Year 3 Trip to Kent's CavernYear 3 have had a fantastic first week back which all started with their trip to Kents Cavern. During the visit, the children learnt about the cave system and who lived in it during Stone Age times, they explored artefacts (some replicas and some real) and completed a challenge around the wildlife trail. Mrs Everett was incredibly impressed with the facts and knowledge they had remembered, from our Prehistoric Britain unit, and how beautifully behaved and enthusiastic they all were! Year 5 Trip up Cosdon BeaconTo start their English unit of work this term, Year 5 enjoyed a bracing walk to the top of Cosdon Beacon on Monday. Dartmoor Ranger, Ian Brooker, provided them with a fascinating guide, explaining some of the history and geology of our local part of the moors. What an amazing sense of achievement they all felt when we reached the top! Well done everyone. Year 5 and 6 Netball Tournament at North Tawton Primary SchoolIn Other NewsPoppies and other Remembrance related items will be on sale in school next week. These will be available from the School Office at the start and end of each day and will be brought to the classrooms. Items are available for donations to The British Legion's Poppy Appeal. Flu Immunisations 28/11/22 You will have received details and a link to consent/decline flu immunisation for your children via the School Gateway earlier this week. Please take a moment to complete the online form as the deadline for completion is midnight on 20.11.22. Children in Need Day Friday 18th November This will be a non-uniform day. The school council invite all pupils to dress up in spotty clothes for a suggested £1 donation. They are also asked to bring in spare change which will be used to produce an image on the playground. Upcoming EventsTuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos. Please ensure your child has their school jumper or cardigan in school. Sibling photos of pupils enrolled in school will be taken during the day. If you would like a photo of your children alongside siblings who are not in the school, please come to school from 8:15 to have this taken. Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day. Non uniform day with a spotty theme for £1 suggested donation. Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. 2022 23 Term dates can be found here. 2023 24 Term dates can be found here. Attendance
Update from LSB chairsThis week, we would like to introduce Mike Davies. He is a solicitor and has been living in Okehampton for 18 months with his wife and two children, who both attend South Tawton Primary School. Mike has recently joined the Three Hares LSB, and will take on a Lead Role in Resources, which includes interrogating how pupil premium and sports premium money is spent, and its impact on the children. As a new governor, there is plenty of mandatory training to be undertaken first and actually, all governors annually revisit their training needs to identify any gaps that could be filled. For example, we have all recently ensured our Safeguarding Young People, The Prevent Duty, and Data Protection training is up to date, so we are fully able to engage safely and appropriately with the pupils and staff at all three schools in the Three Hares. Away from our desks, Liz and I have recently enjoyed attending harvest festivals at Chagford and North Tawton. It’s been an absolute joy to see the churches full of youthful energy blasting out Cauliflowers Fluffy, alongside more traditional Harvest hymns. We have also attended a few meetings led by the Trust, most notably the Chairs Forum, which is a useful opportunity for us to speak with the other LSB Chairs within the Trust, and find out what everyone else is up to, to identify any risks or challenges we are facing, and to raise anything we feel needs to be brought to the Trust’s attention. As always, if you would like to contact us, please email [email protected] or [email protected] PTA NewsThank you to everyone who came along to our meeting this week. We have some wonderful festive fundraising plans! As always we can only make them work with your help and are looking for volunteers to help at events and donations needed for various events - See below!! This week your child will be creating festive a work of art in class which will be turned into Christmas cards, mugs, tote bags etc. Look out for future emails and posts on Facebook which will let you know when they are ready to order. Our next meeting will be on Monday 9th January 2023 at 8pm via teams. Please feel free to email us at [email protected] if you would like to receive the link or are able to help at any upcoming events. Best wishes Hannah and Liz PTA 100 club The first 100 club draw of the year took place this week and was a double draw. The winners are: 1st - 44 Neil Vernon 2nd - 4 Kay Pyne 3rd - 6 Lisa Symes 4th - 82 Jamie Yates 5th - 30 Jackie Keegan 6th - 79 Kirsty Loader Congratulations! The next draw will be done at the end of November so there is still plenty of time to join the 100 club and to be in with a chance to win! Please contact Emma at [email protected] for details. Thank you all for your support. South Zeal in Action Family Theatre It's not too late to reserve your tickets for The Story Explorers family theatre event next Saturday in the Victory Hall, message the South Zeal In Action Facebook page to reserve your tickets. There will be refreshments available to purchase from South Tawton PTA. If you can donate cakes, please could you bring them to school office on Friday 11th (or on the day if you are attending the show!) Saturday 12th November 3pm, The Victory Hall, South Zeal The Story Explorers (recommended age 4-10 years, great fun for grown ups too!) South Zeal in Action are once again bringing professional children's theatre to The Victory Hall. First up is the Story Explorers… A dynamic, vibrant and original family performance. The Story Explorers is a fiesta of engaging tales, colourful characters and captivating puppetry to amaze and ignite the imagination. Tickets £5 children, £7.50 adults – see South Zeal in Action Facebook page to reserve. Doors open at 2.30pm. Bags to School We have another Bags to School collection on Tuesday 29th November 9am. The amazingly supportive Kings Arms have said that we can use their phoenix room as a drop off point on Monday 28th November all day and Tuesday 29th November before 9am. If you are able to help on Tuesday morning please get in touch. We accept the following ‘good quality’ items for RE-USE: ● Men’s, Ladies’ and Children’s clothing ● Paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around) ● Handbags ● Hats ● Bags ● Scarves and ties ● Jewellery ● Lingerie ● Socks ● Belts ● Soft toys ● Household linen ● Household curtains ● Household towels ● Household bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers) We DO NOT accept: ● Duvets and blankets ● Pillows and cushions ● Carpets, rugs and mats (including bath, shower and toilet mats) ● Soiled, painted, ripped or wet clothing ● School uniforms with and without logo ● Corporate clothing and workwear ● Textile off cuts, yarns or threaded material 12 Days of Christmas Raffle We have some brilliant prizes for our Christmas Raffle including a family pass to Dingles Fairground, food and drink vouchers from The Bearslake Inn, The Kings Arms and Love Brownies (Big thanks to Kate for sourcing these!). We will draw one ticket a day for 12 days leading up to the end of term! Raffle books will be coming home with your child soon! Don't forget to fill the stubbs out clearly with your name and contact number and return these to school by Thursday 1st December. 1st December Edwardian Evening We have a stall in the Charter Hall and need volunteers to help! You don't need to give up your whole evening - we can arrange a rota. We have lots of Christmasy items for sale but are always looking for more ideas! We also will be running a lucky dip and are in need of lucky dip prizes if anyone has anything suitable please do get in touch. 2nd December Wreath Making We are so pleased this will be back in the school hall for a fabulously festive fun evening! This is always a very popular event and places will be limited, details of how to reserve your spot coming soon! The Victory Hall Centenary CelebrationsThe Victory Hall Committee just wanted to say a huge thank you to all the children for making such lovely bunting for our centenary celebrations. It looked (and still looks) amazing, it’s staying up in the hall for a little while in case anyone wants to see it. Mel Stride Christmas Card CompetitionDear Mrs Marvin ,
I am pleased to announce that I will be holding another of my annual Christmas card competitions this year. I am asking primary school children in Central Devon to design a festive card inspired by their own interpretation of the Christmas celebration. The winning entry will be sent to well over a thousand constituents and fellow Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords. This year, I will be sending out an electronic Christmas card. There will be one winner and two runners-up. The winner will have their Christmas design shown as the image upon opening the e-card and will also receive a small prize. The runners-up will also have their designs included in the e-card. All three children will have their name, age, and school displayed under their design. Entries should be received at [email protected], or my Westminster office at the above address, no later than Friday 18th November. Submissions will preferably be in an electronic format (or if a physical card sized at 190mm x 130mm) and be accompanied by the name, age, and school of the artist responsible. If you have any questions, please do let me know. I look forward to receiving your pupils' designs. With best wishes, Mel Rt Hon. Mel Stride MP Member of Parliament for Central Devon House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA Please click here to read the second edition of our Reading Roundup publication, or view the version below. Please click here to read an update from Dan Morrow to all parents and carers across the Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust. The first half term break has arrived and we wish you all a lovely, restful week. The children have made a fantastic start to the school year and will hopefully enjoy a little time off. This term, as always, has been a whirlwind of activity, events and education and I'd like to say a very big thank you to the entire staff team for always going the extra mile to help the children feel safe, valued and cared for. OCRA Girls' Football TournamentOn Tuesday 18th October, 36 girls from Years 3-6 travelled to Tavistock to take part in the OCRA Girls' Football Tournament. Almost 270 girls took part during the day and there was some fantastic footballing skill on show. The South Tawton teams showed incredible team spirit throughout the event, and all enjoyed the experience. Well done to everyone who took part! Year R Story SacksYear R Children and staff have been very excited to see the launch of our new Story Sack lending library. Each week, every child takes home a Story Sack and returns it every Friday to swap for another. The sacks are based on various popular children's stories as well as a wide range of themes with information texts such as space, dinosaurs and bugs. They contain 2 books, puppets, games and activities that parents and children can share at home. We hope that families will enjoy spending time sharing these stories, playing the games and developing lovely language and conversations based on different topics. We are most grateful to Zenna Jessop for sewing each sack with beautiful fabrics to match the theme of the book; they look wonderful outside and in. Attendance
Well done to Year 2, who had the highest percentage attendance this week and also to Y3 who have a fabulous 99% attendance for the whole half term. Why is it important for children not to miss school? All parents want the best for their children and for them to get on well in life. Having a good education is important to ensure that they have the best opportunities in their adult life. Children only get one chance at school, and your child’s future may be affected by not attending school regularly. If children do not attend school regularly, they may struggle to keep up with school work and will miss out on the social side of school life. Poor attendance can affect children’s ability to make and keep friendships; a vital part of growing up. Setting good attendance patterns from an early age, from nursery through primary school will also help your child later on in their life. What might the impact of poor attendance be on your child? In primary schools, less than 65% of children achieve good results in English and Maths with an average of 15 days absence a year compared to almost 90% where the average is less than 8 days. Parents can be very surprised at how quickly their children can accumulate 15 days absence within a year. Upcoming EventsWeek commencing Monday 24th October - Half term holiday Monday 31st October - Y5 Dartmoor Ranger Walk Tuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. 2022 23 Term dates can be found here. 2023 24 Term dates can be found here. PTA NewsThank you to everyone who helped with our winter clothes and cake sale this week, we are so grateful for those that are able to give up time to help at events. Not to mention that there are some very talented bakers amongst you! Of course we want to also thank those who came along to spend some money. We raised a brilliant £135.00! We hope you all have a wonderful half term break and look forward to more exciting events as we head towards Christmas, including the ever popular wreath making workshop which will be back in the school hall. We are very grateful to South Zeal in Action for asking us to provide refreshments for their upcoming Family Theatre event, which comes highly recommended. All profits from refreshment sales will be going to the PTA. If you are able to bake any goodies for the event please do let us know. (details below) Our next meeting is the first week back after half term on Wednesday 2nd November at 8pm via teams. Please feel free to email us at [email protected] if you would like to receive the link. Best wishes Hannah and Liz South Zeal in Action are once again bringing professional children's theatre to The Victory Hall. First up is the Story Explorers… Meet Nellie Natinski and Nathaniel Nautilus! Intrepid explorers and guardians of their intriguingly ingenious Story Generator. Watch as they crank the starter handle and bring their much loved machine to life. From out of its secret compartments, like The Cabinet of Curiosities, The Book of Wishes and The Box of Disasters, story ideas combine to create tantalising tales, monstrous myths, and flabbergasting fables. And through the bedazzling power of The Transmission Helmet the Story Explorers will offer these up for your delight. And if the Story Generator overworks itself, the ever-helpful Mr Mender is always on hand to tighten a nut and put things right! A dynamic, vibrant and original family performance. The Story Explorers is a fiesta of engaging tales, colourful characters and captivating puppetry to amaze and ignite the imagination. Tickets £5 children, £7.50 adults – see South Zeal in Action Facebook page to reserve. Doors open at 2.30pm with refreshments available to purchase from South Tawton PTA. Bags to School
We have another Bags to School collection on Tuesday 29th November 9am. We accept the following ‘good quality’ items for RE-USE: ● Men’s, Ladies’ and Children’s clothing ● Paired shoes (tied together or elastic band around) ● Handbags ● Hats ● Bags ● Scarves and ties ● Jewellery ● Lingerie ● Socks ● Belts ● Soft toys ● Household linen ● Household curtains ● Household towels ● Household bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers) We DO NOT accept: ● Duvets and blankets ● Pillows and cushions ● Carpets, rugs and mats (including bath, shower and toilet mats) ● Soiled, painted, ripped or wet clothing ● School uniforms with and without logo ● Corporate clothing and workwear ● Textile off cuts, yarns or threaded material The amazingly supportive Kings Arms have said that we can use their Phoenix room as a drop off point on Monday 28th November all day and Tuesday 29th November before 9am. It was such a pleasure to see so many children having such a great time with their friends at the disco on Friday evening! Amidst the excitement of the event, I was delighted to see that what I notice in classrooms during the working day, still held true: namely that the relationships between the children are strong and positive, and that South Tawton pupils are good friends to one another. In class, I notice the children being quick to help and support each other - lending equipment, offering help and treating others with warmth and respect. On the playground, we see pupils looking out for each other and making sure that no one is left out, sharing the craze box equipment and playing together across classes. As ever, I'm proud and so happy to be part of this school. On Tuesday, we went to St Andrew's Church for our Harvest Festival. It was so lovely to be able to do this again after many years of Covid restrictions. Years R and 1 walked to and from the church with their Year 5 and 6 buddies amid much chatter and smiles. Big thank yous to Rev Paul for leading the service, Mrs Dunn who has taught the whole school such uplifting and lovely harvest songs and Y6 for delivering the readings and prayers. Thank you also to all those of you who have donated items to our collection for Okehampton Food Bank. BirthdaysIt is lovely that so many children wis to bring in gifts for their classmates on their birthdays. However, please help us to limit the use of single use plastics and promote healthier eating but not bringing in bags of sweets. PE lessonsPlease ensure that your children have PE kits (white t-shirts and black/navy shorts in school every day for PE lessons. Stud earrings should be taped over for every PE lesson and sports club. AttendanceWell done to Y3 who once again had the highest attendance this week at 99.3%. Please help to maximise attendance by arranging medical and dental appointments for outside of school hours whenever possible. Upcoming EventsWeek commencing Monday 17th October - Parents' evening appointments by telephone Week commencing Monday 24th October - Half term holiday Monday 31st October - Y5 Dartmoor Ranger Walk Tuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. 2022 23 Term dates can be found here. 2023 24 Term dates can be found here. Extra curricular activities surveyDear Parents and Carers, As part of our work with our community we would like to establish a comprehensive directory of opportunities available to our young people and their families within the town and villages covered by the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust. With this in mind, I would be very grateful if you would be kind enough to complete the below survey to help us with the development of this directory. The information you share will be anonymous and the survey should take no more than 3 minutes. Please include information for all your children on one survey. Thank you in advance for your support with this project. Derrick Brett, Executive Director of Civic Leadership https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=kG0HO7J4vUqeBcIPJiicRivAgEf75BVHtZHFCAI-fPFUQjdERThQRUI2RU5CSTJJMVJSVDJIR0M4WC4u Primary Enrichment Programme - University of ExeterThe University of Exeter are once again offering primary enrichment workshops. Details of the events taking place can be found here. If you would your child to attend one or more of these workshops, please use the following booking link: https://store.exeter.ac.uk/conferences-and-events/graduate-school-of-education/primary-enrichment-programme-autumn-2022 Every child in receipt of Pupil Premium funding is eligible to attend two free places each, per term. You will need to checkout via Option B on the website, and enter the access code: AU22/PP Transport to and from Exeter will be the parents' responsibility. If you would like your child to attend any workshops, please complete a Request for Absence form. These requests will authorised as 'Educated offsite' and will not count against your child's attendance. PTA NewsWe had a fantastic time at this Friday’s School Disco - hope the children enjoyed getting their glad rags on and dancing shoes boogying! A huge thanks to everyone who came along to help set up, keep an eye on the revellers and tidy away! We made over £400 so a great fundraiser as well as the children having fun! Winter Clothes Donations We still are seeking pre-loved winter clothes for our winter clothing sale which is this Wednesday 19th October after school. We thought this would be a great way to help everyone with rising costs, by reusing items to reduce our impact on the environment and raise funds for our children all at the same time! To make this even sweeter we will have some cakes for sale as well. If you'd like to donate some cakes please bring them to the school office on the morning of Wednesday 19th October. If you have any of the items listed below in good condition and would like to donate them please send them into school to be collected in a box in the school office. • Hats / ear muffs • Gloves • Coats • Fleeces • Jumpers • Gillets • Christmas jumpers and clothing • Dressing up clothes (halloween / world book day) PTA 100 club It’s never too late to get a number! We only have a few remaining so contact Emma at [email protected] to get yours! Next meeting Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd November at 8pm via Teams where we will begin planning for our fantastic Christmas events so come along and get involved! Many thanks for your support! South Zeal CarnivalDon't forget 22nd October South Zeal Carnival. The afternoon parade starts at the Kings Arms at 1.30. Then the evening parade moves off at 7pm and will take in the South Zeal and Sticklepath. It is not to late to enter, come along and support this event! South Zeal pre carnival workshop with Beacon ArtsBeacon Arts will have a walking group in South Zeal carnival on Saturday 22nd Oct with a Garden theme. All are welcome to join us, dressed up as something you find in the garden or carrying a flower themed paper lantern.
Email Sarah on [email protected] to register an interest. Beacon Arts are running two drop in workshops this weekend for anyone who would like to make a costume, prop or lantern for South Zeal carnival, Halloween or just for fun. Saturday 15th & Sunday 16th October, 10-3 Sticklepath Village Hall. Families are very welcome to drop in, kids should bring a grown up with them as there will be tools and glue in use. This week, we've had times of warm sunshine and times of torrential rain. Luckily, we've made the most of the sunny parts and had plenty of outdoor learning and PE sessions whilst we can. We welcomed the Devon library bus to school and children from each class were able to go into the bus and choose books for their classes. Year 2 and year 6 are now going to Okehampton Parklands each week for swimming (Y2) and survival (Y6) lessons. We had another visit from Devon Wildlife Trust who worked with the older pupils this time. We also welcomed Rev Paul Seaton-Burns into school for his regular Tuesday assembly. Special mention and thanks is due to the parents and children in year 2 for always having their lunch bookings completed on school gateway. Please could all parents make the lunch bookings in advance of the children coming to school in the mornings. If the children are having home packed lunches, we still waste valuable time each morning checking this if it is not recorded on school gateway. Congratulations to years 2, 3 and 4 who all achieved 98% attendance this week. Harvest Festival and Okehampton Food BankOn Tuesday morning, we will be taking the whole school to St Andrews church for our annual harvest festival. We are looking forward to watching Year 6 lead the service and listening to all the classes singing. Please ensure that all children have a coat in school on Tuesday in case we have rain, wind or cold. Unfortunately, due to the size of the church, we are unable to invite parents to join us for this service. To celebrate the harvest, we are asking families to contribute a donation to Okehampton food bank. More details about the food bank and how you can help them can be found here: okehamptonfoodbank.co.uk/ This month, rather then foodstuffs, the foodbank particularly need the following items:
Year 5/6 Football Tournament18 children from Year 5 and 6 attended the football tournament, at Okehampton Primary School, on Friday. They all played brilliantly and were excellent role models for the school! The B team also came away with silver medals - a fantastic achievement. Well done to all of those children who took part and a big thank you to the Mrs Watts and Mrs West for accompanying the children. Upcoming EventsWeek commencing Monday 10th October - Parents' evening appointments by telephone Week commencing Monday 24th October - Half term holiday Monday 31st October - Y5 Dartmoor Ranger Walk Tuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. 2022 23 Term dates can be found here. 2023 24 Term dates can be found here. From the Three Hares Local Stakeholder Board This week, we would like to introduce James Warner. James, who has seen two generations passing through Chagford Primary (sorry James!) is the most experienced governor on our LSB, having been a member of the Board in its various guises for about eight years. He is the Safeguarding Lead, and this role is key to understanding the effectiveness of safeguarding for everyone in the schools. He has to understand the requirements of safeguarding guidance and legislation and is ‘confident in his challenge to executive leaders on strategies for monitoring and improving the behaviour and safety of pupils.' He supports the work of the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), reports back to the LSB about how effective safeguarding is, and ensures that the school is compliant with statutory guidance, with all the appropriate policies in place and reviewed in a timely way. He also checks whether there is a consistency in safeguarding across the whole school (approach and reporting), and ensures that there are effective systems in place to keep vulnerable children safe. It is an extremely important role, and with his impending retirement from the Board (having served two full terms), we are seeking to replace him. If you have an interest in exploring this governor role further, please do contact me or Liz (details below). We have recently welcomed a couple of new governors to the LSB and will introduce you to them, once all the mandatory training has been completed. All governors annually revisit their training needs to identify any gaps that could be filled. For example, we have all recently ensured our Safeguarding Young People, The Prevent Duty, and Data Protection training is up to date. We are looking forward to seeing you all at our impending Community Forums, and the principals of each school will let you know when those are to be held. Parent voice is incredibly important to the schools, so please do try and attend if you are able! It is an important opportunity to let your voice be heard. Best wishes, Mel & Liz [email protected] [email protected] Free School MealsWith rising costs for food and fuel, many families will be worried about their finances this winter. It is always worth checking if you are eligible for free school meals as this funding means we may be able to help with the costs of trips and activities as well as lunches. Please check the Devon Citizen Portal to see if you are eligible even if your child is currently in Year R, 1 or 2. Year 6 parents can use the same link above to apply for their child's secondary school place. Please also note that the Devon admissions team have a new facebook page all about school admissions which you may find useful: https://www.facebook.com/DCCSchoolAdmissions/ PTA NewsWe had a very successful AGM last month and wanted to introduce you to the PTA team for the year. From left to right we have our co-chairs, Hannah and Liz. Then on the right we have our new treasurers Ruth and Matt who we’d like to welcome to the team! Thank you to everyone who came and signed up for the 100 club this week. We hope you were entertained by our lovely PTA banner threatening to take off in the wind! We were so pleased to be able to use our card payment machine which worked, thanks to Alex's tech support ! We will endeavor to bring this along to all future events. We want to say a huge thank you to Saffron O’Neil and family who have been selling their surplus homegrown produce this summer. This raised £39.35 and has kindly been donated to the PTA. Thank you! You should have received a letter regarding the Disco on Friday 14th October. If you are able to come and help at any of the sessions please do let us know by dropping us an email or come and find us at drop off or pick up. We are still seeking winter clothes donations, there is a box in the school office for you to drop them in. Thanks to those who have already donated. If you have clothing you are keen to get rid of but it isn’t suitable for the winter clothing sale, never fear we have another ‘bags to school’ collection booked for Friday 25th November. More information to follow! If you have any questions or would like to get involved please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected] or speak to one of us at the school gate, now that you can see who we are!! Don’t forget our next meeting will be on Wednesday 2nd November at 8pm via teams. ![]() Winter Clothes Donations We are seeking pre-loved winter clothes. We plan to run a winter clothing sale on Wednesday 19th October after school. We thought this would be a great way to help everyone with rising costs, reuse items to reduce our impact on the environment and raise funds for our children all at the same time! To make this even sweeter we will have some cakes for sale as well. If you'd like to donate some cakes please bring them to the school office on the morning of Wednesday 19th October. If you have any of the items listed below in good condition and would like to donate them please send them into school to be collected in a box in the school office. • Hats / ear muffs • Gloves • Coats • Fleeces • Jumpers • Gillets • Christmas jumpers and clothing • Dressing up clothes (halloween / world book day) D.I.S.C.O It is time to get your groove on! Back by popular demand, we are holding a disco on Friday 14th October. Please remember to return permission slips and payment by Wednesday 12th to allow us to make arrangements. It will be the same format as we have done before, £2.50 per child to include a snack and drink. 2.30pm - 3.15pm Preschool 3.30pm - 4.30pm Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. 4.45pm - 5.45pm Year 3 and Year 4. 6pm - 7pm Year 5 and 6. If you are able to help out at one or more of the sessions we would be grateful if you could email us at [email protected] PTA 100 club
There is still time to buy your number for Octobers draws! We only have a few remaining to contact Emma at [email protected] Many thanks for your support! Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd November at 8pm via Teams. This week, several classes enjoyed visits from The Devon Wildlife Trust, Year 6 travelled to Okehampton to take part in Junior Lifeskills, YR dodged the showers to go blackberry picking and all classes enjoyed the full primary curriculum. On Thursday evening, all of the teachers joined in with virtual Subject Communities of Practice meetings virtually with teachers from across all the Trust primary schools. This gave subject leaders the chance to discuss and shape the curriculum in each subject area, to share good practice and resources and to establish professional networks for discussion and support. As we enter the 5th week of the term, we have made the decision to postpone the parent information evening and meet the teacher sessions for now. Every date we planned clashed with another event such as the tutor meetings or open evenings at Okehampton College, or our own phonics meetings for children in Year R, 1 and 2. After-school clubs start this week and this also effects the teacher's availability. Instead, we will go ahead with individual parents' evenings over the next few weeks. Please also remember that the staff are present on the gates every morning and will also ring you back for a discussion if you ring or email the school and ask to speak to them. After-school ClubsThank you to everyone who has already signed their children up to after-school clubs. There are still some spaces available at all clubs. Please sign up through your School Gateway accounts if you would like your child to have a place. Please note that choir will start after October half term and run until Christmas to prepare the children for some Christmas events. Menu ChangeNext Thursday is census day and there will be a menu change: Hot Dog or Veggi Hot Dog served with chips and Baked Beans Bonfire Toffee Cake It really helps our school meals funding if as many children as possible have school dinners on census day. If you would like to change your child's booking for Thursday, please ring the school office on 01837 840242 or email [email protected] Year 3 Cake Sale The children of Year 3 will be holding a cake sale for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 during their break times on Thursday 6th October . Cakes will be 50p each. If your child would like to buy a delicious cake, please send in 50 pence (with your child) on Thursday. The money will go towards some activities that Year 3 would like to take part in before Mrs Everett takes maternity leave. AttendanceCongratulations to Year 3 who achieved the highest weekly attendance this week of 98.5%. Please help your child to succeed academically and physically, and to build strong friendships with their classmates by maximising their attendance. South Zeal CarnivalIt’s that time of year again! South Zeal Carnival will take place on 22nd October. It’s not too late to create your entry. The afternoon parade meets at Kings Arms at 1.30 - no need to enter just turn up. The evening parade starts by lining in the village at 5.00 then moves off at 7pm. We hope to see you there. The committee are missing some trophies if you think you have one could you return them ASAP. Upcoming EventsFriday 7th October 3:40pm - Meeting for Y6 parents about French Residential Week commencing Monday 17th October - Y1-6 Parents' evening appointments by telephone Week commencing Monday 24th October - Half term holiday Monday 31st October - Y5 Dartmoor Ranger Walk Tuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. Term dates can also be found here. Mel Stride Christmas Card CompetitionDear Mrs Marvin , I am pleased to announce that I will be holding another of my annual Christmas card competitions this year. I am asking primary school children in Central Devon to design a festive card inspired by their own interpretation of the Christmas celebration. The winning entry will be sent to well over a thousand constituents and fellow Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords. This year, I will be sending out an electronic Christmas card. There will be one winner and two runners-up. The winner will have their Christmas design shown as the image upon opening the e-card and will also receive a small prize. The runners-up will also have their designs included in the e-card. All three children will have their name, age, and school displayed under their design. Entries should be received at [email protected], or my Westminster office at the above address, no later than Friday 4th November. Submissions will preferably be in an electronic format (or if a physical card sized at 190mm x 130mm) and be accompanied by the name, age, and school of the artist responsible. If you have any questions, please do let me know. I look forward to receiving the pupils' designs. With best wishes, Mel Rt Hon. Mel Stride MP Member of Parliament for Central Devon PTA NewsThank you to everyone who was able to attend our Annual General meeting on Tuesday, it was wonderful to see you all and welcome some new faces. Committee members were elected and we are pleased to continue as co-chairs for the year ahead. Ali will be stepping down as treasurer with Ruth and Matt taking on the role. We are so grateful to Ali for her tremendous efforts over the past 3 years, a huge thank you from us all. The role of secretary remains vacant. If you would like to join us, we would love to hear from you. We have started planning some fun fundraising events for the term ahead! You will be pleased to hear we will be holding a cake sale and a disco!! We agreed each class would receive £300 towards the costs of trips and £100 for resources to support the curriculum. Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday 2nd November at 8pm via Teams. As ever if you have any questions or would like to get involved please don't hesitate to email us at [email protected] Best wishes Hannah and Liz September's draw has been rolled over to next month as we need to boost our numbers to increase the winnings! We will be outside school on Wednesday 5th October at 2.45pm. If you'd like to renew your membership or join the 100 club then please come and see us or contact Emma at [email protected] Many thanks for your support! Winter Clothes Donations We are seeking pre-loved winter clothes. We plan to run a winter clothing sale on Wednesday 19th October after school. We thought this would be a great way to help everyone with rising costs, reuse items to reduce our impact on the environment and raise funds for our children all at the same time! To make this even sweeter we will have some cakes for sell as well. If you'd like to donate some cakes please bring them to the school office on the morning of Wednesday 19th October. If you have any of the items listed below in good condition and would like to donate them please send them into school to be collected in a box in the school office. • Hats / ear muffs • Gloves • Coats • Fleeces • Jumpers • Gillets • Christmas jumpers and clothing • Dressing up clothes (halloween / world book day) Secondhand Uniform Sales Did you know we collect donations of school uniform all year round, if you have any out grown uniform, including PE kit please drop it in the school office. We also sell second hand uniform all year round, It is £1 per item!! There is a rail in the school office and lots more can be seen on our facebook page. Christine does a wonderful job uploading pictures and you can message her on facebook if there is something you would like. D.I.S.C.O It is time to get your groove on! Back by popular demand, we are holding a disco on Friday 14th October. More details about payment and timings coming very soon! It will be the same format as we have done before, £2.50 per child to include a snack and drink. Preschool (timing to be arranged) 3.30pm - 4.30pm Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. 4.45pm - 5.45pm Year 3 and Year 4. 6pm - 7pm Year 5 and 6. If you are able to help out at one or more of the sessions we would be grateful if you could email us at [email protected] OCRA October Half-Term Holiday Activities 2022Sport and Art Breakfast & Afternoon Clubs Mini Camps Activity CampsOCRA’s half-term holiday programme is back with a fantastic range of activities for 3-14 year olds! Sport & Art returns Tuesday 25th and Thursday 27th October with Breakfast Club, Afternoon Club and All Day tickets available. Our Activity Camps will include Mini Camps for 3-5yrs (athletics, football) and activities for older age groups (athletics, create-and-craft, cyclo-cross, football). To pay for activities, please click on the ‘Book’ link for your chosen camp. For each child attending, enter the name and age of the child, and select ‘Add to cart.’ You will be asked to complete a paper registration and consent form on the day. This week has seen all classes settle into routines and some excellent learning take place. Year R children have made a strong start with phonics and many children have already mastered the first few letter sounds. Phonics groups are up and running in years 1 and 2 and all children should have brought home a new reading book on Friday. Please read this with your children as many times as you can each week - we'd like the children to become expert and fluent readers of these Read, Write, Inc books whilst still enjoying other picture and story books with their families. AttendanceA reminder about attendance: We have recently updated our attendance procedures across Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust. The link between a child’s attendance at school and improved outcomes and life chances is well documented. We want to help all children and young people to fulfil their potential and get the most out of their education. In line with our policy and government expectations all schools have the following procedures:
No term time holidays will be authorised unless there are exceptional circumstances. Every day in school counts, even a small drop in attendance can lead to a child missing a significant part of their education. Please do not hesitate to get in touch with school at any time if you have any queries around attendance expectations and procedures. I'm delighted that attendance across the school is currently 98%. Each week in our certificate assembly, we will celebrate the class with the highest percentage attendance that week. In the year to date, this is currently Year 3 who have an attendance record of 99.4% with Year 2 at 99% and Year 5 at 98.9%. This represents an excellent start to the school year. Upcoming EventsApologies, we have had to reschedule the parents' information and Meet the Teacher evening as it clashes with a parents' meeting at Okehampton College. More information on a new date will follow next week. Tuesday 27th September - Y6 out at Junior Lifeskills Week commencing Monday 17th October - Y1-6 Parents' evening appointments by telephone Week commencing Monday 24th October - Half term holiday Tuesday 8th November - Tempest Individual Photos Thursday 10th November - Open afternoon for September 2023 intake Week commencing Monday 14th November - Anti Bullying week Friday 18th November - Children in Need day Monday 28th November - Flu immunisations Monday 12th and Tuesday 13th December - YR and KS1 Xmas play Wednesday 14th December - Whole School trip to Northcott Theatre Thursday 15th December - Christmas Lunch and Christmas Jumper Day Friday 16th December - Last Day of Autumn Term Tuesday 3rd January - Non Pupil Day Wednesday 4th January - First day of Spring term Many calendar and term dates can be found in the calendar at the bottom of our website home page. Term dates can also be found here. Calls to homeIt is a statutory requirement that we have at least two phone contacts for each child. If you have recently changed your phone number or would like to add or remove a contact, please do let the school office know. When we call parents and carers, we will always leave a message if possible. If you have a missed call from the school, please take a moment to listen to the message as it may be urgent. Booking school dinnersIt is enormously helpful to us if you can book your child's lunch choices in advance. This saves valuable learning time from being lost chasing missing bookings and also ensures that your child has the lunch choice you would wish them to have. Please help us by making these bookings before 8am each morning or in advance for the whole term even if it is for a home packed lunch. If you decide later to change a lunch choice then please contact [email protected] detailing the changes and we will happily make them for you. If your child travels on the bus, please also book their places for the afternoons as we use this register to ensure that the right children are on the bus each afternoon. We have already had several lost jumpers in school. Please ensure that all uniform is clearly named as this means that we can very quickly get it back to its owner. PermissionsIf you would like your child to go home with the parent of another child, please let us know. If you have an arrangement where you car share with other parents, please let us know the names of the people who you are happy for us to release your children t0 and we can add them to your child's records. Second Hand UniformDon't forget that we have an excellent second hand uniform rail. All items are freshly laundered and sorted by an extremely kind PTA volunteer. (Thank you!) The PTA facebook page is regularly updated with current availability. After-school clubsAfter school clubs will begin in the week beginning the 4th October. Clubs will go live on school gateway accounts at or shortly after 4:30pm on Wednesday 28th September. Most clubs will run for 6 weeks - 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after half-term. SAINTS and Coding clubs run throughout the term. The dates that the clubs are running will show in the booking portal. French Trip for Year 6 PupilsWe are delighted to announce the details of our Year 6 residential next year to Normandy in France. We have secured funding to take all Year 6 pupils from Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust Primary Schools in the summer term. Following a rigorous and competitive application process, Mrs Jordan (Trust French Lead) and Mrs Underwood (Trust Executive Principal) received the news that all travel, accommodation and visit costs for 230 pupils and 50 staff will be covered by the government’s Turing Scheme funding. Year 6 pupils will deepen their knowledge of History, RE, Art and PSHE through a range of inspirational visits including; the Bayeux tapestry, Mont St Michel, the D-Day landing beaches and the magnificent new British Normandy Memorial. Pupils will of course also further develop their confidence to speak French through a shopping challenge at a market, as well as visits to partner schools in Normandy. This residential will also enable Year 6 pupils across the Trust to unite and develop friendships in preparation for secondary school. There are meetings planned for Y6 parents and pupils in all schools this half term. If parents are unable to make the date and time of the meeting, please let us know as you may be able to join a meeting at another school. Please check the calendar at the end of this newsletter for the date/ time of our meeting. The Turing Scheme is the UK’s global programme offering opportunities in education and training across the world and enabling pupils to develop new skills and gain international experience. This year, the Turing Scheme received 513 applications, a significant increase on last year. Whilst most applications from universities were successful, Dartmoor MAT was one of only 4 schools in the South West which was awarded a grant through this highly competitive application process. New Peripatetic Music TeacherHello, my name is Mr.Napier and I will be offering individual music lessons on the cello, double bass or bass guitar and all brass, with the possibility of shared lessons for two pupils playing the same brass instrument. The cost will be £15 for a 25min lesson or £8 each for a shared brass lesson. Raised in Devon, I attended Okehampton and Exeter Colleges then studied the cello and piano at the Royal Northern College of Music and the Royal College of Music as a post-graduate. I have a wide range of experience as a performer and teacher working with orchestras, bands, theatres and schools, as well as enjoying representation as an actor for the past 20 years. Please feel free to contact me at any time regarding the lessons, or for advice on instrument hire or purchase, on 07787 561381. Best Wishes, Harry Napier. PTA NewsWelcome back, we can’t believe we are already three weeks into a new school term! We want to say a huge hello to our new Reception and Preschool families and invite you all to join us in raising funds for our children this year. Our fantastic Treasurer Ali has calculated the figures from last year and we are so proud and amazed by everyone's continued generosity! We raised an incredible £9,184.20! As you know a lot of what we raise subsidises trips and experiences to further enrich the curriculum for our children. This funding is going to be even more important this year given the rising costs faced by all schools. Our Annual General meeting will be held on Tuesday 27th September at 8pm via teams. As always you are all invited and we’d love to see you. We will be holding elections for committee. If you would like a link for the meeting please email us at [email protected] Best wishes Liz and Hannah PTA 100 club It's time to renew annual subscriptions (£12) for the 2022/23 PTA 100 Club. If you'd like to renew your membership or join the 100 club then please contact Emma at [email protected] For the 100 club application form, please click here. For the introduction and rules, please click here. Winter Clothes Donations We are seeking preloved winter clothes. We plan to run a winter clothing sale before half term. We thought this would be a great way to help everyone with rising costs, reuse items to reduce our impact on the environment and raise funds for our children all at the same time! If you have any of the items listed below in good condition and would like to donate them please send them into school to be collected in a box in the school office. • Hats / ear muffs • Gloves • Coats • Fleeces • Jumpers • Gillets • Christmas jumpers and clothing • Dressing up clothes (halloween / world book day) LSB NewsThree Hares LSB
Liz Davidson & I (Mel Holyoak) would like to introduce ourselves to you all, as we have taken over as (Co) Chair of the Local Stakeholder Board (the governing body) from Emma Neath. The role of the LSB has changed over the last few years, and we thought it would be useful to you as parents and carers to know a bit about us as individuals, and the purpose of our role. Our intention is not to overwhelm you with information, but each week, we will aim to add to the school’s newsletter, introducing ourselves, the lead roles and what we’ve been up to (that will be of interest to you!). This week, it’s introducing me & Liz. So a bit about me: I’m a parent at Chagford School, and have lived in Chagford for the last 16 years. I have been a governor since 2019, and am also involved with the 1st Moretonhampstead Scout Group (as Treasurer), the local Parish Church Council, Chagford Sanctuary (our Homes for Ukraine support group) and Chagford’s monthly Celebration of the Earth events . So, one of those people (!), with a genuine interest in linking and supporting the community in as many ways as possible. I also love running, so am often out and about exploring the moors, and trying not to get lost. Liz says: “I'm a parent at South Tawton School and have lived in Okehampton for the past four years. I am also Co-Chair of the Parent Teacher Association at South Tawton School. Having taught in primary schools for almost 15 years, I really enjoy being involved in school life! It is always so inspiring to see young people learn and grow. Given how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place I spend as much time as possible with my family on the beach or exploring the countryside.” The role of the LSB is to act as the link between the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT), the parents & the community, and part of that means representing the interest of the community within the Trust, and representing the school in its community,. Liz & I are particularly keen to develop the community links in each of our three schools, and enhance parental engagement and communication. We hope that this weekly update is one way to make us more accessible to you - please do feel free to contact us – our details are below. Next week, we will tell you about the Lead Roles within the LSB, and introduce someone else to you! In the meantime, we sincerely hope that your children have enjoyed being back at school and that they are looking forward to the year ahead. Mel & Liz [email protected] [email protected] A big welcome to South Tawton to all our new families. Monday 19th SeptemberAs I'm sure that you are all aware, the school will be closed on Monday 19th September for the funeral of HM Queen Elizabeth II. We have a condolence book in our school office. Please do come in and leave a message in this book before Wednesday 20th September. After this date, the South Tawton pages will be collated with those of other schools across our Trust. ParkingI have received numerous complaints in the last week about inconsiderate and dangerous parking in the village. The double yellow lines in the village are intended to ensure that the children can walk to school safely; parking outside St. Mary's Church and on corners severely reduces visibility and raises the risk of an accident. Please use the car park at the recreation ground or the King's Arms instead of parking in the village and also consider whether you can lift share or walk to school. On Friday 16th September, there is a funeral in the village with a send off at the King's Arms in the afternoon. This will mean that the pub carpark will be full and there will be extra cars in the village. Please be aware of this and do all you can to find a safe alternative solution. Parent Information Evening and Meet the TeacherWe will be holding an Information Evening for parents in school on Wednesday 28th September at 6pm. There will be a presentation in the school hall followed by a chance for you to meet your children's teachers. Members of the PTA and our Local Stakeholder Board will also be available to answer any questions and meet you all. Please note that there will be Phonics Information evenings held over TEAMs next week. Year R Tuesday 20th September at 7:30. Year 1 and 2 Wednesday 21st September at 7:30. Links will be sent out shortly. Make up and JewelleryI'd like to take this opportunity to remind all parents and pupils that make up (including nail varnish) is not allowed in school. Please help us by reinforcing this rule at home and helping your child to remove any make up before attending school. The only jewellery items which are permitted are stud earrings and watches. School shoes should be plain black, brown or navy. For PE, please ensure that all pupils have a white T-shirt or black/navy shorts. French trip for Year 6 Pupils We are delighted to announce the details of our Year 6 residential next year to Normandy in France. We have secured funding to take all Year 6 pupils from Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust Primary Schools in the summer term. Following a rigorous and competitive application process, Mrs Jordan (Trust French Lead) and Mrs Underwood (Trust Executive Principal) received the news that all travel, accommodation and visit costs for 230 pupils and 50 staff will be covered by the government’s Turing Scheme funding. Year 6 pupils will deepen their knowledge of History, RE, Art and PSHE through a range of inspirational visits including; the Bayeux tapestry, Mont St Michel, the D-Day landing beaches and the magnificent new British Normandy Memorial. Pupils will of course also further develop their confidence to speak French through a shopping challenge at a market, as well as visits to partner schools in Normandy. This residential will also enable Year 6 pupils across the Trust to unite and develop friendships in preparation for secondary school. There are meetings planned for Y6 parents and pupils in all schools this half term. If parents are unable to make the date and time of the meeting, please let us know as you may be able to join a meeting at another school. The South Tawton Primary School Meeting is at 3:40 on Friday 7th October. The Turing Scheme is the UK’s global programme offering opportunities in education and training across the world and enabling pupils to develop new skills and gain international experience. This year, the Turing Scheme received 513 applications, a significant increase on last year. Whilst most applications from universities were successful, Dartmoor MAT was one of only 4 schools in the South West which was awarded a grant through this highly competitive application process. Harvest Festival St Andrews Church Sunday 25th SeptemberInvitation! Make an animal model out of vegetables or fruit and bring it with you to our Community Harvest Festival at St Andrew’s Church, South Tawton, on Sunday 25th September at 11am. There’ll be a prize for the best one! Devon Citizen's Advice ColumnPlease read the column below from Citizen's Advice regarding the cost of living crisis or click here to read it as a pdf. Dear Parents/Carers,
We express our deepest sympathies for the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Her dedication to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and to her other realms and territories is unparalleled and we thank her for her service. Our Trust will observe the mourning period but continue to support our pupils, families and staff. Unless otherwise stated, please assume any scheduled activities and events we have scheduled will continue as planned. We will observe the national holiday scheduled on Monday 19th September for Her Majesty’s funeral, which means schools will be closed that day, but outside of this, school hours will continue as normal. Our schools will be keeping pupils informed of news about these events as part of assemblies and class activities. If you think your child may be experiencing particular upset due to the passing of The Queen, please do let us know so we can provide additional support if needed. It is expected that there will be significant disruption across the UK during this period, therefore we will endeavour to keep you up to date should there be any further changes. Should there be anything further we can support you with, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you for your understanding. Dan Morrow Trust Leader Dartmoor Multi-Academy Trust |
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