Christmas Games for all on SWGfL Merlin

The '12 Games of Christmas Game' is now available for all pupils to play through SWGfL Merlin. This features 12 educational games and activities for children in Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. The games have a value of £29.99 and we hope that you will enjoy playing them free through SWGfL Merlin. P.S - If you have forgotten your login details, please see Mrs. Dukes in the Library or Mr. Spracklen who will happily get you a fresh copy.

OLYMPIC TORCH HAND OVER

On Monday 28th November 2011, pupils from our school took the DASP Olympic Torch to Manor Park. Carrying banners proclaiming the Olympic values, we walked across town to deliver the Torch. As we passed Dorchester Middle School, we were cheered on by all the pupils who had come out of lesson to see us. On our walk we were accompanied by members of the Thomas Hardye Student Voice. A large number of Manor Park children welcomed us on our arrival and watched the handover of the Torch.

The Olympic Torch

Year 4 received the DASP Olympic torch from Year 4 St Mary's children today.  We have also been very busy preparing our own Olympic Banners to accompany the torch to its next destination.  We have also enjoyed hearing from Mark Newton, a real paralympian who actually attended our school.  A true inspiration!

DASP Olympic Torch Arrives

Today (23/11/11) we received the DASP Olympic torch which is making its way around all the schools in the Dorchester Area Schools Partnership. Today children from St Mary’s Dorchester shared with us some of their learning about the Olympics. On Monday (28/11/11) November some of our children will be making their way across town to Manor Park. We shall be working with some of their classes and passing on the work we have done in making our banners. All of this will be filmed by students from Thomas Hardye School. For more information on the torch relay visit the dedicated page on the DASP website: http://www.dasp.org.uk/daspolympictorch.htm. Mr. Spracklen

MARK NEWTON - PARALYMPIC MEDALIST VISITS

Today Mark Newton, former pupil of Maiden Castle School visited us. Mark competed at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics, winning a bronze medal in the 4 X 100m relay. Mark, who has cerebral palsy, led an assembly with Mr. Spracklen and unveiled a special piece of art work that the pupils in Year 2 have created. The work includes a picture of mark made of all the images of pupils in Year 2 using a mosaic effect. Mark inspired us to think about what we could become if we are determined enough. Following the assembly, Mark worked with unit roll and other pupils on a special PE session led by Mrs. Hibberd. Mark also visited each class and had a picture taken. We now all very inspired! Mr. Spracklen

Home learning

Homework – Year 4 – 18th November 2011


This week I would like you to read your words for the Christmas performance. I have also copied the words to some of the songs, so you can practise those at home too.
Next week is our Olympic Dreams week. We will be receiving the DASP Olympic Torch from St Mary’s First School, making banners and discussing the Olympic Values below. I would like you to design an Olympic Flag to celebrate one of the Olympic Values, which are:

Respect

Excellence

Friendship

Courage

Determination

Inspiration

Equality

You might like to include your own Olympic mascot. This website will let you design your own.

http://mascot-games.london2012.com/

The flag should be A4 paper size and can be created on the computer or by hand. Please decorate both sides. We will be waving these flags when the torch is sent on to the next school on Monday 28th November.



I will be checking the 4 and 8 times tables this week, so get practising!

Design Technology

Over the last term the children have been designing torches.  We are now ready to make them.  Your child will need to bring in a tube or bottle for the main body of their torch.  Please bring them in next week.

Ofsted Parent View

As you know at the Prince of Wales First School we are always looking for feedback and encourage you to provide this in a variety of ways. Whether this is through face-to-face conversation, comments on our class blogs or through our annual parents questionnaire, we always welcome your feedback. Building on this, we would now encourage you to go online and express your views using the new ‘Parent View’ website from Ofsted. This 12-question survey will help other parents as they make important choices about their child’s education and provide Ofsted with information about our school that will help them inform their priorities for inspection. The questionnaire does not allow free text comments but invites responses to a series of closed questions. To express your view, please visit our school website now and click on the parent tab and look for the link to the Parent View website. Alternatively, visit: http://parentview.ofsted.gov.uk/.

Home Learning

We have had some super responses to the last two week's home learning activities.  The children are really enthusiastic about their online Zoos on the BBC website, and many are so successful they are even breeding their own virtual animals!  I'm also very pleased to see some super Firework safety homework, which is now on the wall of the classroom.  Well done year 4.  Those of you who have not yet returned your work, please have it ready by Friday at the latest, there is still space on my wall!

Auditions!

We will be encouraging children in year 4 to come along and audition for the main parts in this year's KS2 christmas performance this week.  We will ask children to read parts and do a spot of singing.  There are lots of parts, so if you have a budding thespian encourage them to come along and have a go!
Thursday Lunchtime 1pm.

Pirate Costumes

The children will need their Pirate Costumes at the ready for the class assembly on Friday 4th November.  Please bring in a named bag.  Thank you.

Wonderful Zoo Keepers

We have had some fantastic homework in this week.  The children were asked to design their own zoo or wildlife park.  Many children have gone that extra mile, we have 3D models, large posters, maps and some children have even logged on to the BBC Roar website and created their own virtual zoos.  Fantastic!

Class Assembly

We are looking forward to seeing you all at our class assembly this Friday at 9.20am.

Can you help? (Cheese Boxes - Year 2)

Can you help? Miss. Mertens in Year 2 is on the hunt for circular cheese boxes like the one pictured above. If you have any of these boxes we would be very grateful to receive them.