Flourishing!
As ever, children at Chagford Primary School have been flourishing this week.
Years R, 1 and 2 have been working on their unique and very special nativity play. The Year Twos have the job of telling the story, while the Reception and Year One children act it out following the storytelling. Everyone gets to pick their role and do what they need to do to share the challenge and responsibility of telling the story. It will bring tears to your eyes. Do please come along on 14th December at 2:30 pm.

Year Five have been working out of their skins to write their own myths based on stories they've heard from Ancient Greece and the Norse world. They have been on fire and have written some terrific stories. I was impressed and very pleased by some children who went way beyond what they had previously been able to show us, Great work Year Five.

Year Six enjoyed a trip to the recycling centre in Plymouth. It was led by an excellent guide who made the experience really meaningful for the children. Lovely work.

Year Two have impressed us by getting on with life without missing a beat with their new teacher - Mrs Robertson back from maternity leave and very happy to be back at work and thriving in Year Two.

We all enjoyed the beauty of the world this morning in the first proper frost of winter. Chunks and plates of ice were retreived from buckets, wheelbarrows and tyres sparking curiosity and wonder. It's easy to forget how special things like frosty grass or a frozen puddle are - it's a joy when the children remind us.

It was beautiful seeing so many parents and carers at our Friday Celebration today and even more beautiful to see so many people volunteering to take part in our weekly 'Attitude of Gratitude'. The evenings are nearly as dark as they are going to be, the weather has been foul and colds and viruses seem to be everywhere but in our community of learners the knack of gratitude seems to run strong.

Celebrate a Life
We will be attending the Celebrate a Life event at Cross Tree opposite the Jubilee Hall at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday. There will be carols, mince pies and mulled wine. You will be able to add a star to the tree in memory of a loved one.

Children from the school will join together to sing 'Away in a Manger' led by Mr Finch. We have the words printed off so all children are very welcome indeed to come along and join us to sing together.
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This event will be raising money for Cancer Research, the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Charity and for Hospiscare. These are causes very close indeed to many of our hearts, so do please come along to take part, to share joyful memories of loved ones and to raise a little money for these very worthwhile charities.

Stars for the tree can be bought in advance from Uptown but don't worry about attending if you haven't been able to purchase a star in advance - this will not be an issue. You are invited to bring a small hand torch.
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Christmas Jumper Day
Our Christmas Jumper Day is this coming Wednesday 7th December.
Children are invited to wear a Christmas Jumper if they have one or any other warm and cosy jumper, and to bring a donation for the tombola at the School Christmas Fayre. A tin of drink, a can of beans, a box of chocolates, a bottle of wine - bring something you wouldn't mind winning,  add it to the pile and we'll enjoy each others jumpers.
This is NOT the school Christmas dinner which will be the following Wednesday 14th December.
The Christmas Fayre is next Saturday 10th December from 2:00 till 4:00 in the school hall. The PTFA would love to see as many people as possible there.

Miniature Pony Christmas Experience
Our friends at the Miniature Pony Centre have put together a special offer for children attending Chagford Primary.
Any children attending the school and their immediate family members (siblings, parents and guardians) -- can all get a reduced price ticket for only £12.00 (normal price (£17.95 each).

• Come and join us for a festive day at the centre. Ticket price includes (for children aged 2 and over):
• Entry to the centre
• Each child (aged 2 and over) will get a chance to see Santa in his grotto plus receive a free gift
• Visit our Elf Station and enjoy our candy bar (! x free bag of sweets per child), a chance to make or decorate a Christmas Decoration and write a letter to Santa.
• Listen to our Christmas Story
• Activities happening throughout the day including Pony Rides, pony walking, grooming and tractor
• PLUS a chance to see our wonderful fluffy ponies and much more.
• Every parent receives a free hot drink and mince pie plus a Christmas gift from us.

Christmas Hampers
As an extra activity for the Christmas period our friends at Chagford Eco Pantry are preparing hampers full of good things to distribute.
Do you know someone who you think might welcome a Hamper - maybe a neighbour, an elderly person in the area or a family who haven't got a huge amount to spare at the moment. It's fine to nominate yourself if you could do with a bit of extra help.

There are hampers waiting at the Eco Pantry at St Michael's and you can just come along and help yourself or, if it is easier for you, or if you have any special dietary requirements, you can call Lucy Tufton on 01647-432314 and she will be happy to make up a special hamper and have it delivered to your home. Don't worry about the cost of this - the church has received a very generous donation to fund the project so you will be helping the church and the community to fulfil their mission if you do nominate someone to receive a hamper. This will be a lovely way to spread random acts of kindness - do get involved. If the stock of hampers runs out, it will be replenished - so if you go into the church and there are none there please don't lose heart. Check again in a day or two or just give Lucy a call.

Thank you to everyone for organising this and to Lucy for heading it up - 01647-432314 ​.

Attendance
This week attendance has fallen back to 93.4%. This is a percentage point back from last week and below national levels. There has been an absolutely horrible cold going around which has impacted many of us, myself included so there's no blame. Sympathies to everyone who has had it or who has been looking after poorly little ones.
A point that I've been asked a couple of times in the last few weeks is "If my child is poorly in the morning but perks up in hte day, should I bring them to school?" The answer is an absolute 'yes'. If your child is well enough to come into school - even just for the afternoon session - they should be at school. We will be ahppy to see them, they will be off the sof and off your hands and they will stand a good chance of learning something interesting or doing something useful.
In purely administrative terms, we mark each morning and afternoon as separate sessions. A child who comes to school every day for a week attends ten sessions. If they miss a morning but come in for the afternoon that's nine sessions and 90% for the week. We are happy to welcome the children at any time so if they perk up soon after school would have started then why not bring them in for ten forty-five. They'lll get to have break time with their friends and won't miss the lessons between break and lunch.

Woodland School
We'll be having another Woodland School session this coming Friday 9th December. Children will need wellies, coats, hats and gloves most likely. Thanks to the PTFA for funding this.

Woodland School
Our pupils had another great session with Kael today thanks to the generosity of the PTFA. Children explored the site, made maps from found natural materials and investigated the skin of a fox. Once again, some children astonished us with their knowledge of the natural world while others showed how much they enjoyed this way of learning by drinking in all the new knowledge.
Huge thank yous go to Kael for facilitating the sessions, Chloe for being his hard working assistant right through the day, the PTFA for funding this experience for the children and everyone who has ever bought a cake or a raffle ticket or come along to a mini monster bash or a coffee morning - every penny the PTFA makes goes towards enriching the children's experience at school.

Chagford Eco Pantry
A reminder that the Pantry in our reception area is there for everyone to use. You don't need to be signposted from any authority or to be in receipt of benefits. If you're short of a tin of beans or fancy a biscuit with your tea just pop into the reception area and have a look at what is available this week. A lot of this is overstock from local cafes and businesses, and is food which would end up going to landfill if you don't divert it. I would like to see the whole range of the community dipping into the pantry to reduce waste and to share in the bounty. Do me a favour and take something next time you're passing so that everyone in the community knows that they can.

Here's a picture of our good friend, Lennie, helping herself to a tin of beans. Be more Lennie. By the way, that amazing-looking Christmas Pudding is still there - someone come and pop it in their cupboard for the big day.

Thank You Mrs Lloyd - Welcome Back Mrs Robertson

We are very sad today to be saying goodbye to Mrs Lloyd who has been teaching Year Two since the start of the school year in September. She has become a much-loved part of the school community and she will be missed as much by the staff as by her Year Two Pupils.
It's lovely, however, to welcome back Mrs Robertson after her maternity leave. She'll be teaching the Year Twos now and I know she is ready to give them engaged and enriched learning. I can't wait to see what they get up to.

COATS
We are deep into November now - it's December next week - and some children are still coming to school without coats. I know that Dartmoor children are a hardy bunch but I'm seeing a lot of damp, chilly children after play times. I know that a lot of them are probably saying, "Oh, we don't need coats", but, using the power invested in me as principal, I'm saying "Yes you do". Feel free to take my name in vain and if your child is refusing to wear their coat to school tell them, "I'm sorry but Mr Finch says you must!"

Attendance
Our attendance today was 94.9%. Thanks to every child and every family who are coming to school on time every single day. We would love to see an uptick and for us to be regularly getting back into the upper reaches of the 96 percents or even, I dream of it, the 97s. Of course, if your child is poorly and needs to be off school then that is your call but don't forget that walking inbto school generally has an extraordibnarily healing effect on poorly children. Also, remember that if they are feeling a bit rubbish in the morning but perk up a bit by elevenses, it's fine to bring them into school for the rest of the day. 

Please remember that I cannot 'allow' term time holidays. Those will always go down as an unauthorised absence. We are always grateful to be informed so that we aren't worrying where your child is or if they are safe but we cannot and do not authorise absence for reasons like visiting realtives or taking postponed holidays.

Please remember that we teach in sequences. A day's absence may seem neither here nor there but to the child it can be more than that. If we've been planning how to build our own catapults to explore forces and your child misses the day we actually build them then that's a big thing for them. If your child misses the nday we plan out our story and is then in school on the day we write them up but without a plan then that's a big thing too. We know that the vast majority of parents and carers are doing their utmost to get their child to school each day. Thank you for that - we know it's makikng a difference.

Theatre Alibi - the Parcel

Huge thanks to the PTFA who funded and organised our visit from Theatre Alibi today. The children came into the ahll to see a huge package addressed to 'Chagford Primary School' and over the next hour were astonished to see what was in the parcel and what came out of it.
This is what the blurb said...
"A giant mysterious parcel has just arrived and, as if that isn’t exciting enough, it soon becomes clear that two people live inside it! They travel around the world, deciding where to go by placing their finger on a map and posting themselves there. They have breathtaking stories to share of magnificent travels, friendships made and the many marvels of the postal service. But how did they come to live in this parcel? Why have they posted themselves here? And where are they off to next?
Come along and meet this intriguing pair, they’ll even show you around their astonishing little home. From the outside it may look like a regular package, but once opened it transforms into something quite wondrous, and full of surprises…"

Children were invited to write to the two characters who live in that mysterious box - I'm told that each and every letter gets a response. So, if your child would like to take up this opportunaity, please address letters to;

Kit and Tobin
c/o Mrs Edgell
Emmanuel Hall
Emmanuel Road
Exeter
EX4 1EJ

Children laughed and laughed and also thought a bit. What a wonderful opportunity to experience something right out of the ordinary. We are so grateful that the PTFA help us to offer our pupils such a range of rich experiences.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Parents' Evening - Wednesday 23rd November and Thursday 1st December
School Photos - Thursday 1st December
PTFA Coffee Morning - Saturday 19th November 10:00 - 12:00 a.m.
PTFA Christmas Fayre - Saturday 10th December 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Nativity Play - Wednesday 14th December 2:30 p.m.
Carol Concert - Thursday 15th December 5:00 p.m.
End of Term - Friday 16th December

Helpful Holidays Calendar Competition

The children have been absolutely agog to hear the winners of the Helpful Holidays Calendar COmpettition. This was going to be announced in assembly this afternoon but I'm rather glad we didn't - the children would probably have popped with excitement.  Anyway - the waiting is over - here are the winners...

​January – Satori Diffey, age 7, Chagford Church of England Primary School

February – Lottie Broughton, age 6, Chagford Church of England Primary School

March – Leo Davis, age 6, Chagford Church of England Primary School

April – Tabitha Stevens, age 7, Chagford Church of England Primary School

May – Evangeline Warner de Paula, age 7, Chagford Church of England Primary School

June – Sam Chambers, Chagford Church of England Primary School

July – Matilda Rowe, age 8, Chagford Church of England Primary School

August – Louis Lawrence, age 7, Chagford Church of England Primary School

September – Frida Lawrence, age 9, Chagford Church of England Primary School

October – Faye Thomas, age 9, Chagford Church of England Primary School

November – Charlie Goudge, age 10, Chagford Church of England Primary School

December – Benjamin Chambers, Chagford Church of England Primary School

Worms
There has been an outbreak of worms in Key Stage One. This is an irritating but entirely treatable condition. We encourage children to wash and sanitise their hands throughout the day but we would advise every parent to be vigilant.  This information comes from the NHS website.
ThreadwormsThreadworms (pinworms) are tiny worms in your poo. They're common in children and spread easily. You can treat them without seeing a GP.
Check if it's threadwormsYou can spot worms in your poo. They look like pieces of white thread.
You might also see them around your child's bottom. The worms usually come out at night while your child is sleeping
Other symptoms can include:

• extreme itching around the anus or vagina, particularly at night
• irritability and waking up during the night

Less common signs of worms include:

• weight loss
• wetting the bed
• irritated skin around the anus

You can buy medicine (mebendazole) for threadworms from pharmacies. This is usually a chewable tablet or liquid you swallow.
Treat everyone in your household, even if they do not have symptoms.
Tell the pharmacist if you need to treat a child under 2, or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Treatment might not be suitable and you may need to speak to a GP.

Attendance
Attendance is creeping back up again after quite a dip in the last few weeks. Today we had 96.4% attendacne which I regard as being 'not quite good enough'. As I've shared before, I would expect attendance in a primary school to be at or above 97% in the absence of serious factors.
There have been some bugs going around making children poorly and, of course, if a child is ill, especially if there has been dihorrea or vomiting involved, we really don't want them to be at school to pass it on to others. As parents, you are the ones who need to make the call and we respect your choices. I would just encourage you to help children come to school if you think the case is 'borderline', so often we see children perk up soon after they arrive at school and it has to be better for them to be at school learning with friends than frowsting on the sofa feeling sorry for themselves. And, of course, if they do take a turn ofr the worse and really do need to be at home, we can always call you. 

Another factor that has been knocking attendance in the last few weeks has been unauthorised absence. As a head teacher there is no statutory way that I can authorise termtime holidays or visits. This is not about the school, the trist or the county - it is law. We are grateful that you inform us about holidays that you choose to take in term time because that means that we know where your child is, and we do not have immediate safeguarding concerns, but it will still be marked down as an unauthorised absence and may add towards trigger points where it raises concerns.

When you are at your child's parents evening, do ask for your child's current attendacne percentage - you may be surprised how much a day here and a day there might add up to a significant amount of absence. Children with higher attendance do better at school.

REAL PE

We were privileged to have a day this week with the fantastic trainers from REAL PE.
REAL PE is a scheme that takes a really fresh look at physical education - focussing less on traditional sports and more on creativity, social and personal aspects, health and fitness and applying physical learning.  It's a really great addition to our teaching which seems to really work for a lot of children, especially some who have been feeling left out or turned off by a focus on football, netball, rugby and other games. On Thursday we hosted a trainer from the organisation who gavce every class a model lesson so that teachers could observe and adapt their teaching. Each class had a ball, learning new games, new activities and new ways to learn in PE. Thanks to Mr Frewin for organising this. 

Woodland School

Every pupil in Years one to six enjoyed a session in our woodland area with a brilliant outdoor activity facilitator on Friday. They learned how he makes fire with a bow drill, got to handle a tanned badger skin and think all about the wildlife we share our landscape with. They explored the area and made little shelters - which were tested with a watering can! HUGE HUGE thanks to the PTFA for making this possible and to Anna Goudge and Chloe Brooks-Warner without whom it would not have happened. Thanks to Kael who ran the sessions - they really were very much appreciated by the children and we'd love to do more of this going forward. Do enjoy this gallery of gorgeous photographs from the day - we are really blessed.

Thanks
As most of you will know, we have been struggling with staffing at Chagford Primary this week. Lots of people have been poorly and we have been working very hard to keep the school fully staffed and safe for all the children. Sadly, as a result, we had to cancel our attendance at the Castle Drogo Cross Country Competition. We just didn't have enough staff available to make sure it could happen safely. At the end of the day, the children's safety is our very top concern and if we can't be really sure we've done everything we can to mitigate risk we have to cancel. I'd like to say a big thank-you to everyone who helped to keep us going this week: the volunteers who came to help us cover lunch break; the supply teachers who did such a professional job; the colleagues who supported them; and, by no means least, the children who dealt with new adults in their classrooms with grace and flexibility - you made us proud.

Three Hares LSB
It was great to introduce two new governors to our Local Stakeholder Board at our half-termly meeting held yesterday.  These meetings follow a set agenda prescribed by the Trust which help keep us focused and ensure we don’t get side-tracked by discussions that may make the meeting overrun…  Last night, our meeting lasted about 1½ hours, and we often find that we are joined briefly by children or pets that require our attention, and usually earn a little “aaaah” from the rest of the group!

Leonie McGowan was formally appointed on Wednesday this week, which was perfect timing for her first meeting.  Lennie is our new SEND Lead Governor, replacing Dr Ben Morris who recently stood down.  Lennie has particular expertise in this area, as she has a child with autism, and therefore brings a wealth of knowledge and real-life experience with her.  We are very lucky to have her join us. 

The SEND Lead Governor role takes the lead on monitoring SEND provision (although the LSB retains collective responsibility) and:
 
• is the link between the LSB and the schools (Principals and/or Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo), reporting to the LSB on steps being taken to ensure compliance;
• ensures appropriate challenge to leaders so that SEND remains high on the schools’ agendas and that the schools have high aspirations for SEND pupils;
• understands how the schools identify who is a SEND pupil, including at points of transition;
• familiar with the individual school’s SEND policy;
• understands how specific money (e.g. Pupil Premium) is allocated;
• discusses with the Principals / SENCo the outcomes of the schools’ monitoring and evaluation of the provision and effectiveness made for pupils with SEND;
• understands how the schools approach teaching to SEND pupils and makes reasonable adjustments to ensure SEND pupils access a broad and balanced curriculum;
• knows what additional support is available to SEND learners.

We agreed as a Board that we will commence our school visits again this half term, and hope to meet some of you at the school gates, or at one of the upcoming events, be that the Remembrance Day Services or Christmas festivals – or anything in between!

Mel & Liz
mholyoak@dmatschools.org.uk
edavidson@dmatschools.org.uk    

Remembrance Day
At school, we marked Remembrance Day three times this week. On Wednesday in our Collective Worship, the Vicar, Reverend Paul, spoke about what we choose to remember and how we choose to remember it. Mrs Armstrong took a Collective Worship and focused more on understanding the specifics of Remembrance Day- what it marks and what we need to remember. On Friday morning at 11:00, all the children from Years One to Six stood in perfect rank on the playground and observed the two minute silence. We heard the bells from St Michael the Archangel and then the sounding of The Last Post. Children's behaviour was perfectly respectful and they had interesting thoughts to share. 

Pupils and families are very warmly welcomed to join the service of Remembrance at the church on Sunday morning. People will gather from 10:30 before the service which will take place outside at the War Memorial. The service is intended to be fully inclusive for children and to those of many faiths and none. There will be readings and a few words. It will be all over by 11:30 at the latest. Please do go along if you are able to. 

It has been a strange week weatherwise with torrential rain which made driving in the lanes really quite scary at times and then, on other days, glorious autumn sunshine.
Similarly, for us at school, it has been a week with joys and challenges. We have had a number of staff off sick throughout the week. One colleague caught Covid while away on half term and has been at home isolating since so as to be sure not to pass it onto us. Other staff have had various coughs and colds. I expect the same has been true for parents and carers, so please accept our warmest sympathies - I hope you are able to keep the house warm and to take the rest you need to get better.
The joys of the week have been considerable however. Joining in with the 'Celebrating the Earth' event at the church on Tuesday was very special, and lots of children have been involved in sporting fixtures including tag rugby and netball. The school has been calm, kind and purposeful.
Huge well done and thanks to our Year Ones, Twos and Threes who have been very flexible and accommodating around staff absence. Year Two in particular have shown the best of themselves as they have split up to join Year One and Year Three for their learning. Here's hoping that next year everyone is back in school to teach and that we can get back to normal.

Chagford Eco Pantry

The Chagford Eco Pantry is up and running and ready for business in the recpetion area at the front of our school. It is stocked with a mix of fresh, dry and canned foods and other useful things like cleaning products, nappies and sanitary products. There's some treats in there too. Do come along and have a look.

This project is entirely dependent on two sets of people. Those who donate and those who take the donations - we need both! You do not need to be signposted to the eco-pantry - it's there for everyone. You do not need to be in need or receiving benefits - it's for everyone.
If you see something you fancy in the pantry, it's yours to take. If you have been too busy to grab something for tea please take what you can use. If you like fresh veg and know that the produce in Lidl doesn't last so long, feel free to check out what is in the pantry.
Times are hard for many of us and they are going to get harder through the winter - the eco-pantry can help ease the pressure for every family - come along and help yourself! Similarly, if you have surplus, do please share!

The logo for the eco-pantry was designed by our pupil Max Horncastle. We were very pleased to see this story celebrated in the Parish Magazine!

Town Twinning Project
Friends in Moretonhampstead have been in touch to let me know about their twinning project and to invite us all to get involved. Moretonhampstead has been twinned with Betton in Brittany for over forty years and has an active link. They are really keen to invite younger people and families to get involved in the Twinning Adventure. Twinning, they say, offers a unique cultural, affordable and educational experience. They write;
"We had a very successful visit from our Betton Twinners in August, including a visit to Chagford Show. It was particularly heartwarming to notice how many young people joined in with the activities we provided and mixed well with the young people from Betton.
On Friday 11th November 2022 we are hosting a Bring and Share Supper, combined with a small AGM, which will be held in the Moretonhampstead Community Centre at 7p.m. We will be providing information and encouraging new participants to join us in our planned 2023 visit to Betton."
Families from the Chagford Primary Community are very warmly welcomed to this event.

Local Stakeholder Board Update

This week, we would like to introduce Mike Davies.  He is a solicitor and has been living in Okehampton for 18 months with his wife and two children, who both attend South Tawton Primary School.  Mike has recently joined the Three Hares LSB, and will take on a Lead Role in Resources, which includes interrogating how pupil premium and sports premium money is spent, and its impact on the children.  As a new governor, there is plenty of mandatory training to be undertaken first and actually, all governors annually revisit their training needs to identify any gaps that could be filled.  For example, we have all recently ensured our Safeguarding Young People, The Prevent Duty, and Data Protection training is up to date, so we are fully able to engage safely and appropriately with the pupils and staff at all three schools in the Three Hares. 
 
Away from our desks, Liz and I have recently enjoyed attending harvest festivals at Chagford and North Tawton.  It’s been an absolute joy to see the churches full of youthful energy blasting out Cauliflowers Fluffy, alongside more traditional Harvest hymns. 
 
We have also attended a few meetings led by the Trust, most notably the Chairs Forum, which is a useful opportunity for us to speak with the other LSB Chairs within the Trust, and find out what everyone else is up to, to identify any risks or challenges we are facing, and to raise anything we feel needs to be brought to the Trust’s attention.
 
As always, if you would like to contact us, please email: mholyoak@dmatschools.org.uk or edavidson@dmatschools.org.uk

Mel Holyoak & Liz Davidson

It was our Harvest Festival yesterday and that made me think about all the people I have to thank for the smooth, safe and joyful half term that we have just had.
Thank you to the parents and carers who send their children to our school. Teaching your children is a privilege that we don't take lightly. Your trust in us to do the best we can for your children means a lot.
Thank you to all the teachers, teaching assistants, kitchen, cleaning and office staff - every day throws up challenges and every day we find a way to keep going and to do so with a smile. I honestly don't think that there can be a school in the country with a kinder, more inclusive team. Even on the days when obstacles are thrown at us, I know we'll meet the challenge as a team and put the children first.
Thank you to all those people who give time to support us - our governors, the team who care for the garden, people volunteering their time to help supervise the playground, to come in and help create our sensory garden, to do little fixing-up jobs or to walk children up to the church - I love the way this community gathers around the school to support and give us strength. You don't know how much it means.
I could go on and list more and more people - the people who drive the buses, the estates team - but I think you know what I am saying. 
A school is a community of learners and it exists within a wider community of care and support. Our school's vision 'Community, Challenge, Care' is very real to me and, reflecting on this last term, it's clear that it is truly lived by the community around this school. Thank you.

We had a beautiful time together up at the church of St Michael the Archangel on Thursday. We took time to give thanks for all we have - food certainly, but also homes, families, friendship, love and - above all - community. We enjoyed singing The Harvest Samba and Cauliflowers Fluffy together and it was wonderful to be joined by so many friends and family - we really filled the church up. Look out for the Christmas Service in a few weeks' time - I'd really like that to be another packed and joyful occasion.
Thanks to the many families who brought donations for the Chagford Eco Pantry. Please remember that this resource is available to all. You don't need to be in any particular circumstances to use it - the food has been freely given and it can be freely taken. Just pop in to reception when you are dropping off, picking up or passing by. Whether money is tight or you have just forgotten to get to the shop today, the pantry is there for you. You'll be helping us divert food from the waste stream, so we'll be grateful if you'll help out by taking items away to use.

Halloween Bake Sale
The children in Year Six have asked to run a Bake Sale after school on Monday 31st October - the day we return to school after half term. The children want to raise some funds for the PTFA to say a 'thank you' for the kind funding that helped them have their brilliant trip to Morwellham Quay a couple of weeks ago. They say that there will be a range of sweet and savoury treats available for sale at reasonable prices. If you like cakes, biscuits and buns, bring a few coins when you come to school at pick up time and hopefully we'll have a stall out for you.
Thank you for this Year Five - what a nice treat to welcome us back to school.

Celebrating the Earth - Honouring Our Ancestors
The next in the series of 'Celebrating the Earth' events which have been held regularly since the COP26 meeting in Glasgow last year is 'Honouring Our Ancestors' which takes place on Tuesday 1st November.
Year Five have learned 'The Old Lych Way' to sing at the event. A beautiful song by Chris Hoban which meditates on the path from Bellever to Lydford which used to be walked by people carrying loved ones and companions from the heart of the moor to Lydford so that they could be buried in consecrated ground. We would love to welcome as many people from the school community to join us for the event and we'd be moved if people could join in with the song - even if they just join in on the refrain (Lay me down, gently down) and the chorus. I have popped the words to the song below and you'll find a link to Show of Hands singing the song below. I would love to be joined by a great choir for this event with the children - do join us if you can.

The Old Lych Way - Chris Hoban

They'll lift me up and lay me down
(Lay me down, gently down)
Till I reach consecrated ground
(Along the old Lych Way)

On six strong shoulders I will sway
(Lay me down, gently down)
Till six feet under I'll be laid
(Along the old Lych Way)

Requiem aeternam
(Requiem aeternam)
Dona eis requiem
Along the old Lych Way

From Bellever to Lydford town
(Lay me down, gently down)
Through Sandy Ford & Conies Down
(Along the old Lych Way)

At every mile a marking stone
(Lay me down, gently down)
So they can rest their weary bones
(Along the old Lych Way)

Requiem aeternam
(Requiem aeternam)
Dona eis requiem
Along the old Lych Way

At Lydford church I'll make my end
(Lay me down, gently down)
And I'll never cross the Dart again
Along the old Lych Way

A Christian man could do no less
(Lay me down, gently down)
Than ask his friends this last request
(Along the old Lych Way)

Oh, Requiem aeternam
(Requiem aeternam)
Dona eis requiem
Along the old Lych Way

They'll lift me up and lay me down
(Lay me down, gently down)
Till I reach consecrated ground
Along the old Lych Way

Along the old Lych Way
Along the old Lych Way

The Old Lych Way - YouTube

Mini Monster Bash
Another call out for the Mini Monster Bash on Friday 4th November. Children can come dressed up in fancy dress if they choose to - or not if they prefer. There will be refreshments on sale and prizes for the best costumes and for the best decorated pumpkin. Each child must be accompanied by a responsible adult but a classroom will be set aside for adults to relax in if, for some unearthly reason, they don't want to spend two hours trapped in the hall with loud music and a hundred and fifty sugar-fuelled tots.

Woodland School
To make sure we get back in the habit of using our fabulous outdoor spaces, the PTFA have kindly funded sessions for each class to work with an experienced outdoor educator within our 'Woodland School' area at the back of the field. The first of these sessions will be on Friday 4th November and will go ahead whatever the weather - children will need their coats and good outdoor shoes (or, for preference, wellies).
If this session goes as well as we hope, we will try to make this a regular thing. We love our beautiful grounds and we want to get better at using them to enrich the life of every child.

Look out for our 'Stories Around the Fire' evening coming soon.  Children have been badgering Mr Finch to tell 'the donkey story' for weeks now and it's time to deliver on the promise...

Parent Evenings
A heads up that parent evenings are on November 16th and 17th. You'll be able to sign up as soon as we get back from half term. We will offer 'in person' meetings for people who can make them and telephone appointments for anyone for whom getting here in person is difficult or inconvenient.

Friday Celebration
Our daily act of worship on a Friday is our joyful Celebration Assembly. If you are passing by, or would like to see what goes on, you are welcome each and every week - just come along to the school a few minutes before three to give time to get you signed in and join us.
We always start with our 'Attitude of Gratitude' - we think of things we are grateful for in the last week and share them - pupils, teachers, parents and carers all ghet to joinin and we hear thanks for friends and family, the food we eat, games we've played, expericnes and achallenges and much more. This week there was a strong sense of thankfulness that we have got through to half term!
Next on the agenda is rewarding our #Chagford Champions - we give certifcates to childen who have lived out our school values 'Community, Challnge, Care through their actions within and beyond school in the past week. This week George was given a community champion certificate to awknowledge his representation of us at the Torquay Chess Tournament where he won the under tens competition. We said well done to people who have shown real care to others in thier class and said 'well done' to children who have taken on challenges in friendship or in acadmic work.
We usually finish with a song but this week was extra packed - we had started with a performance by three Year Four pupils on recorder. Their first ever public performance, and they made us very proud indeed. Year Five finished the afternoon off with an inspiring choral rendition of Martin Luthor King's 'I have a Dream' speech to mark the end of Black History Month. IT was passionate and heart felt and spoke volumes about their prode in themselves and the work that Ms SImpson has put in to help them riase their expectations of themselves. Well done Year Five.
Our Friay assembly is always entertaining and thought provoking - you don't need to wait until a day when one of your children is getting a certificate, just come along and join us.

Chagford Eco-Pantry
We are very happy to be hosting the new branch of the Chagford Eco Pantry in the foyer at the school.
Shops, cafes, restaurants and indivduals are donating food and other goods that would otherwise be wasted or go to landfill. These are absolutely free to take from the foyer right by Elaine's office. Just pop in when you are passing by or when you are dropping off or collecting chidlren and help us make sure this food doesn't go to waste.

Thanks to the team working on the eco-pantry who have organsied this and to the kind members of the commnity who sourced and fitted the fridge and the kitchen unit to hold the food and other donations. If you have anything to donate you can pop it straight into the pantry or give to Elaine. A volunteer from the committee will be visiting regularly to check food is of good quality and in date and to keep it tidy.

Quiet/Sacred Garden Area
One big job for this year is the creation of a quiet area of the school field where children can go if they want to spend a little time alone or sitting quietly with friends. This could be because they are dealing with big feelings, because they have something to think about, because they want to meditate or pray, because they want to take themselves from a situation they know might end up badly or just because they want a bit of alone time. This area is going to have seating and planting that gives it a variety of spaces of different shapes and sizes to be in. We hope that we can have plants with a range of fragrances and textures and beautiful foliage so that the experience of being amongst natural forms can calm the mind - or at least give us somehing to think about beyond what is going on for us in our heads.
We started this project last week when a party of parents and carers joined Mr Finch on Saturday morning to mark up the area and plant sixty lavender and rosemary bushes to create a scented hedge boundary to it.
By and large, the majority of pupoils have been very good indeed at respecting that people who go into the area do so because they want to be quiet and have some space. As the year goes on, we hope to add seating and sculptural features, paths and beds, possibly a den or two for children who need to be able to hunker down to feel safe and much more. There will be more work parties so do keep an eye out. For me, Saturday mornings feel like the right time but if there are people who would like to volunteer at another time, do let me know.

Harvest Time!
Children enjoyed working with our friend Chloe to harvest the bounty of the allotment area at the back of the school - the area is currently dominated by the astonishing sunflowers we planted back in the summer but amonst the beds Chloe and her little team found marrows, tomatoes and more. What wonderful work and what a gift to have beds for planting, friends to work with and a community who supports us so our children can have these experiences.

We will be celebrating Harvest Festival at the church next Thursday at 2:00 p.m. with song, poetry and thoughts. We are calling for donations of dry and canned goods or anything you can spare to donate to the Chagford Eco Pantry. Children can bring this to school in the morning or we can bring it straight to church where I hope we will create a mighty display.

More Beautiful Books!
It is well known that MrFinch has a serious love of books so you can imagine how excited he was when the daughter of the great Shirley Hughes got in touch to offer us a collection of her mothers books for the school.
Shirley Hughes was the author and illustrator of too many books to count. She is proabably best known for the Alfie and Annie Rose stories such Alfie Gets in First, Alfie Wins a Prize and Alfie's Feet, and Dogger - the story of Dave who loses his favourite friend and Bella who does a very kind thing to get it back for him. Shirley died a few months ago and her children Clara, Ed and Nick wanted her own personal copies of her books to go to places where they would be loved by children. Mr Finch drove up to Shirley's house in Notting Hill in London to collect bags and bags of books, and posters almost as the removers were coming to empty the house that Shirley had lived for so long. I think it cheered Shirley up a bit to see her mother's books dissapearing off to a school in far away Devon.
We shared Dogger in assembly on Tuesday and there was barely a dry eye in the house when we turned the page and Bella did her famously kind thing. Thank you to Clara, Nick and Ed and another thankyou to Shirley Hughes who brought so much love and pleasure to so many of us and who, through her books, continues to do so.

Volunteering at Chagford Primary
Thank you to all the people who have offered to volunteer at the school. We have a number of DBS applications currently going through the system.  These seem to be taking longer than usual at the moment so, if you haven't heard from us, I promise it's not because we're sitting on our hands. As soon as the DBS comes through, we will be in touch and working with you to make best use of our time.
We are in great need of reading volunteers who can commit to a regular spot to hear children read and deepen their appreciation of books. An hour twice a week is enough to make a real difference to a child's life. We are also very, very keen to have people volunteering to run after school clubs. There is a lot of appetite for an art club for example - you don't have to be super arty for this - we could provide ideas for weekly art or craft projects.  You would just need to be happy to work with children and happy to have a go.
We would love to welcome volunteer lunchtime supervisors - it's a lovely way to spend an hour among the children in our beautiful grounds and it really helps us all to feel safe and secure. If you could commit to one lunchtime a week, we can build a roster and get more supervision, more fun and more community presence among the pupils.
A volunteer has come forward to run a spreadsheet of volunteering opportunities and needs to make sure we put together the people with the jobs - I would really welcome and encourage you to have a think if you can help out.

Mini Monster Bash
Don't forget that we have our 'Mini Monster Bash' Disco on November 4th. It's going to be a lot of fun. Children can dress up if they choose, and there will be prizes for the best pumpkin and best costume. Every child needs to be accompanied by a responsible adult but if the adults would prefer to hang out in a classroom than dance with the children that is fine - a space will be set aside for you!
Tickets are £2 a head and there will be refreshments on sale.

Parent Evenings
Put a note in your diary that we will be holding Parent Evenings on the 16th and 17th November. We will open booking for them straight after half term. Please always remember that if there is something that you feel you need to talk about, you are always, always welcome to get in touch to talk about it with Mr Finch or the class teacher. If there is a question or a problem, we would much rather help deal with it now than wait until a parent evening.

PTFA Coffee Morning
The PTFA are holding a coffee morning at Endecott House, Chagford on Saturday 19th November between 10am and 12pm.

We are asking for donations of children's games, toys, books and pre loved children's clothes and uniform.

We ask that all items are in good condition and complete and we aren't able to accept cuddly toys.
If you would like to donate any of these items please drop to the school office by Tuesday 15th November or e mail Zoe Francis- z-francis121@hotmail.com to arrange dropping directly to her.

We are also asking for donations for cakes, savouries or any other delicious bakes.
If you would like to donate any food, please drop to the office by 3.30pm on Friday 18th November or bring to Endecott House by 10am on the Saturday.

Many thanks in advance.

The PTFA Committee.

Our Plans and Priorities for this Year
Each year we create a plan for how we are going to improve our school. We try to link everything we do into this plan so we all know what we are working on and so that everyone can play a part. We call this document our AIP or Academy Improvement Plan. I wanted to tell you specifically what we are working on this year - this may be of interest or there might even be something you feel you can support us with.Our five priorities are:

• Improving the work we do with children who have a special education need. This means improving provision and making sure we do a better - much better - job of communicating with parents and carers. 
• Making our curriculum better - particularly in Science, Geography and History. We already know that children are going home and talking about what they are learning in these subjects and we like the clear progression that we are developing but we want to make these areas of curriculum irresistible - we are talking about how we can make every lesson count and add enriching experiences.
• To embed 'behaviour for learning' so that children who have been allowed to become passive learners in the classroom become really proactive and are challenged to display risk-taking, creativity, perseverance, resilience, great listening, co-operation and curiosity.
• To improve early language acquisition and speaking and listening across the school, so we have children who can listen and respond, and contribute to discussion and debate.
• To make sure everything we do as a school is imbued with our school values; Community, Challenge, Care. We want our values to be lived, not laminated, and for everyone involved in the school to know what we stand for and how what we do shows that off.

Attendance and Punctuality 
It has been another difficult week for a lot of families with the sickness bug circulating and covid in some families. You all have our sincere sympathy. As a result, our attendance has taken quite a knock. Our average for the year so far is just 94.6% which is well below the national figures - it would be terrific to see an uptick in numbers as we head towards Christmas.

Wish For Devon
Devon County Council is running a consultation on improving the county's service for children and young people in order to make it 'the best place to grow up'. They want to capture children's and adults' voices in this. Do click on the link and follow through to take part in the consultation and have your say.
​A wish for Devon - Strategic Plan

Work Party - Saturday 8th October
Tomorrow - Saturday 8th October - we will be working in the school grounds to start creating a quiet space for children who want some time at break and lunchtime to sit and think, reflect or pray. Lots of children want to run around and be active at breaktimes but, just like us adults, sometimes they need opportunities for quiet time. We want to make sure that provision is in place.
We are lucky to have wonderful, talented people in our school community who are helping us consult with children and design this to make sure it meets the needs of all the children. The project will be taking shape over the next few weeks.
This Saturday we want to plant a hedge of low-growing lavender and rosemary plants to demarcate the area and to help us all start to get a better idea in our heads of what it could become. If you are able, please come along to school at 10:00 a.m. and we will work through till 12:00. If you can come, please bring a spade and a trowel so as many of us as possible can be digging and planting.

Reading Open Mornings
It was lovely to see so many parents at the Reading Open Morning on Thursday. There were quite a few more than we had expected and, as a result, it took a while to get everyone signed in. There are a lot worse problems to have but we will figure out a way to streamline this for next time.

Parents and carers spent half an hour in class watching and joining in with their children's reading lessons. Many commented that it was really interesting to see how the teachers did it, and that it was very different to how it had been when they were at school. We focus a great deal on 'book talk' where we look at how authors (and illustrators) convey meaning. The children show great ability to talk intelligently and with some depth on this and it is always a joy to see. I hope that everyone who attended found it interesting and had thoughts to take away. Our current intention is to run one of these after Christmas and another in Summer term. If you'd like more opportunities to come in to school and see how the children are learning, just let us know.

Parent Carer Forum
On Thursday 13th October at 6:00 p.m. we will hold a parent/carer forum to give everyone involved in the school community the chance to challenge us to live up to our school values 'Community, Challenge, Care' and to consider how we can really live out those values in everything we do. We would love for as many people as possible to come along so we can hear from a really wide range of voices. The event won't last more than an hour and it will be interesting and interactive.

Harvest Festival
We will be celebrating out Harvest Festival in the church on Thursday 20th October at 2:00 p.m. There will be poetry, singing and good thoughts. Parents and carers are very welcome indeed to join us for the celebration which will be led by the Reverend Paul.

We will be collecting donations for the new Chagford Eco Pantry Project - we would especially welcome dry goods such as dried pasta, lentils, cereals and so on, and canned goods such as chopped tomatoes, beans, and fruit etc. Donations can be dropped off at the school reception or brought to school by children.

Volunteering at Chagford Primary
After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, we are very pleased to be welcoming volunteers back into school. Some really useful roles that volunteers can play to support the children include - reading volunteers, lunch and breaktime supervision, library volunteers, classroom assistants,  we have capacity to welcome people in many roles. We'd also love to hear from people in the community who would like to offer or support a club after school.
We help all volunteers to get their DBS safeguarding clearance sorted before they start. We know that a lot of people have been really keen to offer help and it has been disappointing when Covid regulations have knocked that generosity back - we hope that this time we won't hit any further snags and we'll be able to welcome you in to play a part in your community school.

From the Three Hares Local Stakeholder Board 
This week, we would like to introduce James Warner.  James, who has seen two generations passing through Chagford Primary (sorry James!) is the most experienced governor on our LSB, having been a member of the Board in its various guises for about eight years. He is the Safeguarding Lead, and this role is key to understanding the effectiveness of safeguarding for everyone in the schools. He has to understand the requirements of safeguarding guidance and legislation and is ‘confident in his challenge to executive leaders on strategies for monitoring and improving the behaviour and safety of pupils.'  He supports the work of the Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs), reports back to the LSB about how effective safeguarding is, and ensures that the school is compliant with statutory guidance, with all the appropriate policies in place and reviewed in a timely way.  He also checks whether there is a consistency in safeguarding across the whole school (approach and reporting), and ensures that there are effective systems in place to keep vulnerable children safe.

It is an extremely important role, and with his impending retirement from the Board (having served two full terms), we are seeking to replace him.  If you have an interest in exploring this governor role further, please do contact me or Liz (details below).

We have recently welcomed a couple of new governors to the LSB and will introduce you to them, once all the mandatory training has been completed.  All governors annually revisit their training needs to identify any gaps that could be filled.  For example, we have all recently ensured our Safeguarding Young People, The Prevent Duty, and Data Protection training is up to date. 
​
We are looking forward to seeing you all at our impending Community Forums, and the principals of each school will let you know when those are to be held.  Parent voice is incredibly important to the schools, so please do try and attend if you are able!  It is an important opportunity to let your voice be heard.

Mel & Liz
mholyoak@dmatschools.org.uk
edavidson@dmatschools.org.uk

Mini Monster Bash
The PTFA is organising a 'Mini Monster Bash' disco for the children on November 4th.
Children are welcome to dress up if they would like to. There will be a prize for best costume and for the best decorated pumpkin.
Tickets are £2 - children should have brought home a letter with a reply slip but you can pop into reception if that is easier.
We ask that every child is accompanied by an adult but we will make a classroom available if you'd rather sit somewhere quiet than dance to the music with the children!

Absence Requests
We have noticed an increase in the number of parents requesting periods of absence for children. It seems have risen sharply from last year which concerns us. We understand that money is becoming tighter and that it's possible to save some money by taking flights or making bookings in term time but we really do urge you to consider whether this is best for your child.
Our teaching is organised in sequences, and very few lessons stand alone. So, for example, if your child misses the day when we plan our stories, they are at a disadvantage when they come to write them. If they attended school on the day that the stories are planned but don't get to write them, they won't have the satisfaction of completing that task along with their classmates. In maths, they can be at a real disadvantage if we are working through a sequence on, for example, division, and they miss the lesson where we move from the concrete example to the abstract representation. Of course the teacher will try to catch them up but it's a significant blow and can result in a gap that isn't easy to fill.
What we are saying here is that 'missing just one day' may not sound like much but the effect can be more like taking a link out of  a chain.
Government and county protocols are clear that we, as a school or as a trust, can not authorise absence for family holidays. Those absences are always recorded as 'unauthorised' and, when a certain threshold is crossed this results in formal letters being issued. This works purely by protocol and the letters are in no way meant personally - nonetheless we know that no one wants to receive a letter like this.
Where attendance is becoming problematic, we will always look to have a conversation before progressing to any form of action or involvement of additional services. We do take this seriously as we want every child to succeed and to reach their potential.
Thank you for letting us know when children are going to be away as it means we don't have concerns about the child's safety - it's really supportive to know why children are away when they aren't attending school.

The Strolling Mummers

We were very happy to host a visit from The Strolling Mummers this morning - they performed last night at the church as part of the Celebrating The Earth programme of events and came into school to entertain the children.
The Strolling Mummers are walking a long route through Devon and Cornwall performing each day in a different village or town and accepting the hospitality of local people to be fed, watered and given space to put their tents up. Our Chagford based friend Howard is part of the group so it was especially right to welcome them to the school. They explained that doing this project puts them in touch with the kindness and generosity of the people we live amongst and that this feels heartening and healing in these difficult times.
Mumming is an old English tradition.  Amateur actors play rambunctious versions of folk stories with lots of physical humour, silly jokes and songs. Mummers often tour around pubs and bigger houses at Christmas time. It was lovely to see this version of the old tradition.
The story that our Mummers told was the old tale of St George, the dragon, Saladin and, of course, the Doctor of Physik. The show was enjoyed very much by the children, about half of whom ended up on stage as horses to help pull St George's tooth out. We sang to the Mummers at the end of the show to say 'thank you' to them. Two children got so carried away that they decided to join The Strolling Mummers and go off on their travels with them. I hope we see them again...
What a happy day.

Kyan String Quartet
Year Three and Four had a visit from the Kyan String Quartet today, a group of young musicians from the Royal Academy of Music who are involved with a project at the Okehampton Music Centre. The quartet introduced the children to their various instruments and to the music of various composers such as Haydn and Benjamin Britten.
The Quartet had a lot of fun with the children.  They invited birthday girl, Ellie, to come to the front and conduct them as they played 'Happy Birthday to You'. They also played a fascinating game where they played the melody of popular theme tunes all on one note so that we had the rhythm without the melody - the children found this really hard but lots of them recognised the theme tune from 'Wallace and Gromit'!

Huge thanks to the Two Moors Festival for organising this and to Devon and Torbay Music Centre for funding it.

The Railway Children Return at the Jubillee Hall tomorrow - Saturday at 10:30. A really enjoyable film for all the family. Note: this is the recently released film set long after the story of the original film. Jenny Agutter reprises her role but with a new cast of children and a new adventure set in the Second World War.
​
Halloween Disco - the PTFA will be inviting us all to a spooky themed early evening disco on 4th November. Look out for more details soon.

Parent Carer Forum
Join us at 6:00 p.m. 13th October to have your say on the school and your child's experience. We will be looking at the school's values and how we live them out for the children and the community. Challenge us to set our sights higher and support us to deliver for every child.

Brass Lessons at Chagford Primary
On Thursday we had a fun demonstration from our new brass teacher Harry Napier. Harry offers lessons on Trumpet, tenor horn and - if pushed - trombone. Harry is also a cellist and double bassist and he showed off his range palying lots of interesting and varied pieces of music. Mr Finch was moved to hear Bach's Cello Suite No 1 in G minor played so beautifully in the hall as the children processed out of assembly. Thank you Harry.
t was great to welcome to Harry to the school. If any children are interested in learning a brass instrument have a word with Elaine in reception and she can put you in touch with Harry to make arrangements.

WORMS!
Always a depressing one this. A couple of parents have let me know that their children have had worms. Typical ways of spotting this are that the child has a very itchy bottom - especially at night - or has what looks like pices of white thread in their poo. Worms can pass from child to child if the children aren't being very thorough in their handwashing. We do our best to remind them of this but it won't hurt for you to back the message up at home.
Worms are easily and effectively treatable so there's no need to worry - just get it sorted as it's uncomfortable and embarrassing for the child while it lasts. Have a word with a pharmacist and they will help out.
There's more information about worms from the NHS website here.

Design a Christmas Card for Mel Stride MP

Dear Mr Finch ,Our MP Mel Stride writes;

I am pleased to announce that I will be holding another of my annual Christmas card competitions this year.

I am asking primary school children in Central Devon to design a festive card inspired by their own interpretation of the Christmas celebration. The winning entry will be sent to well over a thousand constituents and fellow Members of the House of Commons and House of Lords.

This year, I will be sending out an electronic Christmas card. There will be one winner and two runners-up. The winner will have their Christmas design shown as the image upon opening the e-card and will also receive a small prize. The runners-up will also have their designs included in the e-card. All three children will have their name, age, and school displayed under their design.

I very much hope that your school will be able to take part. If time cannot be found to complete this in class, please do encourage children to have a go at home. Entries should be received at mel.stride.mp@parliament.uk, or my Westminster office at the above address, no later than Friday 4th November. Submissions will preferably be in an electronic format (or if a physical card sized at 190mm x 130mm) and be accompanied by the name, age, and school of the artist responsible.

If you have any questions, please do let me know. I look forward to receiving your designs.

With best wishes,
 
Mel

Chagford Pantry Logo Competition
Our friends at Chagford Pantry have asked if the children of Chagford and the surrounding area could help them to design the logo for the new service.
Starting very soon, Chagford Pantry will be a community food share and serve service with outlets up at St Michaels and at the school. You'll be able to drop off food which you have a glut of, pick up other peoples excess and essentials and work together to make the way we use food as a community more sustainable and less wateful.

The logo will appear on notices, signs and commuinications so it needs to be bold. I woul suggest using only one or two colours. The logo needs to speak of community, food and love. The winning design will be used for all the pantry business. The winner will recieve a prize and may be asked to officially open the pantry when it is officially launched.
Make your diesign on white paper so it can easily be scanned, mark it with your name and hand it to Elaine in the office. The deadline is Friday 30th September - that's Friday next week.

Parent/Carer Forum - 13th October
Mr Finch and the Local Stakeholding Board will be running a live, in person Parent Carer Forum after school hours on Thursday 13th October. We will make this late enough that people can attend after work. We will asking for your input on various aspects of the school, focussing particularly on the school's vision - Community, Challenge, Care - we will be trying to find out how well we have commuinicated our vision for the school, what it means to you, how you can challenge us to make that work better and how you can support us to make our vision really shine in the community. We will make this a fun, interesting and interactive evening. Do please mark that evening in your diary and find a way to come along so as many voices as possible can be heard.

​Three Hares Local Stakeholder Board
Liz Davidson & I (Mel Holyoak) would like to introduce ourselves to you all, as we have taken over as (Co) Chair of the Local Stakeholder Board (the governing body) from Emma Neath. The role of the LSB has changed over the last few years, and we thought it would be useful to you as parents and carers to know a bit about us as individuals, and the purpose of our role. Our intention is not to overwhelm you with information, but each week, we will aim to add to the school’s newsletter, introducing ourselves, the lead roles and what we’ve been up to (that will be of interest to you!).

This week, it’s introducing me & Liz. So a bit about me:

I’m a parent at Chagford School, and have lived in Chagford for the last 16 years. I have been a governor since 2019, and am also involved with the 1st Moretonhampstead Scout Group (as Treasurer), the local Parish Church Council, Chagford Sanctuary (our Homes for Ukraine support group) and Chagford’s monthly Celebration of the Earth events. You may recall our children dressed up as bees last term and sang a couple of joyful songs at St Michael’s! So, one of those people, with a genuine interest in linking and supporting the community in as many ways as possible. I also love running, so am often out and about exploring the moors, and trying not to get lost.

Liz says: “I'm a parent at South Tawton School and have lived in Okehampton for the past four years. I am also Co-Chair of the Parent Teacher Association at South Tawton School. Having taught in primary schools for almost 15 years, I really enjoy being involved in school life! It is always so inspiring to see young people learn and grow. Given how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place I spend as much time as possible with my family on the beach or exploring the countryside.”

The role of the LSB is to act as the link between the Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust (DMAT), the parents & the community, and part of that means representing the interest of the community within the Trust, and representing the school in its community,. Liz & I are particularly keen to develop the community links in each of our three schools, and enhance parental engagement and communication. We hope that this weekly update is one way to make us more accessible to you - please do feel free to contact us – our details are below.

Next week, we will tell you about the Lead Roles within the LSB, and introduce someone else to you!

In the meantime, we sincerely hope that your children have enjoyed being back at school and that they are looking forward to the year ahead.

Mel & Liz mholyoak@dmatschools.org.uk edavidson@dmatschools.org.uk

The Best Small Film Festival In The World
The Chagford film festival 2022 will run from Monday September 26th to Saturday 1st October with an extraoridnary programme of movies that really does have something for everyone. Do check out the programme online here.The organisers know that times are ahrd and there can be flexibility in pricing for anyone struggling to make the books balance. Please just ask.

Do you know of someone in need? 
With fuel bills rising and the cost of living increasing we know that many people will be finding times tough. This is just as true for working families as it is for the unemployed. If you are worried about making ends meet do speak to someone. There is a hardship fund called the 'Joyce Stroey memorial Fund' which has money to hlep. You can speak to Mr Finch at school, the Vicar, Paul, or Mel Holyoak any of whom will be happy to listen and try to connect you to some support. If you know of a friend or family member who is struggling but who you think might not think to ask for help please have a word and direct them our way. This money is there to be used - it doesn't do anyone much good sitting in the bank.

Attendance and Punctuality
Attendance this week was at 96.85% - that's not terrible but I'm never really happy unless I see it above 97% - I will officially celebrate next week if I can tick over that boundary.

Can I remind everyone that school starts at 8:50 a.m. when the bell is rung for the school to line up. We would really like to see everyone there ready for that time. The register closes a little after nine and after that time children are judged to be late. Joining class late means starting the day in a fluster having missed the morning work which is almost always practice and embedding previous learning - it really does make a difference and, in my experience, most children really hate walking into class late. We do our best to make sure they feel welcomed and never put on the spot but even so it isn't the right way for them to start their day. I'm hoping we can see a movement to more children arriving on the playground on time for a quick chat with friends and a bit of a play before the bell is rung and the day starts - I do think it will pay off in good spirits and a calm and orderly start to the day. I would really value your help with this.

​Ed Finch (Principal)