Newsletter 13th March
Well! That has been my busiest week yet at wonderful Kenton Primary – all good I hasten to add, but super busy and I hope you will forgive me if this is a shorter than usual newsletter.
My main purpose today is to say a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us this week. It’s a long list and no doubt my tired Friday Afternoon Brain will forget someone but I cannot miss out Ron Morton, Liz Spowage, Gemma and Mike Taylor, Matthew Johnson and that whole team who helped us make the Community Welcome Morning such a success. The children were outstanding, the tea was hot, the scones were delicious – everything went beautifully. I have heard back from several members of the community about how much they enjoyed the event – we really must do it again soon.
Thanks also to all the people – many of them named above – who have been working so hard on the Forest School site at Powderham. The pictures I’ve seen are amazing and I can’t wait to get up there in my boots and do a few hours helping out. If you are interested in getting involved or in donating a few pounds to help us get that provision set up before the children can start using it then do step into the school reception where there is a display board and a sign up sheet.
Thanks to everyone who has been so kind and cooperative as we have jiggled forest school dates around to try and make them work for everyone. I know it has been a little confusing but no one has had a cross word. All the children have been having such a good time up at Gin’s site – the pictures I see are heart warming.
Most of all however – a special, special thanks and shout out to Heather who has been working her socks off for KSPA and for all our children. The flying dragon and the castle in the library are her work as was a great deal of the work for Community Open Morning and, indeed, the Forest School project. We are so very lucky to have her.
The next project that Heather is turning her energy to is the May Day celebration on Monday May 4th. Please, please get it into your diaries so as not to miss it and if you would like to help out I know that Heather and the KSPA team would love to talk to you. There will be jobs of all sizes so even if you can only help a bit, they will find a way to put you to work.
Nursery
Nursery is now running five days a week. We have two new members of staff working with us to make this possible and they have to be paid so please, please help us spread the word. We take children from their second birthday up to the age of four after which they can join reception class. If you know of anyone in the village or in the area who might like a look around our provision and a chat about a place in our nursery, please put them in touch with Tammy or me and we’ll make a time for them to have a look see.
Disabled Football Coaching Sessions.
Most of you won’t have met our friend Laura Shaw. She’s one of the unseen army of people who work behind the scenes to keep our school functioning day to day. As well as a brilliant member of Team Kenton, Laura also runs various football coaching opportunities and she would love you to know about the Disability Football project she is running every Tuesday at Dyron’s Leisure Centre in Newton Abbot. If you know a young person who would love to be playing football regularly but who due to additional needs has struggled to find a coaching session which is sufficiently inclusive for them then this could be just what they need. The session is fully inclusive of children with learning difficulties, physical disabilities, neurodiversity or any other additional need. We would love you to pass this on to any children and families that you know of who might be interested. The sessions are fun and aim to build confidence, friendship and social skills. Laura’s website is here.
Fostering in Devon Conference: Friday 20th March 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Fostering Devon have been in touch to ask if we would help promote their event where you could find out more about fostering and how you could make a difference to a child or young person’s life in Devon. They will have a team of experts and experienced fosterers on hand to talk to you and answer all your questions.
- Fostering with your local authority
- Training and support, including a Skills to Foster taster session.
- Approaches to therapeutic parenting and the support that Fostering Devon offers
- What children and young people want from their carers
If this sounds at all interesting to you have a look at the event and consider booking your place on this link.
Parking
I’m sorry to nag again but please can we talk about parking again? Local residents love having the school here, they tell me it’s a pleasure to see the children every morning and it’s a joy to see the playing fields being used more. They do say, however, that it’s a real worry that people are still parking right on the corner opposite the entrance to the fields.
When people park on that corner it really restricts the road and the view up the road. There are genuine, justified concerns that this will cause an accident or that it will prevent the emergency services getting vehicles around that corner. There are quite a number of elderly residents living further down the road and it doesn’t bear thinking about that we block that corner and an ambulance can’t get through.
When the school was in the old site on Mamhead Road, almost everyone was in the habit of parking in The Triangle and walking around the corner. Of course, it’s a little further now and the slope up to the school can feel like the Matterhorn when you’re tired, but it would be really great practice for more of us to get back in the habit of using the Triangle and walking up. It would be good for our heart health too.