Newsletters

Dorchester News - 17th November 2023

Newsletter

17th November 2023

 

Dear Parents,

What a week it has been! The highlight has to have been the grand opening of our wonderful Scrapstore playpod, which has led to so much hands on, inspirational and memorable creative play already. We can see just how excited all the children are to come out for lunch break every day - they are just all so happy and busy! All our staff members have now completed several training sessions on how to support children during their creative play, how to ensure risk management is carefully considered whilst also allowing children to explore and learn safely with their new Scrapstore materials. Practising tidying everything away neatly and effectively in the playpod is now everyone's 'next step' and responsibility too!

Mr Dennis and other teaching staff will still run a 'Team Sports' zone every day during lunch time too, with more play zones in the pipeline to be confirmed and setup by our Junior Leadership team too. Our playground has never been more stimulating and inclusive, and this is only just the beginning! See below in the newsletter for some amazing pictures documenting the first whole school play sessions.

It was anti-bullying week this week too, and Mrs Wesson led an important assembly to remind us all exactly what bullying looks like, and how to ensure that all pupils are upstanding in speaking up about and stamping out bullying in any form at its earliest signs. We of course, do not tolerate any sort of bullying in our school, and are hyper sensitive to ensuring we deal with anything close to it in an effective and speedy manner.

Thanks to all of our admin staff for organising and implementing the children's school photos this week too, it is quite the task and I am sure that the photos will come out looking lovely.

Thanks also to Emma Aller who has kindly donated lights and seat covers for Riad to use in forest school so that the children can still use the benches even when it is wet. What a kind thought, we are very appreciative. 

Our first round of Junior Duke's club meetings have now taken place, all on the theme of safety and averting disaster. Children in KS1 have discussed how to call the emergency services in the event of an emergency, and children in KS2 have practised putting people into the recovery position amongst other important things. Next Friday's meeting will be for KS2 in the Buzz Club room.

It is Road Safety week next week, so do also have a conversation with you children about what this means and how to ensure they are safe both in the light and in the dark when walking or cycling on pavements, or crossing roads.

 

Have a safe and restful weekend,

 

David Dennis
Assistant Headteacher


Scrapstore Playpod Grand Opening Success!

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Open Events for Prospective Parents

We have several Open Events running throughout the Autumn Term for parents looking for places in Nursery or Reception for September 2024.  If this applies to you please register for one of the events using the link below.  If you know anyone else who is interested in finding out about all we have to offer here at Dorchester, please share this information with them.  Thank you.

24 Sep 2023
Joining Us in 2024
Open Events for Admissions in 2024
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Sports Update

A group of Year 5 and 6 children had a fantastic opportunity on Monday to take part in a special squash workshop at Sutton Tennis and Squash centre. We certainly had lots of them displaying a real natural talent for the game!

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Fulham FC Foundation Girls’ Tournament

We were very lucky to have been offered a place at this competition which gave the girls an opportunity to play at the Fulham training ground, experiencing top level facilities and the chance to play against schools from both inside and outside the Borough.

After the initial group matches, we qualified for the Plate side of the competition which saw us confidently win our quarter final with a great team performance. The semi-final was an extremely close contest, which saw both teams have several chances that could have been converted, while determined defending kept both teams in the game until the final whistle, leaving Dorchester sadly the wrong side of a 1-0 score line.

It was a great morning of football all-round and the girls’ positive attitudes to working as a team and their enthusiasm for playing shone through!

Very well done to Paige, Brooklyn, Macey, Taylor, Gkalena, Esmee, Lila and Neve.

Congratulations also to Macey who was one of 4 players, across the whole tournament, who the Fulham coaches chose to recognise for consistent determination, focus and perseverance in her play throughout all of our games. Well done!

 

Our Year 5 boys football team also played a match this week against St Cecelias in an important Cheam Cup match. The team represented our school tremendously and played with real heart, but sadly lost 1-0 with an own goal. But, in the words of the players themselves 'We win together, we lose together...up the Willows!' They are determined not to let this loss get them down, the will rise again. Well done everyone who played.

ECO News

17 Nov 2023
Hedgehogs and Cut your Carbon
This week in Eco Club we learnt about our hibernating wildlife, including hedgehogs.Hedgehogs are in decline in Britain and are now listed as "Vulnerable" on Britain's red list of mammals. According to the latest State of Britain's hedgehogs report, numbers...
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FODS Update

We’re very excited for the upcoming Christmas fair. We need as much help as possible to make it a fantastic fair for all while raising funds for the school. Please sign up to help either on your class’s stall or before/after the fair setting up. All help is extremely appreciated, and you will be given instructions on what to do, signing up is easy and only takes a minute. Please use this link to volunteer to help. Thank you for volunteering. https://volunteersignup.org/WLQKJ

Important Dates:

  • 24th November Mufti Day in exchange for Christmas fair donation:

Nursery, Reception & Year 1 please bring a decorated filled jar.

Years 2,3,4,5 & 6 please bring an unopened bottle which has an expiration date after the fair. Please leave donations in one of the trolleys on your way into school or with your teacher.

  • 1st December Mince Pie/Cake donations for the Christmas fair. Please leave donations with your teacher.
  • 1st December Donkey visit in school for all children.
  • 2nd December Christmas Fair & Christmas tree sale 12-3pm.
  • 3rd December Christmas tree sale by the main office 11am-2pm.

As always, any questions please do not hesitate to email us at dorchesterpta@gmail.com

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Class Notes

17 Nov 2023
Nursery: Can you sing your favourite nursery rhyme?
In Nursery this week we have been celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week. The children enjoyed learning lots of different rhymes to recite by heart. We have been doing lots of activities to learn about rhymes and rhyming words. The children have been using playdough and loose parts to make nursery rhy...
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16 Nov 2023
Reception: Can you retell the story of Rama and Sita?
The Reception children have been exploring Diwali and learning the traditional story behind the festival as well as making their own festive decorations! They have also been learning nursery rhymes for World Nursery Rhyme Week and dressed up as their favourite Nursery Rhyme Character on Friday...
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15 Nov 2023
Year 1: Where do Christians worship?
Our highlight of the week this week was playing with all the new scrap on the playground and using our imaginations to create amazing things like rockets and soft play areas!
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16 Nov 2023
Year 2: How can we apply what we know about materials to be an inventor?
We have been spending our Science time learning about properties of materials, and how inventors like John Dunlop and Charles Mackintosh used materials to invent new products like pneumatic tyres and raincoats. We looked at our recycled materials, and the children had to evaluate their properti...
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17 Nov 2023
Year 3: What are the physical features of Spain, Sweden and Italy?
This week the children have really enjoyed working collaboratively to research either Italy, Spain or Sweden and learn about its physical features.  They had to identify the rivers, lakes, mountains, borders and coasts in each country.  They are then going to continue to research diff...
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17 Nov 2023
Year 4 - Journey to the centre of the Earth... almost!
This week took Year 4 on a virtual journey to the centre of the Earth - well almost! Through our English and Geography lessons we have been learning about how a volcano erupts and how this affected the city of Pompeii when Vesuvius covered it in 79AD. We have retold the story of Escape from Pompeii...
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15 Nov 2023
Year 5: Were the Vikings settlers or invaders?
During our History lesson this week, the Year 5 children worked collaboratively and made some impressive posters on the Vikings. They looked at primary and secondary sources of information to gather evidence to support the theory that the Vikings were either settlers or invaders. They came...
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17 Nov 2023
Y6: Which aspect of Junior Citizens did you find most interesting and why?
Year 6 enjoyed a fantastic visit to Junior Citizens at Sutton Life Centre on Thursday afternoon, where they had interactive sessions with representatives from Transport for London, The Metropolitan Police, London Fire Brigade Service, London Ambulance Service and the School Nursing service. The chil...
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Safeguarding - children and mobile phones

More and more families have multiple phones and devices in their households now than ever before, and we would like to remind you of the importance of ensuring that children are not given the opportunity to have free access of either a phone or tablet. And if they do, that there are parental controls and passcodes in place. Their usage should also be carefully monitored from a young age if they do, from a young age, have access to these.

Check, for example, that if your child knows your passcode to your mobile phone (children are very clever and have great memories, of course!), that you ensure you know where your phone is at all times, or that it is kept in a safe place away from little and busy hands!

There are a few articles below that provide extremely useful insight and advice as to how to carefully and safely allow children to make productive use of smart phones and tablets, and how to safely conduct themselves online. Please do have a read of these, and keep up to date with your parental controls, new apps children may have and be involved and a part of your children's time online.

https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/6-10/

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2023/apr/15/its-tough-for-parents-should-young-children-have-their-own-phone

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20220914-whats-the-right-age-to-get-a-smartphone

 

Are you worried about a child? https://www.nspcc.org.uk/what-is-child-abuse/spotting-signs-child-abuse/

If you think a child could be at risk of significant harm, you can call the children's social care team at the council in Sutton (Go to their website)

020 8770 6001 (Monday to Friday, 9am and 5pm)     020 8770 5000 (out of hours)

Always call 999 in an emergency


Lunch Menu

Our menus are available here.  Next week is week 1.

 


Upcoming Events

To view the school calendar click here.

Net4all Mums and Daughters (Years 4-6) Netball
9:30am – 10:30am
From 12 Nov and on Sunday each week
19
November
Reception Parents Junior Duke Award Meeting
2:50pm – 3:10pm
20
November
Reception Parents Junior Duke Talk
2:50pm – 3:10pm
20
November
Year 5/6 Sports Hall Athletics
9:00am – 1:00pm
21
November
Year 5/6 Girls' Football vs Manor Park
2:45pm – 4:45pm
22
November
Year 1 church visit
9:15am – 11:00am
23
November
Open Evening for Prospective Parents
7:30pm – 9:30pm
23
November
Bring a Jar (EYFS/Year 1) and Bring a Bottle (Years Non Uniform Day
All Day
24
November
Net4all Mums and Daughters (Years 4-6) Netball
9:30am – 10:30am
From 12 Nov and on Sunday each week
26
November
Discover Christmas Workshop - Year 2
1:15pm – 2:45pm
27
November
KS1 Diwali assembly
9:20am – 10:00am
28
November
KS2 Diwali assembly
10:05am – 10:45am
28
November
Year 5/6 Girls' Football vs Avenue
2:45pm – 4:45pm
28
November
Speech and Language UK No Pens Day
All Day
29
November
Year 5/6 B Tag Rugby Festival
9:00am – 1:00pm
30
November