The Flying Start Federation Newsletter 4th November 2019 Issue 3 (www.buckland-brewer-primary.devon.sch.) Federation website for both schools Look in the book and Harvest Thanks to all who attended the Harvest festivals in church and donated produce to the Devon Food bank. Between us we have managed to fill a car to take to the food bank! The children had worked hard to share their thoughts through art and poetry and song about the importance of Bees and also how to look after the environment through art and poetry. Thanks too to Rev Madeline for leading the services and the Churchwarden for making us feel so welcome. Look in the book– was well attended and a wonderful opportunity for children to share their work of the half term with you. Thank you for all the complimentary comments. Y5/6 residential experience at Beam House, Torrington. Wow– what a fantastic time was had by all children and staff. Every one faced their own challenges throughout the week and surprised themselves with what they could do when they were determined. All children worked up a healthy appetite and certainly did justice to the great range of food on offer. All staff who supported the children were very proud of how they had conducted themselves. Their politeness and the kindness and support they gave to each other. Staff News: We were very pleased that Miss Louise Macann our new EYFS leader and teacher based at Parkham could spend a couple of days just before half term getting to know the children and working on the school improvement plan. We hope that she will be able to visit again before she starts in January. Toddlers: We were very pleased to see a lot of support of the stay and play session organised and run by Jo, in the school hall for parents/carers and their babies and toddlers. We plan to run a session like this every half term. Also very pleased that there is now a weekly session running in the Chapel school room, Mondays from 11th Nov to 16th Dec Please contact Dave Watson on 01237 451437 or 0748 4223515 or [email protected] Extended Care Survey Buckland Brewer Thanks to all parents– carers who have returned these surveys which are looking to identify if there is a need for the Governors to run a before and/or after school child care provision at Buckland Brewer Any such provision has to be run as a stand alone business and can not be financed through main school budget. Governors will be evaluating the results of the survey next week to decide whether it would be possible to run some kind of child care provision at Buckland Brewer. We currently run an Early Birds club at Parkham which is open from 8 am in the morning and which is reasonably well used– however more uptake would be good. Music Mark. We are very excited to learn that we have been selected by the Devon Music Hub to be- come members of Music Mark in recognition of the value that we place on music and the hard work we do to ensure that pupils at our schools are able to access and engage with a high-quality music education. Our dedication to offering and delivering a broad and bal- anced curriculum is both welcomed and celebrated. Federation Leadership and Safeguarding: Gina Finch– Executive Head and Safeguarding and Inclusion lead across both schools Bridget Urquhart- School Business Manger across both schools and Deputy Safeguarding lead at Buckland Brewer Helen Hinchliffe– Senior Teacher at Buckland Brewer and deputy safeguarding lead Mandi Farinacci—Senior Teacher when Mrs Hinchliffe/Mrs Finch are not on site at Buckland Brewer Daniel Marks– Acting Senior teacher and deputy Safeguarding lead at Parkham. Linda Bird - Deputy Safeguarding lead at Parkham Safeguarding is everyone responsibility so if you have any concerns about your child or another please talk to one of the above safeguarding personnel or contact MASH directly on 03451551071. We are Operation Encompass Schools: this means if the police are called to a domestic incident which any of our children witness the school will get a call the next day to alert us to this event so we can support the child. please check federation website Dates: Don’t forget Parkham Buckland Brewer 7/11– Planetarium event Hawks 7/11– Planetarium event Eagles OFFICE HOURS: 7/11- Multiskills festival @ ARC 7/11- Multiskills festival @ ARC R/Y1 R/Y1/Y2 Parkham: Mon—Thurs 8.45—3.45pm 8/11– Virgin Care flu vaccinations 11/11– Remembrance Assembly (please note there is no one in the office 11/11– Remembrance Assembly 14/11-Parent forum 6.30pm (@BB) on Fridays) 14/11-Parent forum 6.30pm (@BB) 15/11– Children in Need Buckland Brewer: Mon—Fri 8.45— 15/11– Children in Need 19/11– Torrington Dental teeth talk 12.15pm– please avoid making requests 26/11-Poetry and stargazing Eagles when office is not manned. 19/11– Tempest Photos @ 1.30pm 7pm—8pm 26/11-Poetry and stargazing Hawks If you need to telephone the school 7pm—8pm urgently and the office is not manned, please ring the partner school Attendance : a reminder for parents and carers that absence from school for holidays as hopefully they can get a message is not authorised. It is up to parents to decide if missing school unauthorised for 5 or through. more days is worth a penalty notice for first offence and a court appearance for second Buckland TEL:01237 451315 offence. This is the policy of Devon County Council. A DCC education Welfare officer visits school each half term to check attendance. Holidays are important but there are 13 Parkham TEL: 01237 451334 weeks of school holiday time to choose from. Bladder and Bowel training session for parents: Term Dates Kelly Corner– Hodges: School Autumn Term 2019– 3rd Sept—20th Dec Great Torrington Primary School Caterer 07340710693 Spring Term 2020– 7th Jan—27th March Nappy to Potty 21/11 @ 2.40pm Summer Term 2020– 14th April—17th Jul Nappy to Potty and toileting in schools If it is necessary to make a change to Non-pupil days 21/11 @ 3.45pm a meal request please text between 2nd Sept 2019, 18th Oct 2019, 6th Parent Forum: 7.30-9.30am. For general queries January 2020, 20th & 21st July 2020 please telephone or text between 2- Occasional days Buckland Brewer : Thursday 14th No- 5.30pm 22nd and 23rd July 2020 vember 6.30 pm for all Federation parents and carers FOPS and FOBBS Attendance Both schools benefit enormously from the work of the Buckland Brewer—96.12% Friends. The fundraising they do has enabled the schools to purchase additional items such as play equipment, Eagles— 95.37% laptops and iPads as well as subsidising the cost of tak- Falcons– 96.26% ing the children on visits or having visitors to the school. They also provide some much needed school evenings Owls—96.92% for the children and families such as film nights and re- freshments after harvest services and sports days. For this Parkham— we are all immensely grateful. Just recently both FOPS 97.36% and FOBBS have had their AGMS and elected new com- mittee members. To be a legal entity and run a bank Hawks– 96.42% account there does need to be a named Chair, Secretary Kestrels-98.24% and Treasure. Again, we are very grateful to all those that have and continue to, or have volunteered for these roles Taxi/Bus for the first time. For FOPS Paula Stonehouse is chair, School Nurses: To con- Emma Beer treasurer and Kelly Corner-Hodges is secre- If your child/ren travel in the tact the school nurse tary. However FOBBS need your help in appointing a taxi to and from school, please can you ensure any changes to team….. new chair. FOBBS really need someone else to step for- ward otherwise it will be difficult for FOBBS to fulfil their travel arrangements are t: 0330 024 5321 legal obligations in running a bank account. If you feel passed onto the office so that this could be you please talk to Laura , Lucy or Gill to find we are aware. out more. Please think about it as the children really do Many thanks benefit from everything that the friends do. .