Dear parents,The home learning for tomorrow is detailed below.
Many of you have contacted me to let you me know that you will be unable or unwilling to complete the home learning with your children. However, as an equal number of parents have requested work for tomorrow, I am providing it. 
Parents may decide whether or not they wish for their children to use the materials,
Best wishes,
Sarah Marvin 

Please watch any videos associated with the lessons, complete any work on paper and bring it into school with you on Thursday.

History/geography
Year R – separate plans emailed from Mrs Culverhouse and displayed on class blog page.
 
Year 1
What is an explorer?
Year 2
The Great Fire of London
Year 3
Why was Alexander so great?
Year 4
The arrival of the Anglo Saxons
Year 5
What are the Earth’s Biomes?
 
Year 6
Population: Lesson 5: What challenges do people face living in slums? 
https://teachers.thenational.academy/lessons/what-challenges-do-people-face-living-in-slums-c9j32e 

Maths
Telling the time (These lessons only or continue and watch more if you’d like to)
 
Year 1
Naming and ordering the months of the year
Year 2
Identifying quarter past on an analogue clock
Year 3
Understanding that clocks have more than one scale
Year 4
Reading analogue and digital 12-hour clocks
Year 5
Reading timetables
 
Year 6
Decimals, Lesson 2: Place Value - Integers and Decimals 
https://vimeo.com/774363439
Complete Worksheet (handed out in class)

English
Year 1 and Year 2 – How butterflies came to be
Listen and respond to a story
 
Grammar Practice (First lessons only or continue and watch more if you’d like to)
Year 3
English Grammar lesson units for Year 3 students - Oak National Academy (thenational.academy)
Year 4
English Grammar lesson units for Year 4 students - Oak National Academy (thenational.academy)
Year 5
English Grammar lesson units for Year 5 students - Oak National Academy (thenational.academy)
 
Year 6
T2: Word level objectives: Develop Knowledge of Determiners 
https://teachers.thenational.academy/lessons/to-develop-our-knowledge-of-determiners-6gr6cr

English Spelling 
Silent Letters, To investigate Silent letters 
https://teachers.thenational.academy/lessons/to-investigate-silent-letters-c9gk4r

English Writing 
Imagine you have entered the English version of Camp Green Lake, write a chapter introducing some of your fellow campmates and the counsellors. 

Home Learning for Year R
Please see below links and activities for home learning on Weds 1st Feb.  Paper copies are in your child's book bag. 

year_r_home_learning_1-2-23.pdf

jungle_maths-_roll_and_add.pdf

wet_and_fed_up_reading_sheet.png

Hi, It's Flo from Year 6 and I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who donated on the Crazy Hair Day. Altogether in school, we raised a massive £290.06. Along with my Just-Giving page and some other wonderful donations, we have now raised a whopping £600.06 in total which more than covers the cost of a wig and fitting for a child with cancer. We still have a collection box in the Sticklepath Store which we have yet to collect. I will be getting my hair cut on Monday 30th of January and will be taking lots of photos to show everyone. Once again, thank you so much for the donations. I really appreciate it. 

Wednesday 1st February - school partially closed due to NEU strike action
Friday 3rd February - ❤️ Love Yourself Day and PTA disco (Wear something you love, bring a toy you love and a snack you love ❤️ )
Friday 3rd February - Cross Country event at Simmons Park.
Monday 6th February - Friday 10th February - Children's Mental Health Week. Theme - Let's Connect
Monday 6th February - Netball match vs Bow Primary School
Tuesday 7th February - YR trip to Paignton Zoo
Thursday 9th February - John Muir Evening for Y5/6
Monday 13th - Friday 17th February - Half term break
Tuesday 21st February - Whole school cricket sessions
Thursday 23rd February - OCRA futsal sessions
Friday 24th February - Y5 Trip to The Eden Project
Tuesday 28th February - Y4 Trip to Escot Park
Thursday 2nd March - World Book Day (get those costumes ready!)
Thursday 2nd March - Possible NEU Strike Action
Monday 6th - Friday 31st March - DMAT Festival of Hope
​Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March - Possible NEU Strike Action
​Friday 17th March - PTA Chocolate Bingo
Monday 20th March - Pupil reports to parents
Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th March - Y3/4 performances (to be confirmed)
Monday 3rd April - Friday 14th April - Easter holiday

Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page.
2022 23 Term dates can be found here.
2023 24 Term dates can be found here.
​

Congratulations to Flo for a fantastic Crazy Hair day, what a great idea and a wonderful charity to support.
You will get another opportunity to express yourself next Friday. To kick off Children's Mental Health week (6th - 12th February) Friday 3rd is Love Yourself Day! A non- uniform day with a twist. For a £1 donation come to school dressed in clothes you love, bring a snack you love and a small book or toy that isn't expensive or too precious. This means Year R, Year 1 and Year 2 children will not need a change of clothes for the disco.
This Friday 3rd February is also the disco. The lights are ready, thanks to the King's Arms, and the playlists set. Don't forget to return your permission slips and money by Thursday 2nd February. We need to have time to check who is coming and ensure everything is in place for everyone's safety.
We are very excited to be bringing back Chocolate Bingo on Friday 17th March in the School Hall. Doors open at 6.30pm, eyes down at 7pm! This is a really fun family event, not to be missed.
Our next meeting will be held on Monday 20th February at 8pm via Teams.
As ever if you have any questions or would like to get involved please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected]  
Best wishes
Hannah and Liz

D.I.S.C.O
Next Friday 3rd February it's disco time! You should have received a letter this week, please can we ask permission slips and payments are returned by Thursday 2nd February.
Don't forget we will have a small tuck shop for children in years 3,4,5 and 6 and children can bring up to £3 to spend. They will be responsible for their money so a labeled purse or wallet might be a good idea.
 
Disco times:
Preschool - 2.30pm - 3,00pm- please collect your children from the school hall.
3.30pm - 4.30pm Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. Please collect your children at 4.30pm from the School Hall.
4.45pm - 5.45pm Year 3 and Year 4. Please collect your children as usual at 3.30pm and bring them back for the disco at 4.45pm. They can then be collected at 5.45pm from the school hall.
6pm - 7pm Year 5 and 6. Please collect your children as usual at 3.30pm then return for the disco at 6pm. 
If you are able to help out at one or more of the sessions we would be grateful if you could email us at [email protected]
​

Please click here for more information on the OCRA programme of activities for February half term.

The Trust are conducting a survey around the use of school websites from the perspective of parents, carers and the wider community and would value your contribution to this survey https://forms.office.com/e/6DQUBr6BBf. Please note the deadline for responses is 23.1.23. 

After school clubs start this week and will run for 3 weeks each side of half term. Bookings can be made through your school gateway accounts. 

Thank you to you all for your patience and consideration on Tuesday when we needed to have a late start due to the icy conditions. I know many children made the most of the extra hour at home to get out and play in the snow and we managed to find a little time for play at school too!

Hi I’m Flo, I’m 11 years old and I’m in year 6. I have had long hair for all of my life and it now reaches my waist. I’ve decided to cut all of it off and donate it to the Little Princess Trust. The Trust is a charity that produces real hair wigs for children and young adults who have lost their hair through cancer treatment and other conditions. As well as providing wigs to people, they also support life- saving research and development of less aggressive and less toxic cancer treatments. It costs the charity £550 to make a wig, and as well as donating my hair, I would like to help the charity raise as much of the money needed to make a wig as possible. To raise money, I would like to hold a crazy hair/hat themed day, on Friday 27th January, at the school for a minimum suggested donation of £1 per child. If you would like to donate more, the school would be happy to collect it, every 50p counts. Thank you for your support in helping me raise money for this important cause.
 
If you would like to find out more about this charity you can visit their website at www.littleprincesses.org.uk .
 

Friday 27th January - Crazy Hair Day (£1 suggested donation but any loose change, pennies or £££  always welcome!)
​Friday 3rd February - ❤️ Love Yourself Day and PTA disco (Wear something you love, bring a toy you love and a snack you love ❤️ )
Monday 6th February - Friday 10th February - Children's Mental Health Week. Theme - Let's Connect
Monday 6th February - Netball match vs Bow
Tuesday 7th February - YR trip to Paignton Zoo
Thursday 9th February - John Muir Evening for Y5/6
Monday 13th - Friday 17th February - Half term break
Tuesday 21st February - Whole school cricket sessions
Thursday 23rd February - OCRA futsal sessions
Friday 24th February - Y5 Trip to The Eden Project
Tuesday 28th February - Y4 Trip to Escot Park
Thursday 2nd March - World Book Day (get those costumes ready!)
Monday 6th - Friday 31st March - DMAT Festival of Hope
Monday 20th March - Pupil reports to parents
Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th March - Y3/4 performances (to be confirmed)
Monday 3rd April - Friday 14th April - Easter holiday

Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page.
2022 23 Term dates can be found here.
2023 24 Term dates can be found here.

We are delighted to let you know that South Tawton Primary School and Little Beacons Pre-school uniform will very soon be available to buy in person and online from the Schoolwear Direct shop  in Okehampton. 

• 52 North Road Industrial Estate
  Okehampton
  EX20 1BQ
• 01392 691026 / 01837 500160

https://www.schoolweardirect.co.uk/

More information about the the range and prices can be viewed in the document below or by clicking here. 

You can also purchase school uniform from Mole Avon in Okehampton and Thomas Moore in Exeter.  We have a good selection of pre-loved uniform available on the PTA rail outside the school office  at £1.00 per item.

The ever popular school disco is back! Friday 3rd February in the same format as we have done before, £2.50 per child to include a snack and drink. A big thank you in advance to the teachers for staying to make this event happen.
Preschool - We will be in touch via email.
3.30pm - 4.30pm Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
4.45pm - 5.45pm Year 3 and Year 4.
6pm - 7pm - Year 5 and 6.
If you are able to help out at one or more of the sessions we would be grateful if you could email us at [email protected]
​

Please click here for more information.

Dear parents,

I had had a few enquiries lately about whether there is a possibility of running an after-school club for childcare purposes. This purpose of this questionnaire is to assess the level of demand for such a club to establish whether it is feasible to set one up and employ staff to lead it.

There will be a charge for using this club. This is likely to be around £4 per hour. 

Please help us by answering all of the questions even if you do not think that your children will attend. Please click here to access the survey.

Many thanks,
Sarah Marvin 

THANK YOU TO THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE DONE THIS ALREADY!

Thursday 19th January is school Spring Census Day. We will be having a menu change on this day to encourage more children to have school lunches (which increases the funding we receive.)

The main menu option will be changed to cheese burger, chips and beans. The vegetarian option is a veggie burger. Jacket potatoes and sandwiches will be available as usual. The desert for this day will be sprinkle cake. If you would like to change your child's booking for this day, please ring or email the school office. ([email protected])

Please help us by booking school lunches for Thursday. 

You may already know that Rev Paul will soon be leaving. The letter below gives details about his last service in Chagford, a ‘Bring and Share’ leaving Party there and the various ways friends may contribute to his leaving present. However, members of the school local community are also invited to his last service in South Tawton which will be on Sunday 22nd January at 11.15 with a ‘Bring and Share’ lunch in Church House afterwards.

We want to say how amazed we continue to be by your generosity. Last term you donated an incredible £3000! To everyone who volunteers their time, energy and money, thank you for continuing to give so willingly.  We have had some requests for trip monies, books and classroom resources so it is all being put to great use.

While it may be hard to recall the glorious weather of last summer at the moment, we are sure it will be back. We are pleased to be supporting the school's Sun Safe initiative by purchasing shelters and gazebos to provide shade for our children when the sunshine finally returns!

We had a very productive meeting on Monday, thank you to everyone who was able to attend and for all your hard work that goes on in the background. The role of secretary remains vacant. If you would like to join us, we would love to hear from you.

The ever popular Disco is back this term on Friday 3rd February and we will be bringing back Chocolate Bingo towards the end of the term. We will arrange the date for Chocolate bingo asap so you don’t miss this exciting family friendly event.

We have rearranged the hotly anticipated Barn Dance for Saturday 13th May at Victory Hall, South Zeal. More details will follow but put this date in your diaries as you won’t want to miss this fun evening of food, drink and dancing with ceilidh by The Dartmoor Pixies.

Our next meeting will be held on Monday 20th February at 8pm via Teams.
​
As ever if you have any questions or would like to get involved please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected]  
Best wishes
Hannah and Liz

D.I.S.C.O
The ever popular school disco is back! Friday 3rd February in the same format as we have done before, £2.50 per child to include a snack and drink. A big thank you in advance to the teachers for staying to make this event happen.
Preschool - we will be in touch via email.
3.30pm - 4.30pm Reception, Year 1 and Year 2.
4.45pm - 5.45pm Year 3 and Year 4.
6pm - 7pm Year 5 and 6.
If you are able to help out at one or more of the sessions we would be grateful if you could email us at [email protected]
​

We would like to make you aware, through our partnership with The AIM Group, of 2 fully funded and FREE courses which are available to any adults within our school communities, whether you are a member of staff, a parent/carer/guardian, volunteer, governor etc. 

1. Advanced Child Development (Neuroscience in children) Level Two Qualification [25 Questions] completed online over 4-6 weeks.

The AIM Group have partnered with the UK's leading colleges to provide a brand new fully funded (free) level 2 qualification, which is the first of its kind!


What Is Neuroscience?


Neuroscience is the study of the brain and its impact on behaviour.
It is an exciting field of research that has huge significance to anyone who supports babies or young children. This qualification is designed to give learners an introduction to the subject and to share with them some of the remarkable insights it has given us in terms of how the infant's brain develops, and how this is affected by a range of external influences.

Course Information


This is a brand-new qualification, launching in January which will look to provide learners with practical advice on how to promote healthy brain development in the critical first seven years of their life.
This course will also support how children develop vital self-regulation skills, such as learning how to deal with emotions such as fear, anger and sadness in the correct way.
Typically, a qualification of this level would cost a learner £100's to enrol onto.

The only criteria you must meet to be eligible, is:

Aged 19 or over on or before 31st August 2022    
Have lived in the UK/EU for 3+ years    
Not already on a Government funded course
Ready to complete the course which will be starting from 23rd January  
 

If you are interested in undertaking this free online course or would like further information, then please complete the following link.

DMAT Schools: Neuroscience in Early Years Qualification Application Link > This will then allow The AIM Group to contact you to discuss and get you started on your chosen course


Take care when scrolling for the course and be sure to select either - Neuroscience in Early Years - Level 2 (you will find it right at the bottom of the list)

If you have any questions prior to expressing interest, call Chris Greenfield on 0203 900 3091 extension 213 or drop him an email at [email protected]


Please Note: This must be applied for before the end of January (to ensure we do not surpass funding capacity)

1. Functional Skills in English or Maths Level 2

Are you looking for a flexible, achievable, and manageable way to retake your GCSE English and Maths?

This alternative GCSE retake can provide just that.

Online classes are designed to develop your confidence and the foundations to progress on to higher level English qualifications.
It can also enable you to use your skills in everyday life, both personally and professionally.


Functional Skills English Level 2: Eastleigh College: 

Reading | Writing | Speaking | Listening | Communication

Functional Skills Mathematics Level 2: Eastleigh College: 
Whole Numbers | Fractions | Decimals | Percentages | Using Common Measures | Shape and Space | Handling Information and Data | Solving Mathematical Problems
 
So, what to do if you are interested? 


Course delivery:

• This is very much tailored to the individual. The online tutor will work with learners on an individual basis, so there are no set "taught" sessions for the learners to attend.
• All work is supplied on the learning platform and learners can have calls and teams' meetings with their tutor to support with progress.
• Completion time is 12-20 weeks dependent on learner ability (this is accessible 24/7 online) 
• learners WILL have a virtual exam at the end to complete their qualification and will be allowed one free resit per qualification
• For any subsequent resits, the learner will be charged the examination administration fee plus the Examination Board fee (handled by Eastleigh College)

 Eligibility Criteria: 


·        Does not have a GCSE C or above already in the chosen subject (example, if you have a B in English, you would not be able to access this)
·        Over the age of 19 as of 31st August 2022, and have lived in UK for the past three years with a Valid Passport or Driving License 
·        Not currently be enrolled onto any other gov funded course.

 
To register your interest please click this link > DMAT Schools: English and Mathematics Functional Skills Level Two Qualifications

Take care when scrolling for the course and be sure to select either - Functional Skills English-Level 2 or Functional Skills Mathematics-Level 2


If you have any questions prior to expressing interest, call Chris Greenfield on 0203 900 3091 extension 213 or drop him an email at [email protected]

If you are interested in either the Neuroscience or the Functional Skills courses, please get in touch with Chris Greenfield ASAP as there is limited capacity to access on both of these courses. ​

Happy New Year and welcome back to the start of a new term and 2023. It is wonderful seeing all the children back and hearing stories of their Christmases. Don't forget that you can check the curriculum pages of our website to see what your children will be learning over the next few weeks and rest of the year. You can also keep up with all the news from your child's class by visiting their class blog. 

Later this week, I will be sending out a questionnaire designed to assess demand for an out-of-hours club to run after school each day - please look out for this and fill it in to let us know if you would use this service.

Many families are finding it hard to manage in today's economic climate. Checking if your child is eligible for free school meals is quick and simple and results in an instant decision. You can apply through the Devon Citizen Portal. This is worth doing even if your child is in KS1 and receiving universal infant free school meals, as all eligible children receive additional funding which can help to pay for extracurricular activities and trips. 

Just a reminder please to ensure that your child has their PE kit in school each day (white t-shirt and black/navy shorts and that all lunches are booked through school gateway before 8am each morning. 

With a lot of illness at the end of last term, our whole school attendance is currently below our target of 96%. Please help us and your child by prioritising their attendance. If your child is too unwell to attend school, please email or ring the school office before 9am to let us know.
​

Happy New Year! 

Come along to our virtual meeting on Monday 9th January at 8pm. Help us plan some exciting fundraising events for the term ahead! If would like to be sent a link to the meeting please email us at [email protected] 
​