The Tidcombe

Times

Available online at www.tidcombe.devon.sch.uk and via subscription

Tel: 01884 252973 Email: admin@tidcombe.devon.sch.uk 20th December 2019

If you have any concerns at all about anything to do with school please do come in to discuss it with us as most problems can be

solved easily and quickly if we work together. This newsletter can also viewed on our website www.tidcombe.devon.sch.uk

Child Protection—if you have any concerns about any child, then please contact Simon Green (Headteacher) Claire Goddard or Jill

Mallender (Assistant Headteachers). Further contact details are on our website.

Here are just a few photos from this week’s AMAZING nativity from

Year 1, 2 & 3. They all looked (and sounded) brilliant. Well done to all of

you – we know it can be quite daunting getting on stage, but you all did

us proud!

Meet the Team Each week this term we will be introducing you to our wonderful

staff. We are aware that you may see us around the school and not

actually know who we are! So here we go...

My name is Lydia Sanders and I am the Year 5 teacher

at Tidcombe. Lots of you will have known me as Miss

Ferris, but this year, in August, I got married on a very

windy day – the tent almost blew away! This is my

third year at Tidcombe and I love teaching here. Some

of my highlights so far include the residential trips to

Heatree, running club and sharing my favourite stories

with my class.

Before I became a teacher, I lived and worked in Lon-

don and Dublin. My boss in Ireland was Mickey

Mouse... I worked in the Dublin Disney Store where I

was an expert on Disney facts and trivia. I just wish I

could remember it all now!

I live just outside of Tiverton with my husband and our

dog, Douglas. In my spare time, I like to relax by playing

the piano, walking the dog and baking gluten free

cakes. I am part of a local netball team and I play every

week. At this time of year, I love to curl up by the fire

with a hot chocolate and a board game.

It’s finally my turn! I’m Carol Richards and I have been here at

Tidcombe for more than 28 years, not just as a TA or HLTA but

in many other roles.

My 2 children went through our lovely little school and now

the next generation is attending here!

When I am not in school, I like reading and walking—but by far

my most favourite thing to do, is spending time with my family.

Term Dates 2019/20

Monday 23rd December—Friday 3rd January CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY

Friday 14th February NON PUPIL DAY

Monday 17th—Friday 21st February HALF TERM

Monday 30th March—Monday 13th April EASTER HOLIDAY

Tuesday 14th April NON PUPIL DAY

Friday 8th May BANK HOLIDAY

Monday 25th — Friday 29th May HALF TERM

Monday 1st June NON PUPIL DAY

Thursday 23rd July LAST DAY OF TERM

Term Dates 2020 / 2021 (Expect more detail to be added through 2020.)

Monday 7th September Start of Autumn Term

Monday 26th—Friday 30th October Half Term

Monday 21st December –Friday 1st January 2021 Christmas Holiday

Monday 15th—Friday 19th February Half Term

Friday 2nd—Friday 16th April Easter Holiday

Monday 31st May—Friday 4th June Half Term

FRIDAY 23rd JULY Last Day of Term

After School Club Next Term

We still have a few spaces left for our Premier Sport After School Clubs next term. These will start

again on the very first week back. Cost is £20 per club for the whole of the half term (up to and

including Thursday 13th February) which falls to £15 for siblings or additional evenings. We have

an exciting line up with KS1 gymnastics on a Monday, KS2 gymnastics on Tuesdays, Table Tennis

on Wednesday evenings and Dodgeball / Handball on Thursdays. Please remember that these

need to be paid for in advance.

Tom’s Dance and Performance Club

Tom Mallender will be back next term on a Monday after school for those already signed up

(don’t forget, we have a waiting list for the next slot which will be after Easter). Fees are now due

for the Spring half term, so please drop your £20 in to the office by Monday 6th January.

Great Year 6 Bake Off

This week, Year 6 have been carrying out some product

research on biscuits, as a follow on from their recent

English homework. Their panel of consumers (parents)

were asked what their favourite and least favourite kind

of biscuit was, based on texture, appearance, taste and

“dunkability!” The findings were discussed and the dunk

test was carried out by Mrs Mallender and Mrs Everett-

Kelway. The class then moved on to product design, fol-

lowed by product manufacturing (queue LOTS of mess!)

and today they will be packaging and evaluating their

product. The children have had a brilliant time!

Good Attendance

This week, we gave out a staggering 108

Good Attendance Certificates to our children

from Reception right through to Year 6. This

is truly an amazing number—56% of pupils

were in school with at least 97% attendance.

Thank you for your continued support.

Christmas Service

Last night, St Andrew’s Church was aglow with candles and

shrouded in glorious chorus as Year 4, 5 & 6 performed

some traditional hymns as well as some of their own, to a

congregation of parents and extended family.

Mr Fitton’s school orchestra wowed everyone with their

medley of well known songs and our choir also sang some

songs from their recent service at Blundell’s.

But, it was Year 4 who guided the service and told the story

of Christmas through the eyes of the donkey. Father Richard

was very proud of how respectfully the children placed the

different nativity figures in to the manger.

A reminder from Father Richard that there will be a family

Christingle Service taking place at 4pm at St Andrew’s on

Christmas Eve—everyone welcome.

Amazing Martial Arts

Two sets of proud parents have emailed

us this week to celebrate their child's

amazing achievements in their Martial

Arts classes; firstly, Ellis here on the left

and from Year 1, was awarded his blue

and red striped belt— he has just one

more grading to go before he moves up

to the next class. Well done you little

ninja, your folks are very proud of you.

Secondly, little Alana who is just 4 years

old and currently in our Reception Class

has an extremely proud family as she

has only been attending class for 5

weeks and already has her purple stripe

belt—she passed her first grading this

week with flying colours! Well done both

of you!

Also, a special well done to Charlie in

Year 6 who was recently awarded her

Purple belt in Martial Arts.

Edith and Olive in Year 6 designed this fab

poster for one of their favourite subjects.

Our science lead, Mrs Williams thought you

would like to see it...

Year 4

Year 4 have been rehearsing for their Christmas Carol Concert. Ava explained, ‘It was

scary at the start speaking through a microphone to an audience but I have grown in

confidence so I am excited now.’

We have now finished our topic of the rainforest

and created a fantastic pop up information book

that gives facts about the tribes, deforestation

and endangered species. The children have loved

this topic, they all feel that they have learnt a lot

and are very sad that we are moving on in the

new year.

This week we have discussed all of the things we have done in science and giggled

about the digestive system experiment and have also played top trumps using our

very own rainforest animal cards. Sam came running up to Miss Davies and explained

that he had eaten Harrison in the game due to Harrison being an ant and Sam being

an anteater!

The children have talked about how they have grown this term and these are some of

the things they have said:

‘I have learnt how to play handball and I really enjoyed it’ – Arthur

‘I have grown in confidence in English this term and it excites me to carry on in Janu-

ary’ – Malakai

‘I feel that I have learnt my times tables better’ – Jack

EVERYONE is star of the week

this week for being amazing

throughout this busy term!

Zander in Year 6 recently found out that he has passed his Grade 2 in

piano with a merit! His family are extremely proud of him, as are we.

Well done Zander, you inspire us all every day.

Don’t forget to send in your child’s achievements from outside of

school to katesouthcott@tidcombe.devon.sch.uk

By midday on Thursday for inclusion in our newsletter.

Our Staff, Governors and Directors would

like to wish you all a Happy Christmas.

See you all again in the New Year, on

Monday 6th January 2020.