DALE NEWS !
FEBRUARY 2014
Brrrr! The weather is very wintery! We’re all enjoying playing outside and wishing for snow. Please make sure your children are wrapped up warm!
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D’S A E H OT SP
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On Friday 31 January, HMI
Term Dates for 2014
visited school for another check on
Break up for half term Friday 14 February
our progress before our next Ofsted Inspection. The HMI was pleased
Back to School Monday 24 February
Break up for Easter Friday 11 April
with the progress made in school and was very positive about the changes implemented since
Back to School Monday 28 April
our last inspection.
All in school have worked very hard towards the
Break up for half term Friday 23 May
progress to date.
INSET Day Monday 02 June
Thank you all! Enjoy your half term.
Mrs L Sullivan - Head Teacher
(cont. on next page)
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Foundation Stage News
when you were a child!
Izzy, whizzy let’s get busy! Wow, what a magical time FS have had. We had a special visit from a magician who showed us some amazing magic tricks. We have had our own magic shows, learning some tricks ourselves. The children tried witches brew with caterpillars, butterflies, maggots and worms! (not real, don’t worry!). They wrote wizard rhyming spells and turned their teachers into frogs! We’re ok now though! The children have been working very hard in phonics and would love more help at home.
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Year One News What a great half term we’ve had in Year 1! We have been reading and writing poems and sharing our poems at a ‘poem recital show’ which good fun! We enjoyed our visit to ‘Build-a-Bear’ in Westfield where we were able to make a bear for our class. As part of our learning in science, we went for a material hunt around school and we tested materials to find out which one will be best to make an umbrella for our class teddy. We also have been learning instructions and using bossy words! Next half term we will be looking at toys from the past. Why not share a toy or a game that you used to play with
Learning Mentors
Year Two News
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We would like to remind all Parent and Guardians to inform school ASAP of any change in contact numbers.
This half term we have learnt all about the Great Fire of London and about materials. We have listened to lots of traditional stories and we have even written our own! As part of PE, we have learnt a gymnastics sequence, which has been lots of fun! Symmetry, measuring and data handling have formed part of our numeracy work. Ask us all about it!
Please remember that PE Kits must be brought in to school on Monday and kept in school until Friday.
The Massage and Relaxation Group is running group on Thursday lunch times. Year 3 News Group leaders Iez Asif – 2A along with Leah We have been learning about Davey – 3J have been rocks and soils. We can recognise many different rocks supporting new starters to the group. and we know their properties, such as, slate is used for The group is full at the roofing. We have had great moment, however, we fun drawing and painting in the are hoping to open style of Paul Klee. This has more groups leading included block printing and up to the summer. drawing using blocks of Please see Mrs Hazell colours. “A Cross on the Door” for more information. is a book about the life of a young boy in 1665, we have read it and we have learnt about the plague in Term Dates (cont.) preparation for our trip to Eyam. We have written diary INSET Day entries and play scripts based Tuesday 03 June around the story. We have Back to School been focussing on our Wednesday 04 June calculation steps in addition and subtraction and we are Break up for Summer continuing to learn our Wednesday 23 July times tables.
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Year Four News
seen how these are similar to each other. The new style homework has produced some excellent pieces of learning. A BIG thank you to your for supporting your children to complete these tasks.
The last six weeks have flown by! We started our moving vehicle project with a talk given by two engineers from Rolls-Royce who explained how aeroplane engines are made and tested. We started to make our own vehicles working in groups. It has been challenging and we’ve had to sort out a few problems; that’s what engineers have to do. Some of us are thinking about being engineers when we are older.
Year Six News
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In early January all of Year 6 visited a very wet Dovedale and used the experience as a stimulus for this half term’s literacy unit. The pupils have worked exceptionally well and produced some outstanding pieces of poetry, which will be performed after half term at Dale’s very first poetry recital! Easter is fast approaching and after the half term we will start preparing for SATs. Please encourage your children to continue reading and practising their numeracy skills. Have a lovely break!
Year Five News
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Another busy half term has whizzed past again. We have been learning about The Incredibles this half term; it started with Superhumans and what makes humans so special, the lifestyle we need to have to keep ourselves fit and healthy and the things people do which harm their bodies. We have just moved onto Superplants using Harry Potter’s Mandrakes as a starting point. We have read different religion’s versions of the Creation story and
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Sports
!!! !• DW Sports Indoor 5-a-side football – 9 matches
• Derby County Indoor 6-aside festival • Indoor Rowing Championships • Bikeability – Year 5 Table Tennis Finals in Bradford. Girls runners-up • Sportshall athletics – mixed team festival • Girls Football Festival 7-aside – unbeaten • Hockey v Cavendish Close • Table Tennis County Finals – 4 boys/4 girls • Basketball Festival at Derby Moor School Sports Clubs in School: Morning: 8:00am-8:50am (depending on weather) Football/cricket/table tennis/tennis Wednesday – Badminton Lunch time: 12:00pm-12:30pm and 12:30pm-1:00pm Short tennis / dance / indoor athletics / multi skills / table tennis After school: 3:30pm-4:30pm every day. See board for details.
As a Parent Governor and a member of the Dale S School Standards Committee, I OR’ N R E continue to notice the GOVSPOT improvements the school is making towards the standards of teaching and learning across all the key stages. The quality of teaching, student progress and behaviour was applauded by the HMI Inspector during his recent visit to the school. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the teachers for their continued hard work. As parents we must play an active part not only in supporting literacy and numeracy skills but also providing our children with a range of experiences to help cultivate personal and social development.
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Parents are also encouraged to provide their views about the school by using the Parent View tab on the school’s website. Your views are always valued and appreciated. Mr Mohammed Shaid Dad Parent Governor
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School Information
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• School meals continue to cost £2.00 per day / £10.00 per week. Money must be paid on a Monday morning. Please remember if your child brings a packed lunch to school it must be brought to school at 9:00am. We will not accept late lunchboxes.
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• Please look at the school website: http:// dale.derby.sch.uk for more information and pictures of school life.
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• Lost Property is kept outside class 1S.
Scott Walters, our guitar/ukulele MUSIC teacher is preparing his pupils for another showcase assembly next half term. We are looking forward to seeing their progress. If you are interested in learning to play, please ask Mrs Wilson for details.
How to contact us:
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Year 4 are also beginning to prepare for a visit to Derby High School in March for ‘National Sing-Up Day’. Final auditions have been taking place this week. We may well have some potential X-Factor contestants in the making, judging by the talent and enthusiasm we have seen so far!
Telephone 01332 760070
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Email admin@dale.derby.sch.uk Address Dale Community Primary School Porter Road, Derby. DE23 6NL
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Head Teacher Mrs L. Sullivan