Welcome to Kingsbridge Primary School

New Kingsbridge Community Hub Opened to Support Local Families

 

Kingsbridge Primary School proud to announce the launch of the Kingsbridge Community Hub, a new initiative designed to provide vital space and support for local charities and community groups serving families and children in the area. 

Located in the building that once housed the Sure-Start Children's Centre, the hub will offer facilities to charities like Action for Children, The MotherBorn Collective CIC and The Fidget Project, with more community partnerships expected in the coming months. The MotherBorn Collective CIC empowers families through compassionate support and The Fidget Project aims to offer practical interventions from a sensory specialist to children.

While Kingsbridge is relatively isolated with limited access to services, the school is determined to bridge that gap by providing a safe and welcoming space for organisations dedicated to helping the local community. 

The project aims to make a positive impact on the Kingsbridge community by allowing organisations to deliver outreach work and support services in an area with few local resources. This initiative aligns with Education South West’s mission to contribute to support all children, from the early years onwards, and ensure they have the very best start in life.

The Hub is already hosting community groups and the school will continue to work to further enhance the space for community use.  Action for Children has begun running baby massage sessions at the centre with lots of parents and little ones turning up for the inaugural session.

The Fidget Project is launching a pilot initiative to support children with sensory processing differences (SPD) at the Hub.  The project aims to provide essential support for children whose behaviors may be linked to unrecognised SPD, helping them self-regulate, engage in learning, and improve overall wellbeing.  This will include parent and guardian support groups, SPD awareness-raising sessions, and practical demonstrations by an occupational therapist using project equipment and activities.

The MotherBorn Collective CIC empowers families through compassionate support throughout pregnancy and the early years of parenthood.  They hope to provide 1:1 breastfeeding and bottlefeeding support by appointment, along with drop-in sessions for both breastfeeding and bottlefeeding advice. Additionally, they will host various parents and baby groups, some of which collaborate with local experts to offer families the support they need to thrive.

Gareth Howells, headteacher at Kingsbridge Primary School, said:

“We’re excited to offer this space to groups, organisations and charities which play such a vital role in the lives of families here. I am excited that the Hub is now open and look forward to forging more partnerships going forward. By working together, we can help ensure that families in our area have access to the resources they need to thrive.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said:

"We believe in the power of collaboration to make a difference and the Kingsbridge Community Hub is a wonderful example of how schools can work alongside local organisations to improve the wellbeing of families and children. We are so proud to be able to play a part in bringing a space like this back to the town for the benefit of young families.”

 

 

 

 

Ted’s Triumph: Inspiring the England Rugby Team

Kingsbridge Primary School is celebrating one of its own this week after a truly inspiring achievement by 7-year-old Ted, who had the honour of being an England rugby mascot during the Six Nations match against Scotland.

Ted’s story is nothing short of remarkable.  Born deaf in one ear, he lost all hearing in his ‘good’ ear by the age of 18 months, which led to three major surgeries and the fitting of cochlear implants. Ted had to not only learn to hear with his processors, but also to speak -a process that continues today.

Despite these challenges, Ted has never let his deafness stop him from living life to the fullest. Known for his incredible confidence, Ted has tackled activities others may have thought impossible for him, including rugby, karate, skateboarding, and climbing.

His passion for rugby runs deep, and his dream is to one day play for England. His parents nominated him to be an England mascot last November, hoping it would give him the opportunity to show that no challenge is too great. When the England rugby team heard his story, they were so inspired by Ted’s perseverance and positive spirit that they invited him to represent the team during their clash with Scotland.

Ted’s unforgettable moment as an England rugby mascot is just one chapter in his inspiring journey, and Kingsbridge Primary School couldn’t be more excited to follow his future successes.

Gareth Howells, Headteacher at Kingsbridge Primary School, said:

“Ted is a true example of our school value of aspiration. His determination and courage are an inspiration to us all. We couldn’t be prouder to have him as part of our school community.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West, said:

“Ted’s journey is a reminder that anything is possible, no matter the challenges one faces. Everyone at Education South West is beyond proud of Ted and excited to see what he accomplishes next.”

From Balance Bikes to Big Dreams: Kingsbridge Primary School Pedals Towards Aspiration with New Balance Bikes  

Pupils and staff at Kingsbridge Primary School are celebrating after a successful Tesco Stronger Start grant bid which has meant the school now has six new balance bikes and helmets.   Kingsbridge Primary School has an active parent, teacher and friends association (PTFA) which is responsible for some incredible events and fundraising activities each year, such as school discos, the Christmas Fair, the Summer Fair, quiz nights, uniform sales and fun food sales.  The school is hugely grateful for all of their efforts and to the members who put the Tesco Stronger Start bid together.   

The purpose of the PTFA is to support and raise funds to enhance the quality of our children’s education and to improve their school life. The way the funds are used is continually reviewed to ensure the changing needs of the children and the curriculum are met.  

The new bikes will give all Kingsbridge pupils the opportunity to develop a love of cycling while building their confidence as cyclists. These specially designed pedal-free bicycles allow young learners to propel themselves by pushing their feet against the ground, helping them develop balance and coordination. All Education South West primary schools take part in their ‘Eleven by Eleven’ programme which is a comprehensive character education initiative which includes a focus on sports and being a team player. The headteacher at Kingsbridge Primary School, Gareth Howells, also believes that having this new equipment will help pupils to aspire to greater athletic heights - and aspiration is one of the school’s core values.  His own son, Henry Howells is actually an elite cyclist who races for a team in France, so he knows how far jumping on a bike can take you. The school would also like to say a big thank you to Bay Cycles, a premier bike shop in Torquay for giving them such a great discount on the bikes and helmets.  

Miranda Martyn, Assistant Headteacher said: "We would like to thank the PTFA and all the Tesco customers in Kingsbridge for raising the money to buy this valuable equipment. Thanks also to Jezz from Bay Cycles for giving us such a great deal."  

Henry Howells, professional cyclist and former KPS pupil, said: "I can still remember learning to ride on a balance bike around the grounds of Kingsbridge Primary School. That experience provided the foundation for my racing career."  

Jezz Barker, from Bay Cycles said:
"We are pleased to supply KPS with six balance bikes and helmets. We look forward to seeing the next generation of cyclists develop."  

Kingsbridge Primary School are delighted to announce that they are now a ‘Showcase School’ for Talk For Writing - one of only 11 in the whole of the UK. 

Since the start of 2022, a major area of Kingsbridge Primary School’s improvement journey has been developing children's writing through the implementation of the Talk for Writing approach.  Led by Assistant Head, Miranda Martyn, the school has worked with Talk for Writing to train staff and implement their way of teaching writing. 
A ‘Showcase School’ is used by Talk for Writing to exemplify best practice.  Teachers across the country will now be invited to Kingsbridge Primary School on a regular basis to see how they have implemented the programme and view Talk for Writing in action in the classroom. Talk for Writing is a teaching framework that raises standards and accelerates progress.   

Based on the principles of how children learn, it enables children to imitate the language they need for a particular topic orally, before reading and analysing it, and then writing their own version.

Gareth Howells Headteacher at Kingsbridge Primary School said: “We were delighted to welcome Pie Corbett the creator of Talk for Writing and Jamie Thomas, the Talk for Writing Primary Expert to the school.  In primary education Mr Corbett is a huge celebrity, so to have him sit in on lessons, look at pupils' books and speak to leaders about the rapid journey of improvement the school has been on was an honour.  I am delighted that we are now a ‘Showcase School’ and look forward to sharing best practice with colleagues across the country.”

Matthew Shanks, CEO of Education South West said: “Everyone at Education South West is so proud of Gareth, Miranda and all the staff at Kingsbridge Primary School for everything they have done to secure this prestigious position.  They have worked tirelessly to raise standards at Kingsbridge Primary School since it joined the ESW family and I know the education the children in Kingsbridge are receiving is now of the quality they deserve.”

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