Wood for the trees?

Hello and welcome back to the Key Stage Two Blog!

What a busy old week that was! I accompanied all the classes on the Year Five Buddens Trip on Wednesday and Thursday and then was out on a course on Friday. I am looking forward to getting back into school on Monday and get stuck back into my teaching! Be warned 5MW and 6MP!

I am so sorry if the Blog was hard to find last week - it wasn't a test, I promise! I am working on getting a clear link on the website so that you can access it easily - I'll send out a text to you all once I've conquered that personal milestone!

Anyway, enough of my ramblings, let's crack on with the Blog.

Buddens

As mentioned in my introduction, Year Five went on a trip to Buddens Scout Centre as part of the work they are doing in Science. We had two wonderful days and I hope the children not only enjoyed themselves but that they learnt a lot in the process. I know I did!

Here are a few pictures of our days out...

This was, believe it or not, a HUGE rabbit!

Me applying First Aid!

A HUGE 'Thank You' to everyone who was involved in the trip from the teachers who led the groups, the Teaching Assistants who were dragged out of school, the fabulous helpers, the admin staff and to Mrs Whiting who organised the trip in the first place!

We managed to leave the beautiful Buddens as we found it.

Until next year...

Worth a Mention Children

Massive congratulations to the children in Year Five and Six who were on the Worth a Mention Boards this week.

In Year Five we salute the following children:

I see that Mrs Daniel's drawing is going from strength to strength, wouldn't you agree Year Six?

Now for the superstars in Year Six:

How fabulous!

Well done to ALL the children who were mentioned this week - I am very proud of you all!

Year Five Celebration Assembly

This Tuesday sees our first Year Five Celebration Assembly of the academic year - hoorah!

If you can attend, please come to Reception by 2pm and we will escort you to the Hall so you can be seated before the children come off the playground.

The stripes that will be celebrated will be distributed to the children after half term as they are still on order. I can hear sighs of relief all round as sewing boxes are silently closed and returned to their 'home'!

Please remember to sign in on your arrival - there will be clipboards and pens awaiting your arrival in Reception.

Year Five Parent Consultations

Thank you to all the parents/carers who have made appointments to see their child's Homebase Tutor on Monday and Wednesday next week. If you have not made appointment, it is worth checking to see if there are any available times, just in case.

As mentioned last week, the focus of the evening is purely a pastoral one as it is to discuss how your child is settling into Dorchester Middle School along with the opportunity to talk through any concerns.

I will be floating around the Year Five corridor on both evenings so please do come and say 'Hello' otherwise I'll feel like Billy No Mates all evening!

Marvellous Maths

The wonderful Mr Haigh has been his usual fabulous self and has sent me something else to add to the Blog which is brilliant!

Learn your tables with a nightly practice before your bedtime reading session.

The video shows how to play this very simple but effective times table memory game. I've also linked you to 2 cards for parents to print out (x3 x4 cards, x6 x7 x8 x9 cards). Once printed out, parents will need to use a pencil to lightly write the answers on the rear of the paper. Tip: holding the paper against a daylight window allows you to line up answers correctly.

Here are the cards:

Now, I have been having quite a few technical issues when uploading the video so if it's not here when you are looking at the Blog then I can only apologise! Hopefully, I'll be able to get it on here for you sooner rather than later! Fingers crossed!

Sporty Spices

Do you remember the pink cards that were distributed in PE and Games from last week's Blog? Well, I have three Year Six ladies to join last week's candidates.

Well done girls - what a fabulous achievement!

So, that's it for this week! I hope that you are all in the process of having a super weekend and if you are reading this later in the week - I hope that that you had a good one!

I shall look forward to seeing many of you next week either in assembly or at the Parent Consultations.

Have a good week and I'll see you back here for the last Blog before the half term holiday.

Mrs Ray

(who had a very busy Saturday with her Run Blandford chums on White Star Running's Love Station for the Chase Marathon. Yes, I do normally wear this on a Saturday morning...!)