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Dear North Tawton Friends and Families, It’s been quite a challenging week for the staff at NT as we have had colleagues off sick with Covid and other illnesses. However, with support from caterers from other Dartmoor Trust schools and the fantastic staff here at NT we managed to provide lunch, cover supervision for lunch and playtimes and teach classes! The children had a great week with no noticeable change to their learning and routines. I’m delighted to report that the children and staff with Covid are all isolating and recovering from their symptoms. I really do hope this is the end of the local outbreak, but I fear that might be wishful thinking. Please be aware that we have children with ringworm and with hand, foot and mouth disease. So far these have been isolated cases, but please do be aware of the symptoms. www.nhs.uk/conditions/ringworm/ www.nhs.uk/conditions/hand-foot-mouth-disease/ Community Links I was really pleased that so many parents came to the second FONTS AGM on Thursday after school. It was great to see so many of you come to support the school. I am relieved that all roles have now been filled so FONTs can continue - more detail in the FONTS update from Philippa and Julia below. Thank you! Jo Ware (our fabulous Y6 teacher) will be our school and community liaison and work with FONTS, the local community and the school to rekindle the links we had before Covid and establish new ones too. FONTS – Update A huge thank you to everyone who came to the AGM (part 2) yesterday. We are very pleased to confirm that FONTS has a new committee in place ready to continue FONTS fundraising after half term. Chair – Kate Keast Vice Chair – Vanessa Perri-Khoo Treasurer – Sarah Packham Secretary – Katie Hillier Please give the new committee all your support! Thank you FONTS Committee Email [email protected]/ message FONTS on ClassDojo Harvest Thank you so much for the kind donations for our harvest collection. Year five children have taken the goods to the church where they will be transported to the Okehampton Food Bank. Your generosity is much appreciated and will be gratefully received by local people in need.  Staff News
We look forward to welcoming Kerry Davies to our learning support team after the holiday. She will initially be working with children in years 3 and 4. Our teaching assistants make up a fantastic learning support team and are integral to the social, emotional and educational development of our children. We are blessed to have such a dedicated, knowledgeable and talented team working with our teachers and our SENDCO to help each child reach their potential and be the best they can be. KS2 MFL Update (Modern Foreign Languages) Children in Year 3-6 have been receiving weekly 30 minute lessons from our French specialist, Madame Jordan. Class teachers follow up lessons with short activities to reinforce the weekly lesson. Madame Jordan teaches French across the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust and has been very impressed with our pupils’ enthusiasm for language learning as well as their knowledge of France and the francophone world. Year 6 can name numerous countries across the globe, where French is the official language. Year 3 and 4 can name the 4 countries in Europe that speak French. We have started our French curriculum with introductions. All children can introduce themselves and ask other people what they are called and how they are. Many children in Y5 and 6 can also introduce others. Our older pupils have been learning about French heroes such as Victor Hugo, Marie-Curie and Joan of Arc. Pupils have learnt some classroom instructions in French so that Mrs Jordan can use more French during lessons. We have also learnt some key French phonics through numbers 1 to 10. You could ask your child to teach you the ‘ninja numbers’ to see phonics in action! The French curriculum supports children with their learning in other parts of the curriculum, especially English. Children examine the French grammar and compare it to what they have learnt in English. This term we have discussed imperative verbs (commands), adjectives, cognates, and intensifiers. Year 5 have also been learning about Benin (a French speaking country) as part of their History learning and in Y6 as part of their Art we have been studying Claude Monet’s Japanese Footbridge painting, and talking about him as a French hero in our French lessons. French truly has been across the curriculum! Thank you, Madame Jordan and Miss Ruby (MFL Coordinator) Halloween If you celebrate Halloween, I hope you have a fun time. I have spoken to the children about keeping safe if you allow them to take part in Trick or Treat
Happy half term to all of our friends and families. I look forward to seeing you on Monday 1st November at 8.45am. Don’t forget the clocks go back an hour, so on Sunday 31st October enjoy an extra hour in bed! With very best wishes Tara Penny Principal Comments are closed.
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