Author: AS1
We are very pleased to be welcoming all children back to school on Monday 8th March. Please click here for the details on the full reopening of school.
As from Monday 8th March remote learning will only be available to pupils required to self-isolate due to being infected with COVID-19 or having been in contact with a positive case of COVID-19.
For our remote learning policy (ie the what,how, when, where & who) click here and for Google Classroom user guides, including how to access via Google Classroom via a games console, click here. If you experience problems using Google Classroom that can’t be solved by following the guides, please contact you teacher through the Google Classroom or contact school direct.
COVID-19 testing kits are available for all adults in households and support bubbles that have children at school or in college. To find out how to get testing kits please click here.
As hoped, we were given the news that school will reopen for all pupils on Monday 8th March. Presently, there has been very little updated guidance from the Department of Education on how this will look so at this stage we must presume it will resemble how we planned to open in January after the Christmas break before we went into lockdown again.
We will confirm full reopening details next week when we are in a position to do so. At this stage we will continue to operate staggered starts for year groups.
The one change that is clear this time is that attendance returns to being compulsory for all but a very few pupils, the exception being those who have recently received a letter confirming they are clinically extremely vulnerable and those following existing isolating requirements based on contact.
Please read on to find out about World Book Day arrangements, a Food Bank appeal and what has been going on in and around the classes…
Wishing you a lovely weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
It’s now halfway through the academic year and how time has flown! Don’t forget next week is half term and school starts again, here or online, on Monday 22nd February.
Please click here for a letter sent out to parents and guardians today with information on expected guidance on the future of schools from 8th March onwards, SATs and other tests and the need for us to continue track and trace this weekend.
If anyone has any experience or expertise in online crowd funding, please could you contact me on jeremy.cooper@appledoreprimary.co.uk so I can pick your brains? With COVID putting a stop to our usual fund raising (eg Summer and Christmas fairs) for the ‘extras’ a new approach is required.
Please read on to find out what has been happening in and around the classes, here and online.
Have a lovely half term
Best wishes from
Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Well done this week everybody. Don’t forget next week is the last week before the half term break. Please read on to find out was has been going on in the classes in school and at home…
The end of another busy week in school and at home for us all. Well done everybody: children, parents and staff.
The #DevonVirtualGames has an exciting opportunity for all the family to get involved in a skipping challenge. If you don’t have a skipping rope at home, don’t worry we want to offer you an incentive to join the challenge. Click on the link below to receive a maximum of 2 free skipping ropes per family delivered direct to your door Skipping Challenge Rope Incentive Form. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/DVGSkippingRopes There will be a choice of a Gold, Silver or Bronze challenge that consist of different elements like Single Bounce, Double Bounce, Run, Slalom skip and Speed Skipping to complete in sequence. If you are not sure what these are, head over to #DevonVirtualGames Skipping Tutorials with Dan the skipping man. He makes it simple and super easy to follow. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc2o9VYIBVkWtI-2_QMdIZg/videos The challenge opens on Monday 1st February when you will then receive an email with the full challenge details and how to record your results on our quick and easy survey monkey link. Please join the conversations here on our Devon School Games Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/devonschoolgames
Please remain vigilant to potential scams relating to the current difficult Covid situation and to refrain from sharing personal or bank details if there is any doubt. One scam doing the involves parents being contacted and sked to provide details to be eligible for free school meals. Please only liaise with your school about such matters.
Please read on to find out what has been going on in and around the classes.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend,
From Mr Cooper and all the children and staff
We enter the weekend with another week under our belt as we continue to adapt to our new ‘normal’. A big well done to all of you in school and at home with your engagement of learning (and I certainly include all the adults at home!).
This week we say goodbye and a huge thank you to Ms Hodge, our Learning Mentor, who leaves us with our very best wishes after ten years of supporting all of us. Mrs Phillips will be our new Learning Mentor and she has been working alongside Ms Hodge to ensure a smooth transition.
This week school received delivery of COVID-19 testing kits for staff for twice weekly testing. Staff will self-test on a Sunday morning and a Wednesday evening. On these days please be extra vigilant for texts or emails from us because we may need to inform you of changes to school organisation for the following day should a staff test record a positive result. If you have changed your phone number or email address recently, please inform school by email on admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk
Please read on to find out what has been going on around the classes. And to add to a safe and successful week, my week has just been capped by a child telling me, ‘I’ve had an amazing week’. Small things like that make it all so worthwhile.
Have a safe and enjoyable weekend with your children.
Best wishes
From Jeremy Cooper and all the childlren and staff
A busy week of in-school and remote learning for our pupils and staff and thank you for your enagagement. Please read on to find out more about: remote learning; the free school meals for our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children; what has been happening in and around the classes; the ‘3i’s’ and the cancellation of nationally set tests for your children.
This page provides information for pupils attending school who were contacted today by school staff.
Children will be in their usual class supported by their usual teachers.
Staggered start and end times remian the same and so do the entry and exit points from the school site.
Full school uniform is to be worn.
Breakfast club and after school club (AOOSC) will be open for pupils attending Appledore School during this period. Booking and payment is as per usual.
For pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 the Univeral Free School Meals menu has been reduced. Children will be supported by the staff with their choices.
Today is the last day of term and happy Christmas everbody! Please click here to read an important letter for all parents and guardians and read on to find out what has been happening around the classes this week
We wish you all a safe Christmas and look forward to welcoming you all back on Monday 4th January.
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Hollywood comes to school this week with the recording of our Foundation Stage nativity and our Key Stage 1 Christmas celebration. Sorry we couldn’t have live audiences due to current circumstances, so to get us all in the Christmas spirit here’s a poem written by one of our Year 6 pupils.
Decorations are up and Christmas jumpers were out in force today, so there’s no escaping it! Please read on to find out what has been happening in and around the classes.
Best wishes
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Usually we raise as a school about £40 selling remembrance merchandise, but this year we raised nearly £250 for this worthy cause. Thank you to you and Amy in Year 6 for organising the sale of it.
The Christmass hoops are now up in our main corridor and children can wear their Christmas jumpers each Friday during December for a £1 donation that we will pass to the air ambulance.
If you child wants to give Christmas cards to their friends, please ensure they are brought in before Friday 12th December and we will store them until it is safe to distrubute them the following week.
Christmas dinner is on 9th December December. If you haven’t already booked, please do so asap because orders must be in by Friday 4th December.
Please read on to find out what has been happening in and around the classes…
Best wishes
Jeremy Cooper
A fabulously busy week and sorry, but Christmas is now being mentioned in school!
Wishing you all a lovely weekend and please do read on to find out what has been happening around the classes…
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Another busy week that ended with spots and stripes for Children in Need. Read on to find out what has been happening in and around the classes this week.
But before you do, please be aware that the Government has produced new school opening guidance for parents and carers to include information on the new restrictions that came into force on 5th November. Please click here to view this guidance.
Wishing you all a happy weekend
From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff
Another busy week that has brought in tighter restrictions for us all as we try and maintain as much normality as possible. Again, the children have been amazing and risen and adapted to the challenges and uncertainty and the challenges that uncertainty can bring.
Please continue to support us as you have so well so far with the requests we place upon you, eg wearing face masks, staggered timings etc, and please do keep your your children close to you when you dropping off and picking up, because there have been occasions where children have strayed form their parents sides and interacted with children in other bubbles – something we are doing all we can to avoid at school.