Class 2 shop

 

Laura from St Mabyn shop visited class 2 to tell them about her job as a shopkeeper.

Special school meals

We have two special school menu days approaching. The first is on Thursday 11th February, which is Chinese New Year. It is the year of the tiger—dates for tigers include 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 and 2010. Traits for a tiger include: a forceful personality, being adventurous and confident.
The meal includes:
Sticky Chinese Chicken Skewers or Vegetable stir fry Prawn crackers, Noodles, Savoury Fried Rice, Warmed Sticky Banana with Ice Cream or Fresh Fruit.
If your child would like this meal could you please complete the slip at the bottom of your newsletter and return it to school by Wednesday 3rd February. This allows Angela enough time to order the ingredients.
The second special menu will be on St Pirans Day (5th March) and will be a pasty designed by the children. All children are welcome to take part in the competition to design a pasty for the day. Entries (recipes) need to be handed into school by Tuesday 9th February.

Holiday forms

If you are going on holiday during term time, please ask for a holiday form from the office. The form will ask for some extra details about why you are wanting to use term time rather than school holidays. Please be aware that although up to ten days of holiday can be authorised, it is only allowed in one family holiday—not lots of dates throughout the year. Once I have then checked your child’s absence rates, I will reply to your request. If your child has had a lot of illness or other absences, then I may not be able to authorise the holiday. Education Welfare Officers look at absence rates of 85% and below...one holiday can put you into this category.

February dates

February 2nd—Y1 hearing tests
5th—Cascade in all day
11th—Special menu day
Class 1 from St Tudy visiting Class 1 here
12th— Cascade in all day / School council meeting / Break for half term
22nd—Return to school
March
2nd—Curriculum /Personnel Govs meeting 5.00pm
8th—Finance/Buildings Govs meeting 6.30pm
15th / 16th Art Residential—Roseland
24th—Last swimming session
April
1st—Break for Easter

Creative Arts Project

As part of our on-going creative arts project, we have Cascade (a national arts project group) working with both the school and community members on an arts project based on the theme—Journeys. The project will involve lots of art, drama, literacy, music and dance, which all children will participate in during the Cascade visits to the school. The end project will be a huge performance with the school building and other local buildings transformed as the back drop for the children’s work. Cascade have just begun to formulate their ideas with the children and so specific details are a bit sketchy at the moment. We will keep you informed of details as the term progresses.

HEADLICE

Please be aware that we have headlice around again. They obviously didn’t like the cold, but now things have warmed up—they’re back!
If possible could any children with long hair keep it tied back .Could you also check your child’s head every few days in case they have headlice or nits.
Combing through with a nit comb with conditioner is probably still one of the safest ways of treating them. Tea tree shampoo or conditioner can also be effective for some children.

Fruit and fruit helpers

Starting from Monday we would like to offer a wider range of fruit for all children, to encourage a few more to eat fruit at breaktime.
At the moment children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 are entitled to free fruit and any other children pay 10p per day.
We have basic fruit available (apples, satsumas, carrots etc) from the suppliers, but we would now like to supplement this fruit with other things—grapes, pineapple, melon, cucumber, peppers and soft fruits when in season.
This would allow the children to have two portions of fruit a day from a much wider selection, eg half an apple and some grapes; half a banana and a slice of melon etc.
For the moment, we will try to cover our costs with contributions of 10p per day. If you would like your child to try the new fruit from Monday, then please pay 10p per day.
We still need helpers to prepare the fruit first thing in the morning—so to get you out of Wake and Shake you could come in and wash and slice up the fruit!

First thing in the morning

From Monday, we would like to resume Wake and Shake during the early part of the morning, but not as part of an assembly as happened previously. To be able to do this as a whole school, we would like to try Wake and Shake at 9.00am.
We would request that all children stay outside in the main playground (the top playground) with their book bags, lunch boxes etc. ready for the Wake and Shake session starting at 9.00am.
A member of staff will be on duty every morning from 8.50—9.00am to supervise the children in the playground.
You are welcome to leave the children under the supervision of the staff member or stay and join in with Wake and Shake if you would like to!
Once Wake and Shake has finished, all classes will walk into the building at 9.05am ready for their registers and assembly.
From 8.50—9.00am staff will be available for any parent who may wish to discuss something in private in their classrooms, with the exception of the staff member on duty who will be outside.
We hope that this will stop a lot of the unnecessary putting on and taking off of coats, and will also allow parents who have a private matter to discuss, an opportunity to speak to the class teacher.
If it’s pouring with rain—please come into school as normal.

HELP WANTED

Are you able to offer 10 minutes of your time first thing in the morning to help prepare fruit?
If so, please let the office know.
Thanks

Money

Could we please remind you that any payments for swimming, fruit and milk by cheque should be made payable to "St Mabyn School".
Any dinner money should be made payable to "Cornwall Council" (no County part any more).
Dinner should be paid by the end of the week, so that no payments are in arrears as the school has to pay for each meal eaten at the end of every week.

Welcome back

Firstly I need to welcome two new members of staff to St Mabyn School—Mrs Alison McDonald who will be teaching in Class 2 and Mrs Kate Lang, the new school secretary.
Both new members of staff have been into school during the holidays, familiarising themselves with school processes and where everything is!
Mrs Lang will be available in the office every day from 8.45—1.00pm. She will have help from Mrs Christine Ord (from St Tudy) for the first few days, to help settle in.
Mrs McDonald, as Head of Teaching and Learning, is available for any parent with concerns or worries about their child, on a day to day basis. Where further intervention is needed then I will be involved.
At the moment, I plan to work for three mornings at St Tudy and two at St Mabyn and then three afternoons at St Mabyn and two at St Tudy. This should help with someone in the main office here during the afternoons, as I plan to work there when possible. This week however, I plan to spend whole days in each school, to save driving between the villages. I will be here on Wednesday and Friday.
Karen Holmes

DATES
January
11th—Federation governors meeting cancelled
13th—swimming starts
15th—Cascade visiting all day
22nd—Cascade visiting am only
26th—KH out at a conference in Exeter
29th—Cascade in all day
February
5th—Cascade in all day
12th—Cascade in all day
Break for half term

School is open!!!

School still closed!

Please listen to Radio Cornwall for further updates.

Goodbye to Mrs Puttock

Christmas dinner

Christmas party

Class 1 and 2 had a Christmas party.

Christmas displays

Children made Christmas displays.

Children in Need

Raising money for Children in need.

Christmas is Canceled!

Pictures from St Mabyn School Drama Club play "Christmas is Canceled"

Class 2 walk

Class 2 went for a walk to study the local landscape.

Padstow fishing boats

Class 2 painted Padstow fishing boats.

Bodmin railway

Classes 1 and 2 went on a journey. They travelled on a diesel train and then a steam train.

Padstow Boat Trip

Classes 2 and 3 took a boat trip from Padstow past Pentire and the Rumps and round the islands.

Ocean Commotion

Class 3 rehearsing Ocean Commotion for presentation evening.

Vegetable sale

Class 2 grew a variety of vegetables and sold them to parents. They raised £21. They have decided to buy a book for the classroom and donate the rest to a children's charity.

Pirate day

Class 2 wrote pirate stories having been inspired by their drama games.

Squashbox Theatre Company

Craig Johnson of Squashbox Theatre Company came to perform The Sea Show to the whole school. Everyone found it very entertaining and informative. After that he ran very successful puppet making workshops with all the classes. Class 2 created their own "under sea adventures" using the shadow puppets they had made and performed to the rest of the school.

Sports Day

Out there in here

Church Fete

Dancing round the Maypole.

Library news

Just before half term the County Librarians audited our book stock and replaced old books with two hundred new ones. We will receive another hundred in September. This is part of a plan to improve the reading stock and make this space more attractive to readers.

Aquarium

Classes 1 and 2 and year 4 visited the aquarium at Newquay.

Abstract paintings

Class 3 abstract paintings inspired by the Isles of Scilly.

Fishes

Class 1 made decorated fishes.

Banners

Class 2 have made banners decorated with prints of sea creatures.

Paul Jackson

Paul Jackson worked with the children to create ceramic tiles.

Out there, in here...

Wednesday 17th June
Everyone is welcomed to visit the school during the `open` afternoon of Wednesday 17th June when the pupils will be giving performances and displaying their work. Come along and see artwork, music ,dance and curriculum activities alive in our school.

Polzeath Beach

Classes 1 & 2 enjoyed a visit to Polzeath Beach on 7th May. The
children were able to explore the beach for 'treasures' to make
sculptures in the sand. They also created and recorded 'beach' sounds to use in composing their own music.

Cross Country Fun Run

Well done to all the children who braved the wet and cold weather and ran over 2 miles across fields in the St Tudy Cross Country Fun Run on 1st May. Over all our school came 3rd which is a great achievement!

Port Isaac Trip

Class 2 visited Port Isaac

Isles of Scilly

Year 5 and 6 pupils were given the opportunity to have a day on the Isles of Scilly. This was an educational trip to learn about the islands and the coast. Year 5 and 6 had read the book ‘Why the Whales Came’ by Michael Morpurgo which is set on the Isles of Scilly. In the story the main characters are Gracie and Daniel so we went round in pairs of Gracie’s and Daniel’s. We went to the pool where they sailed their boats and we did the same. We explored Bryher which is where they lived and visited Samson the cursed island where they got stranded in a terrible fog. We went there to be inspired like Michael Morpurgo was and we travelled around by boat just like they did but our boat had an engine. We saw how the local people travelled about and did the same ourselves. We explored Bryher and Samson and saw all the places Michael Morpurgo said Gracie and Daniel went and they were a lot like he had described in the book. The islands were beautiful and we all learnt a lot of things from the ruined houses and about the tropical plants on Bryher. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed every second of it all.

Surfing.

Year 5 and 6 surfing at Fistral Beach.

Congratulations School Council

We have achieved the PADL Platinum Award and have been asked to host the award ceremony in the Council Chamber in May.

Pyjama day and games fund-raising

Pyjama day and games fund-raising for the NSPCC - £120.25 was raised - all organised by the pupils - excellent!

Designing and making vehicles.

Buzz Club

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 1st April.

District Cross Country

Great success at the Wadebridge District Cross Country run. Well done everyone. - unfortunately Shaleigh and Connor are missing from the team photograph.
Olivia was the first Y3 girl and the first girl overall winner - well done.

Restormel Castle

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Class 2 visited Restormel Castle.

Launceston Castle

Class 2 visited Launceston Castle.

Mothers Day Cards

Activemark 2008

We were awarded the Active mark again for the third year running
for our commitment to sport.

Library news

Just before half term the County Librarians audited our book stock and replaced old books with two hundred new ones. We will receive another hundred in September. This is part of a plan to improve the reading stock and make this space more attractive to readers.

INSET day changes

INSET day changes and the Y5 & Y6 Residential
The residential to Carnyorth has had to be cancelled due to escalating costs, the number of participants falling and value for money concerns.
The residential experience is always a highlight of the school year and much looked forward to by the pupils.
We really did not want to disappoint them and much time and effort has been given to planning an alternative. This we have successfully done by offering the completely different experience of visiting London for two days.
Accommodation and theatre options were very difficult to correlate but finally this was done for the 4th and 5th June.
We realise that this clashes with the INSET school closure day planned for Friday 5th June but this really cannot be helped and hope you will understand that the school will be open on this day but will be closed on Wednesday 22nd July instead. Many apologies for any inconvenience caused.

Music and Speech Festival

The music entrants.


The verse speaking entrants.
All received certificates!
Superb achievement by our pupils at the Wadebridge Music and Speech Festival - All the entrants performed superbly receiving certificates, medals and complimentary remarks from the adjudicators. Daniel and Gwilym also won cups for first place in their respective classes. Many congratulations to them all.

Red Nose Day

Wear something funny for money!!!
We had fun, we laughed, everyone dressed so imaginatively, we enjoyed the wonderful donation of cakes, thank you so very much - and raised £150 - terrific!

World Book Day

We read stories from around the world.

Cardinham Woods

Class 1 and year 2 went for a walk in Cardinham Woods.

Cardinham Woods

Learning in the outdoors. Stream dipping at Cardinham Woods.

Gool Pyran Lowen!

Happy St Piran's Day!

Skate Park

Class 2 made Soup

Class 2 made four different sorts of leek soup and tasted them all.

Digging up Leeks

Class 2 dug up the leeks they planted last summer to make soup.

Snow school today!

Nativity Play 2008

Moushole Cat

Football WIN!

St Mabyn football team won 6-1 against St Tudy.

Mousehole

Mousehole created by Sam, Abby and Connor.

Christmas is coming...

Class 2 weaving

Autumn Term Diary 2008

December Tuesday 16th Christmas Performance
St Mabena Church at 1.30

Wednesday 17th Christmas Performance
St Mabena Church at 6.30pm

Thursday 18th Christmas dinner & parties

Friday 19th Christingle St Mabena Church at 1.15pm
End of term
at 2.00pm

Curriculum of the future.

We have just been notified that our school`s application to become a `school for change` has been successful. This means that we have the wonderful opportunity to rethink the delivery of the curriculum to improve teaching and learning. We will be working with external partners and receive funding of £15,000 for the next three years to implement these changes. As yet we are in the planning stages gathering ideas. We have asked the children what changes they would like to see and we would welcome thoughts from parents as well.
So if you have an idea please jot it down and send it into school.
These will be exciting times!

Buzz Club

This club is so much enjoyed by many pupils that Mrs Irons needs more help. The club sessions occur monthly on a Wednesday from 3.00 - 4.00pm. Please do contact either the secretary or Mrs Irons if you are willing to help - thank you.

Changes to INSET days

To enable all staff to revalidate their First Aid certificates we need to take part in a one day course on Friday 13th February.
Therefore the school will be closed on this day and half term will begin on Thursday 12th February.
However by closing on this day it means that the Summer term will now end on Wednesday 22nd July.

Pudsey Extravaganza!!

We all enjoyed raising funds for Pudsey and Children in Need. Class 3 did an excellent job arranging the talent competition and the competitors showed just how talented they are with dancers, singers, musicians and comedians.
Thank you so very much for your generosity sending into school so many delicious cakes. Pupils enjoyed the `cake break` for several days!! Together we raised £130 - wonderful.

Children in Need

The children organised their own talent show which was won by a group of girls from Class 1. Parents generously supplied lots of lovely cakes for break time.

Class 2 collages

Class 2 have been inspired by the paintings of Alan Davie to create their own collages.

Anti bullying

Years three and four enjoyed a workshop on friendship as part of anti-bullying week.