4 Jan 2008 - Spring Term Newsletter 1

SPRING TERM

NEWSLETTER 1

Friday 4^th January, 2008

Dear Parents and Friends

On behalf of all of us at St Peter's may I wish you a very happy new year.

OFSTED REPORT – St Peter’s is a GOOD school! Official!

With this letter you should also receive a copy of the OFSTED report following the inspection carried out towards the end of last term. From the inspectors observations it is clear that our children progress and mature very well during their time with us. We have always believed this to be the case and are delighted to see it being recognised. We are sure you will join in our celebration of this encouraging report and will further publicise the fact that St Peter’s is indeed a good school to send your children.

I acknowledge that the only significant, and understandable, concern that OFSTED raised relates to the size of some of our classes and the amount of support available to children in them. The alternative would have been to have several mixed year group classes and resultant complexities of curriculum delivery. Neither option is ideal, and rest assured, we will be looking very closely again at the best way of managing our difficult year group numbers prior to the next academic year. Having more children in the school might enable us once again to have six classes, of more even size!

S.I.A.S. INSPECTION (Statutory Inspection of Anglican Schools)

Following the OFSTED inspection, as a Church school we are subject to an additional inspection to assess our Worship, Religious Education and school ethos. This will take place on Monday 14^th January. The inspector, Mrs Pestridge, has asked to meet with a small group of parents at 8.50 a.m. (for 15 – 20 minutes) and if you would be willing to be part of this group perhaps you would be kind enough to let me know. Thank you. There is no requirement for us to ask parents again for their views of the school, as was the case with OFSTED, but if you feel moved to put into writing your thoughts of the school’s Christian ethos, and/or worship/R.E. provision these would be passed on to the inspector.

MRS ANNING - Special Needs Teacher

Following Mrs Harris’ retirement at the end of last term, Mrs Anning has taken on responsibility for supporting children with learning difficulties, particularly with regard to reading skills. I am confident that these children will continue to get excellent specialist teaching and support in this area. She is continuing to provide release time (for planning, preparation and assessment) for our other teachers and so will now be with us everyday except Fridays.

MRS FOSTER

Mrs Foster who has been a meal-time assistant at the school for 23 years has left us to take up another job. She has always had a calm, friendly approach with the children who have seen her as someone they could confidently chat to and receive support from. I’m sure she will be very greatly missed by all the children and staff. If you would like to make a contribution towards a suitable leaving gift, I’d be delighted if it could be sent into school the school office as soon as possible. Thank you.

MRS STURGEON

We will be welcoming Mrs Sturgeon for most of this term as she completes her final teacher training placement. She has visited the school a number of times and has impressed us with her personality and willingness to get involved. She will be working alongside Mrs Stevens in class Pewtor 1. We trust she will have an enjoyable and successful term with us.

HELEN & DOUGLAS HOUSE HOSPICE

Thank you for the generous donations made for this worthy cause at the Carol Service. £175 is about to be sent to help this organisation’s support of terminally ill children, and their families.

COMMUNICATIONS

You should shortly receive an outline of the work the children will be covering this term. Please take time to look through this and be prepared to talk about the work with your child, and where possible, support him/her in their work. You will also receive a copy of ‘Helping your Child with Maths’ which includes some activities you might like to ‘play’ with your child.

Know ITAll CD

If your child uses the internet I’m sure you are aware of the immense benefits it can afford to his/her learning. However, I hope you are also aware of the dangers it can also pose. I am sending home a copy of the Know IT All for Parents CD, which you might find enlightening and help you in protecting your child(ren) from internet misuse. Some aspects of its content are covered within school, but it is important that our children are receiving consistent safety guidance and protection from all quarters. I hope you find this useful.

CLUB ACTIVITIES

These will recommence on Tuesday 15^th January. (Except Football – starts 22^nd January)

If your child is to miss a club session for any reason, PLEASE inform us beforehand, as time can be wasted in looking for a child, who it turns out has gone home! With the current darker evenings, the netball club will stop for the time being. Mrs Stevens and Mrs Sturgeon are to run a school choir during a lunchtime. Regretably, the Country Dance club will not meet until we have a member of staff able to take it on again.

INSTRUMENTAL LESSONS

All instrumental lessons will recommence next week, including the School Band.

UNWANTED CHRISTMAS GIFTS

If you have been unfortunate enough to receive any such gifts, please consider passing them on to the S.P.A., as prizes for events are always welcome. Thank you.

LOST PROPERTY

Regrettably, a sack of unclaimed and un-named uniform items remained at the end of last term. This is about to be sent to a very needy village in Africa via Operation Sunshine.

PLEASE …

· Check that your child’s uniform, footwear and PE kit is very clearly and permanently named

· Check that all items brought home do belong to you, and return any item that does not

· Do not allow children to bring to school any items to be sold or swapped with other children

· Regularly remind your child that money and valuables must not be left in the cloakrooms.

· Ensure children do not come to school wearing jewellery (necklace, bracelet, rings)

THANK YOU

YELLOW PAGES!

Last year we managed to collect over 1400 copies of the Yellow Pages for recycling, resulting in our receiving a total of £350 from Yell and West Devon Borough Council as the outstanding winning school. This year we would like to beat this total and again be the overall winning school in our area. These are then sent for re-cycling through the Woodland Trust. This organisation donate a variety of trees and shrubs to the school and so it would be good to support them in return. PLEASE start to collect your old Yellow Pages and have them ready to send in to school as soon as we hear that the promotion has started. Please don’t send them into school just yet .. we have nowhere to store them! How about organising relatives, neighbours and work colleagues to gather theirs in readiness too. If we can reach our target we will form them into an artistic sculpture and enter that in a separate competition to win a further cash prize (up to £1000!!)

Yours sincerely

John George

Headteacher

EVENTS FOR THE SPRING TERM

January

Tues 8 p.m. ‘Fun Run’ Weather permitting, we hope to have a cross-country run for all the

children (unless medically excused), around the school field. Children are

welcome to wear appropriate sports wear (track suit, joggers, etc). This will

help determine our team for the inter-school competitions later this term.

Wed 9 1.00 p.m. School Shop open for children’s school stationery

Mon. 14 S.I.A.S. (Worship and R.E.) Inspection

Tues 15 10.10 a.m. Rev. Michael Brierley is to lead worship

4.00 p.m. Tavistock Area Schools’ Cross-Country Race, held at St Peter’s

Club Activities (except Football) recommence

Thurs 17 10.10 a.m. Chris & Tracy Harding (Methodist church) are to lead worship

Weds. 23 1.00 p.m. School shop open

Friday 25^th January

S.P.A. Children's Disco
6.30 - 8.30 p.m. c
ost £2.50 - to include crisps and a drink

(additional crisps and drinks may be purchased)

Please indicate on the reply slip if you are able to help during the evening. Thank you.

Sun 27 6.00 p.m. Tavistock Schools’ Songs of Praise in the Parish Church

Our newly formed choir will be joining with other local school choirs to sing

one of our favourite hymns. You are warmly invited to join us for what is

always a much appreciated service.

Mon 28 10.10 a.m. Rev. Michael Brierley is to lead worship

Thurs 31 9 .10 a.m. The children of Brentor class are to lead worship. All are warmly invited to

join us.

February

Wed 6 9.00 a.m. Tavistock Schools' Ash Wednesday Eucharist service in the Parish Church

1.00 p.m. School shop open

Mon 11 10.10 a.m. Rev. Michael Brierley is to lead worship

Thurs 14 9.10 a.m. Coxtor 1 class are to lead our morning worship. You are warmly invited to

join us.

Mon 18 – 22 HALF TERM

Mon 25 10.10 a.m. Rev. Michael Brierley is to lead worship

Tues 26 4.00 p.m. Tavistock Area Schools’ Cross-Country Race, held at Princetown Primary

School

Wed 27 1.00 p.m. School shop open

March

Thurs 6 World Book Day - A special School Book Fair arrives. Look out for more

details later. An opportunity too for the children (and staff!) to dress up!

9.10 a.m. Pewtor 1 class are to lead our morning worship. You are warmly invited to

join us.

Wed 12 1.00 p.m. School shop open

Fri 14 p.m. Tavistock area Schools’ Tag-Rugby tournament

Tues 18 p.m Tavistock Area Schools’ Cross-Country Race, held at Meavy Primary

School

Weds 19 9.10 a.m. Rev. Michael Brierley is to lead worship

Thurs 20 9.10 a.m. Pewtor 2 class are to lead our Holy Week morning worship.

You are warmly invited to join us.

Fri 21 Good Friday – School Closed

Mon 24 Easter Monday – School Closed

Weds. 26 9.10 a.m. Rev. Michael Brierley is to lead worship

1.00 p.m. School shop open

w/b 31 No After School Clubs this week

April

Tues 1 Inter-House Winter Sports Day

Tues 1 and Wed 2 3.45 – 7.30 p.m. Parent-Teacher Consultaion evenings.

The date of the Coxtor 2 class worship is still to be determined and will be included in the next newsletter.

HOLIDAY DATES 2008

Spring Half-term 18 - 22 February

Easter 21 - 24 March (NOTE – long-weekend)

Spring Holiday 7- 18 April (Replaces traditional Easter break)

May Day 5 May

Summer Half-term 26 – 30 May

Summer 21 July - 2 September (to be confirmed)

Could I remind you that holidays taken in term time should only be taken when it is genuinely not possible to be taken within school holidays. Year 6 children must be in school for the week beginning 12^th May when they will be undertaking the SATs. Other children will be undertaking progress assessments during the same week and also the week beginning 19^th May. If children are absent at these times it is unlikely that they will be able to take them later.

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REPLY SLIP (Please return to the office)

New Year Disco Help offered- Friday 25^th January ( 6.30 – 8.30 p.m. )

Parent's Name …………………………………………….

I am willing to help at the Disco on Friday evening between …………… and …………….. p.m.

(serving refreshments/supervising children in the hall and cloakroom/clearing up at the end)

Signed …………………………………………….