Dear Parents,

 We had several exit points today, to mark the end of the well-being unit. The Early Years was turned into a Spa for an hour- thanks to all the parents who came to school today to experience the Spa session with their children.  We also completed the final sports day this week, thanks to all the staff who supported, but in particular the PE dept who organised the events; thanks again to all the parents that attended, supported and also engaged in a few parent challenges. (Please see the video below)

We continue to meet with several external agencies on the current safety issues related to students travelling to school on bicycles and scooters. This morning we met with the Road Safety Team and the Fire Department who were advising on travel to school and the storage of scooters (Lithium batteries) on the school site during the school day. We will provide further notes in future newsletters on the advice from the meeting today. It was an extremely helpful meeting for the school as we explored several questions that had been requested by parents with concerns over Road Safety.

We appreciate that due to various commitments, on occasion parents have to travel with their children during the school term. If you are planning to travel and your child will be absent from school, please notify school by emailing notices@pdoschool or communicating with your child's class teacher via Seesaw.

Tim Robinson

Headteacher

Parent Connect Minutes from the January Meeting

Please see the link for the minutes from the Parent Connect Meeting which was held on 28 January below. We have attempted to capture the key points of the meeting and all of the questions collated from the Parent Connect Members. We also added additional points based on the discussion. We were unable to support all questions as we require further information from the parents, we are happy to discuss if parents provide additional information.

Minutes of Parent Connect Meeting - January 2024 

Early Years

As part of our Healthy Habits unit, we have launched Teddy Bear Travel days, an engaging initiative to emphasise the importance of car safety in a fun way. Every week, one lucky child will take our class teddy bear on a special car ride adventure, using its very own special car seat. Cultivating the habit of buckling up our little ones is a vital lesson for a safe journey.

 Thank you for your continued support in making learning memorable. 

Milepost 1

Year 2 and Year 1 shared their Exit Point to celebrate their learning of the IPC topic 'If You're Happy And You Know It.'  The children shared their understanding of emotions and feelings through poetry work, art and discussions.  They completed their wonderful day by sharing a picnic and bubbles.

The Year 2 children also brought in their cuddly friends to share the day as well.  One of the children said that they felt "..proud because they listened to me and we were collaborators!"  Another noted that, "The year 2 children were caring teachers!" and the children felt that they got to know each other better.

Milepost 2 - Welcome Pack

 We're delighted to share a special project from our Milepost 2 students. As part of our friendship unit, they have been collaborating to put together a 'Welcome Packet' for new students, filled with items they've made themselves, including handmade welcome cards, friendship bracelets, personalized name tags, and plans for friendly games. 

This initiative is a beautiful display of our personal learning goals, showcasing creativity, empathy, and the joy of making new friends. It's been a wonderful way for students to practice kindness and inclusivity, setting a warm tone for everyone joining our school family.

Milepost 3 - Express Yourself

Children in Years 5 and 6 have been taking on the role of 'Agony Aunt' this week. The children read Agony Aunt style letters, featuring a range of problems pertinent to children their age, and considered what helpful advice they could offer to support others. Children were able to get creative with their responses with opportunities for discussion, written responses and the planning and recording of Podcasts. Communication, collaboration and empathy have been displayed in abundance, and the children have really rallied round to support each other with their worries. 

INTERHOUSE COMING SOON

TUG OF WAR AND TARGET WARS

Next up in our interhouse competition is Target Wars for year 1 & 2 and Tuf of War for year 3-6. 

It's an opportunity to showcase aiming and accuracy for our year 1's and 2's and test of strength and teamwork for our year 3 - 6 children! 

It's likely to be very close and we are already looking forward to seeing who will reign victorious!!

Let's go teams!! 

Congratulations Mr Neil

Last weekend, Mr Neil and his team - PDO Pirates - won the OT6s rugby tournament! Mr Neil and his teammates had to beat many other teams to win this much sought after title. It was a tough tournament so we are very glad to see that Mr Neil came away with the trophy!

Partner Yoga Event

Wishing you a pleasant weekend,

The PDO School Team