We had a colourful end to the week with our Rainbow day on Friday. In PSHE lessons, classes were taught important messages about diversity and inclusivity through discussion, stories and drama. The sunshine and bright colours certainly put a spring in everyone’s step, as you can see from these photos. Sports Day- Tues 4th July As per the email sent to parents this week, we confirm that the Year R-6 Sports day will be held on the school field on Tuesday 4th July. Apologies for the change from the provisional date and venue. Families are welcome to come along and watch their children (and run in the adults and toddlers races if they wish) and also take part in a family picnic lunch. Timings are as follows: 10-12 Years R,1 & 2 races. School children sit with their class. 10-12 Finals of the KS2 field events (throwing and jumping). Your child will be told if they are taking part in the finals. 12-1 Lunchtime. Families are welcome to bring a picnic and eat with their child on the field. If you would like to book a school picnic lunch for your child, please order this via School Gateway by Thursday 29th June so the kitchen can order ingredients. There will be no main meals or jackets that day. 1-3:30 Years 3,4,5&6 races School children sit with their class. The PTA will be running a refreshment stall for adults to use, donations of cakes most welcome. Please send your child with a sun hat and water bottle. Children can wear trainers or plimsolls, plain PE shorts and a T Shirt in their house colour (red, blue, yellow or green). No football kits please. Children will change in class, so please send in the coloured T shirt on the day. Happy Birthday Lisa! On Monday the whole school got together in the hall to wish Lisa a very Happy Birthday. Lisa works tirelessly each day to serve us our school dinners and was even at work on her special day. We made her a whole school card and the canteen surprised her with birthday cake, which the children and staff enjoyed as pudding for 2 days! NEU Potential Industrial Strike Action The NEU (National Education Union) are calling their members to consider and take strike action on Wednesday 5th July and Friday 7th July. To determine if there will be the need for a full or partial closure on both or either of these days, we will undertake a Risk Assessment and confirm our arrangements to parents as soon as possible. Little Beacons Preschool will be open on these dates. OCRA Quad kids Key stage 2 classes took part in various sporting events on Friday. Run by OCRA, children tried long distance running, vortex throwing, standing long jump and sprints. All perfect practise for our sports day. Upcoming events Here are some upcoming dates for this term. Teachers will be in touch about class specific trips and events.
Friday 21st July - Last day of the academic year. PTA news PTA 100 Club May and June’s draws took place in this week’s Rainbow assembly. May winners were: 1st 18 Dane Forrester 2nd 36 Mrs L Darken 3rd 53 Sally Darken June winners were: 1st 6 Lisa Symes 2nd 83 Judith Smith 3rd 58 Nan Passmore If you're interested in joining then please contact southtawton100club@gmail.com for details. As always, many thanks for your support. The Kings Arms pub quiz – This Sunday 25th Please go along and have some fun and support the PTA at the same time, as proceeds will be for the PTA (Thank you to the Kings Arms) Sports day - Tuesday July 4th The PTA will be selling refreshments and would really welcome any donations of cakes on the day please. Summer BBQ and fair – Friday July 14th, after school This is not only the PTA’s biggest fundraiser, it’s great fun for everyone! There will be a BBQ, stalls and games! The fun couldn’t happen without you though… We would love donations of raffle prizes and bottles please – these can be left with class teachers over the next few weeks. Do you have a business or have access to some thing that could be donated as a raffle prize? If so, please do get in touch and donate what you can! On the day, we will have a non-uniform day in exchange for raffle prizes or bottles please. We will also need donations of : Good quality toys, children’s books, games and cuddly toys Cakes Also, if you are free to help out in any way – from setting up, running a stall or helping to tidy away, please do get in touch – We can’t run the fair without you!! Our email is southtawtonpta@gmail.com We thank you for bearing with us during staff absences. Our phone line is temporarily redirected so that Elaine at Chagford can take your calls and quickly send us messages. We are also supported by Marina from North Tawton and other school staff during the week. Teachers read their emails but, due to teaching commitments, don’t always get the opportunity to reply within the working day. Rest assured we are all working hard for the childrens' education. Your continued support and kind offers of help are so much appreciated. We ask that you bear with us and help out by:
Rainbow Day As featured in last week’s newsletter, we are taking part in the Multi Academy Trust’s Rainbow Day to celebrate similarities and differences in a respectful and inclusive way. This coming Friday 23rd June, will be a non-uniform with a rainbow or coloured theme for those wishing to take part. There is no cost or donation expectation. Preschool Science Fair There was some super science in action at Little Beacons last week. Parents and carers joined the children for an afternoon of experiments and investigations. Electricity, magnetism, colour mixing, chemical reactions and chromatography were some of the things on offer. Tempest Photography Your child's recent group photograph is now ready to view and purchase by following the links emailed on Friday. There will be a free “deliver to school” option open for approximately 14 days, otherwise home delivery is available for £5 postage and packing. If you need assistance, please call Tempest on 01736 751555 (option 5) or click on contact us on the home page. Wildlife Champions Devon Wildlife Trust held their annual Wildlife Champions Conference on Thursday. Mrs West and Mrs Cooper took our 10 Wildlife Champions to Meeth for the day. As ever, they were a real credit to our school; taking part with interest and an enthusiasm for nature. We continue to welcome the DWT for weekly workshops throughout this term, this month seeing the turn of Yrs 5&6. Dartmoor Cricket Tournament- a write up by Mark Sidaway The Dartmoor Cup is an annual softball cricket tournament organised by OCRA for yr 4 to 6 pupils. This year it was my pleasure to help out with one of the South Tawton sides who entered. The qualification tournament was held at Hatherleigh Cricket Club in May. At the time our Yr 6 were away in France, and so our teams were made up exclusively of Yr 4 and 5 pupils. Despite this, our South Tawton A side won all six of their matches to claim gold medals and a place in the Dartmoor Cup Finals. The finals were held in Okehampton on a warm and humid June day. Again our side was made up of yr 4 and 5 pupils and, as expected, the competition was much stronger, with many of the opposing team fielding Devon County players. After a heavy defeat against Whitchurch (who went on to win the tournament) in the opening game, our team rallied well and some superb bowling and fielding (our catching was outstanding) was backed up by some lusty hitting with the bat. Luck wasn’t with us though and narrow defeats against Tavistock and St Peters meant hopes of winning the cup were over. However as was typical of the team they didn’t not lose heart, and went on to win a tight game against Boasley Cross. The final game was against Meavy, who were in contention for the cup going into the final game and put up a good score. Again the team did not accept defeat and after a ferocious opening spell from Meavy’s fast bowling twins our side found their rhythm, and some excellent hitting and great running took us very close to the Meavy total. So one win from five, but that doesn’t really do justice to how well everyone competed against some much older and bigger opposition. Well done to Abigail, Agatha and Patrick from year 4, and Sam G, Natty, Sid, George and Jack from year 5. The spirit in which the team played and supported each other was a credit to South Tawton. In any sport you learn more from defeat than victory, so I am sure this years’ experience will stand them in good stead for next. Message from Dan Morrow, Trust leader and CEO.
Stakeholder Consultation Process Summary Over the course of the consultation period and process, staff, parents and carers have posed a number of questions to understand the process and decision-making more fully. Please follow this link to find a summary of the process and also responses to a range of questions posed by stakeholders for openness and transparency. Thank you all for your support, as well as challenge, and for ensuring that we continue to improve and serve your children. With the wonderful weather this week, we have seen the playground, field and nature areas busy with outdoor learning. As well as PE and playtimes, there have been stories, PSHE circle times, wildlife workshops and so much more happening outdoors. Thank you for continuing to apply sun cream and sending in a hat. Please ensure everything is named; as children are getting hot and removing layers, then can get lost. We are most grateful for the patience and kindness you have shown, a big thank you from all the staff at South Tawton. Bookery VisitThe school enjoyed a fantastic visit from The Bookery, Crediton on Wednesday. Kathie and Jennie shared extracts from some of their favourite books and then the children had the opportunity to explore the books and purchase them if they wished. As a School we have also purchased the Bookery’s top 20 titles for the children to read in school. Rainbow DayFriday 23rd June is our Trust Rainbow Day. This will be a non-uniform day for children wishing to take part and wear favourite colours to celebrate. It is an opportunity for us to reflect upon our similarities and differences so that all of our children learn to understand that there are people in the community and wider world with characteristics similar and different to their own. It is a day steeped in respect and inclusion. The rainbow flag is steeped in history from a symbol of maritime peace, the cooperative movement, LGBT equality and more recently, support for the NHS. The colours of the rainbow are different but come together to make something beautiful. We will be asking children to think about equality and when people may be treated unfavourable. We anticipate they will think about people with different physical abilities, cultures, religions and families. We are careful to talk in an age appropriate way and give children space to explore questions and develop their own thinking. Message from Phil Whittley- DMAT Lead Primary PrincipalIt has been lovely to get to know so many of you better this previous week whilst I have been at South Tawton. I will pass your get well wishes to Sarah Marvin, who will be back as soon as she is well enough. In the meantime, I shall be based most of the week at the school. We have also benefitted from our Trust colleagues supporting with Administration covering Wendy in the office. Marina Cassel will be in the office Monday to Wednesday this week. I will be on the gate as much as can during the week, so please come and say hello. Uniform reminderWhite or pale blue polo shirts or shirts, Navy blue jumper, sweatshirt or cardigan Grey, navy or black trousers, shorts, skirt, pinafore (not leggings or jogging bottoms) Please keep skirts at a sensible length- you may wish to add shorts underneath Blue check summer dress White, grey or black socks Plain black shoes/boots For PE lessons White T-shirt Black or navy shorts Trainers or plimsolls The only jewellery which may be worn to school are watches and stud earrings. Make up and dyed hair colours are not allowed. Upcoming eventsHere are some upcoming dates for this term. Teachers will be in touch about class specific trips and events.
Monday 12th June - Friday 16th June - Year 1 Phonics screening check Friday 23rd June - Trust Rainbow Day. See details above. Non uniform, wear a colour. Friday 23rd June - PTA Disco will be postponed. Wednesday 5th July - proposed Sports' Day TBC Thursday 13th July 1pm - Music Concert Friday 14th July - PTA BBQ 3:30pm start. Monday 17th and Tuesday 18th July - Y5/6 production Friday 21st July - Year 6 Leavers' assembly Friday 21st July - Last day of the academic year. |
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