News

School Newsfeed

13 June

Surfing 

The children in the Inventors class celebrated the first Surfing lesson of the Summer term at Westward Ho! demonstrating how broad and balanced the curriculum offer is at our School. Hopefully, I can post more pictures of the children standing up in the coming weeks as they master their technique.

Sports Day

Next week, we will be holding sports day on  Friday 20th June, our annual sports day starting at 9.30am. We are aiming to enjoy some team building games and activities followed by some races. 

After the races, we are holding a Family picnic in the field so we hope you can join us for this event and stay. If you are unable to make the picnic, the children will share a picnic with their family group and eat together. 

Hopefully you can make the date and come and join us to cheer on the children!

6 June

Inventors India Link Up

The Inventors class had an opportunity this week to meet up with St Joseph’s school in Bangalore to listen to the children in India, in Years 5/6,  sharing about World Earth day. The children, from Bangalore, shared their School’s Earth pledge and how they had been learning about looking after the environment around them. It was a fantastic opportunity to hear from the children and get to know the school better. Later in the term, Swimbridge pupils will have a chance to share their learning.

23 May

Welcome to the end of the 1st half of the Summer term. We have seen some beautiful weather this half term along with lots of fantastic learning opportunities for the children. The Inventors had a wonderful two nights away in Bristol for their city break residential trip. The children explored the city centre visiting the aquarium, a graffiti art workshop, the Bristol museum, Treetop golf and ten pin bowling to name a few places. It was a great experience!

Thank you to all the adults who gave up their time to support the trip, the children were beaming about their experiences on their return to school this week.

16 May

As part of our collective worship cycle, over the Summer term, the Year 6 children are leading Monday’s collective Worship assembly. This week, Blythe, Ebony and Daisy led a Dignity and Respect School Value assembly based on Noah’s Ark, our School story. The children linked Noah’s care and respect for his family and the animals of the world to how we can treat each other in our school community. The girls shared that every living thing deserves value and respect. Ebony, Blythe and Daisy explored different ways we can respect ourselves and others. The courageous advocacy challenge of the week was to think healthy thoughts and use healthy words; being a positive member of our school community. The children shared in Friday’s assembly lots of ways they had healthy thoughts and healthy words with each other throughout the week.

9 May

As part of our collective worship cycle, each week, we have a ‘Fruitful Lives’ assembly which teaches children about incredible people and how they have made an impact on the world. This week, the children learnt about Ashley Fiolek, a champion motocross rider who despite being deaf competes at a high level within her sport. The children were inspired by Ashley’s journey and resilience to follow her dreams!

Inventors Science Lesson

Once again, Julia Hughes from West Buckland Science Department joined the Inventors for their final science workshop for this term. We learnt all about bones and examined different bones, such as skeletons and skulls of different animals. We also explored owl pellets to see whether we could determine what had been eaten, we found this really interesting!

2 May

This week, the first group of year 6’s led a collective worship session, based on the ‘Love’ school value linked to the Noah’s Ark story. Ella, Jessica, Lucy and Amelia led the session reminding the children of the Noah’s Ark story and how God loved and protected Noah. Pupils were asked to think how they could show love and care within school and towards each other. The Year 6’s set a challenge to the rest of the school to complete throughout the week: Giving out 5 smiles, 4 waves, 3 compliments, 2 favours and 1 positive message. The girls checked in with the school community during Friday’s assembly and found out many children had found opportunities this week to show love and brighten someone’s day!

25 April

The children have returned full of energy and enthusiasm for their new learning this term. The classes started the week with ‘Wow’ opportunities to engage the children in their new Summer term topics. The Adventurers are looking at the ‘World Around Them’, the Discoverers are learning about ‘School Days’, the Explorers class are studying ‘Empires and Emperors’. Finally, the Inventors are exploring ‘Maafa’- looking at Africa, past and present. The Parent curriculum overviews with more detail about the Summer term’s learning should be with you shortly; mentioning ways you can support your child’s learning at home.       

4 April

Last week, Bear, Ella and Daisy along with their families attended the Burton Art Gallery Schools  prize giving event. Each child won some watercolour paints and a certificate for their amazing artwork fish. Congratulations to the group. The Schools Art Show will be showing over the Easter holidays if you are interested in going along.

TEAM Maths event

A small group of pupils attended the Team Academy more able maths event on Tuesday afternoon. 

Jess, Josh and Zach took part in a maths themed afternoon with other Team academy pupils. The pupils had an escape room challenge to solve in teams and the Swimbridge pupils did well with Jessica’s team coming in 2nd place overall. 

28 March

Inventors Science Workshop

This week, we were visited by Mrs Hughes, a Science Teacher at West Buckland School who previously taught at Park School for 17 years. Mrs Hughes is running a series of 3 workshops for Year 5 and 6 children. In the first session, the Inventors learnt all about variation and how animals have adapted - we even had a live snake which some of us were able to hold! We also looked at our different fingerprint types and learnt which are the most common. Thank you Mrs Hughes

Orienteering Competition 

Miss Brock, the school’s PE Lead took a group of children carefully selected for their Orienteering skills to Pilton Bluecoats school for an Inter schools competition with the other TEAM trust schools. The children were transported in a TEAM minibus to the event. 

The children showed incredible enthusiasm and teamwork throughout the morning. They worked together to solve challenges, navigate through the course, and support one another, all while having great fun. It was inspiring to see such brilliant collaboration and determination from all of the children. Swimbridge children shone bright at the event; placing high in the competition. Well done to everyone involved – you truly made us proud! 

21 March

Proms

This week, the Swimbridge children were given the opportunity to perform alongside the other TEAM village schools: Witheridge, Brayford, High Bickington, Horwood and Newton Tracey, Beaford and Umberleigh at the Queen’s Theatre Proms event. The KS2 children created a fantastic performance using body percussion. Swimbridge choir joined a TEAM trust choir for a performance, there was a Year girls 6 dance and Theo, Blythe, Erin, Marla and Orla performed individual instrument pieces. Well done to all of the children for their entertaining performances. It is such a great opportunity for the children to share and shine on a big, local stage- hopefully, inspiring performers of the future! Thank you for your support with the costumes, arranging instruments, coming and watching and ensuring that your child attended both performances.

14 March

British Science Week

This week, we have been celebrating British Science Week with the theme ‘Change and Adapt’. Each class explored a Science workshop based on this theme. We challenged ourselves to a Science Week quiz in teams during family group time and in collective worship we reflected on the way we need to change and adapt in life.

Adventurers’ Adventure to the Museum

Today the Adventurers took a trip on the public bus to visit Barnstaple Museum. The children had a fantastic time learning about history from the past including looking at dinosaur teeth and bones! They all drew lovely pictures of their favourite things at the museum and wrote a sentence about it. 

7 March

World Book Day  On Thursday, the children came in full of colour and excitement dressed as a range of wonderful book characters. Swimbridge was visited by Little Red Riding Hood, some Oompa Loompas, Matilda, Horrid Henry and the Queen of Hearts to name a few. A virtual book workshop was enjoyed by KS2- ‘A footy and Booky’ quiz. During our family group session, the older children shared books with the younger children; passing on their love and enjoyment of reading. Time was also spent in class celebrating our favourite reads and a book swap at breaktime meant that every child had the opportunity of taking home one or more books to continue their reading journey. Thank you to al the families who supported this event with costumes and generously donated books to swap.  

28 February

Burton Art Gallery School Exhibition

The Inventors have been busy creating a recycling inspired art project. The children have created their own fish using recycled packaging to raise awareness about not polluting the beach or ocean. A more able group of artists from the class: Bear, Daisy and Ella have created a large fish which is a centrepiece for the project. This artwork is going to be sent to the Burton art gallery for the schools exhibition show which will run from 11th March-22nd April. Hopefully, it will be selected to showcase the children’s learning and highlight this important message.

14 February

Safer Internet Day

This week, in school we have highlighted Safer Internet Day with the focus on ‘Protecting yourself and others by staying safe online’. Each class had an age appropriate session, learning about possible situations that might occur online that look too good to be true. These scams which might be trying to gain passwords or personal data and pop ups that might be phishing for information. The children were taught how to be suspicious of this online activity and to tell their grown ups if this happens. Many children shared this week that they have access to a variety of technology, play games online and meet friends online. Please can we urge Parents to be mindful of age appropriate access to games and social media. This does have a big impact on children and affects friendships and play in school. Please find attached to this newsletter an extra Online Safety Day flyer with some links to help you feel more informed about protecting yourself and family from scams online.

7 February

Children’s Mental Health Week

In school, this week, we have highlighted that it’s Children’s Mental Health week with the focus of ‘Know yourself, Grow yourself’. We have explored how we can build and grow our resilience by understanding ourselves and recognising our emotions. Lucy and Amelia, our Mental Health ambassadors helped to support a whole school assembly with ways to make positive steps to keep good mental health. There is a display in school which the girls are responsible for updating; this month they have chosen the ‘Action for Happiness’ monthly guide to share with the rest of the school. 

French Workshop

Today, Mrs Symons, our resident French specialist, ran a French workshop across all of the classes. The Adventurers children learnt a French song and a range of French Greetings. The children in Discoverers learnt to sing a French song, listen to a French story and learnt the name of animals in French. Whilst the Explorers children learnt names of food and how to say food related phrases. Finally, the Inventors class also explored naming food and how to ask for food in a restaurant. The children enjoyed French croissants and French bread with jam for a breaktime treat! 

31 January

Last Friday, the Discoverers class had a fantastic day trip to Exmoor Zoo where they took part in animal workshops, fed some animals and linked their learning ‘beyond the classroom’ to their science scheme of learning. A great day was had by all shown by the photos above. Thank you to Mrs Dorrell and Mrs Lewis for organising the trip and Mrs Powell for her Parent support.

Forest School Event

A group of Swimbridge children from the Inventors and Explorers class experienced a forest school day at Umberleigh school this week. 

They were joined by other children across the TEAM academy trust schools. The children experienced a range of forest challenges, working together as a team and learning to light a fire with a flint. All the children enjoyed the event, especially the mud! Thank you to Mrs Elliot and Mrs Lewis for supporting this Forest school adventure and for driving the minibus.

24 January

The three year journey with Dennis and Sunday, our Amigos sponsored children has come to an end. We have supported Dennis, Sunday and their families for the last three years and we’ve had regular updates; with Swimbridge children responding with letters back. Please read each child’s impact report attached. This has been a fantastic opportunity for Swimbridge children to put their values in action and support children in another part of the world. Proving little people can do big things! Thank you for your support with this project. Soon, we will have a new Amigos child joining the Swimbridge family for our next three year project working with Amigos.

17 January

This week, during family group time we explored the global goal of ‘Quality of Education’. The children explored the similarities and differences between  how children around the world are educated. We listed ways in which we are grateful for the access to education and opportunities it brings in this country.

Fire Safety Workshop

We arranged for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue to come into school to talk about fire safety. Their Fire Safety Officer Wendy Gosling gave a whole school assembly and then carried out two workshops with Key Stage one and Key Stage two, looking at how to identify fire hazards, how to raise the alarm and how to stay safe in the event of a fire. 

The children were fully engaged and took away lots of life learning; with supportive resources to take home.

10 January

Welcome back to the Spring Term. We hope you and your families had a peaceful and restful Christmas break. It’s been a bit of a chilly start but luckily we seem to have dodged the worst of any severe weather here in Swimbridge.

Spring term trips

The staff are busy preparing some exciting trips this term and details will be sent out shortly. The Discoverers will be going to Exmoor Zoo and the Inventors will be going to Rosemoor. We are also starting work on the summer residentials. We are planning a trip to Bristol for the Inventors and a stay at the Manor and Ashbury Resorts for the Explorers. And once again, we have booked surfing for the Inventors in the summer term. All of these activities take learning beyond the classroom and provide the children with enrichment and a lifetime of memories.