Full steam ahead!

Hello and welcome back to the Year Five Blog!

Can you believe that our new recruits have already been with us for two and a half weeks? Would someone be so kind as to explain to me how and why that time went so quickly? I am so proud of how well the children continue to settle in, well done to one and all!

Worth a Mention Children

Huge congratulations to this week's Worth a Mention Children - what a fantastic range of reasons - I hope the chosen ten are proud of themselves. 

Golden Time

I was so impressed with all the children who earned their Golden Time this week - getting used to a new way of doing things can be tough at the best of times so well done to those children who met all the requirements.

I really do appreciate that some children are nearly there when it comes to Golden Time, it is just making sure that the Home/School Diary is signed from the previous week, there are five initials and dates in the Reading Record and that Homework is handed in on time. 

If completing Homework is a struggle then Study Group is available at lunchtime every day. You will need to eat your lunch first and then go to ICT where Mrs Gaffney or Mrs Webb will be there to let you into the room. If you are finding your Homework difficult then, in the first instance, please do let your teacher know so that they can point you in the right direction.

I am pretty confident that everyone will be receiving their Golden Time sooner rather than later!

Uniform

You are all still looking smart and lovely which is marvellous!

As the cold weather is starting to creep in, now might be a good time to share a quick reminder about the uniform policy as I have noticed that boots are starting to be worn by the  few of the girls:

During Winter time only, boots may be worn under trousers so long as they cannot be seen.

I have also noticed that a few of the children are wearing trainer socks:

Girls

Dark grey tights (thick) or dark grey/ black socks (no running or training socks)

 Boys

Grey/black ankle socks or knee length socks (no running or training socks)

There is so much to take in when starting a brand new school isn't there? Hopefully this will help.

Trips in Year Five

Hopefully you have now received the letters about our trip to Buddens Farm just outside Wareham. It's a fabulous trip and one which the children will get a lot out of.

If you would like to accompany us on trips in the future (and we have a few of them coming up this year) you will need to have a valid DMS DBS Check in order to do so. Forms are available from the School Office. Once your check has been completed and approved then it will be valid for the entire time that your child is at Dorchester Middle School.

So, that's it for another week! I hope you all have a fabulous week and I will look forward to seeing you back here for more information and news.

Mrs Ray

(who has spent HOURS helping her Year 5 daughter with her Ancient Greek homework - I am not a fan of Archimedes!)

It's all starting to come together...

Hello and welcome back to the Year Five Blog!

We did it! A whole week on timetable from beginning to end - and what a busy week it has been! Well done Year Five for embracing your new timetable - you have been marvellous and I am confident that getting changed before and after your PE/Games lessons will get much quicker...! 

The children continue to settle in well and are definitely finding their feet which is fantastic.

This week's Blog contains a lot of information and advice for the children so, without further a do, here we go.

Snacks

At Dorchester Middle School, our lunchtime is at 1.10pm which we appreciate is later than the children's previous schools. We recommend that the children have a substantial snack at break time to get them through the couple of hours before lunch. However, please do remember that we are a Healthy School so snacks should consist of fruit etc. 

Golden Time

A huge 'Well Done' to all the children who earned their Golden Time this week - what stars you are! 

I am sorry that there was confusion about where Home/School Diaries should be signed but I have given a full training session to the children so they should be able to guide you in a polite and helpful way! 

As for the five reads, I appreciate that it's always tricky when we lead such busy lives but the children really do benefit from this.

Hopefully, more children will receive their Golden Time on Friday - it will get easier, I promise!

Homework

This week, we will be setting the children homework.

English Homework will be set on a Friday and due in on Wednesday.

Maths Homework will be set on Tuesday and due in on Friday.

Spellings will also be set on a weekly basis. 

Other subjects do have Homework set from time to time so please be aware of this.

All Homework should be recorded in the Home/School Diary.

Please remember that one of the Golden Time requirements is to make sure that Homework is handed in on time.

Uniform and Equipment

The children are looking lovely and smart - they are such a credit to our school. Thank you!

We expect the children to use a Handwriting Pen rather than a biro. Our School Shop is open on Monday and Friday during breakt imes in the Reception Area where a range of reasonably priced stationery is sold. 

Handwriting pens (like the one below) are 30p each - an absolute bargain!

Clubs

Hopefully, you have received the extensive list of all the clubs that we offer the children at Dorchester Middle School. I think you will agree that there is quite a selection for them to choose from!

If you did not receive the list either via email or a paper copy (if you haven't signed up for E Letters) then you can find it on our Website in the 'Parents' section under 'School Clubs'.

If your child will be attending an after-school club, please give written permission in their home-school diary.  This only needs to be done when they start a club so that the member of staff knows they have parental permission to attend and can then add them to the register. 

Worth a Mention

Every week, each Year Five Homebase Tutor will choose two children who they consider to be 'Worth a Mention' also known as WAMs.

These marvellous children will have a label stuck into their diaries to let you know of this achievement and will also receive TWO Citizenship Credits.

So, let's see who this week's incredible children are...

Congratulations to you all!

Will it be you next week?!

Well, that's it for another week!

I will look forward to 'seeing' you back here next week with more news and information.

I hope you all have a fabulous week!

Mrs Ray

(who is, along with Mrs Daniel, the reigning champion of Articulate (for Kids) but people don't need to know that bit, right?!) 

Nice to see you, to see you, nice!

Hello and welcome back to the Year Five Blog!

Wowzers! What a truly fabulous (yet exhausting) three days they were! Our new recruits were an absolute joy and a real credit to their parents and first schools. I am very pleased and proud to report that they are settling in extremely nicely indeed - what an exciting year we have ahead of us!

This Blog won't be terribly long (I always say that!) but I warn you now, sometimes they are on the rather epic side so make the most of it. 

So, without further a do, let's crack on...

Carrier Pigeons - are they effective?

Did you receive this letter on Wednesday? If not, please could you let your child's Homebase Tutor know as soon as possible so we can despatch a replacement sooner rather than later? It contains quite a lot of important information that you may want to refer back to as the term progresses. We will also put a few copies in the Reception area so you can help yourselves to them in case your Year Five Carrier Pigeon fails to deliver!

Golden Time

This week ALL the children received and experienced Golden Time and it was lovely to see them enjoying the extra playtime that they so richly deserved.

From next week, we will be enforcing the Golden Time expectations and the children have been brilliant at taking them on board.

These are the posters that are in the classrooms and dotted around the Year Five corridor...

Homework will start to be set the week commencing 18th September and there is a section in the 'Welcome' newsletter that explains how to sign the Reading Record section of the Home/School Diary along with where to sign the actual diary.

I so hope that everyone will get their Golden Time this coming Friday. Fingers crossed...

Uniform

The children looked so smart and well turned out on Wednesday - thank you. Please may I remind you that the wearing of  trainers are not permitted (unless it is for PE and Games) along with the wearing of trainer socks.

If you are unsure of the school's uniform requirements, please do check the Home/School Diary as there is a section that lists what the children need to wear.

Thank you

Equipment

Coming to Middle School is a huge step with lots of new expectations, rules and regulations. We don't expect everyone to remember everything all of the time, we are human after all!

Pencil cases are a new concept for many of our children aren't they? They will need to have a handwriting pen to use rather than a biro. Our super School Shop sells very reasonably priced handwriting pens. It is open every Monday and Friday break time and is well worth investigating. 

Worth a Mention Children

We have this lovely board in our corridor but it is empty and, quite frankly, boring to look at.

Next Friday, you may well find your name on this board!

Watch this space...

Well, that's it for another week!

I would like to say a special 'Thank You' to the incredible Year Five Team who have worked tirelessly to ensure that the children's first three days have been informative, fun and not as scarey as they could have been!

See you all next week to find out what Year Five have got up to.

Mrs Ray

(who went to the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival on Sunday and now resembles a truckle of cheddar!)