Snippets from the Classroom and Beyond
No
W49 July 2006
The deadline for this
month’s Snippets for the Parish Magazine caught me somewhat by surprise with eleven
days still to run for the month. As those that keep up with educational news
will already know, the system of inspecting schools was given a radical shake
up a few months ago. Instead of being inspected by OFSTED with several months
notice – and hence time to concentrate on the inspection, sometimes to the
detriment of the education of the pupils – the new system gives but a few days
notice so that the inspection “catches” the school at its everyday best. So it
was on Wednesday last (14th June) that our school was subject to an
OFSTED inspection. The inspection report was not available in time for the
deadline above, but I determined to hold the web issue until such time as it
was available. It is now (10th July). Only now, after ratification
by DfE, can it be revealed that the school received
an overall GOOD grading from
the inspectors. I should perhaps explain that there are four gradings:- 1). Outstanding,
2), Good, 3), Satisfactory, and 4), Inadequate. The Inspection Report
makes delightful reading and there really are only a couple of very minor
pick-up points. Well done to the Staff, the Governors and, most of all, the
Pupils who so impressed the inspectors.
Anyway,
here goes! I started off last month’s offering with a paragraph about the wild
life area. As predicted, the BBC did indeed appear on 22nd May and
filmed our wild life area as part of their “Springwatch”
series of programmes. They filmed in really awful conditions with rain and wind
doing all they could to disrupt things. Unfortunately, I was away when the
programme was broadcast but I am told it was worth seeing. I’ve got a
photograph (left) of the crew doing their thing. They certainly look a bit
windswept and bedraggled!
With a church next door
to the school which boasts a Norman font and old thatched properties sprinkled
about the parish, history is a necessary part of the education of us all. One
item that escaped the calendar from last month was a visit by two members of
the Local History Society who gave an interesting talk on the history of the
village and the surroundings. Lieutenant Colonel Sharland
(below)and Parish Councillor Mr. Neil Sellick (right) kept the attention of the children focussed
during their presentation.
History
is not quite the dry subject that we wrinklies sometimes
remember from our schooldays.
On
24th May, the whole school decamped to Paignton
Zoo for the day. This proved to be a super day out for them all and evidence
suggests that it turned out to be a thoroughly enjoyable and educational visit.
Amongst the animals seen at the zoo were some zebras and the photograph on the
next page shows some of the children at the zebra’s enclosure.
Our
Taiko drumming cadre go from strength to strength. Although their appearance at
QECC on 16th June was cancelled, their appearances at the Teignton Fair on 3rd and Lympstone
on 11th were deemed a great success. Each appearance marks a step
improvement in their performance. Well done to all concerned. They are due to
appear at Westpoint on 28th June and the Northcott Theatre on 8th
July. Good luck with the drumming at both those venues.
Cherry B took part in
the Primary Schools Athletics Meeting at QECC on 8th June but I
don’t currently have any results. Suffice it to say that our children will have
given of their best and we will have achieved a creditable result. More with the next issue of Snippets.
The
15th June saw Class 4 visiting
On
to the calendar:
27th
June – Life skills at Blundells – Year 6
4th
July – Travel Wise Award – Buckfast Abbey
7th
July – Spreyton Cricket Tournament
12th
July – Cricket Tournament – Sandford
13th
July – African Dance – Spreyton Years 5&6
19th
July – Wear What You Like – for Charity
20th
July – Bugsy Malone
21st
July – End of Summer Term – Valedictory Service
5th
September – Autumn Term Begins
PGR