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

Next Friday (19th) is Children and Need and we invite the children to wear spots, stripes and any other Children in Need regalia for a donation that we will collect on the day.

We are currently planning the when and how surrounding the children’s celebrations of Christmas and will communicate these to you as soon as possible. We are planning for there to be a Foundation Stage (Turtles and Dolphins) nativity, a Key Stage 1 (years 1 & 2) nativity and a singing of carols by Key Stage 2 (years 3-6 and possibly more year groups). Sadly, due to the prevalence of Covid in our community, it is highly unlikely these will be performed to audiences consisting of parents, carers and the wider family and for this we are hugely dissapointed. We will ensure they are recorded for you to view and hope you understand and support this decision aimed at keeping families and staff safe immediately prior to us all breaking-up for Christmas break.     

We wish you all a lovely weekend.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

A very full week following half term and the children have responded with their usual high levels of energy and enthusiasm. Please do read the main section of this post to find out what has been happening in each of the classes this week.

We have been given a date of Wednesday 17th December for the nasal flu vaccination of pupils in Dophins to Year 6. We will be sending out further details (including consent forms) when we receive them.

We wish you all a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

As mentioned last week, trips have continued this week for various classes and have included the Year 5 residential trip to Georgeham House, Year 1 to Exmoor Zoo and Year 3 to the Eden Project. Despite rain, rain and more rain all trips were a real success.

Please click on the title to find out about local events that may interest you, information regarding outdoor afterschool clubs, the pending flu nasal spray and what has been happening in and around the classes this week.

We wish you all an ejoyable half term and look forward to welcoming you back on Monday 1st November.

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

This week and next week include numerous trips linked to various aspects of the children’s learning and we wish Year 5 a fun residential trip at the beginning of next week.

Please read the main section of this article to find out what has been happening around the school and of other local events and activities that may be of interest to you and your children.

We wish you a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff 

A week of visitors and trips. Please read on to find out what has been happening in and around the classes and for some interesting village events…

Have a great weekend everybody

From Jeremy Cooper and all of the children and staff

It’s been another busy week for the children at school and on for our Year 6 on their residential trip on Dartmoor – lots of water and mud I understand! Please read the main section of this article to find out what has been happening in all of the classes. 

Over the coming days, please keep and eye our for email and text notifications inviting you to book a time for parents’ evenings. These appointments will be face-to-face in school and over the last two weeks of this half term. Please wear a mask to the appointment. 

We wish you all a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff 

it seems a long time since we were able to take the children on trips, so it was a pleasure for us to take some of our younger children to a honey farm this week as part of their eco topic on bees. Next week brings another feeling of normality for our Year 6 children who are looking forward to attending a residental week on Dartmoor.

As ever, the school has been a hive (see what I did there?) of activity this week and please read on to find out what has been happening in and around all of the classes.

A small number of children are arriving very early to school unsupervised. Please be aware that pupils should not be entering the site before 8.40pm and the breakfast club is available should you need support.

We wish you all a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

A super week with a lot going on around teh school.

After school clubs are up and running now and we have a few remaing spaces in Tuesday art club and Wednesday eco club.  Please contact admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk if you are interested in one of these clubs.

This week has proved that Covid 19 remains in our community with cases in school. Thank you for our support with testing your children and your prompt information regarding test results. We are in colds season and the number of children coughing will be higher than usual, so your support of us erring on the side of caution and getting tests for new and persistent coughs is really appreciated. Thank you.  Please remain extra vigilant to possible Covid 19 symptoms and advise us of any test results, including em,ailing test results received over the weekend to admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk.

Please click on the headline to read all of this article to find out what has been going on in and around the classes…

We wish you all a lovely weekend

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

This week has been a most enjoyable week for us all. To have all the children back and with greater freedoms is a real pleasure and it looks like they are enjoying it to.

Welcome back to all of you who are returning this year and a very warm welcome to those of you new to us. We hope all of your children have enjoyed their first week of this academic year and if you have questions or concerns, please speak with any of us and we are here to help.

Please take a look at the News section of the school website every Friday. Unless it has been just one of those Fridays, this newsletter will be avaialble before the end of the school day. If it’s not there by then, it soon will be. The newsletter is aimed at providing you with information on what has been happening in all of the classes and other information that we hope is of interest to you.

Please read the main section of this news article and we wish you all a lovely weekend.

Best wishes from

Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

Please see below information regarding school opening in September and a further document that details contingency planning for a potential local outbreak of Covid-19 in school.  We look forward to welcoming you in September and if you have any questions please contact admin@appledoreprimary.co.uk and we will answer as soon as possible.

Covid What happens if… questions and letter – Spetember 16th

Plan for managing a local outbreak of Covid-19

NHS guide for parents and guardians of children returning to primary school

An end of a busy week, a busier term and arguably the busiest year! Lots to read about as we end term, so please click on the headline to read the main section of this article for news of this week and next year.

For those departing we wish you every success (please do keep in touch) and for those returning we look forward to welcoming you back in September.

We wish you all a happy and safe summer. 

From Jeremy Cooper and all the children and staff

Year Six have had an amazing last week at Simonsbath. They have completed many challenges at the centre, rode mountain bikes on Exmoor, got very wet from a river scramble and spent a fantastic day in Lynmouth.

Another amazing day on the Y6 residential. The children have challenged themselves to climb to new heights and work as a team.  They played hide and seek in the woods this evening before cooling off in the stream.  The mountain biking out on Exmoor was the favourite activity today.  All have worked hard and managed the heat well.  A few bruises and insect bites but all still having a fantastic time.  Most getting a good 10 hours sleep! They are looking forward to going to Lynton and Lynmouth today.

Yesterday included a river study and walk, zip wire, archery and river scramble.  In the evening year 6 played fun games. Everyone was keen to get to bed after the hot chocolate at 8pm.  All are looking forward to today’s challenges.

A safe journey to Simonsbath and a fantastic day yesterday. All ate really well last night and had a good night sleep. A very warm day and all children are being supported with learning how to protect themselves from such weather. They are out in the river today were it will be cooler.