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This week has seen all classes settle into routines and some excellent learning take place. Year R children have made a strong start with phonics and many children have already mastered the first few letter sounds. Phonics groups are up and running in years 1 and 2 and all children should have brought home a new reading book on Friday. Please read this with your children as many times as you can each week - we'd like the children to become expert and fluent readers of these Read, Write, Inc books whilst still enjoying other picture and story books with their families. Attendance A reminder about attendance: We have recently updated our attendance procedures across Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust. The link between a child’s attendance at school and improved outcomes and life chances is well documented. We want to help all children and young people to fulfil their potential and get the most out of their education. In line with our policy and government expectations all schools have the following procedures:
No term time holidays will be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances. Every day in school counts, even a small drop in attendance can lead to a child missing a significant part of their education. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with school at any time if you have any queries around attendance expectations and procedures. I'm delighted that attendance across the school is currently 98%. Each week in our certificate assembly, we will celebrate the class with the highest percentage attendance that week. In the year to date, this is currently Year 3 who have an attendance record of 99.4% with Year 2 at 99% and Year 5 at 98.9%. This represents an excellent start to the school year. Upcoming EventsApologies, we have had to reschedule the parents' information and Meet the Teacher evening as it clashes with a parents' meeting at Okehampton College. More information on a new date will follow next week. Tuesday 27th September - Y6 out at Junior Lifeskills Week commencing Monday 17th October - Y1-6 Parents' evening appointments by telephone Week commencing Monday 24th October - Half term holiday Tuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. Term dates can also be found here. Calls to homeIt is a statutory requirement that we have at least two phone contacts for each child. If you have recently changed your phone number or would like to add or remove a contact, please do let the school office know. When we call parents and carers, we will always leave a message if possible. If you have a missed call from the school, please take a moment to listen to the message as it may be urgent. Booking school dinnersIt is enormously helpful to us if you can book your child's lunch choices in advance. This saves valuable learning time from being lost chasing missing bookings and also ensures that your child has the lunch choice you would wish them to have. Please help us by making these bookings before 8am each morning or in advance for the whole term even if it is for a home packed lunch. If you decide later to change a lunch choice then please contact admin@southtawton.org.uk detailing the changes and we will happily make them for you. If your child travels on the bus, please also book their places for the afternoons as we use this register to ensure that the right children are on the bus each afternoon. We have already had several lost jumpers in school. Please ensure that all uniform is clearly named as this means that we can very quickly get it back to its owner. PermissionsIf you would like your child to go home with the parent of another child, please let us know. If you have an arrangement where you car share with other parents, please let us know the names of the people who you are happy for us to release your children t0 and we can add them to your child's records. Second Hand UniformDon't forget that we have an excellent second hand uniform rail. All items are freshly laundered and sorted by an extremely kind PTA volunteer. (Thank you!) The PTA facebook page is regularly updated with current availability. After-school clubs After school clubs will begin in the week beginning the 4th October. Clubs will go live on school gateway accounts at or shortly after 4:30pm on Wednesday 28th September. Most clubs will run for 6 weeks - 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after half-term. SAINTS and Coding clubs run throughout the term. The dates that the clubs are running will show in the booking portal. French Trip for Year 6 Pupils We are delighted to announce the details of our Year 6 residential next year to Normandy in France. We have secured funding to take all Year 6 pupils from Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust Primary Schools in the summer term. Following a rigorous and competitive application process, Mrs Jordan (Trust French Lead) and Mrs Underwood (Trust Executive Principal) received the news that all travel, accommodation and visit costs for 230 pupils and 50 staff will be covered by the government’s Turing Scheme funding. Year 6 pupils will deepen their knowledge of History, RE, Art and PSHE through a range of inspirational visits including; the Bayeux tapestry, Mont St Michel, the D-Day landing beaches and the magnificent new British Normandy Memorial. Pupils will of course also further develop their confidence to speak French through a shopping challenge at a market, as well as visits to partner schools in Normandy. This residential will also enable Year 6 pupils across the Trust to unite and develop friendships in preparation for secondary school. There are meetings planned for Y6 parents and pupils in all schools this half term. If parents are unable to make the date and time of the meeting, please let us know as you may be able to join a meeting at another school. Please check the calendar at the end of this newsletter for the date/ time of our meeting. The Turing Scheme is the UK’s global programme offering opportunities in education and training across the world and enabling pupils to develop new skills and gain international experience. This year, the Turing Scheme received 513 applications, a significant increase on last year. Whilst most applications from universities were successful, Dartmoor MAT was one of only 4 schools in the South West which was awarded a grant through this highly competitive application process. New Peripatetic Music TeacherHello, my name is Mr.Napier and I will be offering individual music lessons on the cello, double bass or bass guitar and all brass, with the possibility of shared lessons for two pupils playing the same brass instrument. The cost will be £15 for a 25min lesson or £8 each for a shared brass lesson. Raised in Devon, I attended Okehampton and Exeter Colleges then studied the cello and piano at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal College of Music as a post-graduate. I have a wide range of experience as a performer and teacher working with orchestras, bands, theatres and schools, as well as enjoying representation as an actor for the past 20 years. Please feel free to contact me at any time regarding the lessons, or for advice on instrument hire or purchase, on 07787 561381. Best Wishes, Harry Napier. PTA NewsWelcome back, we can’t believe we are already three weeks into a new school term! We want to say a huge hello to our new Reception and Preschool families and invite you all to join us in raising funds for our children this year. Our fantastic Treasurer Ali has calculated the figures from last year and we are so proud and amazed by everyone's continued generosity! We raised an incredible £9,184.20! As you know a lot of what we raise subsidises trips and experiences to further enrich the curriculum for our children. This funding is going to be even more important this year given the rising costs faced by all schools. Our Annual General meeting will be held on Tuesday 27th September at 8pm via teams. As always you are all invited and we’d love to see you. We will be holding elections for committee. If you would like a link for the meeting please email us at southtawtonpta@gmail.com Best wishes Liz and Hannah  PTA 100 club It's time to renew annual subscriptions (£12) for the 2022/23 PTA 100 Club. If you'd like to renew your membership or join the 100 club then please contact Emma at southtawton100club@gmail.com For the 100 club application form, please click here. For the introduction and rules, please click here.  Winter Clothes Donations We are seeking preloved winter clothes. We plan to run a winter clothing sale before half term. We thought this would be a great way to help everyone with rising costs, reuse items to reduce our impact on the environment and raise funds for our children all at the same time! If you have any of the items listed below in good condition and would like to donate them please send them into school to be collected in a box in the school office. • Hats / ear muffs • Gloves • Coats • Fleeces • Jumpers • Gillets • Christmas jumpers and clothing • Dressing up clothes (halloween / world book day) LSB NewsThree Hares LSB Liz Davidson & I (Mel Holyoak) would like to introduce ourselves to you all, as we have taken over as (Co) Chair of the Local Stakeholder Board (the governing body) from Emma Neath. The role of the LSB has changed over the last few years, and we thought it would be useful to you as parents and carers to know a bit about us as individuals, and the purpose of our role. Our intention is not to overwhelm you with information, but each week, we will aim to add to the school’s newsletter, introducing ourselves, the lead roles and what we’ve been up to (that will be of interest to you!). This week, it’s introducing me & Liz. So a bit about me: I’m a parent at Chagford School, and have lived in Chagford for the last 16 years. I have been a governor since 2019, and am also involved with the 1st Moretonhampstead Scout Group (as Treasurer), the local Parish Church Council, Chagford Sanctuary (our Homes for Ukraine support group) and Chagford’s monthly Celebration of the Earth events . So, one of those people (!), with a genuine interest in linking and supporting the community in as many ways as possible. I also love running, so am often out and about exploring the moors, and trying not to get lost. Liz says: “I'm a parent at South Tawton School and have lived in Okehampton for the past four years. I am also Co-Chair of the Parent Teacher Association at South Tawton School. Having taught in primary schools for almost 15 years, I really enjoy being involved in school life! It is always so inspiring to see young people learn and grow. Given how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place I spend as much time as possible with my family on the beach or exploring the countryside.” The role of the LSB is to act as the link between the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT), the parents & the community, and part of that means representing the interest of the community within the Trust, and representing the school in its community,. Liz & I are particularly keen to develop the community links in each of our three schools, and enhance parental engagement and communication. We hope that this weekly update is one way to make us more accessible to you - please do feel free to contact us – our details are below. Next week, we will tell you about the Lead Roles within the LSB, and introduce someone else to you! In the meantime, we sincerely hope that your children have enjoyed being back at school and that they are looking forward to the year ahead. Mel & Liz mholyoak@dmatschools.org.uk edavidson@dmatschools.org.uk   Comments are closed.
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CONTACT
South Tawton Primary School, Tawton Lane, South Zeal, Okehampton, Devon, EX20 2LG Tel: 01837 840242 Email: admin@southtawton.org.uk |
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