CAMELFORD COMMUNITY PRIMARY SCHOOL
“Where every person matters”
NEWSLETTER – 25th May, 2017
School website: www.camelford.cornwall.sch.uk
School e mail address: [email protected]
School telephone: 01840 212376
Please note: If you prefer to download a copy of the school newsletter from our website (address above)
please just ask your child not to pick up a paper copy every week. Thank-you.
Dear Parents / Carers.
This newsletter is a real smorgasbord of news but before we get stuck in spare a thought for our pupils’ older
siblings who have started their GCSE written papers. They are just two weeks into a 5-week exam period. We
wish them all the best.
Manchester bombing: a message from Jane Black, Service Director, Education and Early Years,
Cornwall Council
You will be aware of the events in Manchester earlier this week. It was announced yesterday that the UK
threat level has now been raised from ‘severe’ to ‘critical’ as part of the ongoing investigations into the terrorist
incident.
We have been advised by the police that there is no information to suggest any specific additional risk to
Devon, Cornwall or the Isles of Scilly. They are, however, asking the public to keep alert and not alarmed, and
to support them in keeping the region safe by keeping an eye out for anything that seems out of place,
unusual or doesn’t seem to fit with day to day life. If anyone sees anything suspicious that they believe may
be related to terrorism, they are asked to report this to the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789321 or call 999.
Teachers and classes for 2017 – 2018
You are cordially invited to a special Parents’ Meeting at 3.15 on Thursday 8th June to hear about the classes
for next year. Mr Bacchus would like to explain the rationale for the plans and invite questions from parents.
Lots of time has been spent matching teachers with children and TAs to arrive at the best fit given the
resources available.
Safeguarding: road safety
In a recent assembly I reminded pupils about road safety. We have received a couple of calls from concerned
people saying that they have seen boys on scooters in the middle of the main roads around Camelford.
Recently a boy fell off his scooter onto the pavement, the scooter tumbled into the road and was run over by a
car – a very near miss. There have also been two calls about pupils riding bicycles without helmets. Please can
you reinforce safety messages at home.
Safeguarding: E-safety for year 6 pupils
The school has arranged for P.C. Steve Stoppard to visit the school on Wednesday 21 June to give year 6
pupils a talk on e-safety. The presentation will cover all aspects of keeping safe on-line including: security
settings, uploading personal information, appropriate use of images, anti-bullying and so on. Without trying to
frighten you too much, can I remind parents that most paedophiles groom young children via social media,
and it is where children can be exposed to very inappropriate material. So it is important pupils know how to
use social media platforms safely and parents keep an eye on what they are doing.
Parent drop-ins: developing pupils’ language capability to support their reading and writing
Over the last few years the literacy curriculum has seen a move towards the technical aspects of the English
language. To help parents understand what their children are learning and the government’s expectations in
this area, Miss Pimlott will be running workshops. So if you want to know about fronted adverbials, clauses as
well as punctuation this is for you. Dates have already been sent out by Miss Pimlott.
From a secondary school perspective, I can say those pupils who make a good start with reading and writing
in early years and primary maintain an advantage all through secondary school and beyond. Literacy is the key
to learning and eventual academic success. Most children should be reading at home as well as in school if
they are to become confident readers and writers.
Congratulations
 I am very pleased to report that Miss Pimlott is getting married. To her huge surprise and delight her
fiancé stopped her car as she was travelling to work and sprang a surprise proposal. That will be a
commute to remember! Best wishes from us all.
 After many years of service at Camelford Primary, Mrs Medland is leaving us at the end of the school
year to join another school in Cornwall. Her colleagues will be sorry to see her go. We wish her the
very best and thank her for all the amazing work she has done over the years.
News from the Area Resource Base (ARB)
We are very keen to include news from the ARB in our letters home – this will be a regular feature of our
newsletters. We are very proud of the ARB and under Mr James’ excellent leadership, with the help of our
fabulous ARB team, our aim is to promote the ARB and include all the children in as many whole school
activities as possible.
 Engagement. Mr James will be setting up a Parent Support Group. This group will provide the school
with regular feedback and act as useful and supportive network for parents. We hope to have the first
meeting after half-term, this will give parents the opportunity to help shape how the group will work in
the future.
 Swimming. We hope to take pupils in the ARB swimming. Currently the pool is fully booked for the
summer term but we are looking for opportunities to make this a regular feature of the school year. Mr
James and Mr Langdon are in discussions with the Leisure Centre.
 Celebration and inclusion. The whole ARB class are taking part in more whole school activities such as
assembly and sports day. Four children are joining mainstream classes for some of their learning. This
helps all our children.
 Recently we had a visit from Cornwall Council’s SEN Consultant who came to see the great work taking
place in the ARB. He was impressed with what he saw and very complimentary about pupils and staff.
Well done everyone.
 Well done to Violet and Ryan who came 2nd and 3rd in the regional RDA horseriding competition.
Celebration assembly
Every Friday at 10.10 we hold a celebration assembly. This is where teachers nominate a few pupils
(sometimes the whole class!) for special recognition and public applause. From September we would like to
move this to either 9am or 3pm to allow parents of the award winners to attend and join in with the
celebration. More about this proposal at a later date.
Schools Funding – update on action
As you may be aware Headteachers across England are very worried about future school funding. 14 counties
have joined the fairer and improved funding campaign the aim of which is to present parents with a balanced
view of school funding. In real terms schools are facing huge cuts that can be met only through reductions to
staffing, resources, curriculum, wider support services and opportunities for children.
Many schools are already in deficit. At Camelford Primary School governors and senior staff are determined to
make best use of our shrinking resources but there is no doubt that we too will have to tighten our belts.
To find out more about the issues please visit the school’s website where you will find:
1. Letter to parents
2. Education on the Doorstep - A straightforward guide for parents and carers to understand the key
issues of fair and improved funding for our schools.
Teeth
This is the first time I have had to write to parents about cleaning teeth. As we are all aware the number of
children with tooth decay is increasing. Research published recently found that at least 29 per cent of children
aged five have tooth decay; in some areas this increases to 40%.
Professor Hunt, Dean of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, is clear that most
tooth decay is preventable through reducing sugar consumption, regular brushing of teeth and routine dental
visits. So it was with concern that I have found out quite a few of our children are having a competition to see
who can avoid brushing their teeth for the longest. Apparently a few individuals even wet their toothbrush in
case mum or dad check up on them. Whilst I normally encourage competition, this is not one I endorse! I
have borrowed a demonstration model – a huge pair of false teeth - which we will use to do some work with
pupils. The message is simple - oral hygiene matters.
Camelford Fun Week
Camelford Town Council is organising a week of free activities for all the community, starting with the Spring
Fayre on Saturday 27 May, where there will be a drop in workshop to make a Fabric Camelford. They would
like as many people as possible to drop by and make a picture of either your house or a building in the town,
out of fabric (materials all provided). All the buildings will then be sewn together to make a Fabric Camelford
which will be publicly displayed. Look out for posters around town and on Facebook for details of all the
activities which include:
 Dog show with rosettes to be won
 Poetry workshop (Tuesday 30 May 1pm to 5pm) – poetry will be displayed permanently in Enfield Park
 Knitathon (knitting hats and squares for Treliske Hospital)
 Triathalon (run by the Leisure Centre)
 Tug of War (teams of 6 children needed – sweets and medals up for grabs!)
 Circus Skills workshop (Thursday 1 June 2pm-4pm)
 Music in the Park – Saturday 3 June – lots of fabulous live music including drama performance at
2.30pm with lots of our pupils taking part (and some parents!)
The workshops are free thanks to funding from FEAST. For more information contact Amanda at the Town
Council 01840 212880 or email [email protected]
Camelford Primary School Summer Fair – a date for your diary , Saturday 8th July.
The summer fair is a great opportunity for the school to engage the community in an afternoon of games,
stalls and performances. All the monies raised will be used to buy equipment for our children.
Yours sincerely,
Headteacher.
Message from Friends of Camelford Primary School:
Please may we have donations of home-baked cakes for our refreshments stand at the
Friends of CPS ‘It’s a Knockout’ event. This will take place in Enfield Park on Bank Holiday
Monday; cakes may be brought into school on Friday or straight to the park on Monday
afternoon.
Many thanks for your help!
TERM DATES:
0-3’s Sessions
Summer Term Dates
Half term 29th May - 2nd June
inclusive.
Break up for summer holidays on 25
July. Nursery closes Fri 21st July.
th
Return for autumn term on
Wednesday 6th September
SWIMMING
A reminder that Port Isaac and
Watergate classes will swim from 5th –
9th June and 12,13,14,16 & 19 June
Children to bring their swimming kit
and £1 contribution daily. This can be
paid on School Money system if
preferred.
Wednesday 14 June
Wednesday 28 June
9.00am – 10.45am
Vision Screening Reception
class pupils
Wednesday 12th June.
If you don’t want your child to be
tested please inform the school
office.
Thank you.