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North Tawton Community Primary School and Nursery
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School News

Newletter

16/1/2021

 

Home Learners

Well done to everyone who is managing to keep up with the learning at home. The engagement with Google Classroom and the Class Dojo has been pleasing and very well received. The teachers are posting the lessons everyday. Individual circumstances at home are not always easy at the moment when juggling work, siblings and life! We understand that there are limitations and restrictions posed to home learning but we are here to help. If you are unable to access the learning or need additional support then please get in touch. The expectation is that we meet live at least once a day to check in and explain the day's learning and continue to provide support during each day. Teachers are supervising, monitoring and assessing and are there to provide live feedback when needed. We aim to deliver the full curriculum using a timetable and structure familiar to the children. If you are in need of help get in touch with us. We might be able to help with loaning equipment, providing resources or by inviting you to a virtual lesson. So, if we can help you, to help your children keep up with their education then please contact us.

Southampton Football Club (Saints)

Despite the many connection disruptions, Saints were able to link in live with one very puffed out instructor. Keeping ourselves fit and healthy is vital while we remain in lockdown. Many of you joined us live in your own homes and I was pleased to see you all looking after yourselves and getting fully involved. Look out for your session as scheduled for the same time, at the same place, next week. This lesson forms part of your weekly P.E. curriculum and is so very important. The recording is available for you to access at any time – just click the link your teachers have sent.
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Live Meeting Etiquette

Click here for our guide to online meeting etiquette.
Thank you very much for the kind words of support and gratitude. The staff team is working incredibly hard to make this difficult time as easy as possible. 
Have a relaxing weekend and stay safe.

​Miss Chauhan

Primary School (reception class) applications deadline 15th January 2021

11/1/2021

 
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​Primary School (Reception class) application deadline: 15th January 2021
We have some places available in our Reception class for September 2021. If you have a child born between 1st September 2016 and 31st August 2017, then do not delay in making an application to North Tawton Primary School. Please pass on this message to parents you know.
You can apply online at www.devon.gov.uk/admissiononline or if you have any access issues, please call the Education Helpline on 0345 1551019 or email admissions@devon.gov.uk.

Newsletter

8/1/2021

 

January Lockdown

Congratulations and Well Done!

Following the Government's announcement, our teachers swiftly adapted to offer a full programme of online study for all our children. Huge congratulations to all the children and parents who quickly adjusted to the online learning platform and who have fully participated in lessons this week. What a great start! We need to keep this energy up and maintain the level of interest, and reach 100% participation on Monday!
Remote Learning Education PLan
This plan clearly lays out the school's expectations during another period of lockdown. The momentum of the first term and the many successes can only be built upon. Daily progress and engagement are recorded by all class teachers. I am monitoring this very carefully, checking in everyday, and popping into Google and Zoom meet sessions whenever possible. If you are unable to access the learning and have made zero progress this week a follow up call will be made to check if there is anything we can do to help get you started.

Class teachers are extremely busy making sure all learning is accessed online and are assisting the children who are attending the Critical Workers/Vulnerable Club here at school. Feedback is given quickly and misconceptions are dealt with by giving extra support to those who may need it. The support staff are also on site helping to make the day run smoothly and are doing a fantastic job supporting their class teachers. We are following very strict social distancing with staff and pupils at all times. 

We  aim to include more live opportunities in the weekly timetable so please do look out for the invite on your Class Dojo. We will be varying the times to cater for your needs and allow you time to juggle between siblings. Southampton FC (Saints) are also providing a live PE session for every class – parents you are invited to join in too! Please see your Class Dojo for the timings and to read the agreement that needs to be in place before Thursday.

We are offering a wide curriculum and will use high quality teaching resources and skills to offer the best provision possible under these difficult circumstances. With your continued support at home and by using Google Classroom and the School Dojo we hope to maintain the high level of commitment that your children have shown towards their learning. 
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The staff are available to  support you at home and will answer any queries you may have as quickly as possible. Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you require assistance or clarification. The Administrators, Mrs Adams and Mrs Cassels, are also on hand to answer questions you may have.

Nursery to Re-open

The Nursery will open again on Monday January 11th to all children. You have been sent an individual letter regarding the situation. Apologies for the conflicting and confusing information. 

Government Help with Data

This scheme temporarily increases data allowances for mobile phone users on certain networks. This is so that children and young people can access remote education if their face-to-face education is disrupted.
get-help-with-tech.education.gov.uk/about-increasing-mobile-data​
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Thank you for your continued support, patience and perseverance.
​Stay safe and well
Miss Chauhan

FONTS UPDATE

A brief message from the FONTS committee to say Thank You for all your support last term. In spite of everything, a lot of money was raised for the school, and we had some new events along the way.
 
This half term will be quiet! With another lockdown in place, FONTS are taking a bit of a break. We’ve all got a lot to deal with BUT we’ll be back! As soon as we can we’ll be reaching out, and hopefully raising more funds for the school.
 
Keep safe and thank you for your continued support.
 
FONTS Committee
email friendsofnorthtawton@gmail.com / or message FONTS on Dojo.

Letter following Government Announcement

5/1/2021

 
​Dear Parent / Carer,
We wrote to you yesterday about delaying the start of term until Thursday.
I am sorry to be writing to you again so soon on this subject. However, as you may have seen, the Prime Minister has last evening announced a new national lockdown because of rising infection rates of Covid-19 and to try to prevent the further spread of the virus. 
As part of this, all primary schools, secondary schools and colleges in England, including our school, North Tawton Primary, are to be closed from today until at least the end of half term in February, except for children of key workers or vulnerable children.
From today:
If you or your partner is a key worker, or if your child is classed as vulnerable, then the school will remain open, as now, and we look forward to seeing them in school today and beyond as normal for teaching and learning. If you are a critical worker and have not completed the survey issued yesterday evening, please let us know. 
As you know, we have worked incredibly hard since the start of the pandemic in March to keep our school as safe as possible, and I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of some of the safety measures in place at our school: 
o   Everyone is expected to remain in their allocated bubbles 
o   Students are encouraged to wash their hands regularly throughout the day 
Please note we are trying to work with windows open in classrooms for ventilation. As the cold days have returned, and with the need for ventilation in mind, pupils may need a few more layers of clothing, such as sweatshirts, tights or leggings underneath skirts or plain fleeces without a hood or large brand logos. We would like the children to come in school uniform for their sessions and arrive at their usual time slots from last term. They will either need to bring a packed lunch or will be given a school packed lunch.
For all other pupils, our school is closed until at least the end of the February half-term. High-quality remote learning will be provided to make sure they continue to receive a consistent education. We know that this places pressure on you at a difficult time but your support in helping your child engage with the remote learning packs as much as possible is so important and we are very grateful for it. Teachers will be contacting you via class blogs and Class Dojo with details of the learning for each day. There is a high expectation that all children will complete home learning tasks, attend live lessons and submit work back to teachers for feedback. 
We will continue to stay in touch with you on this matter, and about your child’s education. However, if you have any questions, or if you require any support relating to these new arrangements, please email head@ntcps.co.uk
I would once again like to take this opportunity to thank you wholeheartedly for your understanding and ongoing support in helping us to manage this unprecedented situation. Please continue to take care and to stay safe.
Yours sincerely,
Elizabeth Underwood  and  Sunita Chauhan
Executive Headteacher        Head of School

Move to Blended Learning on Tuesday 5th and Wednesday 6th January

4/1/2021

 
Dear Parents and Carers,
Apologies for the late arrival of this news.  We have made the collective decision as a multi-academy trust to move to blended learning for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week to allow us additional time to ensure our risk assessments and health and safety measures are comprehensive and up-to-date, in line with all of the latest guidance from Public Health England and the Department for Education.

More information can be found in the attached letter.

The school will remain open for vulnerable children and the children of parents classed as critical workers. Please see the letter for further details on these classifications. 

If you believe that your child should be classed as vulnerable and attend school, please email head@ntcps.co.uk
head@ntcps.co.uk
If you believe that you child should attend school as you are a critical worker, please fill in the survey using the link below. Please complete the survey as soon as possible this evening. You only need to complete the survey if you consider yourself to be a critical worker.
Link to Survey for Critical Workers

Class teachers will be in touch via email and school blog pages with details of home learning for your children to complete. Please help your children to maintain their learning by ensuring that they complete all home-learning tasks.

Kind regards,

Elizabeth Underwood and Sunita Chauhan

Click here for the letter from the Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust

Newsletter

18/12/2020

 

A Wonderful Achievement

Following Mr Foreman's brilliant idea, our children have collectively run for more than 1, 400 miles in the last two weeks for the Laps to Lapland challenge. What a fabulous way to end the year. This achievement has reminded me of the strength of our school community, and of what we can do when we work together, even when faced with the most difficult challenges. 
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I am so proud of our wonderful staff and community and I am sure that we will continue to rise to every challenge that we face in 2021.

I wish you all a merry and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Miss Chauhan

FONTS UPDATE

​Thank you to everyone who took part in the Wreath Competition. Very creative! Congratulations to the three winners.
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We hope everyone enjoyed the Christmas shows on Thursday. It was lovely to see so many Santa hats!
 
Don’t forget to get your Bauble Hunt forms from the Post Office from tomorrow. 24 baubles are hiding around the town for you to spot! Good luck…
 
It’s not too late to finish off your Christmas shopping. The FONTS Virtual Christmas Market will be open until 24th December.
 
All of the thank you gifts are now in school. Thank you so much again for your generosity. The staff team at school have received a hamper of festive treats, teas and coffees with personalised mugs, and frames for each of the classrooms, the office and the staff room. Photos are on the facebook page.
Thank you for your continued support
We wish you a Happy Christmas,
FONTS Committee
email friendsofnorthtawton@gmail.com / or msg FONTS on Dojo
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Newsletter

11/12/2020

 

Festivities

What a busy penultimate week! Full of surprises and joy. The week ended with another parade of children wearing colourful Christmassy accessories and jumpers. Well done everyone for joining in and making the end of term a little bit more special and adding a bit of much needed cheeriness.
Our last week is equally eventful...

Laps to Lapland update!

We are making great strides towards Lapland. We have reached 700miles already! What an amazing achievement by all the children and staff. We are on target as we reach the half-way point! Keep it up. This fresh air and exercise is needed to prepare ourselves for all the over-indulgence to come!
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Monday 14th December Christmas Wreath Competition 

Get busy crafting and make sure your entry arrives to school on Monday.
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Tuesday 15th December 2pm Virtual Nativity 

The adults and children in our Nursery, Reception, Year One and Year Two have been very busy over the past few weeks rehearsing and perfecting lines, learning new lyrics, singing and dancing to present the Story of Christmas. The restrictions have made things very different this year but we hope you will be happy with the final result. The many recordings are being spliced together and will be ready for our first airing on Tuesday at 2pm and we are all very much looking forward to seeing the final results. We will post out the invite for you to join us. After its premier airing, you may watch the recording at your leisure. Many thanks once again to the many adults who directed and managed to work so well in their respective bubbles to make this possible and for making sure that every child (where possible) was included. Thank you also to all those parents who provided the costumes and supported their children at home to perfect their performance. 

Wednesday 16th December Christmas Lunch

All booked and ready to go. Mandy and PJ are looking forward to providing a lovely Christmas lunch to all those who have booked one. We will still be following the restrictions but there will be a little treat waiting for the children in the hall. Children with home packed lunches will enjoy all the extra cheer alongside their friends. Thank you FONTS for the extra treats and please dress in festive wear.

Thursday 17th December Hobgoblin Theatre presents Goldilocks / Best Christmas Ever

FONTS have been really busy this year organising lots of lovely treats for the children who have endured a lot. They have organised the performance to be screened and every child in the school will be able to watch a virtual performance in their class bubble. This theatre company come highly recommended. We are all feeling very excited about this generous gift.

Friday 18th December Family Celebration Assembly

Our last Family Assembly this Autumn Term to celebrate the achievement in our school. Please see the link on the Dojo to join us at 2:30pm.

THANK YOU to all our parents

On Monday a very big box was handed to me. This wonderfully festive box was full of tasty goodies and was given to the team who make our school the special place it is! It was given to the teachers, support staff, the Foundation staff, the Meal Time Assistants, the cleaners, the kitchen staff the administrators and every adult employed to help run this school.
This particularly testing time has placed many, many extra pressures on us all. It was humbling to see that so many parents in our community are grateful and recognise the enormous efforts  made by these adults going over and above the duties of their 'job'.
The delicious treats were shared amongst the staff and were very much enjoyed.
​THANK YOU FROM US ALL
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Have a lovely weekend
Miss Chauhan

FONTS Update

FONTS were very excited to share the news that the school will be watching two fabulous online Christmas performances in the last week of term. Goldilocks and Best Christmas Ever will be shown on 17th December in class bubbles. Please see messages on Dojo for more information.

The Virtual Christmas Market is still open. Great local businesses are there, and have kindly donated raffle prizes. There’s only a couple of days to get raffle tickets, as the draw is on Monday 14th December. Please email ntvirtualevents@gmail.com.
 
A huge THANK YOU all for your kind contributions to the collection for all the staff at the school.  A large box of edible goodies went into school on Monday this week and there are more gifts to follow – pictures of all the gifts will be shared soon.

We hope everyone is busily decorating their wreaths for the competition... some great entries already on Dojo!  Please get them into school on Monday 14th December.
 
Thank you for your continued support,
FONTS Committee
email friendsofnorthtawton@gmail.com / or message FONTS on Dojo
 
PS – Don’t forget that Easyfundraising is a great way to use online shopping to donate to FONTS, and we’re part of the SeaMoor Lottery where a percentage of every ticket bought goes to FONTS.
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Covid Important Information 

Contact Tracing during the Christmas Holidays
If your child has a positive test for COVID during the Christmas holidays, please inform me by email at head@ntcps.co.uk 
I will then follow the guidance as to whether I need to contact families of children in the same bubble. Where a child or staff member has tested positive for COVID, but has not been in school in the time period two days before the onset of symptoms to 10 days after, there is no requirement for any contact tracing to be carried out with the school. 

Free School Meals during the Christmas Holidays 
From Tuesday 8th December DCC will be sending a unique code per child to all families known to the Local Authority that are currently in receipt of Free School Meals.  The LA will provide us with a list of all their students that are being issued a voucher early next week. If there are children not on this list that we know to be receiving free school meals, we will notify the free school meals team immediately. Each code can be used once on a website called ‘Hawk Select’ to redeem vouchers to the value of £30 per child (£15 per week for the two weeks of school holidays) for Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrison’s, Asda, M&S Food and Waitrose.
 
The website requires families to provide an email address for the vouchers to be sent to once you have chosen your preferred supermarket. When received, you can save the vouchers to your phone or tablet to use online (depending on the supermarket) or show at the checkout in store. Alternatively, you can print the vouchers to give to the cashier.
 
We are conscious that some parents may not have access to the internet or a mobile device to receive and store the vouchers and so, in these exceptional cases, we can help you to complete the process on the Hawk Select website and print the vouchers for you. In this event, we would ask that parents come to school and provide us with your unique code in order for us to redeem the voucher on the Hawk Select website on your behalf. Please contact Miss Jackson (tel. 01647 432412) in the first instance in order to book a mutually convenient time.
 
The education helpline is available on 0345 155 1019 for any questions about the distribution of the unique codes. There are also some useful FAQs on the Hawk Select website along with contact details for any technical support about using the codes and vouchers.
 
If you think your child may now be eligible for free school meals due to a recent change in your family’s circumstances, please help us ensure you can access this holiday voucher support over Christmas by applying online through the Devon Citizen’s Portal to check if they are eligible as soon as possible. This is the quickest and easiest way for your eligibility to be assessed and you will get an instant decision.  Alternatively, you can call the education helpline on 0345 155 1019. To ensure that you receive the free school meals holiday vouchers for this Christmas period you must apply by Friday 18th December 2020.
 
Please go to the DCC website if you have any questions or ask myself or Mrs Adams.  
 
Finally, if you are worrying about money and struggling to pay for basic household essentials, you can also apply for help through funding made available via the District Council hardship funds. There’s more about what 
financial and food support is available for families in Devon on the DCC website.  ​

Newsletter

5/12/2020

 

Festive Friday

 What an absolute joy it was to see so many enter the spirit of Christmas and come suitably dressed for the first of our three Festive Fridays. The children made the most of the cold weather (and sometimes rather cold classrooms) by wearing cheery Christmas jumpers, socks, and an array of hats and glasses. Many more of these pictures can be seen on the School Dojo. Well done to everyone including the staff. I look forward to next Friday when we can find the next jumper to wear.
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Laps to Lapland Challenge

We are now very much in the run-up to Christmas but would like to stay active and warm up away from our well ventilated classrooms. Last night, I found a sleigh parked next to my car in the car park. We then received an elfphone call to say that Father Christmas had crashed his practice sleigh in North Tawton and needs it back.

This gave Mr Foreman an idea for our Christmas PE challenge: from Monday until we break up for Christmas, the children are going to walk and run laps of the school playground, collectively covering the same distance from North Tawton to Lapland! We need to work as a school team to complete this challenge as there are 1400 miles between North Tawton and Lapland. So, during the next two weeks at school, we will be walking, running, or a combination of the two to complete a mile each day. We need 140 children to complete their mile each day to reach Lapland by the end of term. So come on Team Tawton, let’s rise to the challenge and complete Laps to Lapland – Ready Steady Ho Ho Ho!
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EYFS and KS1 Virtual Nativity

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Poetry

Here is a wonderful poem written by Finley from Hazel Class during some literacy work...
My Box of Hopes

In my box I see...

Blades of golden grass collecting memories and dreams, Sea-foam green leaves full of joy.
Striking of lightning with sparks of dreams.

What do I see in my box?
I see people smiling and laughing,
Trees swaying in the wind like they’re high-fiving,
In my box, I see a snowman dancing with happiness coming off him.

What do I see in my box
I see rainbows reappearing once again with their colours far away. Shooting stars, the colour blue, holding wishes that are waiting for me.
My box is fashioned with...
Ribbons, the colour of indigo with stripes of sunny gold.
My box has a red box with purple stars shining like the sun. My box has planets the colour of the rainbow
In my box I see...
A river flowing with happiness and dreams.
Tents filled with the family chatting away.
Purple glowing coals on the fire, releasing smoke with flowers drifting away.
In my box I can see...
Fireworks shooting like rockets in the sky. Rubies and gems reflecting happy memories of me. I see beach balls rolling on the beach full of smiles.
I hope my box will come to life and to all come true, To see me and my friends smiling once more.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Miss Chauhan

FONTS Update

​​Don’t miss the chance to take a look at the Virtual Christmas Market, which is running until 24th December. Great local businesses are selling on there, and you can buy raffle tickets by emailing ntvirtualevents@gmail.com. The tickets are £1 each and you can buy as many as you would like – please share with friends and family. The raffle will be drawn on 14th December.
The wreaths for the competition should have come home with the children today – if not, please let FONTS know. Have fun decorating them, please make sure names are visible on the back, and return them to school by 14th December for judging.
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Thank you for your support with the Christmas Cards – it was the largest order ever! Hope they bring smiles to the people who receive them.
Also, pleased to report that all the classes now have replenished Wet Play Boxes – lots to entertain them on rainy days.
 
Thank you for your continued support,
FONTS Committee
email friendsofnorthtawton@gmail.com / or msg FONTS on Dojo
 
PS – Don’t forget that Easyfundraising is a great way to use online shopping to donate to FONTS, and we’re part of the SeaMoor Lottery where a percentage of every ticket bought goes to FONTS.

Three Hares Update

​https://www.ntcps.co.uk/three-hares-updates

Newsletter

28/11/2020

 
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Celebration Assembly

Our virtual end of the month assembly recognised and celebrated the efforts of all the children who continue to work with such passion and dedication. The children are listening to the teachers, who are setting high expectations and inspiring them to work hard to achieve their final goals. The results are evident in the children's books, out on display and around the school.

AIM ASPIRE ACHIEVE

Interim Reports to Parents

This week, all parents received a written report about the progress made so far this term. The class teachers and support staff are working incredibly hard as normal. Assessment and target setting are crucial to the teaching and learning process. The children are working hard and the written comments reflect this. However, because of the pandemic, time has been lost and valuable teaching time has gone. Our job as educators is to identify gaps and needs and address these appropriately with the resources available. One of these valuable resources is you! Your support with reading and sharing home learning will be more necessary than ever to help close the gap. We are of course, still mindful that children are individuals and each child's experience is very different. Aspirational targets have been set and with your help and support we believe your children are capable of reaching their full potential. Please do get in touch if you need clarification about any aspect of teaching and learning. 
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Festivities

There are only three Fridays left! This term has gone so quickly! Inspired by Harry's festive attire, we will be joining in to add a little festive cheer as we lead up to the Christmas holidays. So... the children can wear their Christmas jumpers or headbands, tights and socks every FRIDAY (with their school uniform).
Please do order your Christmas lunch using the paper slips that came home on Friday or provide a home packed lunch. We will make the dining experience as festive as we can and on that day the children can wear their party clothes! Christmas Lunch Wednesday 16th December.
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KS1 children are busy preparing for their Nativity production which will be recorded, spliced together and ready to broadcast as a virtual production. Look out for invitations to join us. Our Oak Class is a particularly talented group of aspiring performers who absolutely love the new stage.
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Flu Vaccinations

For all those who registered, this vaccination took place in the hall on Friday. The NHS nurses were very impressed with how well mannered all the children were. It went very smoothly. If your child was absent on the day you will be contacted directly with an alternative venue and date.

Road Safety

Thank you for all the positive messages supporting the arrangements that are in place for the safe arrival and departure of the children. May I remind you that the gates open at 8:45 and are only closed after the majority of children have arrived and walked up into their bubbles with their friends.  

Car drivers please DO NOT park on or stop on the double yellow lines and please be considerate to our neighbours when parking, especially in Strawberry Fields. On Friday, when a driver was challenged for parking dangerously directly across the road, verbal abuse was the result within ear shot of the children. This is incredibly selfish and very unhelpful.

Art work in progress

Have a lovely weekend
​Miss Chauhan

FONTS – UPDATE ​

Don’t miss the chance to take a look at the Virtual Christmas Market, which is running until 24th December. Great local businesses are selling on there, and you can buy raffle tickets by emailing ntvirtualevents@gmail.com. The tickets are £1 each and you can buy as many as you would like – please share with friends and family.
 
The Wreath Competition forms have been collected. Thank you for such a fantastic response… loads of entries.  Wreaths will be ordered now, and will be in school as soon as possible.
 
Thank you for your continued support,
FONTS Committee
email friendsofnorthtawton@gmail.com / or message FONTS on Dojo
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Leadership Update from Mrs Underwood

24/11/2020

 
I was pleased to welcome parents to a virtual meeting last Wednesday evening, where we shared our continuing aims for school improvement at North Tawton Primary School. Having met with parents at Chagford and South Tawton, we have now met with all parents within the Three Hares. I am delighted that our Chair and Vice Chair of our Three Hares Local Academy Committee (governors) joined us, along with Dan Morrow, (new CEO of DMAT, as from January 2021), Hazel Fox (DMAT Interim CEO) and our link Trustee, Morgen Witzel all available to take questions.
If you would like to view the presentation, please refer to the presentation on the ‘Three Hares’ blog.
We are very pleased that due to the hard work of our staff, the children have made a happy and settled return to school since September.
Current School Improvement Focus:
Vision
Over recent weeks, within our Three Hares leaders’ meetings, we have been discussing our Three Hares vision. We are keen to share our thinking with all stakeholders over the coming weeks in order that everyone’s views are reflected. Fundamentally, we aim to craft a statement which describes our goals for every child who makes the journey through one of our schools.
 
Three Hares Curriculum
Having introduced all of our children to the ‘Three Hares’ theme last academic year, lockdown gave us the opportunity to take a fresh look at our curriculum, together as a Three Hares staff. We have launched into teaching and learning this year, with some new themes which deliver a broad and enriching learning journey, as children make their way through our schools.
Teachers and subject leaders are able to share good practice through our monthly Three Hares staff meetings, where over time, teachers will benefit from systems which will reduce their workload, enabling them to share, modify and develop plans and projects across the schools. We have shared training opportunities for leaders, teachers and support staff, providing not only value for money, but also the benefits of collaboration and shared discussion across a broader context.
 
Partnerships
North Tawton already enjoys a good relationship with its parents and local community. We hope to continue to build upon this, extending our communications to ensure that we are able to welcome parents from beyond this town and local villages to sustain and grow our current number of pupils to ensure we can keep single-age classes in the future.
 
Remote Learning
One of our focus areas this term, is to develop our capacity for delivering remote learning. Staff are currently being trained in the use of Google Classroom, which will enable children to login with a Google email address allocated to them, from a device in school or at home. The aim is for children to be able to access projects set for them and submit their completed work and receive feedback. We are also working on enabling teachers’ face-to-face online contact, should we need to close a bubble or even close the school at any point in the future.
 
Catch-up
Since our return in September, teachers have been carefully assessing children’s knowledge and understanding of key concepts. We have identified some gaps in spelling, grammar and maths. Our catch-up plan is already being implemented and with the benefit of government funding, we will be able to deliver individual and small group interventions. We have also purchased a variety of resources which will ensure any gaps in learning will be quickly and efficiently filled.
 
Read Write Inc.
Training in the delivery of our new phonics scheme is ongoing and the huge array of resources is being organised in order that our children can benefit fully from this highly acclaimed programme. As soon as possible, we will hold a workshop for KS1 parents to help you to support your children with early reading.
 
Premises
We are pleased that improvements to the fabric of our old building will be underway soon. Following the replacement of gates and fences over the summer holidays, we are now looking forward to a long awaited extension and refurbishment to our Early Years unit, next summer.
 
Thanks to the success of grant applications made by the DMAT, the school will benefit from improvements to its energy efficiency with installation of a new building management system, controlling the heating system and also LED lighting.
 
Repairs to the flat roof happening soon, will mean we will be able to develop a much-needed interventions/sensory room.
 
I am delighted to say, we have been able to appoint a Three Hares Site Officer, Mr Steve Kiff, who will work across our schools to specifically support premises projects, repairs and maintenance.
 
The swimming pool remains a key feature in the life of the school. We need to think carefully about its future, as the building structure comes nearer to the end of its life towards the end of this academic year. We will work in partnership with parents to consider a variety of solutions.
 
Three Hares Partnership
In addition to the aforementioned benefits of working as a trio of schools, we continue to plan ahead for the time when we can physically bring our children together. We still aspire to have children working with their peers in other schools, getting to know new friends as they move up through primary school and into secondary education as a larger cohort. Other opportunities could include: joint day visits, residentials, inter-school events, festivals, music, clubs, competitions and matches, both sporting and other themed events.
 
As our partnerships grow, we are keen to bring our communities closer together. Already, due to this partnership, we have seen children in Chagford and North Tawton benefit from the generosity of two sets of Chagford parents who have sponsored the first of year of a three year subscription to the school library service. This means that all three schools once again enjoy delivery of quality books each half term.
 
We are currently looking into developing partnerships with schools in contrasting parts of the UK, as well as investigating more far-reaching links with schools in other parts of the world in the future.
 
Fundraising Strategy
Mel Holyoak, our Vice Chair of Governors has been instrumental in developing a strategy to provide additional financial support for our Three Hares primary schools.  ​We are excited to launch a brand new fundraising initiative, asking for support from parents, carers, local businesses and communities to provide the children of our schools with access to the best possible school learning experiences.  This initiative is being undertaken collaboratively with the PTAs of the trio of schools that make up the Three Hares.  We also hope to forge stronger relationships between the schools and their local communities, not just for the children of today, but for those of the future.     
 
Within the Three Hares, we focus on providing local children with the best possible start in life, both from an academic and lifestyle perspective, to ensure that they are all given the tools and resources they need to be prepared to move into further education and their future workplace as well-rounded, skilled, confident and unique individuals.  Our hope is that, as a result, they will grow up and continue to contribute to our community as adults.

As you may already know, government funding for schools has been substantially reduced over the years, to the point that our schools are now spending up to 90% of their budget on staff alone.  Historically, a school would have expected to spend up to 75% of its budget on staff.  This is not bad budgeting on the part of the schools – it is the sad truth of the public purse, and the cuts that have been made in education. 

We have developed a wish-list has been separated into several categories that could be supported by our communities and businesses, as well as a legacy project, designed to be long-lasting for the school with a “Yours Today, Theirs Tomorrow” sentiment.  Each category provides several examples of how donations would be used, together with a target fundraising goal.  The final decision in relation to how those funds will be spent (but strictly adhering to their specified category) would be made by school leaders, in conjunction with the Local Academy Committee.
Donations can be made which will support projects within 5 categories:
  • Legacy projects – these will benefit current and future children of the school;
  • Teaching and Learning
  • Premises
  • Sports
  • General School Fund.
More details of each category can be found on the PowerPoint presentation, and information will also be available on the school website soon. The DMAT has supported this venture with the purchase of fundraising software which will enable parents, relations, community and businesses to support South Tawton Primary School, or the Three Hares trio of schools. Rest assured, that any donations made for this school in particular, will be strictly restricted for use in North Tawton only. As a charity, all donations received will enable the school to claim an additional 25% of the value of the donation from the government, at no extra cost to the benefactor.

Amazon Wish List
In addition to our fundraising website and in collaboration with FONTS, we have also created an Amazon wish list, which has been populated by the staff of the school, with all sorts of items to support and enhance teaching and learning.  This will be updated regularly and ranges from the smallest of items to much bigger aspirational items.  Whilst we recognise the obvious convenience and vast range of Amazon, we are committed to supporting our local community so, wherever feasible, please be assured that the school will endeavour to use monies raised to make purchases locally and use local businesses and trades. 

ANY improvements we are able to make enriches the children’s school experience, and adds value to the school environment, making them attractive to potential new pupils and families.  In turn, this generates additional funding for the schools – the amount of funding the school receives from the government is dependent on the number of pupils. So the more pupils that are attracted to the schools, the better funded the schools become. 

The schools' leadership and staff are also eager to forge stronger relationships between the school and local communities and would love to hear from you with any ideas you may have about ways we might do this together.  Our wish is to create a school where the saying, “It takes a community to raise a child” really holds true.    

Finally, it is really important that we stress that we appreciate that many families may not be in a position to offer anything. We would never ask or expect anyone to put themselves under any kind of strain to contribute.
 
Three Hares Governance
Emma Neath, our Chair of Governors will soon be contacting parents about two vacancies within our committee for the role of parent governor. There are vacancies for two Parent Governors to serve on the Three Hares Academy Committee, which is the governing body across Chagford, South Tawton and North Tawton Primary Schools, and part of the Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust.  We are very keen to encourage parents and carers of registered pupils to nominate themselves to become part of our Academy Committee.  More details and nomination forms will be issued shortly.
Thank you
We are grateful to all the parents who were able to attend the meeting last week; whilst we look forward to meeting with parents face-to-face in school again one day soon, we hope that meeting virtually using ‘Teams’ invites was helpful means of keeping in touch with school leaders in the meantime; it also provided a great opportunity for a ‘Q&A’ session.
 
Thank you for supporting the school as we continue to drive improvement for the benefit of our current and future pupils.
 
With kind regards,
 Elizabeth Underwood                 
Executive Headteacher
The Three Hares Primary Schools
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North Tawton Primary School
27 Exeter Street, North Tawton, Devon, EX20 2HB
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