Broadcasting to a laptop near you...

 Hello and welcome back to the Dorchester Middle School Blog!

We all did it! 

We made it to half term and what a half term it has been! 

Before I go any further, I would just like to say a massive 'well done' and 'thank you' to the whole DMS Community. This has not been the easiest of half terms for anyone, it really hasn't, but we have rolled up our metaphorical sleeves and cracked on with it.

Our children are amazing. 

Fact.

Right, time to crack on with this week's Blog...

Live Lessons

This week, we started our 'Live Learning' which, by all accounts, has been a triumph. 

For those of us who broadcasted live, we were super nervous beforehand (many of us likened it to an Ofsted lesson observation!) but came away from our lessons feeling triumphant and ready and raring to crack on with it after half term.

I hope that you have all enjoyed the live lessons and that you have got a lot out of the whole experience. The new, improved timetable has really helped to make sure that there is parity with the children at home and school and that can only be a good thing.

I was chatting to Miss Easton about how it feels that we are running our own television station and look at what she went away and came up! 

She's so clever. 

Here are a couple of pictures to show you what the live learning looked like in school.

Me, just before I delivered my Year Five English lesson.

Miss Enever was an excellent co-pilot!

6D watching Mrs Whiting deliver her Science lesson.

One of the best things about Live Lessons/Assemblies is that we get to see and connect with so many of you. That was awesome.

Creative Children

The Assembly theme this week was inspired by last week's Children's Mental Health Week's theme of expressing yourself. 

Here is Layla who dressed to express last Friday - doesn't she look fabulous? 

Miss Clements and I were so impressed with everyone's ideas and suggestions on how to be creative so we decided to stick to the theme for this week's assemblies.

Well, you have certainly been busy...

Nell in Year Six has been extremely creative in the family kitchen:

Charlie in Year Six has been making a bird box for the garden:

Sophie has made a pencil pot out of an old coffee pot:

Josh made a car out of toilet roll.  Unfortunately, my computer said 'no' when it came to opening up the picture so hopefully, I can show you next time.

Miss Clements and I set you a challenge - to be creative this half term. Our assembly (available on your Google Classroom Streams) will be, hopefully, a good starting point.

Please send your pictures to me at:

fray01@dmsschool.co.uk

I can't wait to see what you create and don't forget, there will be prizes!

Daily Mile

With the arrival of our new timetable on Monday, the 'Daily Mile' has made a popular return with a range of teachers.

 I know that the PE Department have been doing this since September but it was new to me and I was very excited to take 5C out and about on Wednesday. I even brought my wellies into school in anticipation.

We didn't like the look of that grey sky!

Hemi was an excellent navigator!

This was the map that Miss Farn gave me. Thank goodness for Hemi, that's all I can say!

So, I'll be honest, it wasn't the triumph that I was hoping it would be. I had an image of a lovely, casual stroll not a freezing cold stomp around the school grounds where I had to stop every thirty seconds to have a nag!

I despaired. How were we going to make this time we had been given productive?
It then it emerged - the best idea ever.
With our Eco Lead Isla in situ, every Wednesday, we are going to look after our school environment by doing a weekly litter pick.

We have named ourselves... 

All the children who have been involved in Eco-centered activities in their first schools will be Group Leaders and Isla will Chief Warrior.

I'm now looking forward to Wednesday afternoons!

We have lift off!

As you saw last week, the children at home and at school have been creating the most incredible solar systems. Miss Easton came to find me to show me what Year Five have been up to in their Science lessons...

Chaotic and creative - what a combination!

I know that everyone has really enjoyed this project and it has been a joy to see the progress the children have made.

Well done!

Five Ways to Wellbeing

You know me, I like to refer to the Five Ways of Wellbeing wherever possible.

How did you use your time on Friday? I hope you all managed to tear yourselves away from your computer screens and have some 'device free' time?

As a staff, we were very much encouraged to also have a day away from the computers which was easier said than done but I gave it a good go!

I CONNECTED with my Mum.

I GOT ACTIVE and CONNECTED with my running chum Hannah.

I TOOK NOTICE of our route (!) and LEARNT (the hard way) that taking notice is a very important life skill.

I also connected with my daughter when we walked down to Marks and Spencer in order to purchase our body weight in Percy Pigs!

I would LOVE to know what you have been up to with regards to your Five Ways to Wellbeing. Why not send me an email with a picture to the address mentioned earlier?

Well, that's it for this week. No Blog next weekend as this Blogger is going to give her keyboard a bit of a rest. As a family, we are going to have a Digital Detox day next week. I think I am more nervous about it than the Grumpy Thirteen Year Old! I'll let you know how we get on...

Have a fabulous half term everyone - may the sun shine for us all!

Mrs Ray

(who mentioned in her assemblies this week the whiteboard she found in Mr Robert's classroom - I thought you would all like to see it. It says it all doesn't it?)