The Bishops Nympton Primary School Newsletter From the Head
Hello all.
Welcome to the summer term. I hope you all had a great Easter holiday. This is a very important term in the school year with many events and the culmination of a great deal of hard work. It is a fun time but also a chance to show what we have been learning. In light of this, our key skill this term will be “Aim high” and that will be a focus for us in assemblies and many lessons. I hope to see you all at some point during the term, especially during some of our many exciting events.
Exmoor Challenge Our year sixes are training hard for the Exmoor challenge which takes place tomorrow. Last Saturday Summer Term 2014 we completed nearly 9 miles of the course in some nice conditions and all did extremely well. This Saturday we hope the teams will complete all 16.1 miles. The walk will take around 7 hours to May Week 2 complete. I must again say a huge thank you to Graham Turner, Rob Partridge, Mrs Everett- Kelway and Nicky Boundy for providing logistical support and helping with transport. Good luck to the teams Dates for the Diary: for the bank holiday weekend. (Dates may be amended or added)
Term events This term has many fun events for us all to look forward to. We have some area music festivals, 5th May Bank Holiday - No School summer sport fixtures (weather depending), Oceanfest, life skills, trips and theme days, sports day and fete, as well as open afternoon, parent’s evening and the leaver’s assembly. The year sixes will be 12th - 16th May KS2 SATS Week also be preparing for the transition to South Molton. More about all of these and other events closer to the time. Wed 21st May Mr Orr from SMCC to visit Year 6 pupils in school @ 1.15pm Exciting Developments You may know that the school is preparing to implement the new national curriculum form September. Mon 19th May School Group Photos As part of this we will be holding an overall school review. One part of this will be to plan to develop our grounds and premises and all aspects of our provision. This is a very exciting time with some great plans already being created (I have spoken to some of you already about this). We want to involve you 19th - 23rd May KS1 SATS Week and I will be contacting you over the next few weeks to find out what you think and to get you all involved in the next phase of school improvement for Bishops Nympton. 26th - 30th May 1/2 Term Holiday
Tests Mon 2nd June Return to School This is the half term where many children take National tests or school versions of them. These tests form only one of the ways that we assess our children and we emphasise that children should not get Mon 9th June Year 6 to SMCC stressed about them. We remind them to simply try their best and never to panic about them. If you do have concerns about the tests or how children are preparing for them, do not hesitate to contact me at school. Fri 20th June Years 5/6 OceanFest
Summer weather Wed 25th June Open Afternoon Hurrah! The sun is now on its way. With the warmer weather I would like to remind you about sun protection and would request that sun hats are sent when appropriate. Sun cream should be sent in or Tue 1st July Year 6 to SMCC single application cream applied before school please. Please advise us of any special arrangements. Summer dresses or shorts will be suitable now and sandals are acceptable. Trainers are to be Thu 10th July Parents Eve 1 reserved only for PE please unless in school (black) colour. Many thanks.
Enjoy the term Thu 17th July Parents Eve 2
Mr Tim Gurney
Staff News We are delight to announce that we will have not just one but two Bishops Nympton School babies due soon. Both Mrs Scandrett and Mrs Guy are both due to be expanding their families in the Autumn. We are very pleased for them both and wish them both health and happy pregnancies. Music Tuition We have had a great response to the music tuition this term and are currently over subscribed for the Friday lesson. We are working with Mrs Davies to provide another day of lessons. Therefore if you have asked for music tuition and your child did not receive the first lesson this Friday, we will be in contact with you soon to arrange an alternative day. Any further questions please do contact the office. Thank you.
committed The Bishops Nympton Team caring committedMr Gurney TheMiss Chetham East Mrs GuyAnstey Mrs Scandrett Team Mrs Mulligan Mrs Hancockcaring Mrs Allum Mrs Loftus Miss Alderman Mrs Cockram Mrs Keighley Mr GurneyMr ScandrettMrs Carr MrsMrs Dart Betts Mr Hutcheon Mrs Loftus Mr Holloway Mrs MrRyan Sidgwick Mrs Mrs Bavin Hamilton Mrs MrsJulian Tilbury Mrs Mair ‘Part of the Exmoor Link Federation’ Summer 2014 Page 2 INFANT CLASS
‘‘Life and Living Things’ Dear Parents and Children, The Summer Term is here already, and the children have come back full of enthusiasm which is lovely! We will be growing...... Topic…. Cress This term our topic is: Beanstalks .....Investigating plants and animals and finding out Sunflowers ‘What is in the garden?’ potatoes We will be making…. We will be learning about… Pet homes and hutches Plants and growth Minibeast models Food chains/life cycles small world habitats Parts of a plant Art sculptures and collages Minibeasts And more! Once alive/never alive And sharing stories…. Animals around the world/different habitats Jack and the Beanstalk Climate Eddie’s Garden Camouflage Oliver’s Vegetables Pets The Bad Tempered Ladybird The Very busy Spider *If your child has topic items they want to bring in for display please ensure they are Sam Plants a Sunflower named! And more!…… Reading books & book bags Students Thank you for helping to change your We continue to have our college Staff child’s book in the morning. The student with us, Jessica Hoskins Teaching Assistants: Mrs Arma children are making super progress from Exeter College. Jessica is in Keighley works every morning (except and collecting lots of awards, for every Monday working with the weds), and Mrs Karen Dart works reading so many books! children alongside Miss Chetham. Wednesdays, and all afternoons. Miss Paula Alderman is full time. PE kits Homework Swimming has now finished. We will be Well done for all the super work Mrs Alison Hancock now teaches the doing tennis sessions on Mondays and going on at home, your homework class on a Tuesday. Athletics on Thursdays. books are filling up fast and show And please feel welcome to ask me PE kits are needed for outdoor off all the great things you are any questions. sessions including hats for sun achieving! Don’t forget to put those protection. house points up on the chart this Kind regards term! Miss Sarah Chetham MIDDLE CLASS Dear Parents, differences between the plants PE and animals that grow there. We PE will take place on a Monday and will also be studying deforestation, a Friday; please ensure your child I hope you all had a lovely Easter. the negative effects it has and how has full PE kit in school on these Middle class have made a great we can help save rainforests. days. We will take part in Striking start to the term and have already and Fielding activities (rounders and produced some brilliant work. Art cricket) as well as Athletics In Art, Middle class will be learning Student Teacher about the artist Escher. They have Homework We have Miss Mann joining us as a already been shown some of the Homework will now be given out on student teacher for most of the paintings he did and thought about a Friday to be handed in by Summer Term. She will be teaching the ones that they like. Over the Tuesday. If your child has any a wide variety of lessons; Middle term, the children will try to problems with the homework set, class are particularly looking produce art work please don’t hesitate to get in touch. forward to learning Spanish! similar to Escher’s by Topic looking at This term our topic is Forests and patterns and Yours sincerely, Jungles. We will be looking in detail tessellations. at both temperate and tropical Mrs Guy climates and investigating the Summer 2014 Page 3
TOP CLASS
Hello Parents, which is being used across the For an overview of the subjects school. This is a fun scheme that we are covering on a week by Firstly, may I take this which the children are enjoying week basis for the Summer Term opportunity to congratulate all the as it offers much more go to our website children in Top Class with their collaborative, game based www.bishopsnympton-primary.devon.sch.uk superb attitude on returning to learning outside of the and follow the link for Class 3. school after Easter? We are classroom. Literacy will continue rapidly working towards our end to be set on a Wednesday with Your Faithfully of year assessments and the Numeracy being set on the children are prepared for the Friday. They are to be handed Mrs Scandrett hard work ahead this half term. in by the following week. Spellings will continue to be Topic given on a Wednesday with a Our topic for the summer term is test the following week. Your ‘The South West’ and we will be child will also continue to do the looking at the history, geology, ‘Six minute club’ in Numeracy so toponomy (study of place names), their current tables need to be economy and much more. This is practiced for the Thursday an extremely relevant and inter- morning. esting topic for the children as it helps them to explore their imme- If you would like to come into diate surroundings and hopefully the class for a look around you enthuse them to learn more about are more than welcome. Class 3 on ‘Wear a Hat Day’ in their own county. support of Brain Tumour Awareness The Heatree display will remain
up on our wall for a short Homework Homework will continue to be set duration if you would like to for both year 5 and year 6, in come in and read your child’s Numeracy and Literacy, and will diary extracts. They make follow the Hamilton Trust scheme; great reading. SCHOOL COUNCIL
What an amazing effort made by all The school council have also heard that Umberleigh now have a the children, parents and supporters been involved in the process of school council thanks to our hard of Bishop Nympton School. A huge setting up a fellow school council work and efforts. amount of money was raised for for Umberleigh and Brayford various charities organised by the Primary Schools. Word of our Yours School Council Team school council. councils success has spread and we were asked to assist in their Fraser Boundy World Book Day: £72.10 initial set up process. Both Holly Pennells Schools witnessed a school Ella Dart British Heart Foundation: £978.18 council assembly and meeting, Tabitha Kyte followed by a visit to Umberleigh Cameron Ayre Sports relief:£274.38 Primary to provide a presentation Ashleigh Rollins to their pupils and staff by our own Lexi Toft Brain Tumour Awareness:£121.80 school council. They did a marvellous job and represented the school brilliantly. We have Summer 2014 Page 4
SPORTS NEWS Netball picked up the various techniques Played 3, won 1, lost 2 Football required quickly. Short Mat Bowls Played, won 1, lost 0 will be returning in the summer We struggled with all our sports term! Our opening football match of the fixtures last term due to the Fixtures season was a victory against our atrocious weather. A 4 - 1 win Now the weather is improving I federated friends at East Anstey. against Umberleigh, sandwiched hope that we will be able to A 4 - 2 win will send the team into between losses away at North organise many more the SMCC football tournament Molton and at Umberleigh, was very competitive sports fixtures, focusing with high spirits. well received by our loyal parents on cricket and rounders this who have supported us throughout. summer term adding to our ever We have a very enthusiastic group Short Mat Bowls increasing list of sporting of children wanting to play netball, Last term a number of children opportunities we provide for our all of which have continued to hone took the opportunity to take up the children. their skills and have made sport of short mat bowls. All noticeable improvements. involved had a fantastic time and Mr. Scandrett
KS1 SATS
As you will be aware that we are soon to holding our KS1 SATS for our Year 2 students soon. If you have any questions regarding what is involved in the SATS please do not hesitate to Speak to Miss Chetham or Mrs Guy. If you would like to support your child the best way is to encourage with their reading. After listening to them read, ask questions regarding the story, to encourage their comprehension of the story.
New Online Dinner Money System We are in the process of setting up and changing over to a new, much more user friendly, online dinner money system. So please do not use www.schoolmoney.co.uk to pay for your dinners any longer and next the new system will hopefully up and running very soon. Any credit or money owing on the old system will be carried over to the new system. You can however to pay for dinner money by cash or cheque into the office as normal in the mean time. Further information regarding the new online payment system will be sent home soon. Thank you for your patience whilst we are sorting out the online payment system.
Star Achievers Totals so far this term Amethyst Awards House Points
Class 1 achiever: Oliver Ruby 137 Amber 118 Class 2 achiever: Madelyn Sapphire 84 Emerald 125 Class 3 achiever: Fraser
Thought for the term… Aim high. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve. Headteacher: Mr Tim Gurney Bishops Nympton Primary School st 1 May 2014 Bishops Nympton South Molton North Devon EX36 4PU
Dear Families
School Meals from September 2014
As you will probably have heard, all schools are to provide free school meals for all Infant children (Foundation, Years 1 and 2) from September 2014. Children are not obliged to take up this offer and some may still prefer a packed lunch provided from home. At the moment, our intention is to continue with our flexible system of choosing meals on the day.
The discretionary free school meals historically provided for individual families that meet the criteria, will continue for Junior children. We anticipate that, with Infants getting free meals, more Junior siblings may also take up the paid meal provision. Meals are charged at £2.20 and we continue to seek feedback on menus etc. to continually improve our service.
This may mean an increase in meal numbers for our kitchen and we need to plan accordingly. With this in mind, please can you indicate the likely take up of school meals for your children from September? This is not a formal commitment – we just need to get an idea of probable numbers for catering purposes.
Please return the questionnaire to the school office by 16th May. Thank you for your assistance
Best wishes
Lynn Loftus Federation Business Manager
Free School Meal Questionnaire – May 2014
(Please tick as required)
Infant children in our family are most likely to take up their free school meal
Infant children in our family are most likely to have a packed lunch from home
Junior children in our family are most likely to have a school meal
Junior children in our family are most likely to have a packed lunch from home
Please send me information about applying for free school meals for Junior children
Comments:
Signed: ______Name: ______Soundboard This is provided for parental feedback and can be used to make any comments or suggestions. Please return to the school office.
My suggestions/comments:
Signed:______Name:______
North Devon Road Runners Swimbridge 10k and 3k runs are on Sunday 18th May Registration will be at the glebe Field through Liverton Drive new housing estate next to village Hall. The entry fees for the 10k is £10 ARC affiliated/£12 no affiliated (extra £2 if registration on th day) and the £3K is £3.50 (£5.50 on day) The main fun run is approx. 10K, up over the Swimbridge hills - part road, part track, stream crossings, woodland paths and stunning views - via the old silver mines and Daffodil Valley, passing through the picturesque hamlets of Hannaford and Hearson, Wrimstone and Dennington, The minimum age for this run is 15 years. There are prize categories for 15+, veterans 40+ and veterans 50+ The Fun Run is approx 3K, part rod and part track from Swimbridge to the picturesque hamlet of Hannaford. Please contact Julie Whitton 01271 830311 or email [email protected] for details. Enter inline at www.sportssystems.co.uk/ss/event/SwimbridgeFunRun12 or download entry form from www.swimbridge.com
Bishops Nympton Open Church Community Project Presents AN EVENING OF MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT On Friday 16th May in Bishops Nympton Parish Hall Starting at 7.30 pm Spend a summer’s evening in the company of singer and entertainer from Cornwall and the Barnstaple Ladies Choir Tickets £7 (available from Bishops Nympton Community Shop) Light supper included Bar Draw Doors Open from 6.45pm
All proceeds for the Open Church Community Project For more information contact: Ron Jones 01769 550540 Or Gillian Reynolds 01769 551702
THE DIVERSITY CREW PERFORMING ARTS GROUP FOR CHILDREN WITH ANY DISABILITY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE UNLIMITED DANCE COMPANY
The Diversity Crew shares a passion for dance, singing and acting and feels that every person should be given the opportunity to enjoy these art forms no matter what disability they have. Children without disabilities are also welcome, as are siblings, to promote a sense of belonging and unity. Any child with any ability is welcome from ages 5 to 12. Carers/parents are able to join if a child requires extra assistance although there is a waiting area and being so centrally located, a walk into Barnstaple town centre could be just what you need. Where: Unlimited Dance Studios, Mill Lane, Barnstaple EX31 1JQ Time: Every Saturday 9.45 - 11.00 am If you are interested in learning more about the Diversity Crew for your child please contact Sarah on 01271 268272 or visit www.the diversitycrew.co.uk