This week, we've been delighted to welcome Miss Emily Coleman to the school to teach Year 3. We are eagerly awaiting baby news from Mrs Everett and will share this with you as soon as we can.

Despite being cold, we have had some lovely sunshine and dry weather and have noticed flowers and new plants appearing around the school site. These are very welcome signs of Spring and we look forward to warmer weather and more opportunities for outdoor learning. 

Unfortunately, we have had a number of children absent from school this week with a sickness bug. In order to help us to limit the spread of this, please keep your child at home for 48 hours after the last episode of sickness or diarrhoea as they can remain infectious within this period. Thank you. 

Niall from Devon Cricket visited on Tuesday and was able to give each class a cricket lesson. These were highly instructive and great fun. We are delighted that Niall will be returning to school to deliver a block of lessons in the summer term. Thank you, Mrs Dennis for arranging this. 

In other sporting news, Year 5 and 6 took part in an Futsal Tournament organised by OCRA on Thursday. All the children played matches and supported each other brilliantly. Apologies that they came home so muddy! Years 3 and 4 will get a chance to play in their own tournament later this half term. 

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
Wednesday 8th March - 2nd round Cross Country competition at Chagford Cricket club
​Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th March - Possible NEU Strike Action
​Friday 17th March - PTA Chocolate Bingo
Monday 20th March - Pupil reports to parents
Friday 24th March - Tag Rugby competition at South Zeal Recreation ground
Monday 27th and Tuesday 28th March - Y3/4 performances (to be confirmed)
Monday 27th March - 3rd and final round of Cross Country competition at Sleekers Farm, Sourton.
Monday 3rd April - Friday 14th April - Easter holiday
Monday 17th April 6pm - French Trip meeting for parents about the Y6 French residential
​Tuesday 23rd June - Trust Rainbow Day. Details to follow

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.
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Please click here for more information or to book a place. 

On Friday, we had to say goodbye to Mrs Everett who is starting her maternity leave on Monday 20th February. I am sure that everyone will join me in wishing her and her family the very best. With only two weeks until her baby is due, Mrs Everett has been tireless in ensuring a smooth transition for her class to their new teacher, Miss Emily Coleman. We're looking forward to including some baby photos in a newsletter very soon!

The days, weeks and months have flown and we find ourselves half way through the school year!
We wish all our families a very lovely and restful half term break, and hope you all enjoy the lovely Spring sunshine. We look forward to welcoming all the children back into school on Monday 20th February. 

EYFS Foundation Stage Practitioner
Work Pattern: 18 hours per week, term time
Salary: Grade B £20,441 full time equivalent (£10.60 per hour)
Job Term: Fixed term to 31.08.2023
Closing Date: 20th February 2023

Teaching Assistant (temporary) Required as soon as possible
Work Pattern: 17.6 hours per week
​Salary: SCP C4 £21,189 full time equivalent
Job Term: Fixed term - 6 weeks
Closing Date: 20th February 2023

For more information and to apply online, please click here. 

30 pupils spent Friday afternoon at Simmons Park taking part in an inter-schools cross country event. For many of the children, it was their first race of this kind; others were looking to build on their successes from last season. We saw some amazing team and individual efforts and extremely gutsy running from all. We had some superb podium finishes and some excellent team work. Perhaps the best thing of the afternoon for me was the way every South Tawton child cheered and supported our teams in the other races. A fantastic afternoon. Thank you to everyone who made it possible by helping with transport and supporting.

If our cross country runners need any further encouragement, then I'm delighted to share news of Luke. Luke was a very keen member of our school cross country team through his time at South Tawton and has continued to experience considerable success now he is at college. On Saturday, Luke represented Devon in the South West Schools Cross Country Championships. He had an excellent run, placing 29th overall and 4th in Devon. The Devon team were third. Well done, Luke!

Support for families as food poverty risesThe number of households in Devon unable to access or afford the food that they need to ensure that they and their families stay healthy has increased by 70 per cent in 18 months. And more than a third of households say that that they plan to switch off their heating altogether this winter to help make ends meet.
If your family is struggling to afford to eat healthily and keep warm this winter, please remember that support is available.
We're working with local partners, including local councils, the NHS and the voluntary and community sector, on ways to support communities, and there are a variety of schemes on offer depending on your circumstances.
These include the Household Support Fund, Free School Meals and Free School Meals Holiday Voucher scheme, The Holiday Activity and Food Programme and Citizens Advice Devon.
For more information you can read the full story on the news page of our website, or visit our dedicated Cost of Living webpages.

​Friday was such an exciting and incredible fundraising day! Thank you for continuing to support our events and giving so generously.
It was wonderful to see everyone embracing all the things they love on Love Yourself Day! And there are some brilliant things written on the pink hearts up in the hall – reinforcing all the wonderful things there is to love about themselves!! Then they topped off the day with another fantastic disco! Thank you to the teachers for staying late to help, to all the wonderful PTA volunteers, to The King's Arms for lending us lights and to your wonderful children for once again behaving beautifully!
Thinking ahead to World Book Day - this week you will receive a sponsorship form for Book Bingo. The sheet has a number of book related challenges to complete - see how many you can tick off! We will collect in all forms and sponsorship money on Thursday 2nd March. All completed forms will go into a prize draw!!!
Don't forget to put the long-awaited return of Chocolate Bingo night in your diaries - Friday 17th March in the School Hall. Doors open at 6.00pm, eyes down at 6.30pm! This is a really fun family event, not to be missed! More information to follow after half term.
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

​PTA 100 Club
This week Year 4 helped with January's 100 Club draw. Congratulations to the winners:
1st 55 Sheena Vernon
2nd 83 Judith Smith
3rd 2 Ali Griffith

If you're not already a member and would like to be in with a monthly chance to win then please email [email protected]