25 Apr 2008 - Welcome back to the summer term!

April 25^th 2008

Dear all

Welcome back to the summer term – will we have the weather to match I wonder?  All of the children look well rested and ready for a very busy and important term, particularly this half term when they have their SATS (from year 2 upwards).  As I mentioned before, SATS week for Y3 – Y6 is Monday 12^th May to Friday 16^th May, so it’s crucial that all children are in school that week, and that they have early nights and lots of brain food!  The Year 2 children will do their SATS slightly earlier than that, and theirs are spread out over more than one week.  Please help your children to remain calm about these tests – they are important, but all we ask of the children is that they do their best, which I’m sure they all will!

Welcome

This term we welcome Miss Rebecca Hurley to our school who is here to do her final teaching practice under the beady eyes of Mrs P-S and Mrs Ware in Forde class!  We wish her all the best and hope she’ll really enjoy working in our lovely school.

Goodbye

This term we say goodbye to Graham, our curate, who I’m sure you all know, and who spends a great deal of time in school with our children, leading assemblies and helping out with clubs.  The children are all very fond of him, and he has been an excellent link between our school and the church.  We will be officially saying goodbye in an assembly on June 4^th, and if you would like to make a contribution to a leaving gift for him please send in the money in the usual way.

Governor update

Mrs Jeanine Browse, one of our very hard working governors, has been away from the school for some time due to an operation on her hip.  I’m pleased to say that she is doing very well, and will soon be back with us!  I know that Bradley class has missed her particularly as she spends time there each week reading with the children.  I know you will all join me in wishing her continued good health as she convalesces. 

SATS week timetable for Year 6 children

Parent Carers’ Voice

I have been passed some information from Helen Phillips, who is the new Development Worker of the Parent Carer Forum for Families of Children with Special Needs in Teignbridge, South Hams and West Devon .  Parent Carers’ Voice is a group of parents or carers who all have children with special needs and who meet regularly to discuss issues aimed at improving the services their children receive connected with health, education or social care.  Their views are then fed into a County Forum where there are representatives of the Statutory Agencies to take on board such issues. 

Anyone who is a parent or carer of a child with special needs is welcome to come along.  There is no commitment to anything and parent/carers are welcome to attend as little or as often as they choose.  Above all it is the place where parents or carers will have the chance to voice their opinions and influence the way services for their children are planned and delivered.

The next meeting is on Thursday May 8^th (see poster in conservatory) at Kingsteignton Community Hall,

Year Six Residential to Barton Hall

Please make sure all SOE forms have been returned to school by Monday at the latest or your child will not be able to go!  Unfortunately we are still outstanding four SOE forms and two PGL forms from the group.  If you have made arrangements to travel with another family please be sure that you have the meeting place and time organised (I suggest the person who is being given a lift checks up on this well in advance) so that no one is late or even worse, left behind!  PGL have all our emergency contact details including my home and mobile numbers so nothing to worry about.  Let’s just pray for some nice dry weather!

Something to do on the May Bank Holiday Weekend?

The Devon Wildlife Trust and Bicton College would like to invite our families to what promises to be a fantastic family day out celebrating trees, wood and wood working.  The day is called ‘The wood from the trees’ and is on Saturday 3^rd May from 10 am to 3 pm at Bicton College .  Cost is £5 car parking fee or £3 per family, with money raised going to support wildlife conservation in Devon (see conservatory for full poster).  Activities on offer include:

       get camouflaged

       climb a tree

       build a crazy bird box

       whittle wood

       swing around on high ropes

       help make a wooden horse

       build a den

Book early to avoid disappointment on 01626 832977!

Dates for this term

I’ve attached a ‘dates’ sheet of the events we have in the diary so far.  Please keep an eye in the newsletters and websites for any changes and additions.

With best wishes for a very successful term

Susan Rowe-Jones

Headteacher