Cockwood Primary School

Newsletter December 2025

Admin — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 12:36:32 +0000

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How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 14:54:58 +0000

Class 1 have been exploring the festive magic of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”, which sparked an exciting journey into instructional writing.

Our pupils have been working diligently to understand the key elements of creating clear, engaging instructions. They’ve carefully learned what makes a good set of instructions, focusing not just on clarity but also on making their writing entertaining to read.

Pupils have drafted, edited, and continuously improved their work. The final pieces are truly fabulous, with superb presentation that showcases their hard work and creativity.

A special well done to Class 1 for their fantastic effort and achievement!

Class 2 Art

Admin — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 08:59:25 +0000

Class 2 have had a fab half term. One of our highlights has been creating our birds in art. We studied some different sketching and colour techniques of artists who illustrate before looking at the book ‘Robin’s Winter Song’. We paid particular attention to the illustrations of the birds and how they all seemed to have their own personalities. From here, we designed our birds then made them. The process we used was:

– create a clay bird by rolling it into the right shape and pinching out its features

– draw and cut out wings to match the bird’s shape and style

– decorate the body and wings carefully using tissue paper, feathers and googly eyes

We love the end products and think they look ace!

EYFS & Year 1 Theatre Trip

Admin — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 14:19:36 +0000

This week, our youngest pupils, EYFS & Year 1, visited the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter to watch The Jolly Christmas Postman, and what a magical day it was!

Every single child was absolutely buzzing with excitement, and their behaviour was truly impeccable. This theatre trip was more than just an outing – it was a fabulous opportunity that beautifully extended their classroom learning about the book. The magic and wonder on their faces was truly incredible to witness.

We are incredibly fortunate to have such wonderful theatres on our doorstep, and we cannot emphasise enough how important these live theatre experiences are for our pupils. The show was superb and engaged every single child completely. A massive thank you to our wonderful PFA, whose support helped make this magical experience possible.

These are the moments that make learning so special – seeing our pupils inspired, excited, and completely immersed in a learning experience that goes beyond the classroom walls.

‘The Inn Crowd’

Admin — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 18:18:31 +0000

What a fabulous evening we had at the Langstone Cliff Hotel for our annual Christmas production! This year, our pupils performed “The Inn Crowd” – a delightful tale of the animals in the stable and how their evening took an unexpected turn when Mary and Joseph arrived.

It has become such a wonderful tradition in the Cockwood calendar, and we were thrilled to welcome parents, grandparents, ex-pupils, and friends of the school. We are incredibly grateful to the Langstone for generously allowing us to use the Washington Suite free of charge. With their excellent Christmas decorations, they truly added a touch of sparkle to our production.

Three wonderful Year 6 narrators beautifully told the nativity story, accompanied by a lovely Mary and Joseph, who were escorted by their faithful donkey. The costumes were super, and the singing was absolutely great! Our super Class 3 stars and angels were delightful, and when they sang and signed, ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ there wasn’t a dry eye in the house! Our flock of sheep certainly brought a comedy element to the show, along with the granduer of the our three wise men.

It was magical to see so many people supporting our pupils and we would like to say a special thank you to everyone who made donations on the night – we raised an astonishing £181.96 for our PFA funds for next year. Your support means the world to us.

Choir Perform at Exeter Cathedral

Admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 13:36:43 +0000

On Friday 28th November, our incredible Choir took part in a very special performance at Exeter Cathedral. This was truly a magical experience for our pupils.

Singing alongside choirs from across Devon, our pupils performed a beautiful selection of songs including ‘The Climb’, ‘Aint No Mountain High Enough’, and ‘Tale As Old As Time’. They also had a stunning solo performance of ‘Colours of the Wind’, which was absolutely breathtaking.

The cathedral, decorated for Christmas, provided a spectacular backdrop for their performance. The special atmosphere made the event even more memorable. Our choir members not only sang beautifully but also demonstrated exceptional behaviour and stage presence. We are immensely proud of their achievements.

A heartfelt thank you to all the parents who came to support our choir. Your presence means so much and helps make these experiences truly special for our pupils.

Christmas Comes to Cockwood

Admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:36:03 +0000

We have been incredibly fortunate to receive a generous donation of a beautiful Christmas tree from Dartmoor Christmas Tree Farm, which now adorns the front door of our school.

Our pupils attending breakfast club were given a special task of creating baubles to decorate the tree. They worked together brilliantly, carefully crafting ornaments that have transformed the tree into a splendid festive display. A special thank you goes to Ms Winsor, who helped coordinate this delightful activity.

The tree has brought such a wonderful atmosphere to our reception area, creating a warm and festive environment that lifts everyone’s spirits. It’s these moments of creativity and community that make our school such a special place.

Seeing our pupils collaborate and create something so beautiful is truly heartwarming. The tree stands as a lovely addition to our school, reminding us of the joy and togetherness of the holiday season.

November Newsletter 2025

Admin — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 15:46:55 +0000

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November 2025 newsletter

Teignbridge MP Visits Cockwood School

Admin — Sat, 22 Nov 2025 11:28:30 +0000

This week we were honoured to welcome Martin Wrigley MP, who visited to find out about our innovative approaches to oracy across the school.

During his visit, Mr Wrigley observed a Votes for Schools lesson and was particularly interested in our approach to language acquisition that supported the learning.

Mr Wrigley was impressed by our embedded talk protocols and routines, which are now a fundamental part of our school’s educational approach. He was especially keen to learn about our work with Voice 21 and our remarkable journey to becoming a Centre of Excellence – a significant achievement that marks us as the first such centre in Devon.

This recognition reflects our ongoing dedication to developing pupils’ oracy skills and creating a rich, interactive learning environment where communication is at the heart of education.

Commemorating Remembrance Day

Admin — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:46:05 +0000

Over the past two weeks, our school has been deeply engaged in commemorating Remembrance Day, a time of profound reflection and gratitude. We have taken meaningful moments to pause and consider the significance of this important day, with every child participating in our collective remembrance.

Each class approached this solemn occasion in their own special way. Class 1 participated in a national online assembly organised by the British Legion, which was a remarkable experience. The pupils heard inspiring stories from across the globe about people serving our country. What made this assembly particularly special was the presence of Prince William, who spoke directly to the children, sharing insights and connecting them to this important commemoration.

Class 2 explored the powerful poetry of Remembrance, focusing on John McCrae’s poignant poem ‘In Flanders Fields’. They used the poem as inspiration for their artwork, creating beautiful and thoughtful representations of remembrance. Together with Class 3, they came together for the two-minute silence, watching the live broadcast from the cenotaph. The moment was made even more moving when Mrs Fitton played the Last Post on the clarinet, adding a deeply emotional dimension to our collective reflection.

Class 3 contributed to our school’s commemoration by creating a joint wreath. Using tissue paper, they crafted artwork that symbolised unity, sacrifice, and remembrance. Their collaborative effort beautifully represented our school’s commitment to understanding and honouring the significance of this day.

Throughout these activities, we ensured that every child understood why it remains so important to have this moment of reflection each year. We took time to say thank you to the soldiers who fought and lost their lives while serving their country, helping our pupils understand the profound meaning behind Remembrance Day.