A very full week of learning, trips, more rehearsals and our Christmas hoops are springing up on our main corridor – more to follow… Please come and take a look!  Please read around the classes section of this post to find out what has been happening in and around all the classes this week.

Please be aware Christmas Jumpers can be worn by children on Christmas Dinner day (14th for year 5, 13th of December for everyone else).

With Devon CC waste schools education programme we have completed a whole school waste audit and the results are very encouraging.

• 5.16 kg mass of waste our school sends to landfill in one day
  25 g mass of waste the school sends to EfW/landfill per pupil per day
  14.99 kg mass of organic waste per day
  82 % of the school’s waste IS BEING recycled or composted (this is very high for a school!)

Our Eco Ambassador pupils have an action plan so we can be even better!

Contrary to what some people may believe (or remember!), the last few weeks of term are important and not solely films and purposeless activities. At the end of term,  sequenced programmes of study are concluded and vital assessments are conducted to enable staff to know exactly what needs addressing right at the start of the next term. First week back is equally important, because that is when new programmes of study begin and missing the start of a teaching sequence immediately disadvantages the children. Of course there will be Christmas celebrations and other festive fun whilst essential teaching and learning is underway, so please ensure your child’s attendance is good over this festive period.

A few diary dates:

• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground
• St Mary’s Church, Appledore, Christingle Service December 10th at 4pm
• Turtles & Dolphins nativity 5th December 2.30pm and 5,15pm start, school hall. Children to school 4.45pm for second performance please
• Year 1&2 nativity 11th December 2pm and 12th December 9.30am, school hall. Due to limited space, please attend only the one performance
• Pupils can wear Christmas jumpers the day of their Christmas meal 14th December for Year 5 and 13th December all other years
• Christmas service for years 3-6 Friday 15th December, 2pm, St Mary’s church.

Wishing you all a super weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

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Rehearsals for all the Christmas celebrations are now in full swing and can be heard throughout the school!  Please see below for the dates and timings for each on.

Staff safeguarding this week has been on the topic of sexting which. Not only does sexting start early, studies have found that it is also fairly common. As early as 8 years old, more than one in 10 children with smartphones will become exposed to sexting and this number rises rapidly by the time they are 13.To understand more about the risks children face, please click here for a parent’s guide.

Please remember to vote for our science resources fundraising project with your blue tokens at Tesco in Bideford and Westward Ho!

Click here for a short story competition with prizes organised by Bideford Library.

A few diary dates:

• Click here for a meet Santa invite at Holy Trinity Church on 25th November
• St Mary’s Church, Appledore, Christingle Service December 10th at 4pm

• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground
• Turtles & Dolphins nativity 5th December 2.30pm and 5,15pm start, school hall. Children to school 4.45pm for second performance please
• Year 1&2 nativity 11th December 2pm and 12th December 9.30am, school hall. Due to limited space, please attend only the one performance.
• Christmas service for years 3-6 Friday 15th December, 2pm, St Mary’s church.

Wishing you all a super weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

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A day of spots and stripes in support of Children in Need and so far we have raised £330. £168 of the total was for the Pudsey raffle and congratulations to the winner! Thank you for all your contributions to this worthy cause.

The Children’s Commissioner for England has a statutory duty to protect and promote the views and interests of children. The Big Ambition survey provides a much-needed opportunity for the children of England to tell political decision makers what is important to them ahead of the General Election. The commissioner will be sharing their responses with Government to ensure that children’s voices are heard. To access this survey, please click here and children can either complete it themselves or with help from an adult.

Thank you for responding to the survey regarding demand for hot meals in Key Stage 2 (years 3-6). Provision for hot meals for Key Stage 2 is not feasible due to the low demand. We will survey again later in the year to see if the situation has changed.

Please remember to vote for our science resources fundraising project with your blue tokens at Tesco in Bideford and Westward Ho!

A few diary dates:

• Click here for a meet Santa invite at Holy Trinity Church on 25th November

• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground
• Christmas service for years 3-6 Friday 15th December, 2pm, St Mary’s church.

Wishing you all a super weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

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Devon HAF course are available to book online for Wonford Sports Centre, West Croft Primary School and Mount Kelly Tavistock. Information available here.

Don’t forget, if you are on benefit-related FREE school meals then please use the discount code XMASHAF23 to redeem the course funded and FREE!

Following the Rotary Club theme of ‘rebuilding’ our top three competition winners are as follows below. Their photos will now be sent to the Rotary Club to be entered in a wider competition.

First place is Iris, second place is Ethan and third place is Evie. Well done!

A typical busy week that has included the start of Xmas performances! Please  read the full post to find out what that entails…

Please remember to vote for our science resources fundraising project with your blue tokens at Tesco in Bideford and Westward Ho!

Please remember that Kingsley Avenue is a private road owned by the residents and parking on the road is not permitted. This week there have been numerous parent cars driving into Kingsley Avenue and near misses have endangered the safety of children entering school.  We have free parking permits for Odun Road car park: please ask the school office should you need one.

Next week raffle tickets for a soft toy Pudsey Bear (about 2 feet tall) will go on sale for £1 a strip. House captains will visit each class throughout the week to sell tickets and all proceeds will go to Children in Need.

A few diary dates:

• Wear Spots or stripes for Children in Need 17th November for a £1 donation

• Click here for a meet Santa invite at Holy Trinity Church on 25th November
• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground
• Christmas service for years 3-6 Friday 15th December, 2pm, St Mary’s church.

Wishing you all a super weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

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Welcome back after a day hunkering down to keep safe from storm Ciaran and after half term.  A busy first week back and please read the Around the Classes section to learn what has been happening in each class this week.

All next week year 6s will be going round the classrooms selling remembrance poppies and bracelets for a donation. Suggested donation £1.

Diary Dates:

• Wear Spots or stripes for Children in Need 17th November
• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground
• Christmas service for years 3-6 afternoon of Friday 15th December. Time tbc

Wishing you all a super weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

School will be open as per usual Friday 3rd November. When I attended the school site first thing on Thursday it was clear closing was the safest and correct thing to do under the circumstances.

Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to welcoming you all back.

Kind regards

Jeremy Cooper

A very busy week of various school trips, awayday firsts for some classes, and reminders of some trips the first week after half term included later in this post. A big thank you to staff for making these happen and for all the additional (unpaid!) hours they entail and for the additional non school staff volunteers too. Please read the Around the Classes section of this post to find out more.

If you are on prepayment meters for your energy you may be entitled to receive fuel vouchers from Citizen’s Advice.  Please click here for more information or call 01237 879156

Hosts are still required in North Devon and Torridge for displaced Ukrainians. If you have space and are interested, please click here for more information.

Diary Dates:

• School photos on the 3rd of November. Individual photos will be taken and siblings can come in from 8-9 for a family photo that includes children not at the school, children that are at school together will have their photo taken during the day so do not need to come in early
• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground

Wishing you all a super half term

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

Tickets are still available for the Halloween Discos tonight. Please contact the office before 4.30pm to get one.

Our House captains have launched our House Photography Competition once again and the theme this year is Rebuilding. The theme can be interpreted however you like and entries will also be submitted to the Rotary Club Young Photographer competition.  Entries by 1st November emailed to admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk or a printed version handed in to the office.

Any donations of dried or tinned food and fruit and veg as part of our harvest can be left with the school office staff and we will arrange for it to be used by Harbour Bideford. Harbour Bideford support homelessness in the Bideford area.

We have been contacted by a local Toy Bank charity that helps families finding it difficult to pay for Christmas presents for their children. If you would like more information please contact jeremy.cooper@appledoreprimary.co.uk We are familiar with this charity before and please be reassured that all enquiries are treated respectfully and with discretion.

We are exploring the possibility of providing cooked lunches for children in years 3,4,5&6. If you have not already completed the survey helping us to understand the demand and viability of providing this service, please click here to do so. Thank you.

Around 50% of children will experience sleep problems. Please click here for information and a helpline for support.

Wishing you all a super weekend and please read on to find out what has been happening in each class.

Diary Dates

• Halloween disco 5-6pm reception and years 1&2, 6.30-7.30pm years 3-6 Friday 13th October. Tickets £3 STILL AVAILABLE from the school office
• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground
• Tuesday 24th October, 2,30-4pm at Round House Halloween crafting aimed at 5-8 year olds. Please click here for more information.
• Open to all parents, carers and grandparents is a baby and toddler group at St Mary’s church hall, Appledore, every Monday morning 10am-12pm. Please click here for more information.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

Whole school attendance is above our 96% aspiration and thank you for ensuring your child is in good attendance habits. Please click here for the latest school attendance letter for more detail.

Please click here to find out about events at Instow Village Hall including a Bake Off competition, Adult Halloween Disco and an Instow Memories Evening.

Our visiting music tuition teacher has availability for keyboard, guitar, clarinet, ukulele or recorder lessons. Lessons are 20 minutes and cost £45 per half term. Please contact Jane on 07938840193 if interested.

Diary Dates

• Dolphins and Turtles Harvest Festival, 2.30pm, Tuesday 17th October, our school hall. Relatives welcome.
• Year 1&2 Harvest Festival, 2.30pm, Friday 20th October, our school hall. Relatives welcome.
• Year 3-6 Harvest Festival,  2pm, Tuesday 10th October, St Mary’s Church. Relatives of year 3-6 children welcome
• FOAS AGM 7pm, Wednesday 11th October, school art studio
• Halloween disco 5-6pm reception and years 1&2, 6.30-7.30pm years 3-6 Friday 13th October. Tickets £3 on sale in the playground next week.
• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground

AROUND THE CLASSES

Wishing you all an enjoyable and unusually warm weekend!

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

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The programme of races has begun, but it’s not to late to enter for the remaining races. Please click here to find out how to enter and please contact the school if you want to borrow a school running vest.  Well done to those who have already run.

Another busy week draws to a close and a week that has included visiting authors from the book festival, a trip to find out about sustainability in supermarket, lots of rehearsing for harvest festivals and a surprise visit from a theatre group. Please read the full post to find out what has been happening in all the classes.

Please ensure your children have a PE kit in school. Unfortunately, a significant number of children do not have their kit at school. A large proportion of those without a PE kit are in years 5 and 6

Holiday club is running at school over the October half term and places are available. It will be running Monday to Friday and full days, half days and breakfast and late pickups available. Please contact www.abreathoffreshair.education for more information.

Diary Dates

• Dolphins and Turtles Harvest Festival, 2.30pm, Tuesday 17th October, our school hall
• Year 1&2 Harvest Festival, 2.30pm, Friday 20th October, our school hall
• Year 3-6 Harvest Festival,  2pm, Tuesday 10th October, St Mary’s Church. Relatives of year 3-6 children welcome
• FOAS AGM 7pm, Wednesday 11th October, school art studio
• Halloween disco 5-6pm reception and years 1&2, 6.30-7.30pm years 3-6 Friday 13th October. Tickets £3 on sale in the playground next week.
• Christmas fair 3.30-5pm, Friday 8th December, bottom playground

AROUND THE CLASSES

Wishing you all a super weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

The North Devon Cross Country League races are fast approaching. These very well organised races are open to children and adults of all abilities and are a great way for your children to burn off any excess energy (particularly if that is needed at the weekend!). They certainly appeal to those who enjoy mud.  More information can be found by clicking here. Please be aware that registration for the first race is now and if you want to register as running under Appledore School please let school know and you can borrow one of our running vests.

Thank you to Book Relief UK for a substantial money donation to help us with the continual restocking of our library. Thank you to those of you who donated clothes that resulted in us raising over £200.

Please click here for a QR code with very helpful parent guides for many aspects of internet safety.

Diary Dates

• Get your crabbing buckets at the ready! Appledore pirates crabbing competition in association with Appledore Book Festival returns this Saturday 23rd September !! Team registration opens at 11am from the Pirates gazebo on The Quay The competition will run from 11:30am -12:30pm, teams can be any size BUT must use NO MORE than 4 STANDARD lines (no nets allowed!!) and an entry fee of £5 per team is required Crabbing for the competition will only be permitted from the quayside, not the slipway or steps and remember it’s size that counts! We’re looking for the team with the 3 BIGGEST crabs NOT the most caught with a special bonus prize for the biggest overall crab caught The Appledore Pirates will be marshalling the Quayside to ensure that it is a fair event for all. Everyone welcome
• Year 1&2 Harvest Festival, 2.30pm, Friday 20th October, our school hall
• Year 3-6 Harvest Festival,  2pm, Tuesday 10th October, St Mary’s Church. Relatives of year 3-6 children welcome
• Parents Evenings are being organised, so please keep an eye out for communication from school on how and when to book

Wishing you all a super weekend

Best wishes

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)

The first full week back is often a tiring one for the children, so hopefully they (and you!) will all have a good night’s sleep. But the prize for the most tired is likely to go to year 6 and their accompanying staff who return from their week long residential trip today. Well done year 6 and thank you to the staff who volunteer to work significantly longer hours during a residential.

Promoting and achieving good attendance habits is vital for children and the NHS has provided a helpful guide if you are unsure if you child is too ill for school. Please click here for the link to information and if you are unsure please call school. Pease be reassured if you do send your child and they turn out to be too unwell or deteriorate we will call you. Please inform us of any changes to your contact details.

Appledore Book Festival is hosting a free family fun day on Saturday 16th September. For more information click here.

There is now a gazebo in the car park for you to leave bags of used and no longer needed clothes.

For information about a Free Kids tennis Party at ARC (Atlantic Racquet Centre), Bideford on Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th September please click here.

Wishing you all a super weekend and as per usual please read on to find out what has been going on in each class this week.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)