Newsletter 21st July 2023

21st July 2023

Dear Parents and Carers,

With just a few days to go, a lot of schools are winding down but we seem busier than ever.

Paddleboat Theatre

Over the past half term Mill Water have had the pleasure of working alongside The Paddleboat Theatre Company and The Deaf Academy in a drama collaboration. Pupils from a range of classes joined together each Friday afternoon to work on producing their own version of the story The Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch. The pupils developed their improvisation and storytelling skills as well as challenging themselves to take risks, make new friends and stand up and perform in front of an audience, both in school and at the Exeter Phoenix Theatre.

There have been many highlights from this experience, but there are a few that really need celebrating. Lexi in Helen's class beamed with confidence and enjoyment all the way through her performance to the school at Mill Water. Jessica in Hannah's class was congratulated on her fabulous signing by one of the young people from the Deaf Academy, which made her day. Ted in Gemma's class was a wonderful puppeteer, operating the seagull with amazing characterisation and timing. The pupils all really enjoyed the immersive experience in the Exeter Phoenix Theatre, with the lights, projection and sound equipment. They really rose to the occasion and performed their socks off. Well done everyone!

This has been a wonderful experience for all involved and we are really grateful to Paddleboat, Mill Water staff and parents for all their support.

Future’s Fayre

We held our popular Future’s fayre last week. There were stands from Devon’s Local Authority colleges as well as enabling representatives for those pupils who will be leaving Mill Water for a social care route. Adult social care were there for signposting, Careers South West, as well as Ceda.

Sailability

Pupils from Emily’s class have completed a fantastic 10 week sailing course, thanks to a community programme run by volunteers from Exe Sailing Club in Exmouth. Pupils were invited on board their ‘Tornado2’ boat as part of a programme called Sailability which promotes opportunities, inclusivity and integration. The seven participating pupils loved the unique experience, which included learning boat skills and exploring the wildlife and geography along our coastline. It is hoped that this activity will be repeated again next year, following its success.

Shout Out!

Huge success for Alex and Kyle in Keth’s class, who can both now ride a 2 wheeled bike. What a skill to start the summer holidays with.

Leavers 2023

We had a lovely afternoon yesterday, sending off our wonderful 2023 leavers. Thirteen young people, with their families and carers, joined in the celebrations. And there was much to celebrate: huge strides in communication, friendships, behaviour, reading, ICT, reading and more were highlighted in the afternoon’s gathering. Some of our young people are off to secondary provision in Exeter, some to further education and some to social care. Each one of our learners leaves a little something in the Mill Water heart and hopefully takes a lot of happy memories with them.

Thank you to all the parents and carers of leavers, who have supported Mill Water over the years. For some it has been a 16-year journey. Special mention to Ted who received the Head Teacher’s award.

PTFA

We are in desperate need for you to join our PTFA. Fundraiser Georgia White can only access a whole raft of funding if we keep our charity status. The school itself is not a charity so we need to keep the PTFA to enable our funding streams to continue. We are urgently seeking people who can act in posts as secretary and treasurer. You would be supported in your role. Please consider helping us. Some of the things that would not have been possible without PTFA money include Paddleboat drama productions, African drumming, outdoor education equipment and a whole host of other enrichment activities. To find out more please contact us at info@millwater.devon.sch.uk

Join Our Team!

If you would like to be contacted about future jobs at Mill Water School, please express an interest via our website.

Summer Activities

We have created a Summer Activities page on the Mill Water School website for useful information about summer activities. The Thelma Hubert Gallery in Honiton suggests their print press workshop on Wednesday 16th August would be particularly accessible for our pupils, with wheelchair access.

Volunteer Marshals Needed

Can you spare a few hours on the morning of Sunday 17th September to be a volunteer marshal for the Exmouth Triathlon. Organiser Lizzie Mayne, from LMEvents, will donate £20 to Mill Water for each person that volunteers. Marshals will need to be available from 7.30am, with the race starting at 8am. Please consider helping out at this event as valuable funds are being donated to us and the last event made nearly £1000 for school.

To volunteer, email Georgia at fundraising@millwater.devon.sch.uk

For more details about the event, visit: lmevents Exmouth Openwater Triathlon

Free SEND Musical Tickets

Honiton Community Theatre Company is performing High School Musical this summer and is offering a free showing of the production to children and young people with SEND and their families. This will be a closed performance with the auditorium no more than half full. The venue has disabled parking and fully accessible toilets. To reserve your family’s tickets please contact the theatre company directly by emailing sally@honitontheatre.co.uk

Blue Tokens for Mill Water

Grab a blue token for Mill Water when shopping in Tesco! Several regional stores are currently supporting us with the scheme. Every little helps!

Raising Money While You Shop

Don't forget that you can raise money for Friends of Mill Water School (PTFA) while you shop via

Dates for your Diary

Last Day of Summer Term
Tuesday 25th July

Non-pupil Days
Monday 4th and Tuesday 5th September

First Day of Autumn Term
Wednesday 6th September