OUR MISSION STATEMENT
Our school community will provide a caring, safe and supportive environment where everyone is encouraged to be creative, challenged and happy in their work and play, and where United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) are respected and valued by all.
Language of the Month
Urdu
Key Dates for Summer 2
19th July - Topsy Turvy Day - more information below
23rd July - Non-Uniform Day - children can wear their own clothes to school for a suggested donation to the PTA
23rd July - Y1-6 School D-I-S-C-O!
Today has been a fantastic transition day for all of the children, giving them a taste of their new class and teacher, there's been lots of laughter and even the pokemon rap! It's so wonderful seeing how all of the children adapt with change and positively engage with their new teacher and surroundings.
Thank you to all our families for completing the One Page Profile for your children which is so helpful for the adults working with them.
This week we received another congratulations on achieving a Primary Science Quality Mark in this very challenging year. This included a video as another way for us to celebrate your success – a short film about PSQM R19 personalised for Dundonald. Please take the time to watch the film by clicking here.
With the hot weather continuing into next week I would encourage you to all apply sun cream before school and ensure your child has a hat and water bottle each day.
From next week things may be a little different due to the change in restrictions but we will be staying with the staggered entrances and exits and bubbles
Do remember Topsy Turvy day on Monday, let's all have some fun in this last week. (See below for full details)
Enjoy the sunshine!
Fiona Duffy
General News
If your child is leaving Dundonald this year (not including Nursery or Year 6) please ensure you complete this Google form. This is a legal requirement and must be completed before their last day.
The last day of term for all Nursery children is Thursday 22nd July and the rest of school is Friday 23rd July. Children will finish ealirer on the Friday see timings below.
Topsy Turvy Day – PTA Fundraiser on Monday 19th July
Introducing TOPSY TURVY DAY! We’re turning a ‘normal’ day on its head to finish the year with a bit of a bang!
The aim of Topsy Turvy day is to have some harmless fun and raise some money for the school along the way. On Monday 19th July children can select to come to school doing any of the following:
Wear their hair in a crazy style
Wear their school uniform back to front
Have juice rather than water in their drinks bottle (squash or fruit juice – no milk/ yoghurt-based drinks or fizzy drinks please)
Wear their Pyjamas to school (as tempting as it maybe, please don’t just get out of bed and come to school…! Remember underwear please and dress appropriately, particularly for the weather - if it’s a hot day on Monday then a woolly onesie might be a little over dressed!)
Have pudding first at lunchtime (or eat their packed lunch in a different order!)
Wear trainers
Wear their after-school clothes to school. Children can come to school in a club uniform or outfit for example ballet outfit, club football kit, Brownies or Scouts uniform etc.
Dress up as their teacher!
There’s a lot to choose from, and children can do as many things as they would like from the list above. In exchange we ask for a donation to the PTA. For anything the children do we’d suggest a donation of £1.
Many thanks for your support!
The PTA
ONLINE SAFETY
Year 6 Online Safety Assembly
On Tuesday children in Year 6 participated in an interactive 'Be Internet Legends' online safety assembly which was live streamed nationally and reinforced important online safety messages for school leavers. All children could particpate in live polls which was particularly exciting.
'Be Internet Legends' family resources can be found here.
Balancing Screen Time
Find simple tips here to help children develop healthy online habits and a good digital diet to help them thrive on and offline.
Useful screen time age guides from Internet Matters can be found here:
Summer of Play
Play is important: it nurtures mentsal wellbeing, builds physical health, facilitates interactions and improves social skills. Play develops engagement and connection in families.
Play doesn’t need lots of resources, and it doesn’t need to take lots of time.
Tapestry and Learning with Parents have collaborated to create 'Summer of Play' resources for children from Early Years to Year 6, including children with learning difficulties.
The resources follow the themes:
For each theme there is a collection of accessible activities accompanied by a supporting resource with ideas.
Round up of the week
We would like to remind families of the possibility to apply for Free School Meals (FSM), if they believe they may be eligible.
If you have never applied previously and think you might now be eligible to Free School Meals due to a change in circumstances, please apply online here.
Auditions in Year 3
In 3B on Wednesday afternoon we did classroom auditions to Dundonald's got Talent. Please welcome David Walliams, Amanda Holden and Dermot O'Leary!
We enjoyed watching lots of different very talented performances, including piano, gymnastics, and beautiful artwork.
The NHS comes to DPS!
This week the children in Early Years were lucky enough to have some special visitors from the NHS. To finish off our topic, ‘People Who Help Us’, Sister Emma and Sister Lucy from Guy’s Hospital came into school. The children have loved learning about the medical profession this term and role-playing as doctors and nurses, so they were very excited to have genuine nurses in the classroom!
Lucy and Emma answered lots of questions about their jobs and the children enjoyed looking through their bags and dressing up in their uniform - some even volunteered to be bandaged. We learned about what they do on their wards and the Sisters told us all about the people they help. We were all very interested to learn about their jobs during COVID-19 and how the NHS continue to help us.
A huge thank you to Lucy and Emma for visiting DPS and spending time with the children. They had a wonderful time and some of them are quite keen to visit a hospital soon..!
NAM: “Why do nurses wear blue uniforms?” Arthur
NAM: “Why do nurses give vaccinations?” Valentina
NPM “Why do you use a thermometer?” Julieta
NPM “Why do people go on a stretcher?” Ethan M
R2 “I liked asking them questions!” Olivia K
R2 “I liked seeing the nurses put Haroon in bandages” Allegra
R2 “I liked learning about their upside-down watch!” Emanuel
ARTS COMPETITION WINNERS
Well done to the following children for winning the recent Arts Competition on Celebrating Friendship.
Drama - Aariv (1B)
Art - Charis (2D), Guilio (2D), Tess (3S) & Eliza (3S), Aras (5T), Federico (5T), Kaya (5T), Kellan (5T), Alex (5T), London (5T), Zacaiah (5T), Amelia (5H)
Music - Maia (3B), Nadia (3B), Pippa (5H), Rebecca (5h) & Gayatri (5H)
ECO NEWS
London Lungs
Congratulations to Ishii (R2) whose entry to Merton's London Lungs competition received Special Thanks.
The competition was open to Key Stage 1 and 2, so, although Ishii's entry could not be included in the actual competition, her poster will be displayed alongside the winners and runner-ups. The competition asked children to create a clean air day poster using the theme London Lungs.
Ishii interpreted it by creating lungs using the prints of leaves and added text saying, 'We care for trees,' and 'Healthy tree, healthy me!' Ishii's poster will be displayed on the Eco noticeboard in the Autumn.
Well done, Ishii!
CELEBRATION CERTIFICATES / HEADTEACHER AWARD
EARLY YEARS
WINNIE THE WITCH AWARD Eesah (NPM)FLOYD AWARD Daniel (NPM)
SMARTEST GIANT AWARDALL of NPM & NAM!
LOWER SCHOOL / UPPER SCHOOL
CONFIDENCE AWARDAnaiya (2R), Alice (4S), Aashrita (4Sc), Lila (5T) & Divine (Y6)
COMMITMENT AWARDPhoebe (1M), Ella Poppy (2R), Lorenzo (3B), All of 3B, Madison (3S), Henry (5H) & Joziah (Y6)
COLLABORATION AWARDFred (2R), Elysa (2D), Aziza (2D) & Navya 4S
CREATIVITY AWARDLeo (1M), Ana (3B), Delilah (4Sc), Victoria (4Sc), Emma (5T) & Sofia (5T)
CRAFTSMANSHIP AWARDHannah (1M), Sidney (2D)
Edward (2D) - For showing a positive attitude towards all aspects of his learning and developing a Growth Mindset about his work.
Adnan (2D) - For working tirelessly to improve his work and for putting in so much effort when writing his adventure story based on the Lighthouse Keeper stories.
Olivia (3B)