Er, where did THAT particular amount of time go?!

Hello and welcome back to the Key Stage Two Blog!

I can't believe that after this week we are on half term! Don't forget that we have a Training Day on Friday so if you rock up to school, you'll be sorely disappointed (or relieved, it depends on which way you look at it!).

We've got an incredibly busy four days ahead so batten down the hatches and here we go...

Artistic Alfie

I was chatting to this lovely young man one break time and he showed me, with great delight, his rather fantastic sketchbook.

He talked me through all the different super heroes that he had invented with his friend.

Marvel eat your heart out!

Classroom Monitors

As you may well be aware from my previous nagging, moaning and stropping; the children in Key Stage Two are not the most considerate when it comes to looking after their school environment!

As a result, we have decided to appoint two Classroom Monitors per class to make sure that their classrooms are left tidy, especially at lunchtime.

I am also in the process of appointing Cloakroom Monitors for Year Five and Year Six - 5MW have been very enthusiastic and I've had lots of volunteers for this job.

This is why...

I can hear the sobbing parents from here!

I am hoping to get all the Monitors up and running next week with the aim to start 'properly' after half term. I will put a picture of our super duper volunteers on next week's Blog.

Cake Sale

A few of the children in 6NR are holding a cake sale this Monday at Breaktime in the Food Tech Room for the children of Key Stage Two. Our intrepid fundraisers will be raising money in aid of the Weldmar Hospice which, I am sure you will agree, is a very worthwhile charity to raise funds for.

Please support Brooke and co by bringing in your pennies.

Thank you!

Celebration Assembly

Just a quick reminder that Year Five's next Celebration Assembly is being held this Monday (11th February) starting at 2.05pm which is our usual assembly slot.

Please remember to sign in at Reception (there should be clipboards and pens available) before you enter the building.

We are aiming for 'short and sweet'!

Non Uniform Day

A text went out last week to announce a Non Uniform Day on Thursday 14th February. In exchange for wearing 'home clothes' we ask for either a chocolate donation or a £1 to our newly formed PTFA.

The chocolate will form prizes for our Bingo Night which is being held at DMS on Friday 8th March.

Please remember that when choosing what to wear on Thursday, it is important to remember that you are still coming to school so please choose what you are going to wear wisely!

WAMs

HUGE congratulations to this week's Worth a Mention children - what stars you are!

Let's start with Year Six:

Now the turn of Year Five:

It's great to see that our volunteer Classroom Monitors are getting a mention - fantastic!

Golden Time

A special mention needs to be made for 5MW and 5PC as every child in the class earned and received their Golden Time this week - well done!

Only six children just missed it in Year Five this week and fifteen in Year Six.

Come on chaps - we can do this!

6NR

So, there I was in the corridor after lunchtime when I heard and laughter and a general sense of fun coming from 6NR's classroom.

Imagine my surprise when I saw two members of the class cutting an A4 piece of paper so that a whole person could go through it.

Genius!

There was also something very clever going on with cards...

Love it!

6IW's History Lesson

Miss Enever sent me a few photographs from 6IW's History lesson.

What were you doing? I'd love to know. Maybe a brave member of 6IW could post something in the 'Comments' at the end of this Blog?

It looks as though you were having a lot of fun!

Darwin Day

In order to acknowledge 'Charles Darwin Day' - DMS is coming off timetable Lesson 3 to 5 to participate in all things Darwinian! Mrs Whiting and Ms Hobern have planned some super sessions. It looks as though you are all in for a treat!

DMS Well Being Week

As a school, we are extremely lucky to be have secured the services of Dorset MIND. As a result of this, we will be holding our first ever Dorchester Middle School Well-Being Week, week commencing 4th March.

During that week, we will be hosting assemblies and workshops to promote and support the Mental Health and Well-being of our children.

I'll furnish you with more details when I get them...

Mr Duffy

Last week we profiled the lovely Mr Haigh so this week, I am going to profile the equally lovely Mr Duffy.

Mr Duffy also has two daughters but they are a little bit too little to come to Dorchester Middle School. When I asked Mr Duffy what he did in his spare time I was surprised and impressed!

Here goes:

I enjoy brewing beer and cooking. I love creating things from scratch so grow as much as I can. Sharing what I have made is the best of all. I like to get arty if possible but rarely have the opportunity to paint/draw/write/carve/build. I love to read about human evolution, particularly the evolution of the mind. I also have an unhealthy interest in philosophy!

There are a lot of similarities between him and Mr Haigh aren't there? That's because they are good friends in and out of school - you can see why can't you?

Thank you Mr Duffy for being the next victim - watch this space for next week's!

Internet Safety Morning for Year Five

I think that we can all agree that keeping our children safe online is a key priority. However, it is vitally important that this starts with our children knowing how to stay safe on line and what to do if it all goes horribly wrong.

This Monday morning, the Year Five children will be participating in an Internet Safety session run by Safer Schools. It should be a good session and provide the children with plenty of food for thought.

Right, that's it for this week. That turned out to be a bit of an epic didn't it?!

I hope you all had a good weekend and I shall look forward to seeing you back here next week for the last Blog of the half term!

Mrs Ray

(who promised you pictures of last week's London Winter Run and here they are - enjoy!)