5th February School Updates
Dear families and friends,
We're another week further down the line and I am waiting to hear anything from the government on school attendance changes. It is unlikely that we'll hear anything until 22nd February, so we'll carry on with work packs for the weeks after half term, which you can collect from the school cabin in the garden from Friday 12th February. No work over half term!!
As a general decision nationally, the Department for Education has halted national standardised tests for schools, like KS1 and KS2 SATs due in May and June this year. However, we know that Teacher Assessment will still be required. Please reassure your child if they are worried that grades may suffer because of home studies, our teaching teams know them well and will support them through any in-school assessments later in the year, along with teacher assessment of their work throughout the year.
Parents, we are so proud of how you are juggling everything at home and our teaching teams are grateful for your support during this time. Keep going! Children's Mental Health Week has been a good time to address their well-being and to give all of us some good strategies to look after ourselves.
Our student teacher, Miss Zoe Bennett, has adapted her practice brilliantly during this strange year and will be working in her second placement after half term until Easter, in Braunton. Meanwhile, we will be pleased to welcome Mr Matt Carter, from Okehampton to work with Ms Graves, Mrs Slater and Mr Bedford during that same time. Miss Bennett then returns to us for the summer term.
For your information our parish church is joined with Westleigh and Fremington. The joint parishes have a new vicar, Reverend Sue Spankie, who will be joining the community following an online inauguration on 9th February. I have been invited to join online and will wish her well on our school's behalf. I was lucky to meet Rev Sue last year during interviews and she has a background in education and was very interested in our school. We shall look forward to working with her in the future months ahead.
A polite reminder about our sickness policy for children attending school:
- If your child has been sick they must not attend school for 48 hours.
- If you or your child appear unwell with Covid symptoms you need to let school know, even if you are not normally attending at the moment.
A polite reminder about our arrangements for key worker's children using breakfast club:
- Breakfast Club runs from 7.50 a.m. to 9.00 a.m. and parents are charged £2.00 per session. Children will need to bring their own breakfast
- School gates open at 9.00 a.m.
Have a lovely weekend everyone, I hope you manage to enjoy some sunshine - or snow! Whichever comes first! ha ha! Thank you for your kind personal wishes for my husband's op earlier this week, he's making a very positive recovery.
During this winter season, if we do have snow or thick ice, it makes access to school impossible and unsafe. According to our school policy on severe weather, if we do close the school site I will send a Parentmail as early in the morning as possible.
finally, I've asked the children working at home to wear a rainbow for fun to Monday's 2.30 assembly! Use the password 'assembly'.
Kind regards
Mrs Knight and team xx