HORRABRIDGE PRIMARY & NURSERY SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
Number 10– 13th November 2015
Working Together
Achieving Together
Anti-Bullying Week
Next week is National Anti-Bullying week and this will be reflected in class assemblies and in our whole school
assembly on Friday 20th November. In the assembly some children from each class will share some ideas linked to
the work they will have done in class around this year’s theme of ‘Make a noise about Bullying’.
Lunchtime Changes
From the start of next week we will be trialling a change in lunchtime timings for our Year 1 / 2 and Year 3 / 4
children. Their lunchtimes will begin at the same time as currently, but will end 15 minutes earlier. This 15 minute
break will then be placed into the middle of the afternoon session instead, thereby not altering the total amount of
playground time they receive. Dinner hall and meal timings will be unaffected as will lunchtime clubs. We are trialling
this approach as we feel that our Year 1 – 4 children’s learning stamina might well benefit from a mid-afternoon
break. We intend to leave our Nursery and Reception children’s lunch and afternoons unchanged as the afternoons
reflect greater emphasis on learning through play. Likewise, we are not currently changing Years 5 / 6 lunchtimes or
afternoon breaks.
Admission to Primary Schools 2016/17
The application facility for places in Primary Schools for the 2016-17 academic year will open on November 15th
and close at midnight on 15th January 2016. Parents are invited to apply between those dates and express three
preferences via the online facility at www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline. Applications cannot be made on line after
the closing date, hard copy forms will have to be requested via the Helpline on 0345 155 1019. Late applications
will not be considered before timely ones where schools are oversubscribed. Monday 18th April 2016 is the
date you will be notified of your offer.
Art Project
We have been very fortunate to be supported this term by Jan Gourd from the University of St Mark & St John and
several Marjon students, in the delivery of some of our children’s Art sessions. Each class has benefitted, or will
benefit in the near future, from three Friday afternoon sessions supported in this way and we thought that
parents/carers might like to share in some of the work that their children are producing. To this end, we are inviting
parents/carers into school at any time between 2pm and 3pm on the third Friday session for their child. The first of
these will be for our Reception class on Friday 20th November. Any Reception parents/carers who wish to attend
need to come to the main front reception (office) at any time between 2pm and 3pm. We do ask that all Reception
children remain in school until 3pm as usual. We will notify you of the dates for our other classes once they are
confirmed. For Year 5/6, this will be later this term and for Year 1 / 2 and Year 3 / 4, this will be during the Spring
term.
P E Kits
Please can we remind all children and parents/carers that PE kits should be in school every day. In KS2, children
need to change for all PE lessons. PE kits are also required for all sports after school clubs. We would appreciate
your full co-operation regarding this matter.
Cold and wet weather
Please can we remind all children, parents/carers that it is now that time of year when you need to have a coat in
school every day. We always try to get out into the playground whenever possible at break and lunchtimes.
Sailing Meeting for Year 4 pupils and parents/carers
A reminder that the initial meeting for Sailing Week September 2016 will take place on Wednesday 18 th November at
6pm for Year 4 pupils and their parents/carers.
Beam House (Residential) Meeting for Year 5 pupils and parents/carers
A reminder that the initial meeting for Beam House September 2016 will take place on Wednesday 25 th November at
6pm for Year 5 pupils and their parents/carers.
Calendar of Dartmoor
The Young Enterprise club comprising 12 pupils from across Key Stage 2 have designed and produced a wonderful
2016 calendar. They chose pictures from a large selection they had taken on Dartmoor and added some creative
writing to describe them. The children have worked hard on the calendar and their marketing ideas on what we hope
will be a profitable venture. (Look out Lord Sugar- these are the Apprentices of the future!) The calendars will retail
at £6.00 each or two for £10.00 and are now available from the school office. Next term a different Young Enterprise
Project will run, involving different children-further details to follow!
Pupil Absence due to illness
Following a visit from the Educational Welfare Officer we would like to remind you that for all schools within the
Tavistock Learning Community any absence due to illness of 5 or more days will be classed as an unauthorised
absence unless there is supporting medical evidence. This can be in the form of a signed/stamped appointment
card, a printout of the telephone log from the surgery (if you consulted by telephone) or sight of a prescription with
the child’s name and date of appointment.
Tavistock Co-operative Learning Trust
TRUST ADMINISTRATION
The Trust board for Tavistock Co-operative Learning Trust is seeking a self-employed administrator to
work 150 hours for a fixed fee of £2000. The hours will commence mid-December 2015 and will end on
31st July 2016. Principal responsibilities are to support board meetings, working sub-groups of the board,
and to design and implement a membership scheme. Travel and associated expenses will be reimbursed.
Please apply by letter of application, CV and two references.
Please send applications to Alison Horn, Strategic Business Leader, Tavistock College,
Crowndale Road, Tavistock, Devon PL19 8DD. Closing date for applications is Friday 27th
November at 12 noon.
Tavistock Co-operative Learning Trust is committed to Safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and
expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
This post will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.
Start of the day procedures
A polite reminder that if parents/carers do wish to speak to members of staff, could they please complete a
‘I would like to talk to the Class teacher ~ please’ form which is available at the front reception. Obviously, a quick
message at the start or end of the day can be passed across at the classroom door, however all staff need to be
ensuring that both the children and themselves are ready to start lessons promptly, therefore longer discussions
cannot take place at this time. Rest assured, we do still very much encourage communication between home and
school and staff will contact parents/carers at the earliest available opportunity to follow up any requests for contact.
I am learning
The school subscribes to this excellent online learning programme. All children in Reception to Year 6 and parents
can access this site by using the following log in details:
Google: I am learning
School ID: HCPL20
User name: first name and surname (all one word) (for example FredSmith)
Password: Their date of Birth (format ddmmyyyy) 11042006
This may from time to time be used to set homework by the class teachers and can be accessed at any time for
revision and additional independent learning.
Foundation and KS1 Christmas Production
The Christmas production for Reception, Year 1 & 2 will take place on Monday 14th December with performances at
1.30pm and 6.30pm. Details regarding tickets/seat allocation will follow at a later date. Again, we are spreading our
team performances out across the year and Years 3 & 4 will have their production in the Spring term on Tuesday
22nd March and Years 5 & 6 will have their production in the Summer term on Wednesday 6th July.
Rotary Young Photographer Competition
The Rotary Club are running a competition to find a ‘Young Photographer’. There are 3 age groups for entries 7-10
yrs, 11-13 yrs and 14-17 yrs. The theme is “Our World is Beautiful”. The pictures can be colour or black & white
and the closing date is 15th January 2016. The winner in each age range will win a £25.00 Amazon Gift Voucher and
all entries will be on display in the Tavistock library from early February. The winning entries will go onto regional
and potentially national level, a National Winner will be announced in May 206. Please see the poster in our notice
board cabinet for more details.
Key Stage 2 SATs 2016
A date for your diary - Key Stage 2 SATs for all Year 6 pupils will take place week beginning 9th May, 2016
Cyclo Cross
Tavistock Wheelers will be hosting a Cyclo-Cross event at Mount Kelly senior school on Sunday the 22 nd November.
Everyone is welcome to come and have a try and it will cost just £2 to enter. Races, which can be done on any bike
with knobbly tyres (a mountain bike is ideal), involve trying to complete as many laps of the course as possible within
15 minutes and will often involve mud and obstacles. There will be a prize and certificate for all who enter as well as
medals for the top 3 girls and boys in each category. The following races will take place at the time below, please be
there early to get your race number. Under 8’s 10:30hrs. Under 10’s and Under 12’s 11:00hrs. In the afternoon there
will be races for older children and adults too. Under 14’s Under 16’s and Novice Adult 12:00. Junior, Women,
Senior and Veterans will take place at 13:30hrs. Refreshments and food will be available on the day.
Meeting Dates (proposed dates which may be subject to change)
Friday 18th March 2016 @ 9.00am
Tuesday 17th November 2015 @ 6.15pm
Monday 18th April 2016 @ 2.00pm
Friday 11th December 2015 @ 9.00am
Wednesday 18th May 2016 @ 6.15pm
Monday 11th January 2016 @ 2.00pm
Monday 13th June 2016 @ 2.00pm
Wednesday 24th February @ 6.15pm
Friday 15th July 2015 @ 9.00am
Celebration Assembly Timetable for Autumn Term 2015 Assemblies start at 2.20pm unless stated otherwise
Friday 20th November 2015
Anti-bullying
Friday 27th November 2015
Year 1
Friday 4th December 2015 * 9am as Christmas Fayre
Year 4
Friday 11th December 2015
Christmas Choir
Friday 18th December 2015
No Assembly
School Breakfast Club
From 7.30 am to 8.45 am daily
Selection of healthy breakfast foods
Range of group and individual activities
Themed days/weeks
£4.00 per child, per session
After School Club
If you require after school care or your child would like to join in our fun, please speak to Nicky, Hayley or Clare in
the After School Club room everyday from 3–6pm.
PTA
Follow your PTA on facebook-‘like’ PTA of Horrabridge Community Primary School
PTA benefits from ~Easy fundraising ~ a reminder that if you shop online and go through this
website first, we receive a donation from the retailer. A very useful and easy way to help the school
PTA!
Baby & Toddler Group
This group will meet every Monday morning from 10am to 11.30am in the Busy Bees hut. There is no need to bookjust come along and sign in at the school office. The session is open to anyone in the local community with toddlers
or babies. The aim of the group is to provide a nurturing and caring experience that is as supportive to
parents/carers as it is to providing a fun play environment for our babies and toddlers.
You can be assured of a very warm welcome
Term Dates 2015/16
Dates
Start on
Finish on
Autumn Term
2nd half
Monday 2nd November 2015
Friday 18th December 2015
Spring Term 2016 1st half
Tuesday 5th January 2016
Friday 12th February 2016
2nd half
Tuesday 23rd February 2016
Thursday 24th March 2016
Summer Term 2016 1st half
Monday 11th April 2016
Friday 27th May 2016
2nd half
Monday 6th June 2016
Tuesday 19th July
School will be closed on Monday 2nd May 2016 for the May Day Bank Holiday
This week’s certificate winners are:Year R ~ Charlotte Brokensha and Gracie Connell
Year 1 ~ Miriam Hunter and Logan Watters
Year 2 ~ Layla Honey-Lee and Leo Allen
Year 3 ~ Rebecca Boyd and Callum Hall
Year 4 ~ Jana Cole and Sam Goodman
Year 5 ~ Morgan Richardson and Joe Summers
Year 6 ~ Thomas Doyle and Lucas Hopkins
Team
Points
Blue
Green
Red
Yellow
This week
12/11/15
64
58
100
83
TOTAL
Position
160
143
200
177
3rd
4th
1st
2nd
Mealtime Assistants Awards:
KS1 ~ Charlie Brown for continuous good behaviour
KS2 ~ Katie Matthews for being so kind to others on the playground
This week’s Breakfast Club Cup Winner is: Maya Treliving for being a happy, thoughtful and creative
breakfast clubber. A pleasure to have at the club
This week’s Courtesy Cup Winner is: Kara Gibbings for being polite and courteous to adults and children,
holding open doors and helping without being asked
Next week’s Celebration Assembly will include contributions from all classes for anti-bullying week . All
parents /carers are welcome to attend. Friday assemblies start at 2.20 p.m.
If there is anything that you wish to discuss, please feel free to contact us.
Best Wishes
John Clarke – Headteacher
Please contact us on 01822 852605
DINNERS FOR _____________________________________Name(s) (Cost is £2.20 per day)
Monday
M: West country sausages
V: vegetable bean risotto
SPL: Egg & mayo sandwich
JP: JP with beans and/or cheese
Tuesday
M: Pasty pie & tomato sauce
V: Macaroni cheese with crusty bread
SPL: Tuna & sweetcorn baguette
JP: JP with beans and/or cheese
Wednesday
M: Roast pork & apple sauce
V: Cauliflower & broccoli bake
SPL: Vegetarian sausage bap
JP: JP with beans and/or cheese
Thursday
M: Pasta with homemade meatballs
V: Vegetable burger in a bap
SPL: Pork & apple sauce bap
JP: JP with beans and/or cheese
Friday
M: Battered fish fillet
V: Spanish omelette
SPL: Sausage & tomato sauce sandwich
JP: JP with beans and/or cheese
Please pay in advance for all school meals either by cash or cheque or online using school
comms. Please ask at the school office to register) £2.20 per day or £11.00 per week.