Dear Parents and Carers,
This week, children in Y1 - Y6 attended an assembly run by Torridge Mental Health Support Team. Two of the staff from TMHST explained what they do. They talked to the children about what mental health is and how we can maintain it. They also explained an NHS digital therapy game called Lumi Nova that has been designed for children to be able to think about mental health. The children were excellent listeners and at the end, came up with some brilliant questions. Details of the free game are included in this letter.
Next week is a really busy and exciting one in school with plenty of curriculum enrichment activities going on. As you will know, we have had to postpone Harvest Collective Worship from Wednesday due to several members of staff being out on training. I can now confirm that the school's Harvest will be at 2:45pm on Wednesday 14th October.
Class One Stay and Play
Mrs Game, staff and children would like to invite parents and carers of children in Class One to come in on Monday morning to the first 'Stay and Play' of the term. This will be a chance to see how we teach Phonics in the Early Years and to give you some tips on how you might support your child's learning at home. If you have a child in Class One, please do try to come along.
Appledore Book Festival
We are really looking forward to welcoming four different authors in to school next week as part of our continuing involvement in Appledore Book Festival. As in previous years, every child will be bringing home a copy of a book by their class' chosen author to keep. The authors are:
Monday - Class 3 - Jasbinder Bilan
Tuesday - Class 4 - Siobhan McDermott
Wednesday - Class 2 - Tracey Corderoy
Friday - Class 1 - Sarah Tagholm
TEAM Cross-Country
On Monday, we will be hosting the TEAM Cross-Country event - the biggest gathering of pupils from across the schools in TEAM to take place each year. By now, this is a well-established event and although gruelling and sometimes wet, it provides children with a real opportunity to Let Your Light Shine. The sense of satisfaction that children gain from competing is wonderful to observe. If your child has shown an interest in taking part, please send them to school on Monday in PE kit. They will need a coat to put on before and after running as well as water in a bottle and a healthy snack. As there is every possibility of rain, please also bring school uniform to change in to after the event.
Class Four Bristol Trip
As part of their project 'Freedom Fighters', Class Four will be off to Bristol on Thursday. We will be leaving early at 7:45am from HBCC and will arrive back for 6:00pm. This is always a really informative trip and one where our children have the opportunity to meet up with peers from Witheridge Academy, who will be coming with us.
After School Child Care
Can I ask that if you think that you may use after school child care in school, you email me with an expression of interest in the next few days. So far I have had a limited number of positive replies and we would need more users to make this viable.
Some Not Great News
Unfortunately, a child has been hit by a bike on the playground as they have been leaving Class Two to go home. As I have said, the playground is very congested at the end of the day and it is not safe for children to be getting bikes and scooters from under the arch and riding them around before all children have left Class Two. PLEASE make sure that when your child collects their scooter or bike from under the archway they do not bring it onto the playground at the end of the day.
Some Great News
To end this week, I am delighted to be able to tell you that Mrs Warner-Smith is expecting her third child in the new year. With her baby due in March, she will be working up until February half term. We will be starting a process to appoint a teacher to work on Thursday and Friday in Class One in the near future and I will keep you posted on this.
Have a lovely weekend,
Rob Norton
Head of School
