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School Newsfeed

20 March

Marty The Robot

Swimbridge has been buzzing with excitement as Marty the Robot arrived for a two week visit, giving pupils a hands-on introduction to robotics. This week, it was the turn of the Discoverers and Explorers classes, who had a fantastic time learning how to program Marty using coding blocks and Scratch. They explored how to control his movements, making him walk, dance, and even kick a ball! The children thoroughly enjoyed bringing their code to life and developing their understanding of how programming works in a fun and interactive way. We’re now looking forward to seeing what the Adventurers and Inventors classes will create when it’s their turn next week!

Science Competition Winners

We were blown away by the amount of entries and the effort that was put into the whole-school Science competition focusing on curiosity and wonder which links nicely to our school values. Some of the questions which were asked were: Why does water pressure increase the deeper you go? I wonder whether the amount of chemicals will change how quickly a balloon blows up?

There was a wide range of entries from across the school and it was wonderful to see some sibling entries too. It was extremely difficult to judge the winners due to the high standard of entries however we had to decide on a KS1 and KS2 winner. In KS1, the winner was Evan, who questioned: I wonder how a car engine works? He even built an engine and explained the science of how the motor turns! In KS2, the winner was Bodhi, who questioned: I wonder how the shape of a container affects how elephant toothpaste rises? He made predictions, explained his results and wrote a scientific conclusion supporting his investigation. Super scientific enquiry work was demonstrated by everyone and we look forward to hosting another science competition next year - watch this space!

13 March

This week we’ve been exploring active learning both in and out of school with British Science Week and a TEAM cross country competition alongside all of the usual curriculum teaching throughout the week!

Science Week

During British Science Week, pupils across the school took part in exciting experiments inspired by the theme “Being Curious.” The Adventurers explored how different mixtures cause different reactions in a volcano. The Discoverers designed and built bird nests and tested them to see if they could withstand wet and windy weather while keeping a bird family cosy. The Explorers investigated the best designs for paper aeroplanes, gliders and helicopters, learning how air forces help them glide more slowly than a scrunched-up piece of paper. Meanwhile, the Inventors explored how boats float, discovering how shape and balance help objects stay afloat. It was a fantastic week of curiosity, creativity and hands-on scientific learning shown in the photos above. 

6 March

Wow - what a busy week it has been, both in and out of school! There have been so many exciting learning opportunities, with enthusiastic children fully embracing every experience and making wonderful memories along the way. It has been a pleasure to see their energy, curiosity and positivity shining through in all that they do.

Explorers Northam Burrows Trip

The Explorers had a wonderful trip to Northam Burrows to complement their topic of Summit to Stream - we were extremely lucky with the weather! We took a walk up to the highest point of Northam Burrows to look at the landscape around us and the features of Bideford Bay. We then took a wellie walk along Northam Burrows and the River Torridge to find where the ditches connect the stream and the stream connects to the estuary. After a lovely picnic lunch, we mapped our routes on to a map and explored the visitor centre exhibitions - Mrs Duhig.

World Book Day

On Thursday, we celebrated World Book Day in style with a fantastic range of activities to promote reading for pleasure across the school. The day began with a special book themed assembly. Then the children chose a staff storytelling slot, where children loved hearing different adults share their favourite stories in different locations around school. Classes took part in book quizzes, putting their literary knowledge to the test, and enjoyed designing their own creative bookmarks inspired by much loved texts and characters. The highlight of the day was, of course, the amazing character costumes, with pupils (and staff!) showcasing a wonderful array of book inspired outfits.

27 February

It’s been wonderful to see the sunshine brightening our days and the daffodils beginning to bloom around school this week. With these cheerful signs of new life all around us, it certainly feels like spring is on its way! 

New play equipment

Our playground has been buzzing with excitement as we introduced brand new loose parts play equipment and the creativity has been incredible! From building obstacle courses and secret hideouts, the children are working together in the most wonderful ways. These open ended materials can be moved, stacked, balanced, and transformed, sparking fantastic collaborative play and problem solving. If any Parents have access to planks of wood, guttering, plastic barrels or wood blocks to donate to the school we would be very grateful.

13 February

Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) Report

We are delighted to share the many strengths highlighted in our recent Church School inspection. 

The report celebrates our deeply embedded Christian vision of “life in all its fullness”, which truly shapes daily life at Swimbridge. Inspectors praised the strong partnership between leaders, governors and the trust, noting that pupils and adults alike are enabled to flourish. 

Our rich, inclusive curriculum and wide range of extra-curricular opportunities were recognised for helping all pupils, including those with SEND, to grow academically, socially and spiritually. 

Collective worship was described as inspirational and central to pupils’ spiritual development, while Religious Education was highlighted as highly effective, engaging pupils in thoughtful exploration of Christianity and other faiths. 

Above all, the report affirms that Swimbridge is a happy, welcoming school where Christian values of wisdom, hope, community, dignity, respect and love are lived out every day, helping children to learn well and live well together. The final report will be sent out alongside this update. Well done to the Swimbridge Team on achieving great Inspection feedback!

6 February

The Discoverers enjoyed a wonderful trip to Westward Ho! where they learned about the area’s Victorian seaside history and the impact of coastal erosion. They walked to Northam Burrows, explored the visitor centre and listened to Duffy’s Lucky Escape which helped them understand the importance of caring for our oceans. The day finished with a beach clean where the children showed excellent teamwork and responsibility while looking after the local environment. Thank you to Miss Sheppard, Mrs Lewis and Mrs Laramy for accompanying the children on the day.

Online Safety Newsletter

This month’s Online Safety Newsletter is an important read for all families, with a special focus on how AI can be used to alter images and what that means for privacy, consent, and digital trust. We also take a closer look at safe and responsible TikTok use, including understanding privacy settings, recognising misleading or harmful content, and thinking carefully before posting or sharing. As technology and social media continue to evolve, staying informed helps us protect ourselves and others online. Please take a few minutes to read this month’s newsletter and keep these conversations going at home.

30 January

Welcome to the end of a wet and windy week! It has been a fantastic week in school with lots of amazing learning opportunities.

Schools Art Exhibition

Each year, Swimbridge School proudly enters the Schools Art Exhibition at the Burton Art Gallery, and this year our Adventurers and Discoverers classes have been busy unleashing their creativity. The Adventurers showcased their beautiful galaxy artwork, while the Discoverers created imaginative Stickman sculptures, focusing on playful making inspired by Julia Donaldson’s Stick Man (photos shown above). Please read the flyer below for exhibition dates and times. We are incredibly proud of the children’s efforts and can’t wait to see their fantastic creations celebrated within the community. 

23 January

This week we had our SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) inspection. The inspector Judith Larrington met with staff, children, governors and parents to assess how well the school's Christian vision impacts everyone, focusing on whether it enables pupils and adults to flourish through its curriculum, collective worship, and overall culture. Our initial feedback was very positive and we are so proud of how everyone in the school articulated our ethos, vision and values. The report will take a few weeks to come back to us but we will share it with everyone after we receive it.

Lateness to school

We have been noticing a number of children arriving late for school in the mornings. Just a reminder that the school gate opens at 8.40am and school starts at 8.45am promptly. Children arriving late is disruptive to their learning, their classmates’ learning and the smooth running of the school. Please can we ask that all children arrive at school on time so that everyone can make the best start to the day, thank you.

16 January

This week we have been informed that next Tuesday 20 January, we will have a SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) inspection. Hopefully you have seen the letter sent to all parents from our inspector which outlines what the inspection is about. We are very proud of our ethos, vision and values and how much this shines through every day in our children and our staff and we are confident that the inspector will see this too. We will let you know the outcome once we have received our inspection report.

PCSO visit

You may have seen a police car outside the school yesterday - there is no need to be alarmed! We invited our local Police Community Support Officers to meet our children.

The Adventurers got dressed up as police officers and had an important road safety lesson. The Discoverers got to have a good look around the police car and got to see its blue lights flashing and hear its sirens sounding. The PCSOs then visited the Explorers and Inventors to talk about the very important topic of online safety. We’d like to thank Barnstaple Police for taking time out of their busy schedule to visit us.

9 January

Welcome Back and Happy New Year!

This term, our geography based learning has launched with great excitement across the school. The Adventurers are exploring  Our Changing World, investigating how our planet is shaped and how it continues to change. Discoverers have begun their journey as Seaside Explorers, learning about coastal environments and life by the sea, while the Explorers are following Summit to Stream, tracing the journey of water from mountains to rivers. Our Inventors are delving into Frozen Frontiers, discovering polar regions and extreme environments. These rich topics will offer exciting opportunities for learning both in and out of the classroom through exploration and enquiry. The beautiful artwork displayed above captures the moment each class launched into their new topic with creativity and enthusiasm.