Category: General
Thank you for such an enjoyable year. We wish all our children and families who are leaving us, moving to other primary schools around the country or onto secondary school, every success and happiness. Today we will say goodbye to our Year 6 at their afternoon leavers’ assembly as we wish them well for the next stage of their life. They have been a fun group of children and we hold many special memories of their time here.
Every year Devon County Council send out a Parent’s Childcare Survey to parents living in Devon to find out information about their use of childcare. Here is this year’s Parents Childcare Survey, please complete it yourself if you are a parent of a child or young person.
Well done to Pacific (red house) for winning sports day, closely followed by Indian (yellow), Arctic (blue) and Atlantic (green). It was a lovely day and thank you to all the participants and to all who came to see us.
Please see below for information about various summer holiday activities:
- Full on the 8th of August, but a few spaces remain on 22nd August for a woodland holiday club here at Appledore School. See here for more information
- HAF holiday club in Barnstaple see here
- Football holiday camp in Bideford see here
- Learn how to sail at North Devon yacht club, Instow, see here
- Events at Appledore Library see here
This week, Hannah Walters, the manager of our breakfast and after school club, died at North Devon Hospice. In memory of Hannah and her kindness and compassion we are renaming AOOSC Hannah’s Breakfast and After School Club from September and referring to the club simply as Hannah’s. This will be reflected in the communication we have with you regarding the club as we strive to continue the quality of service the club provided under Hannah’s leadership.
Please read on for the last posts from each class teacher to find out what your children have got up to this week.
Wishing you all a very happy summer and for those returning we look forward to seeing back on Wednesday 3rd September.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
A busy week for all and certainly for year 6 who received their SATS results and performed their play to their parents on the same day – both a HUGE triumph and success. Well done Year 6.
We have received from Devon County Council a warning over a widespread WhatsApp group titled ‘add everybody you know’ that is circulating inappropriate material. Please see here for more information and have a conversation with your children about the need to remain safe if they are WhatsApp users.
For information about cricket summer camps at Bideford Cricket Club for children aged 6-13, please see here
Free family fun day at ARC (Atlantic Racquets Centre), Bideford, Saturday 12th July. See here or here for more information
For a free, fun North Devon Biosphere activity on Appledore Quay where you can meet the creatures that live on our shores see here
Wishing you all a super weekend.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Today is our School Fete 3.30-5pm and we hope to see you there!
For an informative guide on supporting children and young people’s transition to secondary school, please see here.
- Girls cricket @Bideford Cricket Club free turn up and play sessions information see here
- Free family fun day at ARC (Atlantic Racquets Centre), Bideford, Saturday 12th July. See here or here for more information
- Football summer camps at Bideford Blues see here and Moreton Park, Bideford, see here
Wishing you all a great weekend.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Year 6 returned from Lundy all in one piece and certainly packed their sea legs! It was a pleasure to open my inbox on Monday morning to see a number of emails from the other passengers on the boat from the general public who wanted to praise the manners and behaviour of them.
Next Friday children will be spending time with the teacher they will be having next year. The teachers will be as follows: Dolphins (ie Reception), Mrs Bannister; Year 1,Mrs Wilkins and Mrs Malyn; Year 2, Mrs Stanbury and Mrs Stephens; Year 3,Mrs McMorine and Mrs Evans; Year 4, Mrs Avery; Year 5, Miss Truepenny and Year 6, Mrs Mitchell and Mrs Evans.
For a parents guide to ensuring children’s use of Nintendo Switch is safe, please see here
Next Friday (4th July) is our School Summer Fete on the field 3.30-5pm. cakes, refreshments, bouncy castle, tombola, raffle and games. we hope to see as many of you as possible.
- Girls cricket @Bideford Cricket Club free turn up and play sessions information see here
- North Devon BioBlitz Friday 27th and Saturday 28th June is free to all. Please see here and here for information.
- School Fete after school on Friday 4th July
- Free family fun day at ARC (Atlantic Racquets Centre), Bideford, Saturday 12th July. See here or here for more information
- Football summer camps at Bideford Blues see here and Moreton Park, Bideford, see here
Wishing you all a great weekend.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Sports day was a really lovely day and thank you to you all for making it such a success. Your support was greatly appreciated by the children and staff and thank you to FOAS for providing the refreshments (£621 raised!). And be warned, we will be much stricter in the application of the rules in the parents’ races next year!
In addition to sports day, this week has seen: an educational trip to Coldharbour Mill, Early Years library visit; a fabulous performance from our singers and dancers at a music festival on The Big Sheep stage; a good showing at an athletics meet and the continued growth of our dragon egg/ Please read on for more information…
Dates for the diary:
- Girls cricket @Bideford Cricket Club free turn up and play sessions information see here
- North Devon BioBlitz Friday 27th and Saturday 28th June is free to all. Please see here and here for information.
Wishing you all a great weekend.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Inspirational is our value for this half term and in our launch assembly Fran and Dan Mapp, Appledore School parents, came in to tell us all about representing GB in the Aquathlon and Duathlon World Championships very soon. To follow their progress, visit mrandmrsmapp on Instagram. Thank you Fran and dan for your visit and quiz prizes for the children!
It’s sports day next week and FOAS are attending to sell refreshments such as bacon rolls and cream teas. Please see here for more information.
Do you know what the emojis children use mean? Are you sure? Please see here to find out more and here for a podcast about emojis. For our most recent attendance newsletter please see here
Dates for the diary
- Girls cricket @Bideford Cricket Club free turn up and play sessions information see here
- Sports Day is next week, Tuesday 17th June, and the reserve date is Tuesday 24th June please see here for information
- North Devon BioBlitz Friday 27th and Saturday 28th June is free to all. Please see here and here for information.
Wishing you all a great weekend.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
It has been great having the children back after the break and how has this year gone so quickly that we find ourself in the last half term?
This week Year 5 walked to the slipway on Tuesday morning where they sang for a host of Bishops. Appledore had been chosen as the location where Moira Aston was announced as the new bishop of Crediton and we were invited along to sing to show the community spirit of Appledore. The children sang three songs beautifully in the sunny yet windy conditions. We had inadvertently selected the new bishop’s favourite song in our programme and she enthusiastically accompanied the children in their rendition of “From a Distance”. This is the song the choir will be performing at the Big Sheep and a google form has gone out to choir members for you to let us know how many people will be attending the festival. There are no physical tickets this year!
Atlantic Racquet Centre in Bideford are running a number of beginner tennis classes for children and adult and for more information please see here and here.
Dates for the diary
- For free after school school summer girls’ rugby taster sessions in June with Bideford Rugby Club girls in years 3-6 please see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
- North Devon BioBlitz Friday 27th and Saturday 28th June is free to all. Please see here and here for information.
Wishing you all a good weekend.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Sports Day is fast approaching and details were emailed out earlier this week. The details are also available here.
Term dates for 2026-2027 have now been published, available here, and please be aware that the children return to school on Tuesday 3rd June after the half term.
The children have been enjoying taking part in activities with rangers from the Northam Burrows Country Park over that past few weeks and asking if they can get involved in more activities over half term, well they can and please see here and here to find out what is on offer,
A message from Liz Clough, Torridge Citizens Advice, ‘We know the school holidays can be an expensive time – with the kids at home more, you may end up spending more on energy. Our dedicated energy team can run through tips to help you cut your bills, as well as look at making sure you have enough money to pay for your ongoing usage by checking your entitlement for benefits or seeing if you can claim any grants. If you’re on a prepayment meter, we might also be able to issue you with vouchers to keep you topped up over the holidays‘. For more information and to contact our energy advisers, call 01237 879 233 and leave a message.
Dates for the Diary
- Saturday 17th May, 10am-4pm, family friendly Festival of Nature, St Mary’s Hall, Appledore see here
- Tennis Camps @ Westward Ho! tennis courts. Thursday 29th & Friday 30th May 9am-3.30pm. Full days and half days, subsidised by Northam Town Council. £14 for the full day, £7 for the half day.
- For free after school school summer girls’ rugby taster sessions in June with Bideford Rugby Club girls in years 3-6 please see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
Wishing you all a lovely half term and please remember we return to school on Tuesday 3rd June.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Year 6 SATs week always seems to bring the best weather and this year as no exception! Well done to all our year 6 pupils who approached it with such maturity and thank you to all the staff and external volunteers who helped this week to ensure it all ran so smoothly.
Inclusive is our value for this half term and last week the theme of assemblies was deaf awareness. One of our parents has made a fantastic animated film (see here) on deaf awareness and keep an eye out for information about a community sign language club. Each week children attend a signing club in school.
It is great to see so many children cycling to school. Please be aware that some of the older children are not wearing a helmet and for the children to leave their bikes on school premises we require the children to wear a helmet.
Dates for the Diary
- Saturday 17th May, 10am-4pm, family friendly Festival of Nature, St Mary’s Hall, Appledore see here
- For free after school school summer girls’ rugby taster sessions in June with Bideford Rugby Club girls in years 3-6 please see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
Wishing you all a super weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Year 6 excelled with their enthusiasm during their first aid training this week and were credited by the trainer for their skills – well done year 6. The fish tank in our main corridor has been met with equal levels of enthusiasm as the children try to locate the crab and starfish each time they pass it. The tanks is linked to the children’s science learning and the Royal Society project we are running in school this year to inspire tomorrow’s climate scientists.
Yesterday, children had quiet time to reflect on the 80th anniversary of VE Day and our assembly this week focussed on Deaf Awareness Week.
Good attendance remains a priority for us all and please see here for April’s attendance newsletter.
Congratulations to Pacific/Red House for winning the House Cup for the Spring Term. Those in Pacific can wear red on Friday 16th May as their treat.
Dates for the Diary
- Saturday 17th May, 10am-4pm, family friendly Festival of Nature, St Mary’s Hall, Appledore see here
- For free after school school summer girls’ rugby taster sessions in June with Bideford Rugby Club girls in years 3-6 please see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
Have a lovely weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
It has been lovely to see all the children enjoying the field and the excitement it brings. There is limited shade on the field so please ensure children come to school with sun protection applied (crazy I know, but we are not allowed to apply it!) and a sun hat. Sun glasses are only permitted if your child needs them for hay fever protection or an identified medical needs and you have informed us by emailing admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk
On Sunday 4th May, starting at 10am, Appledore Lifeboat is celebrating its 200th birthday with many activities throughout the day, including children from Appledore School singing from approximately 12.30pm. All children in key stage two are welcome to join the singing.
Other Dates for the Diary
- Saturday 17th May, 10am-4pm, family friendly Festival of Nature, St Mary’s Hall, Appledore see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
Have a great weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Welcome back everyone and we hope you had a good Easter break. A shorter week, but no less busy. A new term brings the start of new projects and topics and this has included visits to the beach looking for seaweed types and creating a mini coastal habitat in a tank in our main corridor. Please click here for an overview of what your children will be learning this term this year. And as to what the children have been up to this week in all classes, please read on to find out…
Dates for the Diary
- Saturday 17th May, 10am-4pm, family friendly Festival of Nature, St Mary’s Hall, Appledore see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
Wishing you all a super weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Sadly, Sally, who works in AOOSC, leaves us this week and we wish her well with her new adventure…involving ducks and chickens! Thank you Sally for your hard work looking after our children. After Easter, Mrs Wilkins returns from maternity leave to year 1 and will be job sharing with Mrs Malyn. Also returning from maternity leave after Easter is Mrs Stephens, who will resume her job share in year 2 with Mrs Stanbury.
For the FOAS (Friends of Appledore School (ie the parents who put on fund raising events for the school)) newsletter please see here. A big thank you to all they do in support of the school!
We have started a BSL (British Sign Language) club in school. The club involves ambassadors across the school who attend cascade their learning to their class (and at home too!). A Crowdfunding page has been organised to raise funds to resource the club, so far halfway towards target, so any donation, no matter the size, would be greatly received. See here for the link
During each school holiday the rangers at Northam Burrows Country Park provide free events on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons as well as self-guided trails and other activities. Please see here for more information and the visitor centre will be open daily from this Saturday 5th April until the end of October half term.
Dates for the diary:
- Free Spike Lego Workshop at Appledore Library 10am-12pm Saturday 5th April see here
- Dinosaur Egg Hunt in Appledore Library see here
- Family Bingo 12th April in Appledore Community Hall hosted by Appledore Pirates . For more information see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
We wish you all a happy Easter
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff (more…)
Another busy and productive week for us all that ends with the discos this evening. Seen you there..!
Dates for the diary:
- Family Bingo 12th April in Appledore Community Hall hosted by Appledore Pirates . For more information see here
- Sports Day Tuesday 17th June and reserve date is Tuesday 24th June
Wishing you all a good weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
