Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• ITV News Comes to Appleby Primary School

  Fri 09 Oct 2020 D.Spruce

  There has been a buzz of excitement in the air at Appleby Primary School today as ITV Border News have been visiting to prepare a piece for our local news programme about an innovative initiative taking place here at Appleby.

   

  In preparing to reopen school to all pupils in September this year, we have taken time to carefully consider a recovery curriculum which both interests and inspires pupils whilst also addressing the needs of every child returning to school in the midst of a global pandemic and an unprecedented period of absence. In line with the latest research carried out by the Education Endowment Foundation we have adopted a tiered approach in developing our bespoke 'Recovery Curriculum'. This approach is aimed to ensure that we are able to continue to deliver high quality teaching of a rich and deep curriculum whilst logistically ensuring a rigorous system of control measures to protect pupils, staff and families. Alongside this is a targeted programme of academic support, structured intervention, small group tuition and one-to-one tutoring based upon accurate diagnostic assessment. The third tier comprises wider strategies aimed at sustaining engagement, reinforcing positive behaviours and promoting positive mental health and wellbeing. 

   

  A key element of our Tier Three planning has really captured the imagination and enthusiasm of pupils and sparked interest from the media. At the start of September we were approached by colleagues at the Outward Bound Trust to be part of an innovative outreach project which would enable the Trust's teams of specialist outdoor educators to work with schools to support pupils to develop the skills they need to face an ever-changing world and to address some of the emotional uncertainties of the last few months. 

   

  Current government restrictions mean that schools are presently unable to engage with the sort of overnight residential visits associated with the Outward Bound Trust and consequently a significant number of outdoor educators have been furloughed and are unable to return to work at this time. The innovative initiative which is being piloted in only a handful of schools nationwide is heavily subsidised by the Trust themselves and sees outdoor educators based in school to develop and deliver a specialist programme of activities and experiences on site. 

   

  Pupils have thoroughly enjoyed a wide range of games and challenges led by Craig Henderson and Ryan McGlen who are usually based at the Outward Bound Trust at Watermillock, Ullswater. Whilst being enormously fun and engaging, sessions have been purposely designed to develop positive behaviours that will promote children's rapid and sustained progress in the classroom. Children have learned to develop the socialisation and teamwork skills alongside building resilience, perseverance and their ability to solve problems practically and creatively. Not only that but the sessions, held in our amazing outdoor environment, have a significant impact in promoting both positive mental and physical health and wellbeing. It has been particularly satisfying that teachers are already reporting the positive benefits of the project on children's attitudes for learning and work produced in class. 

   

  The spectacle of having television cameras in school was certainly not lost on our children who were thrilled to be filmed during one of their sessions this morning. Not only that but four pupils also had the opportunity to be interviewed by ITV Border's Lake District Reporter, Fiona Marley Paterson. The four children, two boys and two girls, were all fantastic ambassadors for our school and talked with real passion about their enjoyment of sessions with Craig and Ryan.

   

  The news piece is expected to be aired on ITV Border News on Monday or Tuesday next week.

  

• Appleby Named An Official Quidditch Town

  Wed 07 Oct 2020 D.Spruce

  There are never two days the same in teaching - that is part of what makes it such a wonderful profession. This week we have been visited by BBC Radio Cumbria and are looking forward to welcoming ITV News to school later this week to reflect our innovative project with The Outward Bound Trust as part of our post-COVID recovery curriculum. In the midst of this media furore we have also been privy to a very special secret. 

   

  The reason for all the cloak and dagger? Appleby is now recognised as an Honorary Quidditch Town in celebration of the new book, Quidditch Through The Ages Illustrated Edition. We were first contacted by the mayor and representatives of Bloomsbury Publishing about ten days ago and informed of plans to present the Mayor of Appleby, Councillor Gareth Hayes and two pupils from Appleby Primary School, with a decorative banner featuring gold Quidditch hoops celebrating the town’s fictitious Quidditch team, Appleby Arrows. This is to mark the release of Quidditch Through The Ages Illustrated Edition, written by J.K  Rowling and illustrated by Emily Gravett.

   

  Amidst plans to host the presentation early in the morning and to ensure that safe social distancing practices could be maintained and that the presentation could take place in line with current Government guidelines, school was sworn to secrecy (you know what Harry Potter fans can be like!). School immediately set to work identifying to 'super fans' of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world - no easy task with so many of our children enjoying the adventures of Harry Potter and his friends Ron and Hermione. Harry Potter quizzes and discussions with eager volunteers led to a short list and Paul and Jane were the lucky pair to have their names drawn from the sorting hat.

   

  Early this morning, with a crisp, autumn freshness in the air, the excited pair met with Councillor Gareth Hayes, Mayor of Appleby, to be presented with the town's honorary quidditch banner in front of the assembled press. After photographs and broomstick lessons, Paul and Jane were thrilled to be interviewed alongside Councillor Hayes for the BBC Radio Cumbria Breakfast Show. Avid readers, both children were a credit to both Appleby Primary School and the town of Appleby as they talked with passion and pleasure about their love of J.K.Rowling's world of Harry Potter and came to terms with their new-found fame. 

   

  To top-off an exciting morning (all before the school doors had even opened) Jane and Paul were presented with their very own copies of the book. Plans are now afoot in school to mark and celebrate Appleby's status as "Honorary Quidditch Town" and our pride to be: "Home of the Appleby Arrows".