Omnibus Edition

 Hello and welcome back to the Dorchester Middle School Blog!

Oh dear. I've done it again. I've been slow off the mark with writing the Blog but never fear, I have lots of fabulous things to share with you! I warn you now, they are not in chronological order.

So, let's dispense with the Ray ramblings and crack on with this week's omnibus edition...

Nothing odd about us

On Monday, it was with great delight that I spotted so may children wearing odd socks to mark the beginning of anti-bullying week.

It was quite humbling to see so many people in the school community recognise the start of such an important week. 

Rewarding times

We know that our children are brilliant so it is so lovely when they are rewarded for this loveliness. Be it on the Worth a Mention Boards or the receipt of stripes.

Here are the Worth a Mention Boards from the last two weeks.

Let's start with Year Five from two weeks ago...

Now for Year Six...

Here are the boards from last week starting with Year Five again...

Poor Year Six had a very hectic and busy week so I don't think all the teachers managed to get to the boards before I took the pictures!

I actually had a look at the excellent power point that was produced by a few of the pupils in 6LS and to say that I was impressed would be the understatement of the year. I'm going to work out how I can share it with all of you.

Watch this space...

We will remember them

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month is something that is etched into our very being and quite rightly so. 

Leading up to the Friday, a former pupil, Flora Scott came into school to deliver an assembly to Year Six about Remembrance Day.

Flora works at The Keep and told the children about a soldier from the First World War from their archive. From their records, they were able to track this man from an infant to when he died fighting in the First World War also known as The Great War.

A couple of days later, on a dull and cloudy day, the entire school came outside to pay our respect to those who lost their lives for us. 

It was as moving as it always is. 

We all proudly watched on as representatives of the four years groups and members of staff laid wreaths of poppies at the front of the picture of a soldier in our foyer.

Later that day, Mr Roberts along with a few Year Eight children and members of his class, held an assembly for Year Five.

It was an excellent assembly. One of the (many) highlights for me was when members of 5MR read out the poems that they had written to mark this occasion.

Here are the poems for you to see.

If it wasn't for this incredibly brave men and women, we would not have the freedom that we have today. The children's respect for such an important day was touching and humbling.

Thank you.

Children in Need

It was with great delight that the school supported this year's Children in Need by donning our Pudsey merchandise and donated money to this incredibly worth cause.

Jack, now in Year 7, wore his Pudsey onesie for the third year in a row. I am very impressed that he still fits into it!

You've been zapped!

As a school, we are right in the middle of 'Switch off Fortnight'. Organised by the fabulous Mrs Whiting and her band of helpers, awareness of how much energy we use as a school is being raised and quite rightly so. 

The assemblies that were delivered by the Key Stage Three children was sobering to say the least. I was shocked (no pun intended!) to find out that we use more energy when the school is closed than when it is open. How can that be? 

The excellent assembly really helped us to understand how crucial it was that all work together to reduce the amount of energy we use in school. If we leave the on the interactive boards and lights in the classroom then we are 'zapped' in the form of a sign (or two). It's annoying when it happens but my word, it is making everyone aware of the need to turn off the electrical appliances when we don't need them!

The monitors should be able to tell us how much energy we have saved over the course of the fortnight so watch this space!

PTFA AGM

It was the dedicated team of stalwart PTFA members who turned up on a dark and rainy night to hold our Annual General Meeting.

Personally, I would like to thank the PTFA for all of their hard work and dedication to our school. So much goes on behind the scenes and it's all thanks to the those who give up their time and energy for our children.

We have got a few plans in the pipeline so why not come along and help to support our fantastic school?

Well, that's it for this addition of the Blog. I hope you feel you have caught up a bit and a bit more in the loop until the next instalment.

Mrs Ray

(who has been trying to keep ticking the Five Ways to Wellbeing boxes - can you guess which ones I have been achieving?)