AUTUMN 2016 â NUMBER 5 â THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2016 ...
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Newsletter AUTUMN 2016 – NUMBER 5 – THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2016 Dear Parents and Carers Welcome back after what I hope was an enjoyable half term break for you all. The children have settled very well back into school and I continue to be really impressed by how friendly, confident and helpful they all are. I’m conscious that in the last couple of weeks, I’ve not been out and about as much in the mornings as I’d like. I’ll do better this half term! Don’t forget that this is a good time to catch me if you have something on your mind that you’d like to say, even if it’s just hello.
Maths for Mums (and dads) Miss Hardinge has been running a very successful course designed to help parents support their children with their maths work. We’ve had good attendance and the feedback from parents has been very positive. Here are some parents hard at work:
Making the most of old buildings As you probably know, our two schools (unlike almost every other school in the city) have not had any capital investment from DCC or the government which means we have to work hard to make them suitable for our children. I am very aware that some areas are in desperate need of redecoration and this will be happening at the next opportunity (Christmas and February half term). I am also looking into ways of funding noise reduction measures in both school halls. Some areas of our schools, however, are looking great. Last half term, two mums Miss Jackson and Miss Hardware spent the day weeding outside the Y2 classes and this area will be shortly replanted. We are planning to rejuvenate the growing area next to the drive-way too, see below. Grounds Day Mrs Nash and her Wildlife Champions are keen to smarten up the growing and seating area between the infant and junior schools. You will all be receiving a letter about this soon and we are keen for as many helpers as possible. The day we have set aside is Thursday 24th November, so if you are free, please complete the slip on the letter and return it to either school office.
Celebration Assemblies If your child is in the Infants and due to receive an award in celebration assembly, then their name will be added to a list on the classroom door. Class teachers are often very busy in the mornings and do not always have time to inform all parents and carers so please remember to check the list. If your child is in the Juniors, you will receive a slip letting you know.
Achievement and Celebration Newsletter I hope you enjoyed the Achievement and Celebration Newsletter last half term. The newsletter, from both schools, will show our children learning new and interesting things and celebrate high quality work and good attendance. You will receive this newsletter once every half term. My newsletter (the one you are reading now) will also celebrate achievement but is mainly about updating you with information. Hippo Bench As you know, we are creating a sensory garden on the infant site. The garden is in memory of Leia Dare. Leia loved hippos and we have been very lucky to have Michelle McQuinn working with our Y2 and Y5 children to create a Hippo Bench and plaques for the garden. I am really pleased with how the children have been getting on. Here are some of them hard at work.
Prospectus and website One of the things I was keen to do quickly was to update the school prospectus and website. I realise the website has only recently been redesigned, but I don’t feel that it is very easy for existing, new or prospective parents to navigate. I am aiming to get the new website up and running before Christmas. In preparation for that, as I mentioned in my last newsletter, I arranged for a photographer to spend a day in school to capture the essence of Whipton Barton. Here are just a few of his pictures. I hope you like them.
Couch to 5K Challenge Before the half term break a group of Whipton mums took up Active Exeter’s Couch to 5K Challenge. I got to hear about it through our co-chair of governors Stacey Andrew and again through one of the Active Exeter coordinators. You may have seen some of the photographs and comments on Facebook, but if you haven’t, I’ve included them below. I know that the running group felt a genuine sense of achievement and camaraderie during their training and the actual run. They’ve set a real example to the children (and the rest of us!) about effort and commitment. Well done them, I say!
“I am proud of myself for being able to run a lot further and for longer. I like being able to go out running with other parents from the school and socialising and being more confident in myself”.
“I wanted to achieve this for my children but also for myself. I’m not getting any younger and things are getting harder as I get older. I want to make sure that I live a long, happy and healthy life”.
Newsletter AUTUMN 2016 – NUMBER 5 – THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2016 Dear Parents and Carers Welcome back after what I hope was an enjoyable half term break for you all. The children have settled very well back into school and I continue to be really impressed by how friendly, confident and helpful they all are. I’m conscious that in the last couple of weeks, I’ve not been out and about as much in the mornings as I’d like. I’ll do better this half term! Don’t forget that this is a good time to catch me if you have something on your mind that you’d like to say, even if it’s just hello.
Maths for Mums (and dads) Miss Hardinge has been running a very successful course designed to help parents support their children with their maths work. We’ve had good attendance and the feedback from parents has been very positive. Here are some parents hard at work:
Making the most of old buildings As you probably know, our two schools (unlike almost every other school in the city) have not had any capital investment from DCC or the government which means we have to work hard to make them suitable for our children. I am very aware that some areas are in desperate need of redecoration and this will be happening at the next opportunity (Christmas and February half term). I am also looking into ways of funding noise reduction measures in both school halls. Some areas of our schools, however, are looking great. Last half term, two mums Miss Jackson and Miss Hardware spent the day weeding outside the Y2 classes and this area will be shortly replanted. We are planning to rejuvenate the growing area next to the drive-way too, see below. Grounds Day Mrs Nash and her Wildlife Champions are keen to smarten up the growing and seating area between the infant and junior schools. You will all be receiving a letter about this soon and we are keen for as many helpers as possible. The day we have set aside is Thursday 24th November, so if you are free, please complete the slip on the letter and return it to either school office.
Celebration Assemblies If your child is in the Infants and due to receive an award in celebration assembly, then their name will be added to a list on the classroom door. Class teachers are often very busy in the mornings and do not always have time to inform all parents and carers so please remember to check the list. If your child is in the Juniors, you will receive a slip letting you know.
Achievement and Celebration Newsletter I hope you enjoyed the Achievement and Celebration Newsletter last half term. The newsletter, from both schools, will show our children learning new and interesting things and celebrate high quality work and good attendance. You will receive this newsletter once every half term. My newsletter (the one you are reading now) will also celebrate achievement but is mainly about updating you with information. Hippo Bench As you know, we are creating a sensory garden on the infant site. The garden is in memory of Leia Dare. Leia loved hippos and we have been very lucky to have Michelle McQuinn working with our Y2 and Y5 children to create a Hippo Bench and plaques for the garden. I am really pleased with how the children have been getting on. Here are some of them hard at work.
Prospectus and website One of the things I was keen to do quickly was to update the school prospectus and website. I realise the website has only recently been redesigned, but I don’t feel that it is very easy for existing, new or prospective parents to navigate. I am aiming to get the new website up and running before Christmas. In preparation for that, as I mentioned in my last newsletter, I arranged for a photographer to spend a day in school to capture the essence of Whipton Barton. Here are just a few of his pictures. I hope you like them.
Couch to 5K Challenge Before the half term break a group of Whipton mums took up Active Exeter’s Couch to 5K Challenge. I got to hear about it through our co-chair of governors Stacey Andrew and again through one of the Active Exeter coordinators. You may have seen some of the photographs and comments on Facebook, but if you haven’t, I’ve included them below. I know that the running group felt a genuine sense of achievement and camaraderie during their training and the actual run. They’ve set a real example to the children (and the rest of us!) about effort and commitment. Well done them, I say!
“I am proud of myself for being able to run a lot further and for longer. I like being able to go out running with other parents from the school and socialising and being more confident in myself”.
“I wanted to achieve this for my children but also for myself. I’m not getting any younger and things are getting harder as I get older. I want to make sure that I live a long, happy and healthy life”.
