Ploughing on ahead...

 Hello and welcome back to the Dorchester Middle School Blog!

Well, at the time of writing, the sun has decided to have a bit of a mini break. Although this might seem a bit of a shame, my garden has been extremely grateful for the rain so there aren't too many complaints from the Blandford division of the DMS family.

Have you all had a good week? I've had another busy one but it's been a good one. Let me share with you why this is the case...

Back in Business

I am delighted that the Library is, quite literally, back in business. I can't begin to tell you how lovely it is to walk past children using the space for what it was intended for - the love and enjoyment of books.

Mrs Spackman has been in her element!

Our New Recruits

Even though we will not be able to hold the Transfer Day that we were hoping for this year, we are working hard behind the scenes to come up with ways for the children to meet their new Tutors for September. 

This week, Ms Pluck and I have started our Transition Assemblies with the Year Four children. We started this week with virtual assemblies with Winterbourne Valley and then Cerne Abbas. 

Here are the super Year Five children who helped us out with the assemblies:

It was great to 'meet' some of the children who will be transferring to us in September. It was even lovelier to watch the DMS children chatting to the children from their first schools. When Elsa and Oakley arrived on screen I am pretty sure I heard the cheering straight from the Winterbourne Valley and not just from my screen!

When we joined the Cerne Abbas meeting, the screen was set up but no one was there as their fire alarm had been activated! Ms Pluck, Hemi, Mia and I sat there watching the whole process - we couldn't stop giggling as the timing was hilarious! Mr Mitchem looked rather flustered when he eventually joined us.

Miss Easton and I went to Damers on Wednesday to meet Mrs Simmonds and Mrs Bearwish to have a Team around Transfer Meeting so that we could chat about the children who will be joining Team DMS in September.

When we finished our meeting, Miss Easton and I went and met some of the children whilst they were eating their lunch - what a fantastic bunch.

 We are in for such a treat in September!

Keen Beans

As you know, many after school clubs have recommenced and the children are, quite frankly, loving them.

Our fabulous Mr Roberts has also organised a variety of clubs before school which are proving to be very popular, especially amongst our Key Stage Two Children.

On offer is Table Tennis and Martial Arts. It looks like fun doesn't it?

Working Together

One of the many things that I think we do well is working together. In 5MW this week, the children were peer assessing the Ship's Log that they had written based on our reading of Kensuke's Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo.

I was so impressed with the supportive feedback that they give each other.

I love our school.

The Shortlisted few

Here are a few of the Year Six children who have recently been shortlisted for the recent DASP Art and Writing competitions. Their entries will be included in a book which will be sent to all of the DASP schools.  

 Well done to everyone who has been shortlisted and 'Good Luck' for the final!

Enterprising Children?

I popped into 6RB on Friday to catch up with Doctor Ball and was shown the 'class shop'.

If you use anything from the 'shop' then you have to sign it back in. This was Jay and Oliver's genius idea. I had to borrow a board pen but I promise that I signed it back in.

Worth a Mention Children

HUGE congratulations to ALL of the children (and there are loads of you!) who found themselves on this week's WAM Boards. 

Let's start with Year Five this week:

Now for Year Six:

Well done to each and everyone of you!

Divine Intervention

At Dorchester Middle School, we pride ourselves on the Intervention Groups that we run. Here is Miss Jenkin with her 5AD group.

Judging on the giggling that can be heard from the Intervention space, I have a sneaky suspicion that they have a lot of fun as well as doing lots of fabulous learning!

Well, that's it for this week. I hope that you all have a good week and that big, yellow thing in the sky makes a reappearance sooner rather than later.

See you back here next week!

Mrs Ray

(who went for a rather overdue run with the brilliant Mrs Whiting after school on Friday. Despite being shattered, they were so pleased that they made the effort. They managed to tick a few of their Mental Health Boxes - being active (the longest they had actually run continuously), reconnecting (they haven't chatted for ages), taking notice (beautiful poppies), learning something new (the route) and giving (their time).