Don’t stop until you are PROUD of YOURSELF! We recently have launched the ‘PROUD’ certificate in school. Everyday we produce work in school… but are we proud of it? This coming term we will be looking at what it means to be PROUD of YOURSELF and when you should be!
Important information for all Parents
School will be closed on the 19th March
I have had a lot of information from parents and staff in CM and I have decided that we will close tomorrow.
The MET office have extended the Amber warning into Monday and snow will continue overnight with low temperatures into the day tomorrow.
I fully expect that we will be open Tuesday as the temperature rises. I am sorry for the inconvenience this will cause but hope that an early warning will help you plan for your day. I have been told that travel by 4×4 is essential and that some families in the outer reaches of the village will not be able to travel – so please be careful if you intend to try and get to work yourselves.
I have been watching with interest the decisions of the schools around CM and the ones I know in Barnstaple. I have also listened to parents talking about the school closures in the last couple of weeks. It is obviously a difficult decision to close a school. The over-riding factor is child safety but we also have to consider everyone involved with school. Child safety includes who will look after your child on the premises. So while you may be able to get your child to school our ability to ensure safety is a factors we have to put first. As you know all of the teachers live outside of the village. If it was only one or two then it would be different I’m sure. Interestingly the other schools around us reached the same decision last night and the Academy is partially open for older children who are safely able to travel. So, we all came to the same decision.
The main problem parents seem to have isn’t closing for safety reasons – it is the notice they get and a definite decision quickly so they can plan for their family. The response that I got from my quick poll from parents on closure was 80/20 early on and then 75/25 (to close) just before I made my decision. The information from parents was fantastic and the insight it gave me as to the conditions in the village was very helpful. Being able to decide the night before, for me as a Head Teacher, was very positive. There is not much that can happen overnight to completely change a decision!
I did not decide to partially open for several reasons. I cannot guarantee staff being able to get to work. I could not provide food for the children. Partial opening in the afternoon would still have disrupted your day and work. A partial opening in the afternoon – To drop off and pick up from school in the space of 2 hours – would still cause disruption to your day, possibly more so than closing. I have just been informed that Mullacott is closed and the surrounding roads due to crashes. I am very pleased that no one from our school is stuck as they were trying to get to work in very difficult conditions.
I am still working and have meetings in accessible places from 11. I hope this gives you a little insight into what is quite a ‘busy’ evening deciding what to do!
See you tomorrow. Any further comments can be emailed to d.railston@swsfmail.org
Again, sorry for any inconvenience caused.
CMPS will remain closed tomorrow. The weather forecasts are variable in the morning but all agree that the chance of snow from mid morning is 100%. The forecast for Ilfracombe is worse than Barnstaple with freezing conditions in the morning and snow most of the day. In order to ensure the safety of all we will remain closed. I anticipate that we will be closed on Friday but will make that decision tomorrow afternoon (although the weather may do it for us). I hope you see this as a positive move to safeguard children and staff and allow parents to get childcare in place if needed.
Please take part in the Multi Academy Trust consultation.
Over the last few years you will have heard a lot about Academies and Multi Academy Trusts. The Governors of the South West Schools’ Federation (CM, Woolacombe and Bampton) have been looking for ways to help our schools strengthen their positions in the future. Monday 15th January is the beginning of a 6 week consultation to discuss Combe Martin Primary School becoming an Academy and joining a Multi Academy Trust made up of five other local schools – St. Helen’s C. of E. (VA) Primary School, Woolacombe National Support & Teaching School, Bampton C. of E. (VA) Primary School, Dolton C. of E. (VA) Primary School & The Clinton C. of E. (VA) Primary School. All of the schools will be converting to an academy in the same way CMPS will be. We expect this to happen in the Spring Term 2018. Please read the frequently asked questions on the Consultation Page and either attend one of the consultation meetings or send in your views as described in the letters. The Governors would love to hear your views.
This term we will be building our learning power by concentrating on the 4Rs…
Resilience: When you come to something challenging think of how to keep going!
A Super Learner will use their resilience to keep thinking of strategies to meet a challenge!
Resourcefulness: Can you find a different way to explain or try to solve your challenge?
Being resourceful is very important when you are thinking of how to explain your thinking. If you can use a model to help you explain your thinking then you are well on your way to mastering the learning journey you are on!
Reflectiveness: I can describe what I have learned and why I was successful.
Thinking back to why something worked is essential. You need to be explicit in your understanding of what worked and why. That will help you to refine and improve even further.
Reciprocity: I can talk about the ideas we have shared in our learning.
Talking about learning is a great way of challenging yourself as well as others. Joining in conversations about learning show that you have an understanding and can adapt and develop your understanding as you learn.
The children will be given a weekly challenge in assembly and then they have a week to show their teacher how their work is improving. The child in each class who shows the most improvement will be awarded the Super Learner certificate on Friday.
Happy Christmas… Term ends 3.15pm on Friday 15th December and opens again on the 4th January.
Another fantastic KS1 Christmas Performance! Well done everyone for the hard work… Teachers, TAs and parents… not forgetting Barry and Leah for having to clean up for all that hay!!
The first winners of the Maths Question of the Week! #cmmqotw pic.twitter.com/XTN6wteD7v
— Combe Martin Primary (@CombeMartinPS) October 9, 2017
Mr Hookes has introduced Maths Question of the Week!
The children are set a maths question on Monday in assembly and they have until Friday morning to post their answers in the big blue box – located in the Recepetion area. Just make sure that the children know HOW they got to the answer as Mr Hookes does ask in assembly! There are questions for Reception class, KS1 and KS2 so make sure your child does the right one!
This kind of activity is very important as it raises the profile of maths and breaks down barriers to children enjoying the subject. We have love reading and Mrs Mason has worked all last year with the teachers producing Maths Home Learning which can be found on our website at http://combemartin-sch.org/mathshomelearn/
If you’d like any information or support with maths please see the class teacher, Mrs Mason or Mr Hookes.
