Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers

Welcome back after what I hope was an enjoyable half

term break for you all. The children have settled very

well back into school and I continue to be really

impressed by how friendly, confident and helpful they

all are. I’m conscious that in the last couple of weeks,

I’ve not been out and about as much in the mornings as

I’d like. I’ll do better this half term! Don’t forget that

this is a good time to catch me if you have something

on your mind that you’d like to say, even if it’s just

hello.

Making the most of old buildings

As you probably know, our two schools (unlike almost

every other school in the city) have not had any capital

investment from DCC or the government which means

we have to work hard to make them suitable for our

children. I am very aware that some areas are in

desperate need of redecoration and this will be

happening at the next opportunity (Christmas and

February half term). I am also looking into ways of

funding noise reduction measures in both school halls.

Some areas of our schools, however, are looking great.

Last half term, two mums Miss Jackson and Miss

Hardware spent the day weeding outside the Y2

classes and this area will be shortly replanted. We are

planning to rejuvenate the growing area next to the

drive-way too, see below.

Grounds Day

Mrs Nash and her Wildlife Champions are keen to

smarten up the growing and seating area between the

infant and junior schools. You will all be receiving a

letter about this soon and we are keen for as many

helpers as possible. The day we have set aside is

Thursday 24th November, so if you are free, please

complete the slip on the letter and return it to either

school office.

Maths for Mums (and dads)

Miss Hardinge has been running a very successful course

designed to help parents support their children with their

maths work. We’ve had good attendance and the

feedback from parents has been very positive. Here are

some parents hard at work:

Celebration Assemblies

If your child is in the Infants and due to receive an award

in celebration assembly, then their name will be added to

a list on the classroom door. Class teachers are often

very busy in the mornings and do not always have time

to inform all parents and carers so please remember to

check the list. If your child is in the Juniors, you will

receive a slip letting you know.

AUTUMN 2016 – NUMBER 5 – THURSDAY 3RD NOVEMBER 2016

More over the page …

Achievement and Celebration Newsletter

I hope you enjoyed the Achievement and Celebration Newsletter last half term. The newsletter, from both schools,

will show our children learning new and interesting things and celebrate high quality work and good attendance. You

will receive this newsletter once every half term. My newsletter (the one you are reading now) will also celebrate

achievement but is mainly about updating you with information.

Hippo Bench

As you know, we are creating a sensory garden on the infant site. The garden is in memory of Leia Dare. Leia loved

hippos and we have been very lucky to have Michelle McQuinn working with our Y2 and Y5 children to create a

Hippo Bench and plaques for the garden. I am really pleased with how the children have been getting on. Here are

some of them hard at work.

Prospectus and website

One of the things I was keen to do quickly was to update the school prospectus and website. I realise the website has

only recently been redesigned, but I don’t feel that it is very easy for existing, new or prospective parents to

navigate. I am aiming to get the new website up and running before Christmas. In preparation for that, as I

mentioned in my last newsletter, I arranged for a photographer to spend a day in school to capture the essence of

Whipton Barton. Here are just a few of his pictures. I hope you like them.

Couch to 5K Challenge

Before the half term break a group of Whipton mums took up Active Exeter’s Couch to 5K Challenge. I got to hear

about it through our co-chair of governors Stacey Andrew and again through one of the Active Exeter coordinators.

You may have seen some of the photographs and comments on Facebook, but if you haven’t, I’ve included them

below. I know that the running group felt a genuine sense of achievement and camaraderie during their training and

the actual run. They’ve set a real example to the children (and the rest of us!) about effort and commitment. Well

done them, I say!

“I am proud of myself for being

able to run a lot further and for

longer. I like being able to go

out running with other parents

from the school and socialising

and being more confident in

myself”.

“I wanted to achieve this for

my children but also for myself.

I’m not getting any younger

and things are getting harder

as I get older. I want to make

sure that I live a long, happy

and healthy life”.