Wasn’t that a short half term and a shame that the weather wasn’t suitable for our sports day on Wednesday? It has been rescheduled for Tuesday 16th June and please see here for more information. Here’s hoping we have better weather and thank you for your understanding.

Over half term there are many activities organised in our local area, so please take a look at the list below.

Dates for the diary:

• Half term activities at Burton Art Gallery see here
• Free events on Northam Burrows over half term please see here and here
• Children’s Theatre event at Appledore Library on 27th May see here
• Football clubs for boys and girls of all abilities are being run across the region over May half term. See here.
• Skern Lodge celebrates 50 years and is hosting a family afternoon of activities on 30th May. See here for info
• Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June (see here) and please see here for a competition for children to win £50 and here for story reading in the library
• Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.

Wishing you all a lovely half term and please note that pupils return to school on Tuesday 2nd June.

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

Fingers crossed for the weather on Wednesday so sports day can go ahead. We will make a decision during Tuesday afternoon based on the information we have available to us at the time. If we have to postpone because the weather looks disappointing, please note that our reserve date is Tuesday 16th June. Information relating to sports day can be found here and please keep an eye out any communication from us on Tuesday.

We work with Mental Health Support Team in schools (MHST) who have won the Psychological Professions Network Southwest Award in the Analogue to Digital category for the implementation of Lumi Nova for all children aged 7–12 across Devon and Torbay. Children in Devon can access the app for free. The app combines psychoeducation with graded exposure therapy to help children understand anxiety and gradually face their fears in a safe, structured way, all delivered through a fun, engaging game format. Parent/carers simply need to follow this link to generate a game key before downloading the app: https://luminova.app/devon

Dates for the diary:

• Book Festival at Barnstaple library, Saturday 16th May and see here for more information
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins information is here. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.
• Football clubs for boys and girls of all abilities are being run across the region over May half term. See here.
• Skern Lodge celebrates 50 years and is hosting a family afternoon of activities on 30th May. See here for info
• Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June (see here) and please see here for a competition for children to win £50 and here for story reading in the library
• Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.

Wishing you all a good weekend.

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

A shorter than usual week, but no less busy! Please read Around the Classes section to find out what has been going on in each class.

The Parish Nurse Baby Drop-in Weigh and Health Clinic for parents/carers with babies and toddlers. It offers a free, face-to-face, weigh and health support service by a Nursing and Midwifery Council, qualified Nurse and Health Visitor, with many years’ experience working in the Bideford Community. The nurse (see here for info) is also a certified, lactation consultant and offer free Infant Feeding support alongside the clinic. For more information, please see here and here.

Children’s Commissioner has launched a survey so you children and parents can have their say on what it’s like to be a child or young person in England today. The Commissioner will take your views to the Government, to help them make life better for children.  The link to the survey is available here

Dates for the diary:

• Book Festival at Barnstaple library, Saturday 18th May and see here for more information
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins information is here. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.
• Football clubs for boys and girls of all abilities are being run across the region over May half term. See here.
• Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June (see here) and please see here for a competition for children to win £50 and here for story reading in the library
• Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.

Wishing you all a lovely  weekend.

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

Mrs Avery had a beautiful baby girl and her name is Rosie. We send them all our best wishes.

Children at Appledore School participate in lots of climate change and environmental activities and learning and a requirement of the DfE is that we record what we are doing in a Climate Action Plan. Our Climate Action Plan is available to view here.

School has been contacted by local residents, eg Richmond Green and Scott Avenue, asking you to ensure parking is considerate of the need for them to get our of their drives and for emergency vehicles to be able to get through.  Please be aware that we can issue free car parking permits for the car park on Oden Road.

Dates for the diary:

• For details of free wildlife walks (including a night bat hunt) this weekend organised by North Devon Biosphere, see here
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.
• Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June (see here) and please see here for a competition for children to win £50 and here for story reading in the library
• Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.

Wishing you all a lovely bank holiday weekend and we look forward to welcoming you back on Tuesday 5th May.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

(more…)

It is the start of the summer term and as this this newsletter is written the sun is out – at last – and there is the excited noise of the children playing on the field. It’s great to be back.

Ms Newcombe who has joined us this week to teach Year 4 whilst Mrs Avery is on maternity leave. A warm welcome to Ms Newcombe and we look forward to hearing Mrs Avery’s news…

Our school works with our local NHS Mental Health Support Team to support the children with their mental health. Over the next couple of months the team is hosting online workshops to help you with supporting your children on a range of topics. The workshops are on Microsoft Team and  between 6-7pm and include:

• an introduction to Lumi Nova (a digital therapy game for childhood anxiety) on 29th April (Meeting ID: 399 221 272 523 28 Passcode: pX3ve2bn)
• supporting a successful transition to secondary school on Wednesday 24th June (Meeting ID: 319 109 280 827 09 Passcode; Be77Zx35)
• supporting the use of devices on 15th July (Meeting ID: 345 784 004 151 21  PasscodehM3gu2oa)
• For posters relating to these workshops please see here and here.

Barnstaple Young Generation production of The Little Mermaid is on over half term and one of our former pupils is one of the main parts. For tickets, please see here.

Dates for the diary:

• For details of free wildlife walks (including a night bat hunt) this weekend organised by North Devon Biospghere, see here
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.
• Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June (see here) and please see here for a competition for children to win £50
• Tabsfest, in memory of an Appledore Pupil, is a family music festival at The Big Sheep, Saturday 13th June. See here for info.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend.

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

An Easter egg hunt in the woods, a coastal walk, fantastic stories published, sound surveys, an engineering challenge and more on shape, space and angles and much more has been crowbarred into a four day week. Read what else each class has been up to in Around the Classes and in Dates for the Diary are numerous local activities over the Easter holiday.

Thank  you FOAS for organising the school discos and the coffee and cake morning the following day and for your support of these events.

Well done to all our pupils for their artistic talent. We submitted a large number of pieces to the Burton Art Gallery for their schools exhibition and we won a £100 prize.

Dates for the diary:

• Free family activity days for pupils with SEND at Calvert Trust see here
• Northam May Fair, 2nd May, 12pm-2pm, fancy dress competition information here and entry form here
• For a range of football activities at Kingsley over the Easter holiday for all ages, boys and girls, with free places for those receiving benefits see here, here, here and here for more information
• Over the Easter holiday there is a holiday activity and food programme at West Croft Primary School for children aged 5-13 years. This programme is free of charge for children on benefit related free school meals and in care (see here) and there is a charge for children who are not (see here).
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.
• Appledore’s first ever Pride will take place around the village on Saturday 6th June

Wishing you all a lovely Easter and we look forward to welcoming you back on 20th April.

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

Great participation and sporting behaviour by our year 5 tag rugby team in a tournament last Friday and a noisy week with the sound of thirty children playing the trombone in music! Please read on to find out what else has been happening…

Get your disco tickets here

Dates for the diary:

• Class photos will now be taken on Thursday 2nd April
• Spring Disco Friday 27th March. Reception – Yr 2 5-6pm and Yr3 – Yr6 6.30pm-7.30pm
• Coffee, cake and raffle FOAS fundraiser for the school, Saturday 28th March, 10am-12pm, Royal Pub, Appledore
• Northam May Fair, 2nd May, 12pm-2pm, fancy dress competition information here and entry form here
• For a range of football activities at Kingsley over the Easter holiday for all ages, boys and girls, with free places for those receiving benefits see here, here, here and here for more information
• Over the Easter holiday there is a holiday activity and food programme at West Croft Primary School for children aged 5-13 years. This programme is free of charge for children on benefit related free school meals and in care (see here) and there is a charge for children who are not (see here).
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.

Wishing you all a lovely weekend

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

Wow! What an amazing array of cakes entered in our house baking competition. Thank you everybody who baked and a particular shout-out to the parent who was shopping for butter at 7am this morning – that’s dedication!  Judging was very difficult and photos to follow…

Get your disco tickets here

Dates for the diary:

• Class photos will now be taken on Thursday 2nd April
• Spring Disco Friday 27th March. Reception – Yr 2 5-6pm and Yr3 – Yr6 6.30pm-7.30pm
• Coffee, cake and raffle FOAS fundraiser for the school, Saturday 28th March, 10am-12pm, Royal Pub, Appledore
• For a range of football activities at Kingsley over the Easter holiday for all ages, boys and girls, with free places for those receiving benefits see here, here, here and here for more information
• Over the Easter holiday there is a holiday activity and food programme at West Croft Primary School for children aged 5-13 years. This programme is free of charge for children on benefit related free school meals and in care (see here) and there is a charge for children who are not (see here).
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.

Wishing you all a super weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

(more…)

Next Friday (20th) is Red Nose Day and the children can wear something red for an optional donation to Comic Relief. Please be aware that if you do make a donation, due to banking restrictions we cannot accept coins less than £1!

The Department for Education has recently published its schools white paper, Every Child Achieving and Thriving, and is inviting parents to take part in the consultation on SEND reform, Putting Children and Young People First. The proposed reforms are extensive and your views are important. Please follow the links for the white paper and the SEND consultation.

For our most recent attendance letter, please see here.

Dates for the diary:

• Class photos will be taken on Tuesday 17th march
• Spring Disco Friday 27th March. Reception – Yr 2 5-6pm amd Yr3 – Yr6 6.30pm-7.30pm
• Coffee, cake and raffle FOAS fundraiser for the school, Saturday 28th March, 10am-12pm, Royal Pub, Appledore
• For a range of football activities at Kingsley over the Easter holiday for all ages, boys and girls, with free places for those receiving benefits see here, here, here and here for more information
• Over the Easter holiday there is a holiday activity and food programme at West Croft Primary School for children aged 5-13 years. This programme is free of charge for children on benefit related free school meals and in care (see here) and there is a charge for children who are not (see here).
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.

Wishing you all a super weekend

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

Pyjamas, speed guns, body parts and plate tectonics – all part of a normal working week here!  Please take a look in Around the Classes to find out more…

Dates for the diary:

• Class photos will be taken on Tuesday 17th march
• Over the Easter holiday there is a holiday activity and food programme at West Croft Primary School for children aged 5-13 years. This programme is free of charge for children on benefit related free school meals and in care (see here) and there is a charge for children who are not (see here).
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.

Wishing you all a super weekend

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

Dates for the diary:

• Big Brush Club – Free Oral Health Webinar for Parents and Caregivers of Young Children 10am 28th February see here
• World Book Day – Thursday 5th March – Children in FSU and KS1 (Turtles, Dolphins, Year 1, Year 2) children can come to school dressed in pyjamas ready for a bedtime story.  KS2 children (Year 3, 4, 5 and 6) can choose whether they wear pyjamas or come dressed as a character from a book they have read.
• Over the Easter holiday there is a holiday activity and food programme at West Croft Primary School for children aged 5-13 years. This programme is free of charge for children on benefit related free school meals and in care (see here) and there is a charge for children who are not (see here).
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.

Wishing you all a good (and dry, perhaps) half term.

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

It was quite special celebrating the end of our Positive value half term in an assembly today and seeing children receiving awards. Well done to Caya for receiving the Values Cup for being so positive and always seeing and celebrating the best in others.

Are you struggling to find an NHS dentist? If you, please see here for a dental surgery that is accepting new patients.

When we return after half term, please continue to park respectfully for our neighbours and remember that Kingsley Avenue is private road that you are not permitted to park on when collecting or dropping off your children. If you need a parking permit for Odun Road, please contact the school office.

For our most recent attendance newsletter please see here.

Dates for the diary:

• Half term theatre workshop Monday 16th February, Shirwell Village Hall see here
• Half term sports camps at Bideford Blues, Sandymere, EX39 1XX on the 16th and 18th February see here
• The Northam Burrows rangers run free family events and on Tuesday 17th February they will have crafts, games and stories at the Northam Burrows visitor centre – all on the theme of ‘magnificent mice’! see here and Thursday 19th February the Northam Burrows Rangers will be on the rocky shore near Westward Ho! slipway to lead a rock pool ramble see here. Both events will take place from 2pm to 4pm and are free to attend.
• Half term free Safari Storytime and Play, ages 4-11, 10am-12.30pm, Tuesday 17th February, St Mary’s Hall, Appledore see here
• Big Brush Club – Free Oral Health Webinar for Parents and Caregivers of Young Children 10am 28th February see here
• World Book Day – Thursday 5th March – Children in FSU and KS1 (Turtles, Dolphins, Year 1, Year 2) children can come to school dressed in pyjamas ready for a bedtime story.  KS2 children (Year 3, 4, 5 and 6) can choose whether they wear pyjamas or come dressed as a character from a book they have read.
• Sports Day Wednesday 20th May all day for Years 1-6 and the afternoon for Reception/Dolphins. Tuesday 16th June is back-up day should the weather be bad in May. More details to follow nearer the time.

Wishing you all a good (and dry, perhaps) half term.

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