A very busy week with the chidlren rehearsing and performing their nativities to the camera. A big thank you to all the teachers with organising these and also Mr Fitzgerald for giving up much of his time (and expertise) recording the pieces in the church.

To support teachers with achieving a sustainable work life balance we ask that any emails you want to send to a class teacher is sent to admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk. Teachers receive a copy of this email and will respond if required. Please be aware that emails sent direct to staff from parents will not be answered.

Whilst Covid is reported to be more widespread in our local area than on average across the country and that we currently have larger than usual pupil absence, relatively few of those absent have tested positive for Covid. There are lots of other bugs going around at present and a huge thank you for your vigilance and willingness to LFT and PCR test your children when they present as unwell. Of those who have tested positive some have presented coldlike symptoms and not the symptoms typically and previously associated with Covid, so please comtinue to be cautious and test your child if you are unwell.

Wishing you all a super weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

Christmas has ‘landed’ in school with rehearsals underway everywhere and our Christmas hoops up the corridor. As per previous years, children can wear a Christmas jumper for the remaining Fridays this term for a small donation. The children and staff are working hard rehearsing their nativities and carols and thank you for supporting the learning of their words. We are working hard to ensure this can continue under challenging and shifting circumstances and with the help of technology we hope you will be able to enjoy them too. 

We have had a few more cases of Covid in school and sent a letter to parents about  this. The numbers are relatively small and in classes where the number of cases meet a trigger point of 10% of the class we are required to inform the DfE and follow their guidance. Any additional measures we are required to take will be communicated to you. We are finding that some of the symptms of the children testing positive are very similar to a cold, so if your child displays cold like symptoms please try to lateral flow test as frequently as possible to rule out Covid.

Earlier in the week we sent to you the details for the nasal flu vaccination for children at our school. If you missed the letter, please click here to view the letter.

If you want to book your child to attend our before and after school club, please ensure they are booked in first because we must know in advance numbers attending for staffing. On many occasions sessions are fully booked and we will have to turn away childrne not booked in. If you need to cancel so we can offer the place to another, please do so before 3.30pm the day before to avoid being charged. Please be aware that we will not be running a holiday club for the foreseeable future and that we will review future provision again after the Easter period.  

Various funds are available through local or central government to help households financially at Christmas. For more information, please click here.

Our best wishes to you all for an enjoyable weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

Thank you for your support of Children in Need last week and we raised over £200.

This week a very wide range of learning has been going on in and around the classes and this has included: Boudicca and the Romans; Diwali; performing Charles Darwin’s A Christmas Carol; Tobago; being engineers as apart of STEM project linked to SS Freshbring, moored in Bideford and a visit from Barnstaple Museum. To find out the full details, please do read the main text of this article.

For information about St Mary’s Church, Appledore, Christingle Service on Sunday 28th November at 4pm please click here.

For a small donation each Friday your child can wear a Christmas jumper every Friday until the end of term.

We wish you all a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

A day of spots and stripes and various items of Children in Need regalia. Thank you for supporting the children with this worthy cause.

Please read on to find out what has been happenin in and around the classes…

Wishing you all a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff