Heading in the right direction...

Hello and welcome back to the Year Five Blog!

We have had another super week - the children are cracking on with their learning and I am delighted to see the children enjoying their lessons and embracing all the fantastic opportunities that Dorchester Middle School has to offer. 

It has been fabulous to see how many Year Five children have joined the clubs that we run at lunch times and after school. These clubs are provided and  run by members of staff and Mr Roberts proudly reported this week that 411 children had attended the variety of Sports Clubs that his department provide. 

Brilliant!

Life Education Van

We had a very special delivery on the playground on Friday afternoon - the Life Education Van!

On Monday and Tuesday, the children will be taking part in their programme entitled 'Friends'. I am so looking forward to it but I'm not looking forward to Harold's dreadful jokes - you know what I mean don't you?!

Give. Me. Strength.

PE/Games Kit

I am so pleased that you are enjoying your PE and Games Lessons - there are so many sports that are taught to you in Year Five - you are so lucky. However (you knew it was coming!) you are taking FOREVER to get changed at the end of the lessons and many of you are late for your next lesson!

 Also, quite a few of you are forgetting your PE/Games Kit. Mr Palmer was telling me the other day that 8 children did not have their kit for one of his lessons. Eek! 

If you are finding it hard to remember your kit, what don't you make a note of when you need it in your Home/School Diary? That should help you remember it on the right day.

Good luck and let's see an improvement.

Worth a Mention Children

Huge congratulation to this week's chosen ten!

It has been so lovely to see how the children react when they see their names on the board.

Magic!

Socks in a Box

This week, two of our school's Pupil Voice Representatives went to a DASP event at St Osmund's to learn more about the United Nation's Global Goals.

The Goals provide a unifying golden thread for schools that bridge subject and age divide. They can help engage parents and local communities in both learning together and taking action.

One of the things that all the DASP schools will be doing over the next couple of weeks is to collect socks (size 12 -3 would be ideal) to take to the refugees who are being supported by the organisation Blandford Cares. As the weather takes a turn towards Winter, socks are a quick and easy way to help keep the children warm.

There will be boxes in the classroom for the children to deposit their donated socks. We have already had a few donations which is incredible. 

Let's help make a difference!

Well, that's it for another week. I hope you all have a good few days and I will, as always, 'see' you back here for the next installment.

Mrs Ray

(who had a go at creating various pieces of pottery at the weekend, very badly. I don't think I'll be ditching the teaching just yet!)

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?!)