News

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

• Operation Christmas Child Movie

  Sat 17 Oct 2015

  Coming soon to a screen near you...

  We are delighted to tell you about an exciting film due to be broadcast on digital Christian TV channel TBN.

  Have you ever wanted to know the impact that your shoebox gifts are having around the world? What happens after a child receives their shoebox? And what effect are the boxes having on the local community?

  Watch TBN on Monday 19th October at 10am (repeated at 3.30pm), to view a 30 minute film showing the joy a shoebox gift brings to a child, and also the eternal impact that it can have on their lives.

  TBN is broadcast on Freeview channel 65 and SKY channel 582.

  

• 'WOW' October Writing Challenge

  Thu 15 Oct 2015

  ‘WOW’ Writing Challenge

   

  Following on from the success of our maths challenge last year, our new monthly challenge featured in the newsletter will be linked to the ‘Wonder of Words’ – WOW.

  Each month children will be challenged to create a piece of writing that makes Mrs. Hine literally say ‘WOW’ when she reads it due to the ideas, content and style of writing produced.

  In Key Stage 2 this may include the use of amazing vocabulary in the right context, using different styles of sentences for different purposes, using impressive grammatical features, organising the writing correctly (eg. with paragraphs or sub-headings) and ensuring that the writing flows smoothly.

  In Key Stage 1 this may be using WOW words for impact, remembering capital letters and full stops in sentences and also remembering capital letters for names. It may be putting speech in correctly or using other punctuation such as question marks, or using ‘tools’ of creative writing such as alliteration (where the same sound starts each word in a sentence e.g. The wind whistled wildly ….. The gentle giant jauntily strolled through the village) or onomatopoeia (words for sounds – crash, bang, rustle etc.)

  The end of year expectation booklets may help parents to see what is expected of each year group and there is a list of terminology and definitions in the Literacy section of the website on the curriculum page.

  Each month there will be a winner from each year group and the pieces of writing will go onto a ‘WOW’ writing display for all to see and onto the website. The pieces can be typed or handwritten and you can decorate them if you like.

  Mrs. Hine is very excited about this new ‘WOW’ challenge and so here is the first one….

   

  KS1 – write a description of Winnie the Witch – remember to use WOW words and awesome adjectives/describing words.

  Can you include how her appearance makes you feel? You could print out a picture of her at the top of your work.

  Check for capital letters and full stops.

  Write as much or as little as you like, but no more than 3/4 to 1 side of A4 to ensure quality rather than quantity.

   

   

  Lower KS2 – write a description of The Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz or Dumbledore from Harry Potter.

  Can you use similes and metaphors?

  Can you describe their appearance, voice, personality and behaviour?

  Remember to use WOW words and awesome adjectives. Check for capital letters and full stops.

  Write as much or as little as you like, but no more than 1 to 1 ½ sides of A4 to ensure quality rather than quantity.

   

   

  Upper KS2 – write a description of a haunted house as though you are entering it for the first time.

  Try to choose your vocabulary and sentence length to create an image that makes Mrs. Hine have goosebumps and creates tension as though something is going to happen any minute.

  Capital letters and full stops are non-negotiable!

  What other punctuation can you use correctly? 

  Write as much or as little as you like, but no more than

  1½ to 2 sides of A4 to ensure quality rather than quantity.

• RHS School Gardening Award Level 3

  Wed 14 Oct 2015

  We are delighted to report that we have now achieved the RHS School Gardening Award Level 3!

  The children have been given this award for their fantastic work putting together the first of our big bug huts, next to the allotment at the front of the school, - together with our other little bug sites dotted around the school grounds.

  Furthering the wildlife theme we have also now put in a bird feed area and our brand new frog village.

  The children have been involved in all areas of construction including drilling, sawing, screwing, using snips, loppers and secateurs and tying in and generally bringing everything together.

  We will be receiving a substantial number of free plug plants from Rocket Gardens as well as our certificate and are now starting work on obtaining Level 4. (There are 5 Levels in total).

  If you would like to find out more you can find additional information on the RHS School Garden Scheme at:

  https://schoolgardening.rhs.org.uk/School-gardening-awards

  Finally, just a note to say our Rocket Science seeds are currently in orbit on the International Space Station (ISS) and we will be receiving them in the new year ready to start our big science project with the RHS.

  You can track the ISS at:

  http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/#.VgLAf8tVhBc

  To see how they got into space:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R7-gWKZZsg

   

• Computing Fun at Home

  Thu 08 Oct 2015

  If your children like playing on the computer there is a great program they can try to help their computing and programming skills.

  www.scratch.mit.edu is a free site that uses a programming language that we use at school. There is a parents’ page to explain how it works and all of the children we have used this program with at school really love it – by giving it a go your child will already be gaining skills ready to impress their teacher with in school!

• RHS School Gardening Award

  Mon 05 Oct 2015

  We are very pleased to be able to report that we have just received confirmation that we have achieved Level 2 of the RHS School Gardening Award Scheme.

  This included the children being involved in the planning, successful cultivation of crops, safe use of tools and general gardening skills.

  We will now receive a copy of the RHS book ‘How to Grow Practically Everything: Gardening Projects Anyone Can Do’ and an order form to receive 30% off Bulldog Tools. We will also be getting a certificate to certify we have successfully completed Level 2.

  Level 3 has already been applied for - watch this space.

• Poetry Competition

  Fri 02 Oct 2015

  The Southam Lions Poetry Competition is here - children have been asked to write a poem for their homework. This can be typed and then stuck into their books or handwritten but to submit them it is easiest to e-mail them.

  Please e-mail your entry to Mrs Hine on hine.a@welearn365.com.  Anyone can enter and every entry will be published in a really fabulous book. The presentation evening was great fun last year and all the category winners got the opportunity to read their poem!

  See the report, winning poems and pictures from last year here:

  http://www.thedassettprimary.co.uk/news/detail/poetry-please/

  Let's see if we can repeat our great success from last year. 

• Mrs Stuart - 25 Years!

  Thu 01 Oct 2015

  Today marks the 25th Anniversary of Mrs Stuart working at The Dassett!

  Calm and unflappable (unless you take her parking space or particular pen) she has become the cornerstone of the school, single-handedly running the whole administrative side, making the school function and tick and so, so much more.

  In typical Mrs Stuart style she does not want a fuss so we're just mentioning it in passing on the world wide web and would ask you to join with us in saying a huge thank you (and well done) for her unfaltering service and skill in making everything that so often stays behind the scenes, but that is so invaluable to the way the school runs day to day, seem so effortless.

  We don't know what we would do without you Helen, thank you.