Bishop Fiona recently made a visit to Exford CofE First School and Cutcombe CofE First School. Both schools are part of the Moorland Federation which is made up of eight schools across Exmoor and the surrounding area.
To make the visit even more special, Cutcombe school was celebrating its 150th Birthday, and Bishop Fiona was delighted to present a plaque from the Diocese of Bath & Wells to the school’s Head, Alison Blackmore, to mark this special milestone.
Included in our photo montage are images showing Bishop Fiona presenting the plaque to Mrs Blackmore, as well as being shown the school garden at Exford where pupils grow vegetables and fruit used in their school dinners. Also attending was the local Rector, Rev’d Preb David Weir, and he and Bishop Fiona were shown photos of the work pupils do on Exmoor as part of the Experience Exmoor programme, an innovative educational programme designed to take learning outside the classroom and onto the moor. The Moorland Federation spearheads this programme with the Exmoor National Park Authority, as outdoor learning is a pillar of its educational approach, embracing the natural world as a dynamic and stimulating classroom.
Speaking about her visit, Bishop Fiona said, “I was delighted to be invited to spend a day on Exmoor, visiting Exford and Cutcombe CofE First Schools. I received a wonderfully warm welcome in both schools, with tours led by pupils, and it was lovely to lead collective worship at Exford before going on to Cutcombe to celebrate the school’s 150th Anniversary with great joy! Both schools are clearly living out, in their deeply rural context, our diocesan vision of all our church schools being places of welcome for all, where everyone can learn to find life in all its fullness. It was marvellous to see.”
Head of School Alison Blackmore said, "We are proud of our history, grateful to all those who have shaped our school over the last 150 years, and excited about the future. Thank you to Bishop Fiona and everyone who joined us to celebrate this special milestone. As we mark 150 years of Cutcombe School, we look forward to the next chapter in our story."
And Rev’d Preb David Weir said, “It was great to welcome Bishop Fiona to mark and celebrate 150 years of Cutcombe school and the strong bonds of community in Cutcombe village and across Exmoor. These bonds support Cutcombe and Exford schools in providing an excellent primary education for the children who attend, rooted in the values of their rural farming community.”