Happy Summer Holidays!

​Dear North Tawton Friends and Families,
 
Here we are at the end of an amazing year!
In assembly I asked the children what their highlights have been, two of our year six pupils wrote down everything they said:

y highlights have been the last few weeks when we have had parents in for our wonderful music concert, sports day, EYFS learning celebrations, Y6 leavers assembly and of course our amazing Summer Fair. It has been so lovely to have families in and feel part of the wider North Tawton community.
Following on from Nick Bryant’s message last week about the North Tawton Community event at the Town Hall, I was delighted to receive an email from the organiser Billie Burnett at West Devon Community and Voluntary Services together with Julie Matthews of Navigate Charity, as partners within the Transitions Project thanking Miss Boyce.
…our huge thanks and appreciation for everything you did to make our event in North Tawton so successful. We thought the children were simply outstanding, so proud and keen in showing their work and so curious and interested in the other stallholders’ displays and games (and very skilful in those!) The choir’s performance was just fantastic and clearly enjoyed by everyone in the Hall. Altogether the children gave us hope and inspiration for the future - they are a great credit to you and all the staff at the school.
  
Well done to Miss Boyce, our music tutors, school choir and Year 4, this is a well deserved compliment!
 
I am very much looking forward to next year and lots more community events and involvement.
 
OFSTED Report
I was really hoping I’d be able to share the Ofsted report before the end of term. Unfortunately, the draft has not yet been published so I am not able to.  We should have it for the new school year.  
  
Final Farewells
We had a lovely farewell assembly and cream tea with Year Six and their families this morning.  We all wish our Year Six pupils all the very best at college and their exciting futures ahead. Brian came from the British Legion and told us about his role and presented the prestigious awards.  It is lovely for me to learn about the traditions of North Tawton and honour these.  It is so important for us all to know who and what has gone before us, paving the way and making the world the place it is today.
Yesterday we bid Mrs Jelley and Mrs Squires our farewells, both of whom have given above and beyond of their time, expertise and kindness to our school for many years. Mrs Jelley and Mrs Squires have taught many parents and staff too, they are fountains of local knowledge and are valued and valuable to our community. They are our colleagues and friends, don’t worry, we won’t let them become strangers! We wish them both a very exciting and fulfilling retirement, focusing on family, hobbies and new adventures.
We also bid farewell to Miss Prince who has been teaching reception class and leading on developing our outdoor learning environment.  Over the year she has worked with all classes developing their skills through forest school activities. We wish her all the best in her new school.
We also say Farewell (sort of) to Emma Neath.  She has been the Chair of our Governors / Local Stakeholder Board since the Three Hares were formed. She was a local governor before then, and is now going to become a Trustee for the Trust.  I am delighted that she has been recruited for this this very important position as she will still be with the Trust, just in a very different role, however I will miss her as our chair hugely.
She has been of great support to the Three Hares Schools, doing lots of behind the scenes work. She is incredibly knowledgeable about school policy, finance and HR and has played the leadership role of a ‘critical friend’ by holding the Three Hares Principals to account, while also being hugely supportive. She has been extremely generous of her time, supporting the three schools with our recruitment, Ofsted preparations and during the pandemic with all of the additional policy and risk assessments we needed to do.  She has aided us in gathering parent and pupil views to inform our priorities and progress.
I am sure you join me in thanking her for her dedication to our school and wish her all the best in her new role.
 
Breakfast Club and After School Club
In follow up to our discussions and survey, I have been in negotiations regarding how to provide the right wrap around care for the right cost and quality of provision.  I am hoping we will be able to set up provision for after October half term. Watch this space…
 
Kids Eat Free
Here is a list of places children can eat free, or for just £1 this summer:

And here's a great reminder of top tips for healthy eating at home: top_tips_for_kids_leaflet_2018.pdf
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Thank Yous!
As always, there are so many thank yous to say! 
Thank you to FONTS for raising an amazing £2,169.52 at our Summer Fair! That's an amazing amount of money and will be spent wisely. Thank you to all parents for their support over this year, to the amazing staff team who go above and beyond every day for our children, and to the children themselves for always striving to 'be the best they can be.' The children here make me feel very proud and privileged to be their principal. 

I hope you all have a wonderful summer holiday, have fun, keep safe and make lots of precious memories.  
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School starts again on Wednesday 7th September at 8.45am
 With very best wishes
Tara Penny
Principal