​Dear Chagford Families,
It’s so nice to be writing this newsletter with the sun streaming in to my office!
The crocuses and daffodils are blooming, the days are longer and it really feels like spring is finally in the air.  
Next week I very much hope will be out last week of home school and blended learning.  The staff are really looking forward to welcoming back the children we haven’t seen in 3D since before Christmas!
Our risk assessments and safety measures are being agreed by our central team and I will share the details with you next week. School will feel very much like it was before Christmas with measures in place to reduce the potential any of us contracting the virus.

Word Book Day
Next Thursday is World Book Day. Some of the children in school have asked if they can dress up. What we are going to do is postpone Word Book Day to the following week and have World Book Week! We will have lots of activities in class and a dress up day on Friday 12th so everyone can join in.
We have £1 vouchers to give out which children can use in book store to buy a book.

I highly recommend that families support our new local book shop Astor’s.  Although closed for browsing, parents can ring with their book token number and which book they would like and then they can arrange a time to collect from the door of the shop. A click and collect scenario.
The tokens can be used towards the cost of a book of choice, or to buy a book specially written for World Book Day.
Astor’s Bookshop will stocking
•There’s a Wolf in Your Book by Tom Fletcher
•Protect the Planet by Jess French
•Skysteppers by Katherine Rundell
•Gigantosaurus Dino-Spot by Jonny Duddle
 
Screen Free Friday
Next Friday will be a screen free day. No work will be posted on Google Classroom or Tapestry. Children at home and at school will be encourages to read, draw, play games, invent, sing, dance, create and talk! On Monday when they all return they can share how they spent their day with their class.
 
I hope you all have a lovely weekend in the sunshine!
With very best wishes,
 
Tara Penny
Head of School

Dear Chagford Families,
 
Well done everyone! We have made it through another six weeks of a national lockdown. 

​Dear Chagford Families,
 
This week we have had a focus on learning how to look after our own mental health.
In assemblies and in our curriculum time in school and at home we have explored different feelings, emotions and how they show in our thoughts and actions. We have remembered that it’s ‘ok to not feel ok,’ and that no emotion is a ‘bad emotion.’ 

​Dear Chagford Families,
 
As you are aware from my communications, we have had a member of our school community test positive for covid. I am very grateful to everyone for acting swiftly so that people who needed to could isolate.
 
Over the weekend, a number of staff have been advised to have a test and / or isolate, therefore we will have a reduced staff team next week. I have informed parents where we are unable to host their children’s bubbles. I have now been told that I must isolate, so I shall be working from home next week.

Primary School (Reception class) application deadline: 15th January 2021
We have some places available in our Reception class for September 2021. If you have a child born between 1st September 2016 and 31st August 2017, then do not delay in making an application to Chagford Church of England Primary School. Please pass on this message to parents you know.
You can apply online at www.devon.gov.uk/admissiononline or if you have any access issues, please call the Education Helpline on 0345 1551019 or email admissions@devon.gov.uk.

Our lovely friends at MED Theatre are offering free places for Chagford School children. 

​Friday 8th January 2021
 
Dear Chagford Families,
 
Well done everyone, we made it through this week!
 
Thank you for being patient while we organised platforms and resources for home learning, free school meal packages, updated our risk assessments in line with government directives and made the complex in-school arrangements to cater for the children of key workers and vulnerable families. I know there have been a lot of emails this week, and a lot of information to digest. On behalf of the whole team, thank you for your understanding, kind words and positivity; it is much appreciated.