News

Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Maths Challenge February

  Fri 31 Jan 2014

  KS1

  Vijay has 3 T-shirts – 1 is red, 1 is blue and 1 is yellow. He has 2 pairs of shorts – red and blue. How many different combinations of shorts and T-shirt are there?

  Lower KS2

  Think of 7 different flavours of ice cream? If you buy a double scoop with 2 different flavours, how many different combinations could you choose?

  Upper KS2

  There are 7 lily pads. 3 frogs live on the right and 3 on the left with one empty in the middle. The left hand frogs want to swap places with the right hand frogs but can only jump to empty lily pads and can only jump over one other frog at a time. Frogs don’t know how to jump backwards! How many jumps are needed for them all to swap places?

• Midday Supervisor Vacancy

  Fri 31 Jan 2014
  We are very sorry to be saying goodbye to Mrs Terry who has been a midday supervisor at The Dassett for 9 years.  She has looked after many children in that time, keeping them safe and happy in the playground and on the field. We wish her all the best in her new job .
  This does, therefore, mean that we have a vacancy for a midday supervisor to work Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11.45am until 1pm. The duties include supervising the children outside and in the hall with their meals. If you are interested in this position please ask Mrs Hine for an application and equal opportunities form. All candidates would need to complete a CRB check and referees will be contacted prior to interview. The deadline for applications is 3pm on Monday 10^th February. Interviews will be on the morning of 13^th February.

• Our Big Birdwatch

  Fri 31 Jan 2014

  We are delighted that Ann Fisher from the RSPB will be joining us on the morning of the 11^th February to lead an assembly about our feathered friends, the role of the RSPB and the ‘Big Birdwatch’ and then will assist us in our Big School’s Birdwatch.
  She will then be working with one of our Key Stage 2 classes to learn all about habitats.
  We are all really looking forward to her visit.

   

  http://www.rspb.org.uk/schoolswatch/

• The Hand of Friendship

  Thu 30 Jan 2014

  Year 3 and 4 are going on a field trip to Benson School in Birmingham soon as a part of their current project on cities, and we thought it would be a good opportunity to bring you up to date with some of our inter-school relationships.
  Aside from the very strong links we have locally with Kineton High School and other primary schools within our cluster, we have established very strong links with two schools via our pen pal initiative, Waihi Beach School in New Zealand and a little closer to home, Benson Community School in Birmingham. We are also currently endeavouring to create further international relationships for pen pals for Years 1 and 2 and we have already made approaches to a couple of schools with this in mind.
  Waihi Beach are the pen pals of Year 3 and Benson are the pen pals of Year 4 and 5 and this has presented a fabulous opportunity for reciprocal visits over the past year for the children to experience the tremendous differences between countryside and inner city living. Unfortunately Waihi Beach may be a little far to experience their surf school but they do have a very different perspective which is fascinating for the children to get exposure to.
  Do ask your children about their pen pals and do look for their letters in the work books.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

   

  http://www.waihibeach.school.nz/

  http://www.bensonschool.co.uk/

  

• Second Hand Uniform

  Mon 20 Jan 2014

  Thanks to everyone who has donated school uniform over the past couple of months.  We now have a good amount of stock, including
   
  ·        school sweatshirts and cardigans (most sizes),
  ·        boys’ trousers (from aged 4 up to 7; also, 12-13)
  ·        girls’ skirts (most sizes).
  ·        three school coats (3-4; 5-6; 12-13).
   
  So, if your children have grown over the Christmas break, or need a few spare items when uniform comes home caked in mud, take a look at the stock list on the website and contact Jane Ainley on  01295 770991/07977 205345, jane@wilsonainley.com.

  Attached below is the full up to date list of second hand uniform that is currently available.

• Science Day

  Thu 16 Jan 2014
  On Thursday pupils became curious chemists, brilliant biologists and phenomenal physicists as we were surrounded by science for our inaugural Science Day. The day began with an assembly about the profession of a Physiotherapist from one of our parents and then Year 5 pupils learned even more about the structure of our brains and the parts which control different actions and abilities. Fascinating stuff! Pupils in Year 6 were introduced to the physics of industry by Mr Straw. They harked back to the Victorian era of steam as they saw how hot air creates renewable energy to power a Stirling Engine.  They measured the power produced and, using their mathematical skills, predicted output using different energy sources. Year 4 pupils were investigating acids and alkalis, using cabbage as an indicator with Dr Alana Collis, a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) ambassador. Some of the visitors in Year 3 were not even human! Stick Insects and Locusts created lots of discussion and close observation about the structure of insects led by Dr Leslie – there was even the opportunity to see a locust being dissected and observe the locust from the inside! It was not only amazing to see our pupils engaged in this activity but also impressive to hear the level of questioning it promoted.
  Reception, Year 1 and 2 pupils covered the entire spectrum of science with observations of plant life for the biological sciences, designing and testing the strength of bridges for the physical sciences and exploring changes of state and waterproofing in the chemical sciences. Children used their magnifying glasses to makes detailed observations and recordings about bark, seeds, leaves and plants they had found on the school grounds and the writing was very impressive. They were challenged to bridge a gap using paper, having looked at a selection of different style of bridges, and then used Lego bricks to test the strength of their bridge and they also conducted experiments into ice melting and which material is best for waterproofing. Great fun and so interesting!
  In the afternoon we were joined by students and staff from the Science department at Southam College who worked with Year 3 and 5 on exploring acids and alkalis and Year 6 were treated to an explosive, colourful and bubbling presentation of what chemistry can do by Nick Barker from Warwick University’s Chemistry Department.
  It was not only amazing to see our pupils fully engaged in each of these activities, developing their scientific knowledge, processes and skills  but also highly impressive to hear the level of discussion and questioning it promoted from all age ranges from 4 to 11 year olds. The school was positively buzzing for the whole day – a massive thank you to all our wonderful visitors and also to the staff, and particularly Mrs Moll, for organising such a great day.

• Fire Safety Lessons

  Wed 15 Jan 2014
  Pupils from Year 1 and 5 were thrilled with their visit by some Firemen from Warwickshire Fire Service on Wednesday 15th January. Year 1 learnt about Fire Safety from Frances the Firefly , including lessons on how to put out fire on clothing by dropping and rolling, with pupils having a practise at this! Our thanks to the Fire Service for providing these invaluable lessons for our pupils in order to make them fire aware and fire safe.

  

• Brownies: New Year, New Team!

  Sun 12 Jan 2014
  The Brownies will be continuing to meet in the main hall of The Dassett.
  We look forward to welcoming back all of our Brownies on Monday 13th at 5:30pm.
  We are all looking forward to many exciting Adventures together.
   
  For all Brownie enquires please contact.
  Helen King 07903 559457 & Sandra Heard 07920 140004
   
  WE DISCOVER, WE GROW, GIRLGUIDING

• Maths Challenge - January

  Sun 12 Jan 2014

  Key Stage 1

  There are 25 people on a train. At the station 12 people get off and 16 get on. How many people are on the train now?
   
  Lower Key Stage 2

  Year 4 are given a sunflower that is 97cm tall. They measure it later in the term, and it has grown 95cm. How many metres tall is the sunflower now?
  At the end of the year, the sunflower has grown by half as much again. What is the sunflower’s height at the end of the year?
   
  Upper Key Stage 2

  You have a matchstick.
  How many more are needed to make a square?
  How many more need adding to make yet another square alongside it?
  Work out a pattern for the number of matches needed.
  How many matches would there be when you have made 10 squares in the row? Or 20 or 50 squares?

• Class Assembly Dates

  Fri 10 Jan 2014

  Please find below the Class Assembly dates for the Spring term. We hope you will be able to join us to see your child and their classmates perform in assembly. They start at 9am on a Friday.

  31st January - Year 2
  7th February - Year 6
  14th February - Reception 
  28th February - Year 1
  7th March - Year 5

  Year 3 and 4 do not do a Class assembly this term as they do a large scale evening production at the end of term.