carl Payne
5 metres Emily Deane
6 metres Toby Ruhleman
10 metres Matthew Surridge-Smale, April Cockerill, Isaac Tredant and Joe Coysh
Special congratulations goes to Meghan Thompson, who took part in the prestigious North Devon Performing Arts Festival. She was awarded joint first place, winning the Festival Junior Improvisation Cup, 10 years and under.
Twice a year we hold 'formal' parent interviews. However, at any time of the year parents are welcome to meet their child's teacher and find out more about children's progress; simply book an after school consultation.
£7.20 was raised for the Poppy Appeal last week.
Christmas is getting closer and our Friends Association is hoping for lots of volunteers and plenty of support at the Christmas Fayre on Saturday 25th November.
We hope to hold the following events to which parents, families and friends are invited :
Class 3 and 4 performance of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' on Wednesday 6th December at 6.30pm (Please notify us immediately if your Class 3 or 4 child cannot be present for this performance) and Thursday 7th December at 1.45pm, in the Jubilee Hall.
Class 1 and 2 Nativity on Friday 8th December at 10.00am in the Jubilee Hall.
Christmas Carol Service - Christmas around the World on Wednesday 13th December at 9.20 in the Parish Church.
You will appreciate that this is a big undertaking for such a small school. Offers of help with costumes and props would be welcome.
We have a few second-hand computer monitors available for a donation of £5. Please see me if you are interested.
If you would like your child to learn to play guitar or flute next term, please see Mrs Wadsworth in the school office.
G D Reed
Headteacher
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Friday 10th November 2006
Weekly Newsletter No 30
Dear Parents,
Head lice once again seem to be in the area - please check your children's hair this weekend, and treat accordingly. Parents who have children with long hair are asked to ensure that their hair is tied back. I attach a leaflet.
Next Tuesday is our last swimming session for years 1, 2, 3 and 4 before the South Molton Pool closes for re-furbishment.
Congratulations to the following children for their swimming achievements
Waterwings 1
Laura Trawin and Hannah Trawin
Waterwings 2
Oliver Brown, Ethan Young, Harvey Jones, Megan Rippin, Alex Deane, Pasul Crossley and Lauren Slape
Waterwings 5
Lucie Slape
Waterwings 6
George Corfe, Lucille Verton, Peter Dawson, Laura Ackland, Bethany Hill, and Millie Cloak
10 metres
Hannah O'Brien, Scott Ansell, Simon Bushen, Georgia Everett-Brown, Haydon Vickery, Tilly Swanson, Travis Lovell, Isaac Rippin, Declan Smith, Harry Dyer and Taite Young
Overall all children have made good progress. We recommend that all children go swimming as often as possible to continue the momentum. Older children will be swimming next term.
Congratulations also to Bethany Balment who has been nominated for the Headteachers Award by two of our Meal Time Assistants, for her great help at every lunchtime.
Our school has had a mini-inspection this week conducted by the Local Education Authority. It is pleasing that once again we have been designated as 'good' - we could have been satisfactory, or causing concern!!
Mrs Corfe would like to thank everybody for attending the Phoenix Trading evening at her home - over £40 was raised for our KS1 outside play equipment project- Well Done !!!!
Our Friends Association continues to work hard for our school, and is looking for help and support for our Christmas Fayre (on Saturday 25th November) and for baking and decorating Christmas Cakes to sell at the village Craft Fair.
Computer Club re-starts on Tuesday from 3.15 to 4.00pm. In the past this has been run in competition with our own Cool Kids Club, and so we have decided to incorporate a small snack and affiliate the Computer Club with the Cool Kids Club, making a small charge of £2.00 a session towards costs. Children can, of course, continue at Cool Kids after Computer Club, providing they are booked in at the School Office. Children in Years 4, 5 and 6 are all welcome to attend Computer Club by signing up in the School Office.
Those who attended Cascades last Friday hopefully had a very enjoyable time. After the cost of the pool hire, £17.50 was raised for our Action Aid aponsorship.
Legally we have to issue you with a Fair Processing Notice, which is attached. Future editions of this (should you wish to read it) will be available on our school web-site.
Our total for Tesco Sports vouchers has now reached - thank you!!!
G D Reed
Headteacher
********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 29
Thursday 19th October
Dear Parents,
You know that school is closed for children tomorrow (Friday 20th October) for a staff training day. Next week we are closed for half term, we re-open on Monday 30th October.
After half term, Class 3 will be having sessions at Falcons Gym every Monday, starting on 30th October. There is no charge for this. Please ensure that your child has his/her PE kit in school each monday, including a spare pair of socks. This week a number of children in Classes 3 and 4 had Games on the field and got their socks wet. As they didn't have a change of socks, we had to try and dry them - not terribly easy! A pair of socks will also be required to be worn in the Gym.
On Tuesday, Class 4 is booked to go to the Queens Theatre for a performance of 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'. A number of parents have not yet completed the permission slip or sent in the donation of £4.00. Please do so immediately we return to school.
Swimming for Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 continues at South Molton Pool until 14th November. On Friday 3rd November, we have booked Cascades Pool at Ruda, Croyde, for everyone - children, parents, friends, relatives. This will start at 6.15PM for one hour. The cost per person will only be £2.50 (less than the standard entry) to raise funds for our two sponsored children. This is always a very enjoyable occasion, so please come and join us. The KS1/pre-school 'Big Wheelie' has been re-arranged for Thursday afternoon, 2nd November, so you have more time to gather sponsors if you can!!
Please remember to return your school photograph order envelopes as soon as possible.
Provisional Christmas dates are :
Wed 6th December (early evening) and Thursday 7th December (afternoon) - KS2 performance
Monday 11th December KS2 party
Wednesday 13th December Carol Service 9.15am(?) and school christmas dinner
Thursday 14th December KS1 party
Friday 15th December last day of term
There will probably also be a KS1 nativity during the daytime of the week commencing 4th December - dates to be decided upon. Please note these are provisional dates and events - not yet confirmed.
our Cool Kids Club continues to provide good quality childcare after school each day, as well as providing 'themed' evenings such as Cookery and Art/Craft. After half term we will be asking all casual users to pay either on booking (this is preferred), or on collection of children. Regular every day users will continue to be invoiced as before.
We continue to offer parents the opportunity to meet teachers, after school, to discuss progress - just book an appointment with your child's teacher. There is a sign-up sheet on Class 4's door for parents of children in Class 4 who would like to book an appoinment between 3.40 and 5.40 on Wednesday 1st November. This is especially for parents who have not had a recent parent/teacher consultation.
Attached to this letter is a leaflet about 'Operation Christmas Child' which we continue to support. Filled shoe boxes can be handed in at the school office.
Have a good half term break.
G D Reed
Headteacher
*********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 27
Friday 6th October 2006
Dear Parents,
A great big thankyou for the tremendous harvest offering collected at our Harvest service this week. The sum of £246.35 was raised for the sponsorship of our two Action Aid children - the largest amount ever collected in one go!! If you still have a contribution to make it will be gratefully received as we need to raise £400 in all by December. Ideas for fund-raising are always welcome.
To raise further funds for this cause we have booked Cascades fun pool, Croyde for all our families and friends on Friday 3rd November, from 6.15 to 7.15pm. Please book this date - more details later.
Sadly, Keith Iley, one time Chair of Governors at this school, passed away a few days ago. Keith was a great supporter of our school and a Governor for around a decade.
Please note that there will be no recorder lessons on Monday 9th October; guitar and flute lessons continue as usual.
Don't forget next Tuesday's Friends Association (PTA) Annual General Meeting, in school at 7.00pm. Nominations for Officers should come to me please. Thanks to the present officers who have led us so well through the year asnd raised many hundreds of pounds to enrich the school lives of our children.
If you, or any of your friends and neighbours would like to register younger children for our school, please complete an admission form as soon as possible. The County Admissions procedure does present us with some difficulties - which can be overcome if parents come to us directly; it doesn't matter how young the child is - an early application to us can ensure a place!
Next Friday we have the visit of 'Spacelab', in the Jubilee Hall for all classes. Our Friends Association has kindly agreed to finance this exciting project.
I am sure that many of you were confused, as I was, by an article in yesterday's North Devon Journal, about a Swimbridge resident who took her son out of mainstream education a year or so ago, and advocates setting up a support group for home educated children. Because she lives near Swimbridge, and is holding a support group meeting in Swimbridge Jubilee Hall, it might be inferred that her child was once a pupil at our school, and therefore left our school. This is not the case. The child apparently went to another school. Perhaps if she had originally visited us, she might not feel the need to consider home education ..... who knows?
Congratulations to the following children for completing merit cards :
Card 1 Florence Gillard, Till Swanson, Ben Wills, Joe Coysh, Toby Ruhleman, Isaac Tredant and Isaac Rippin
Card 2 April Cockerill
Card 3 Taite Young
Card 5 Alexander Snell
Card 6 Travis Lovell
Card 7 Laura Trawin
Card 8 George Corfe, Jacob Heard and Thomas O'Brien
Don't forget KS1 sponsored wheelie event on 19th October, and our non-pupil day on Friday 20th October, prior to half term, 23rd - 27th October.
G D Reed
Headteacher
*********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 26
Friday 29th September 2006
Dear Parents,
It is always good to have positive copmments about our children. This week the gym teacher from Falcons Academy sent an e-mail saying how pleased he is with Year 5 and 6's behaviour and their willingness to learn.
Also on a positive note, I attach graphs and findings of our most recent questionnaires, to new parents, Year 6 leavers and users of Cool Kids Club. The results are very encouraging and help us plan future developments.
Our Friends Association works tirelessly to support our school arranging a variety of social and fund-raising activities. Tonight at 8.00pm there will be a Bingo evening in the Jubilee Hall with many great prizes. Do come along and encourage others to to the same - everyone is welcome.
Don't forget we are collecting Tesco Sports vouchers - the more we collect the more free equipment we can claim.
Our Harvest Service is planned for next Wednesday, commencing at 9.15am. Attached to this letter is an envelope for donations towards our sponsorship of Atilat and Sanjay through Action Aid. We need to raise £400, so every £ is vital. Children can bring the envelopes to the Harvest Service. Due to work being done in the Parish Church, our service this year will take place in the Jubilee Hall. Thank you for your support.
Please don't forget that we would like to have your favourite cake and pudding recipes so that we can put them together and publish them before Christmas as the 'Swimbridge School Cake and Pudding Book'.
Nominations for 'Friends' (PTA) officers are still invited - Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
On Friday 20th October (the day which precedes the half term, October 23 - 28th) school will be closed for a staff training day, when all schools in the South Molton area will be working together. Cool Kids Club will not be open on this occasion (few people used it on the last non-pupil day). If you require child-care that day, Ladybirds in Landkey (830118) may be able to help you. Parents collecting children from Cool Kids Club are requested to use the Cool Kids entrance (at the eastern end of the school); please do not use the main entrance, or the playground gate.
If you have any concerns about your child at school, please don't hesitate to contact us.
*********************************************************************************************
Swimbridge CE Primary School
Weekly Newsletter No 25
Friday 22nd September 2006
Dear Parents
Swimming continues for Yrs 1 to 4. Many thanks to those parents who have already sent their swimming transport donations (£9 per child). The majority of children are making good progress and all are benefiting from these sessions. Our new Reception children, who start their afternoon sessions next week will be staying at school on Tuesday afternoons, starting their swimming lessons next year.
The Friends (PTA) Treasure Hunt was very enjoyable. Thanks to those who arranged it (especially Stephanie Dyer who compiled it). Congratulations to the Floyd family who won!
Everyone is invited to the Friends Bingo night in the Jubilee Hall on Friday September 29th at 8 pm; please make this event well known in the community.
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends Association will be in school on Tuesday October 10th at 7 pm; everyone who has a child at our school (or who works here) is very welcome. Nominations for the positions of: Chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer are invited. Please complete the form below and return to me as soon as possible.
It looks like our school has once again achieved very, very highly on the Value added Primary league tables, which report on the progress children make at school and which Ofsted regards as crucial. These will be formally published during November / December.
The government expect all Primary Schools to start teaching a modern foreign language by 2010. You may be interested to know that we have already started with years 3 and 4 and this will be extended over the coming months and years.
Our Cool Kids Club has got off to a really great start. It is open to all children from 3.15 to 5.30pm, although parents can collect their children earlier if they wish. A whole range of activities go on each day ranging from craft, art, cookery, playing etc. At only £5.90 a session (£2.60 per hour approx.) this must be the lowest cost of childcare available locally. If you would like to book a place for a regular day, complete term, or just the occasional session please see Mrs Wadsworth in the school office. For parents with children at Cool Kids Club, in an emergency please phone 0784 5975623 (direct line to Cool Kids Club) or you can use this number if there is something you wish to discuss with Rachel Vines our after-school co-ordinator. Next Monday's film night is fully booked.
At this time each year we hold our simple Harvest Festival Service. Unfortunately we are not yet able to confirm the date, for reasons beyond our control, but we have provisionally booked Wednesday October 4th commencing at 9.15 am; parents and friends are very welcome.
Once again we are collecting to raise funds to sponsor our two third world children, Atilat Abaagri (aged 9, from Ghana) and 11-year old Sanjay Singh from India. To continue our Action Aid sponsorship of these two children, we need to raise £400. In previous years, families, governors and staff have contributed towards this fund by sending cash or cheques (payable to Swimbridge Primary School) in the envelopes which children bring to the Harvest Service, as an altar donation. Please help if you possibly can. Envelopes will be sent out next week.
Atilat Abagri is one of a family of 4. She attends school and lives in Ghana, where her family have a small plot of land on which they grow millet, beans, groundnuts and vegetables. They keep a few goats, chickens and guinea fowl. Atilat's house is made of mud and thatch and there is a borehole providing clean water half a km away. Most of the year is very dry and only those with access to water can grow anything during the drought which can last for months. The severe and unreliable climate is one of the main factors contributing to the extreme poverty of the people here.
Sanjay Singh also attends school. He is in a family of three children living in Madhya Pradesh, India. Low incomes and lack of employment mean that many families, like his, have high debts. There is little healthcare in the area. During the summer months his family have to travel up to 2 km to fetch fresh water. Sanjay's family depend on agriculture or the forest to earn an income and feed themselves. Crops like rice, maize etc are commonly grown although there is very little spare to sell.
Each year we raise all the funds necessary to provide these two children with an education and additional items, such as clothing and some of their food. By bringing Harvest donations this can continue.
Please don't forget that we would like to have your favourite cake and pudding recipes so that we can put together and publish them before Christmas as the 'Swimbridge School Cake and Pudding Book'. Hopefully every family could send us one or two recipes; there will be room for children's recipes as well. Perhaps you could add a sentence or two explaining why this recipe is a favourite - where it came from. Ideally, recipes could be e-mailed to head@swimbridge-primary.devon.sch.uk, or sent in on disc. Alternatively a paper copy will be very acceptable. So far we have only had 3 recipes.
________________________________________________________________
Swimbridge Friends? Association:
Dear Mr Reed
I wish to nominate the following people for the position of:
Chair:
Vice chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Signed:
Date:
__________________________________________________________________
Weekly Newsletter No 25
Friday 15th September 2006
Dear Parents,
Many thanks to parents of children in Years 1 - 4 who have already sent in their £9 donation for this term's swimming. Donations towards the coach travel are still very welcome.
Do you like puddings and cakes? Many of us have favourite recipes, and we would like to have them so that we can put together and publish them before Christmas as the 'Swimbridge School Cake and Pudding Book'. Hopefully every family could send us one or two recipes; there will be room for children's recipes as well. Perhaps you could add a sentence or two explaining why this recipe is a favourite - where it came from. Ideally, recipes could be e-mailed to head@swimbridge-primary.devon.sch.uk, or sent in on disc. Alternatively a paper copy will be very acceptable.
Please note that supervision for children in the playground commences at 8.30am. Even though we now start school earlier we have half a dozen children who regularly arrive around 8.20am. Please ensure that you child arrives no earlier than 8.30am but before 8.45am.
Congratulations to these children for swimming the following distances :
Bethany Hill 190 mtrs
Laura Ackland 190 mtrs
Lucie Slape 190 mtrs
Millie Cloak 180 mtrs
Lucille Verton 130 mtrs
Since the start of Setpember, all schoolas are expected to publish a 'School Profile', primarily for prospective new parents. There is a new web-site for all school profiles. To enable parents to access ours, it can also be found in the News section of our school web-site.
We have recently reviewed and amended our 'Home-School Agreement', following consultation with parents (at Tuesday's Friends meeting) and governors. All parents will be asked to accept this document, and will receive copies shortly. For information, you can view this document on our web-site.
Next Sunday afternoon the Friends Association (PTA) will be holding a Treasure Hunt, starting at 2.30pm from the children's playground in Rock Park - weather permitting. Everyone is welcome to take part in this family event.
Bookings are now being taken for the next Cool Kids Club Film Night on Monday. To accompany the film 'Cars' there will be popcorn and drinks, just like a real cinema.
On Monday 18th September, staff from South Molton Community College will be visiting our school to speak to our current Year 6 pupils.
Attached to this letter the parents of children in Class 4 should find a copy of 'Life in Class 4' - outlining the curriculum in the class this term.
Tesco Sports Vouchers are being collected in school.
We still have some children wearing un-named clothing; the attached EzePze labels leaflet might be useful.
G D Reed
Headteacher
********************************************************************************************
Newsletter No 24
Friday 8th September 2006
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to the Autumn Term.
This term Class 1/2 and 3 (not Year R at the moment) will be swimming at South Molton Pool every Tuesday afternoon until mid-November when the pool is closed for refurbishment. Children will need a named towel, swimming costume and swimming cap please. It is our aim to help develop children's confidence in the water by teaching non-swimmers to swim, and to develop stamina and water safety techniques for those who can already swim. Children will leave school around 12.50pm, after an early lunch, and return by around 2.30pm. You will appreciate that the cost of pool hire, instructors and transport is very expensive. Fortunately our Friends Association (PTA) is going to cover some of the cost, but we request a contribution of £9 towards swimming transport for the 9-week session (£16 for two children) Please complete the form below.
Our Friends Association does so much for our school - your support is always welcome. Next Tuesday there is a Friends meeting in the Jack Russell at 8.00pm, followed by a Treasure Hunt around Barnstaple on Sunday 17th September. We will meet at the Rock Park Playground at 2.30pm; this is a free event.
Attached to this letter is our latest school lunch menmu. At only £1.65 per day, £8.25 per week (please note the increase from last term) these meals are excellent value for money. Please bring in Dinner Money on Mondays only, cash in a named envelope, or a cheque payable to D.C.C. For those wishing to pay for this half term, the cost will be £54.45.
Next Monday afternoon (11th September) Class 4 will need their P.E.kit as they are booked for 4 intensive gymnastic sessions at the Falcons Gym on Pottington Estate. There is no cost for these sessions. Unless we hear to the contrary we will assume that parents give permission for their children to participate.
Guitar lessons re-start next week on Thursday afternoon. Flutes/fifes and recorders will begin the following week on Wednesday afternooons. If your child is in Year 3 or above and you wish him/her to learn either guitar or flute but you have not yet booked a place, please see me as soon as possible. It is our aim that all KS2 children will learn a musical instrument so children not playing guitar or flute will have recorder lessons on Monday affternoons; please make sure that (if applicable) your child has a named recorder in school each week.
Our Cool Kids Club continues to provide high quality child care until 5.30pm each day with a range of exciting activities and refreshments. Currently there are some vacancies. Bookings should be made at the school office.
This is the time of year when parents of Year 6 pupils select their secondary schools. 'The Next Step' booklet is available at www.devon.gov.uk/schools and parents are advised to view it there, with an option to request a hard copy if they wish. Apparently, the County Admissions Officer wrote to all Year 6 parents last term issuing a unique identification number. We have a very limited number of these booklets in the school office for those without computers. I attach part of the booklet to help with the process; if you have difficulties we advise you to contact the County Admission team (details attached).
Also attached to this letter is a brochure from Pink Cow offering good quality computer software. When ordering, you can nominate our school to receive a percentage of the cost.
If you have any concerns about your child at school please don't hesitate to book an after-school appointment with his/her teacher.
And finally ............ join the world's biggest coffee morning on Friday 29th September (10 - 12 noon) in the Jubilee Hall. Homemade cakes, prizes and help are requested. Contact Paula on 830514 or Kirsty on 831389.
G D Reed
Headteacher
Weekly Newsletter No 32
Friday 28th November 2006
Dear Parents,
What a great Christmas Fayre we had on Saturday. More people attended than ever, £ was raised and there was a lovely friendly atmosphere. A special thanks to all those who organised and help make this such a success. On a personal note, I was very touched, and very grateful, for the album and whistle presented to me at the end of the Fayre to mark my 25th anniversary.
As you know, next week is very busy with three perfomances, all in the Jubilee Hall.
On Wednesday, Classes 3 and 4 will be performing 'Up the Beanstalk' at 6.30pm. Children are asked to come in costume by 6.15pm. This will be repeated on Thursday afternoon at . The afternoon performance is when younger children usually attend as the evening performance is generally very crowded. Classes 1 and 2 will be watching Tuesday's dress rehearsal.
Friday, at 10.00am, sees the KS1 performance of 'The Wriggly Nativity'. Pre-school will be amongst the audience.
A special thanks must go to all the staff and parents who have been working so hard to put on these performances. Although not exactly a 'West End' production, the children deserve praise for their great enthusiasm and hard work.
For all performances, an entrance fee of £2 will be made for adults to help offset the cost of hall hire and various costumes and props. Any profit will go to our Action Aid sponsorship of Atilat and Sanjay.
On sale from Monday :
1. Swimbridge School Calendars, including term and birth dates and fascinating quotes from our school log books - Cost £3.00
2. Swimbridge School Recipe Books containing dozens of mouth-watering cake and pudding recipes - Cost £2.50
These both make great Christmas presents for family and friends, and profits once again will help our sponsorship of Atilat and Sanjay.
Special offer : Buy both items together for the bargain price of £5.00.
Don't forget Swimbridge Christmas Arts and Crafts Fair on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December, 10.00am to 4.00pm in the Jubilee Hall. For sale will be original presents for all ages, traditional home-made Christmas cakes, puddings and preserves, Christmas decorations, folk art, original paintings, jewellery and pottery by local artists. Everything you need to celebrate the festive season. For further information, telephone Ian on 830878.
Dont forget :
Carol Service 9.20am in the Parish Church on Wednesday
We are still collecting Tesco Sports Vouchers
School closes for the Christmas holidays on Friday 15th December, and reopens on Wednesday 3rd January 2007.
********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 31
Friday 17th November 2006
Dear Parents,
Swimming for Years 1 - 4 has now finshed for this term, as the pool is now closed for refurbishment. A special thanks to those kind parents who contributed towards transport, and staff and parents who helped each week. All children have made good progress over the term.
This week congratulations go to :
10 metres with float
Ben Wills and Alexander Snell
Swimming unaided ;
2 metres Florence Gillard and Carl Payne
5 metres Emily Deane
6 metres Toby Ruhleman
10 metres Matthew Surridge-Smale, April Cockerill, Isaac Tredant and Joe Coysh
Special congratulations goes to Meghan Thompson, who took part in the prestigious North Devon Performing Arts Festival. She was awarded joint first place, winning the Festival Junior Improvisation Cup, 10 years and under.
Twice a year we hold 'formal' parent interviews. However, at any time of the year parents are welcome to meet their child's teacher and find out more about children's progress; simply book an after school consultation.
£7.20 was raised for the Poppy Appeal last week.
Christmas is getting closer and our Friends Association is hoping for lots of volunteers and plenty of support at the Christmas Fayre on Saturday 25th November.
We hope to hold the following events to which parents, families and friends are invited :
Class 3 and 4 performance of 'Jack and the Beanstalk' on Wednesday 6th December at 6.30pm (Please notify us immediately if your Class 3 or 4 child cannot be present for this performance) and Thursday 7th December at 1.45pm, in the Jubilee Hall.
Class 1 and 2 Nativity on Friday 8th December at 10.00am in the Jubilee Hall.
Christmas Carol Service - Christmas around the World on Wednesday 13th December at 9.20 in the Parish Church.
You will appreciate that this is a big undertaking for such a small school. Offers of help with costumes and props would be welcome.
We have a few second-hand computer monitors available for a donation of £5. Please see me if you are interested.
If you would like your child to learn to play guitar or flute next term, please see Mrs Wadsworth in the school office.
G D Reed
Headteacher
******************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Friday 10th November 2006
Weekly Newsletter No 30
Dear Parents,
Head lice once again seem to be in the area - please check your children's hair this weekend, and treat accordingly. Parents who have children with long hair are asked to ensure that their hair is tied back. I attach a leaflet.
Next Tuesday is our last swimming session for years 1, 2, 3 and 4 before the South Molton Pool closes for re-furbishment.
Congratulations to the following children for their swimming achievements
Waterwings 1
Laura Trawin and Hannah Trawin
Waterwings 2
Oliver Brown, Ethan Young, Harvey Jones, Megan Rippin, Alex Deane, Pasul Crossley and Lauren Slape
Waterwings 5
Lucie Slape
Waterwings 6
George Corfe, Lucille Verton, Peter Dawson, Laura Ackland, Bethany Hill, and Millie Cloak
10 metres
Hannah O'Brien, Scott Ansell, Simon Bushen, Georgia Everett-Brown, Haydon Vickery, Tilly Swanson, Travis Lovell, Isaac Rippin, Declan Smith, Harry Dyer and Taite Young
Overall all children have made good progress. We recommend that all children go swimming as often as possible to continue the momentum. Older children will be swimming next term.
Congratulations also to Bethany Balment who has been nominated for the Headteachers Award by two of our Meal Time Assistants, for her great help at every lunchtime.
Our school has had a mini-inspection this week conducted by the Local Education Authority. It is pleasing that once again we have been designated as 'good' - we could have been satisfactory, or causing concern!!
Mrs Corfe would like to thank everybody for attending the Phoenix Trading evening at her home - over £40 was raised for our KS1 outside play equipment project- Well Done !!!!
Our Friends Association continues to work hard for our school, and is looking for help and support for our Christmas Fayre (on Saturday 25th November) and for baking and decorating Christmas Cakes to sell at the village Craft Fair.
Computer Club re-starts on Tuesday from 3.15 to 4.00pm. In the past this has been run in competition with our own Cool Kids Club, and so we have decided to incorporate a small snack and affiliate the Computer Club with the Cool Kids Club, making a small charge of £2.00 a session towards costs. Children can, of course, continue at Cool Kids after Computer Club, providing they are booked in at the School Office. Children in Years 4, 5 and 6 are all welcome to attend Computer Club by signing up in the School Office.
Those who attended Cascades last Friday hopefully had a very enjoyable time. After the cost of the pool hire, £17.50 was raised for our Action Aid aponsorship.
Legally we have to issue you with a Fair Processing Notice, which is attached. Future editions of this (should you wish to read it) will be available on our school web-site.
Our total for Tesco Sports vouchers has now reached - thank you!!!
G D Reed
Headteacher
********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 29
Thursday 19th October
Dear Parents,
You know that school is closed for children tomorrow (Friday 20th October) for a staff training day. Next week we are closed for half term, we re-open on Monday 30th October.
After half term, Class 3 will be having sessions at Falcons Gym every Monday, starting on 30th October. There is no charge for this. Please ensure that your child has his/her PE kit in school each monday, including a spare pair of socks. This week a number of children in Classes 3 and 4 had Games on the field and got their socks wet. As they didn't have a change of socks, we had to try and dry them - not terribly easy! A pair of socks will also be required to be worn in the Gym.
On Tuesday, Class 4 is booked to go to the Queens Theatre for a performance of 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'. A number of parents have not yet completed the permission slip or sent in the donation of £4.00. Please do so immediately we return to school.
Swimming for Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 continues at South Molton Pool until 14th November. On Friday 3rd November, we have booked Cascades Pool at Ruda, Croyde, for everyone - children, parents, friends, relatives. This will start at 6.15PM for one hour. The cost per person will only be £2.50 (less than the standard entry) to raise funds for our two sponsored children. This is always a very enjoyable occasion, so please come and join us. The KS1/pre-school 'Big Wheelie' has been re-arranged for Thursday afternoon, 2nd November, so you have more time to gather sponsors if you can!!
Please remember to return your school photograph order envelopes as soon as possible.
Provisional Christmas dates are :
Wed 6th December (early evening) and Thursday 7th December (afternoon) - KS2 performance
Monday 11th December KS2 party
Wednesday 13th December Carol Service 9.15am(?) and school christmas dinner
Thursday 14th December KS1 party
Friday 15th December last day of term
There will probably also be a KS1 nativity during the daytime of the week commencing 4th December - dates to be decided upon. Please note these are provisional dates and events - not yet confirmed.
our Cool Kids Club continues to provide good quality childcare after school each day, as well as providing 'themed' evenings such as Cookery and Art/Craft. After half term we will be asking all casual users to pay either on booking (this is preferred), or on collection of children. Regular every day users will continue to be invoiced as before.
We continue to offer parents the opportunity to meet teachers, after school, to discuss progress - just book an appointment with your child's teacher. There is a sign-up sheet on Class 4's door for parents of children in Class 4 who would like to book an appoinment between 3.40 and 5.40 on Wednesday 1st November. This is especially for parents who have not had a recent parent/teacher consultation.
Attached to this letter is a leaflet about 'Operation Christmas Child' which we continue to support. Filled shoe boxes can be handed in at the school office.
Have a good half term break.
G D Reed
Headteacher
*********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 27
Friday 6th October 2006
Dear Parents,
A great big thankyou for the tremendous harvest offering collected at our Harvest service this week. The sum of £246.35 was raised for the sponsorship of our two Action Aid children - the largest amount ever collected in one go!! If you still have a contribution to make it will be gratefully received as we need to raise £400 in all by December. Ideas for fund-raising are always welcome.
To raise further funds for this cause we have booked Cascades fun pool, Croyde for all our families and friends on Friday 3rd November, from 6.15 to 7.15pm. Please book this date - more details later.
Sadly, Keith Iley, one time Chair of Governors at this school, passed away a few days ago. Keith was a great supporter of our school and a Governor for around a decade.
Please note that there will be no recorder lessons on Monday 9th October; guitar and flute lessons continue as usual.
Don't forget next Tuesday's Friends Association (PTA) Annual General Meeting, in school at 7.00pm. Nominations for Officers should come to me please. Thanks to the present officers who have led us so well through the year asnd raised many hundreds of pounds to enrich the school lives of our children.
If you, or any of your friends and neighbours would like to register younger children for our school, please complete an admission form as soon as possible. The County Admissions procedure does present us with some difficulties - which can be overcome if parents come to us directly; it doesn't matter how young the child is - an early application to us can ensure a place!
Next Friday we have the visit of 'Spacelab', in the Jubilee Hall for all classes. Our Friends Association has kindly agreed to finance this exciting project.
I am sure that many of you were confused, as I was, by an article in yesterday's North Devon Journal, about a Swimbridge resident who took her son out of mainstream education a year or so ago, and advocates setting up a support group for home educated children. Because she lives near Swimbridge, and is holding a support group meeting in Swimbridge Jubilee Hall, it might be inferred that her child was once a pupil at our school, and therefore left our school. This is not the case. The child apparently went to another school. Perhaps if she had originally visited us, she might not feel the need to consider home education ..... who knows?
Congratulations to the following children for completing merit cards :
Card 1 Florence Gillard, Till Swanson, Ben Wills, Joe Coysh, Toby Ruhleman, Isaac Tredant and Isaac Rippin
Card 2 April Cockerill
Card 3 Taite Young
Card 5 Alexander Snell
Card 6 Travis Lovell
Card 7 Laura Trawin
Card 8 George Corfe, Jacob Heard and Thomas O'Brien
Don't forget KS1 sponsored wheelie event on 19th October, and our non-pupil day on Friday 20th October, prior to half term, 23rd - 27th October.
G D Reed
Headteacher
*********************************************************************************************
Weekly Newsletter No 26
Friday 29th September 2006
Dear Parents,
It is always good to have positive copmments about our children. This week the gym teacher from Falcons Academy sent an e-mail saying how pleased he is with Year 5 and 6's behaviour and their willingness to learn.
Also on a positive note, I attach graphs and findings of our most recent questionnaires, to new parents, Year 6 leavers and users of Cool Kids Club. The results are very encouraging and help us plan future developments.
Our Friends Association works tirelessly to support our school arranging a variety of social and fund-raising activities. Tonight at 8.00pm there will be a Bingo evening in the Jubilee Hall with many great prizes. Do come along and encourage others to to the same - everyone is welcome.
Don't forget we are collecting Tesco Sports vouchers - the more we collect the more free equipment we can claim.
Our Harvest Service is planned for next Wednesday, commencing at 9.15am. Attached to this letter is an envelope for donations towards our sponsorship of Atilat and Sanjay through Action Aid. We need to raise £400, so every £ is vital. Children can bring the envelopes to the Harvest Service. Due to work being done in the Parish Church, our service this year will take place in the Jubilee Hall. Thank you for your support.
Please don't forget that we would like to have your favourite cake and pudding recipes so that we can put them together and publish them before Christmas as the 'Swimbridge School Cake and Pudding Book'.
Nominations for 'Friends' (PTA) officers are still invited - Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer.
On Friday 20th October (the day which precedes the half term, October 23 - 28th) school will be closed for a staff training day, when all schools in the South Molton area will be working together. Cool Kids Club will not be open on this occasion (few people used it on the last non-pupil day). If you require child-care that day, Ladybirds in Landkey (830118) may be able to help you. Parents collecting children from Cool Kids Club are requested to use the Cool Kids entrance (at the eastern end of the school); please do not use the main entrance, or the playground gate.
If you have any concerns about your child at school, please don't hesitate to contact us.
*********************************************************************************************
Swimbridge CE Primary School
Weekly Newsletter No 25
Friday 22nd September 2006
Dear Parents
Swimming continues for Yrs 1 to 4. Many thanks to those parents who have already sent their swimming transport donations (£9 per child). The majority of children are making good progress and all are benefiting from these sessions. Our new Reception children, who start their afternoon sessions next week will be staying at school on Tuesday afternoons, starting their swimming lessons next year.
The Friends (PTA) Treasure Hunt was very enjoyable. Thanks to those who arranged it (especially Stephanie Dyer who compiled it). Congratulations to the Floyd family who won!
Everyone is invited to the Friends Bingo night in the Jubilee Hall on Friday September 29th at 8 pm; please make this event well known in the community.
The Annual General Meeting of the Friends Association will be in school on Tuesday October 10th at 7 pm; everyone who has a child at our school (or who works here) is very welcome. Nominations for the positions of: Chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer are invited. Please complete the form below and return to me as soon as possible.
It looks like our school has once again achieved very, very highly on the Value added Primary league tables, which report on the progress children make at school and which Ofsted regards as crucial. These will be formally published during November / December.
The government expect all Primary Schools to start teaching a modern foreign language by 2010. You may be interested to know that we have already started with years 3 and 4 and this will be extended over the coming months and years.
Our Cool Kids Club has got off to a really great start. It is open to all children from 3.15 to 5.30pm, although parents can collect their children earlier if they wish. A whole range of activities go on each day ranging from craft, art, cookery, playing etc. At only £5.90 a session (£2.60 per hour approx.) this must be the lowest cost of childcare available locally. If you would like to book a place for a regular day, complete term, or just the occasional session please see Mrs Wadsworth in the school office. For parents with children at Cool Kids Club, in an emergency please phone 0784 5975623 (direct line to Cool Kids Club) or you can use this number if there is something you wish to discuss with Rachel Vines our after-school co-ordinator. Next Monday's film night is fully booked.
At this time each year we hold our simple Harvest Festival Service. Unfortunately we are not yet able to confirm the date, for reasons beyond our control, but we have provisionally booked Wednesday October 4th commencing at 9.15 am; parents and friends are very welcome.
Once again we are collecting to raise funds to sponsor our two third world children, Atilat Abaagri (aged 9, from Ghana) and 11-year old Sanjay Singh from India. To continue our Action Aid sponsorship of these two children, we need to raise £400. In previous years, families, governors and staff have contributed towards this fund by sending cash or cheques (payable to Swimbridge Primary School) in the envelopes which children bring to the Harvest Service, as an altar donation. Please help if you possibly can. Envelopes will be sent out next week.
Atilat Abagri is one of a family of 4. She attends school and lives in Ghana, where her family have a small plot of land on which they grow millet, beans, groundnuts and vegetables. They keep a few goats, chickens and guinea fowl. Atilat's house is made of mud and thatch and there is a borehole providing clean water half a km away. Most of the year is very dry and only those with access to water can grow anything during the drought which can last for months. The severe and unreliable climate is one of the main factors contributing to the extreme poverty of the people here.
Sanjay Singh also attends school. He is in a family of three children living in Madhya Pradesh, India. Low incomes and lack of employment mean that many families, like his, have high debts. There is little healthcare in the area. During the summer months his family have to travel up to 2 km to fetch fresh water. Sanjay's family depend on agriculture or the forest to earn an income and feed themselves. Crops like rice, maize etc are commonly grown although there is very little spare to sell.
Each year we raise all the funds necessary to provide these two children with an education and additional items, such as clothing and some of their food. By bringing Harvest donations this can continue.
Please don't forget that we would like to have your favourite cake and pudding recipes so that we can put together and publish them before Christmas as the 'Swimbridge School Cake and Pudding Book'. Hopefully every family could send us one or two recipes; there will be room for children's recipes as well. Perhaps you could add a sentence or two explaining why this recipe is a favourite - where it came from. Ideally, recipes could be e-mailed to head@swimbridge-primary.devon.sch.uk, or sent in on disc. Alternatively a paper copy will be very acceptable. So far we have only had 3 recipes.
________________________________________________________________
Swimbridge Friends? Association:
Dear Mr Reed
I wish to nominate the following people for the position of:
Chair:
Vice chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Signed:
Date:
__________________________________________________________________
Weekly Newsletter No 25
Friday 15th September 2006
Dear Parents,
Many thanks to parents of children in Years 1 - 4 who have already sent in their £9 donation for this term's swimming. Donations towards the coach travel are still very welcome.
Do you like puddings and cakes? Many of us have favourite recipes, and we would like to have them so that we can put together and publish them before Christmas as the 'Swimbridge School Cake and Pudding Book'. Hopefully every family could send us one or two recipes; there will be room for children's recipes as well. Perhaps you could add a sentence or two explaining why this recipe is a favourite - where it came from. Ideally, recipes could be e-mailed to head@swimbridge-primary.devon.sch.uk, or sent in on disc. Alternatively a paper copy will be very acceptable.
Please note that supervision for children in the playground commences at 8.30am. Even though we now start school earlier we have half a dozen children who regularly arrive around 8.20am. Please ensure that you child arrives no earlier than 8.30am but before 8.45am.
Congratulations to these children for swimming the following distances :
Bethany Hill 190 mtrs
Laura Ackland 190 mtrs
Lucie Slape 190 mtrs
Millie Cloak 180 mtrs
Lucille Verton 130 mtrs
Since the start of Setpember, all schoolas are expected to publish a 'School Profile', primarily for prospective new parents. There is a new web-site for all school profiles. To enable parents to access ours, it can also be found in the News section of our school web-site.
We have recently reviewed and amended our 'Home-School Agreement', following consultation with parents (at Tuesday's Friends meeting) and governors. All parents will be asked to accept this document, and will receive copies shortly. For information, you can view this document on our web-site.
Next Sunday afternoon the Friends Association (PTA) will be holding a Treasure Hunt, starting at 2.30pm from the children's playground in Rock Park - weather permitting. Everyone is welcome to take part in this family event.
Bookings are now being taken for the next Cool Kids Club Film Night on Monday. To accompany the film 'Cars' there will be popcorn and drinks, just like a real cinema.
On Monday 18th September, staff from South Molton Community College will be visiting our school to speak to our current Year 6 pupils.
Attached to this letter the parents of children in Class 4 should find a copy of 'Life in Class 4' - outlining the curriculum in the class this term.
Tesco Sports Vouchers are being collected in school.
We still have some children wearing un-named clothing; the attached EzePze labels leaflet might be useful.
G D Reed
Headteacher
********************************************************************************************
Newsletter No 24
Friday 8th September 2006
Dear Parents,
Welcome back to the Autumn Term.
This term Class 1/2 and 3 (not Year R at the moment) will be swimming at South Molton Pool every Tuesday afternoon until mid-November when the pool is closed for refurbishment. Children will need a named towel, swimming costume and swimming cap please. It is our aim to help develop children's confidence in the water by teaching non-swimmers to swim, and to develop stamina and water safety techniques for those who can already swim. Children will leave school around 12.50pm, after an early lunch, and return by around 2.30pm. You will appreciate that the cost of pool hire, instructors and transport is very expensive. Fortunately our Friends Association (PTA) is going to cover some of the cost, but we request a contribution of £9 towards swimming transport for the 9-week session (£16 for two children) Please complete the form below.
Our Friends Association does so much for our school - your support is always welcome. Next Tuesday there is a Friends meeting in the Jack Russell at 8.00pm, followed by a Treasure Hunt around Barnstaple on Sunday 17th September. We will meet at the Rock Park Playground at 2.30pm; this is a free event.
Attached to this letter is our latest school lunch menmu. At only £1.65 per day, £8.25 per week (please note the increase from last term) these meals are excellent value for money. Please bring in Dinner Money on Mondays only, cash in a named envelope, or a cheque payable to D.C.C. For those wishing to pay for this half term, the cost will be £54.45.
Next Monday afternoon (11th September) Class 4 will need their P.E.kit as they are booked for 4 intensive gymnastic sessions at the Falcons Gym on Pottington Estate. There is no cost for these sessions. Unless we hear to the contrary we will assume that parents give permission for their children to participate.
Guitar lessons re-start next week on Thursday afternoon. Flutes/fifes and recorders will begin the following week on Wednesday afternooons. If your child is in Year 3 or above and you wish him/her to learn either guitar or flute but you have not yet booked a place, please see me as soon as possible. It is our aim that all KS2 children will learn a musical instrument so children not playing guitar or flute will have recorder lessons on Monday affternoons; please make sure that (if applicable) your child has a named recorder in school each week.
Our Cool Kids Club continues to provide high quality child care until 5.30pm each day with a range of exciting activities and refreshments. Currently there are some vacancies. Bookings should be made at the school office.
This is the time of year when parents of Year 6 pupils select their secondary schools. 'The Next Step' booklet is available at www.devon.gov.uk/schools and parents are advised to view it there, with an option to request a hard copy if they wish. Apparently, the County Admissions Officer wrote to all Year 6 parents last term issuing a unique identification number. We have a very limited number of these booklets in the school office for those without computers. I attach part of the booklet to help with the process; if you have difficulties we advise you to contact the County Admission team (details attached).
Also attached to this letter is a brochure from Pink Cow offering good quality computer software. When ordering, you can nominate our school to receive a percentage of the cost.
If you have any concerns about your child at school please don't hesitate to book an after-school appointment with his/her teacher.
And finally ............ join the world's biggest coffee morning on Friday 29th September (10 - 12 noon) in the Jubilee Hall. Homemade cakes, prizes and help are requested. Contact Paula on 830514 or Kirsty on 831389.
G D Reed
Headteacher