Hello and welcome back to the Dorchester Middle School Blog!
I hope you have had a fabulous week.
We have been incredibly busy preparing and organising the whole transition process throughout the pyramid from Year Four up to Year Eight and although it can be incredibly unsettling time of year for so many of us (yes, I am including adults in this!) we will be absolutely fine once everything is up and running and we have got used to the new way of doing things.
I guess one of the things that I have learnt during my many years on this planet is that you have to see how things pan out.
With that in mind, let's crack on with this week's Blog as I have got LOADS to share with you this week!
So lovely to meet you...
This week, Ms Pluck, Miss Easton and myself went on a mini DMS Roadshow so we could meet some of the children who will be starting with us in September.
Prince of Wales First School
On Tuesday, we visited the lovely children at Prince of Wales. We took a few familiar faces back with us so that the Year Four children could ask them questions. They could also see that they had survived their first year at Dorchester Middle School.
We arrived in the rain and returned in the sunshine!
We had such a warm welcome and had a terrific time. The children asked some fabulous questions - I can't begin to tell you how great it was to meet them.
What a lovely bunch!
Damers First School
The next day, we took the DMS Roadshow to the fantastic Damers where, again, we were made to feel incredibly welcome.
Again, we were really impressed with the questions that were asked and with the answers that the Year Five children gave them.
Another lovely bunch - we can't believe our luck!
A HUGE 'Thank You' to the Year Five children who came with us on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were excellent ambassadors and we were incredibly proud of them.
As a result of this, these wonderful children received the very first Mrs Ray Assistant Headteacher Award stickers.
I think they were pleased with them?
Non Feeder Schools
Miss Easton and I welcomed a few of the out of catchment children to DMS on Thursday and Friday. This was to enable them to get to know other children in the same situation before they transfer to us in September.
Mr Legg from the PE Department joined us on the first day and led a fun orienteering session with the children. It was lovely to see the buds of new friendships starting to form.
Hopefully, the Year Four parents have received our letter about the whole transition process. If not, please do get in touch with our office as soon as possible and we will make sure that you receive a copy.
'Transfer Day'
As you will know, we are unable to run a traditional Transfer Day but we are trying to get as many Year Four children as possible up to school between now and the end of term.
On the 1st July, we will be welcoming groups of Year Four children from the Feeder First Schools.
This is the plan:
9.10am - 9.55am children from Winterbourne Valley and Cerne Abbas to visit DMS (letters are being sent out on Monday).
10.15am - 11am children from Prince of Wales to visit DMS - staff from the school will be walking the children up to our site.
1.45pm - 2.30pm children from Damers to visit DMS - again, staff from the school will be walking the children to our site.
The aim of the session is for the children to meet and get to know their Homebase Tutor for September and to find out who they will be in a class with.
Children who have not yet had the opportunity to visit the school will be invited to visit after this date.
All parents/carers will be emailed the name of their child's Homebase Tutor on 1st July.
Although the children will not get to meet their new class in its entirety, they will all meet on the Thursday 2nd September where Year Five children will have the school all to themselves for the day.
We have invited our Year Four parents to participate in two Zoom meetings on Wednesday 7th July starting at 5pm. The details of these meetings are in the letter.
The rest of the school will have their own DMS Transfer Day on Tuesday 13th July.
Exciting times!
Pupils who have a Voice
I popped in to see Mr Haigh's first meeting with the newly elected Year Five Pupil Voice Representatives. Although I couldn't stay very long, I was very impressed with what I saw.
In fact, I was so impressed that I gave Mr Haigh one of my special stickers!
Missing!
This week, in 5MW, we decided to do some drama relating to the book we are reading, Kensuke's Kingdom.
We hot seated the characters of Mum and Dad in the form of a Press Conference. Phoebe and Sam took the roles of the protagonist Michael's Mum and Dad and the rest of the class were the ladies and gentleman of the press. I was Chief Inspector Ray who was leading the investigation to Michael's disappearance.
Brilliant!
Worth a Mention Children
As always, HUGE congratulations to the children whose names have been put on our Worth a Mention Boards this week.
Let's start with Year Five:
Now for the turn of Year Six:
I am so proud of each and every one of you!
Hallett and Hill
Last week, I shared a picture with you of the new pop up 'shop' that appeared in 6RB last week.
Well, I am delighted to say that this has gone one step further as the proprietors now have a sign and are displaying their 'merchandise' much more professionally.
I have a sneaky suspicion that their HB Tutor Dr Ball had something to do with it.
Love it!
Well, that's it for this week. I hope you all have a good week and I will look forward to 'seeing' you back here next week.
Mrs Ray
(who thought she would treat everyone to a picture of Beryl this week)
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