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There have been lots of special events in school this week which celebrate and recognise the progress and skills of many children in addition to their everyday learning. This newsletter seeks to give you an insight into some of these events and give you a taste of the diversity of learning opportunities that take place in a regular week.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff team for providing a rich diet of opportunities with such passion and dedication and to you the parents, for playing such an active part in your child's learning and special events too.
Next week, we will all be trialing quidditch which is new for us as a school and possibly many of the children. Like the fencing experience a few weeks ago, we hope that it provides an exciting new PE experience. We will also be focusing on kindness with our annual Random Acts of Kindness Week (RAOK).
As we are all aware, kindness makes a huge difference to how we all feel and act. It is a constant focus of school life and is demonstrated in the staff and children's actions daily. From the privileged vantage point of teaching part-time in Year 1 at the moment, with Mrs Tapp, I constantly marvel at the kindness that the children show each other. They are very empathetic, considerate, respectful, and happy.
In a week that has been different from the norm, I'd like to thank the team and you all for the kindness and empathy shown too. In the week ahead, we look forward to continuing to care for and support every child on their journey to be the very best that they can be. The timing of our RAOK Week, couldn't be better.
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Huge congratulations to the Sunflower Award recipients in this afternoon's special Zoom assembly. Without a doubt, all of the children in the school have multiple successes and special talents so it is always very difficult to choose just one.
We will be putting a Sunflower Award newsletter together, but in the meantime, congratulations to ...
Theodore Temple
Thomas Lambert
Leo Price
Elijah Pauling
Joshua Lawrence
Amelie Whitlock
Logan Castleton
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Internet Safety Week has been recognised across the school this week. On Wednesday the digital leaders and Mr Larcombe led our assemblies to remind us all how to keep safe online.
Further information is on the safeguarding page of the school website. Mr Larcombe and his dedicated team, are also working on new information to support us all. This will be shared shortly.
We also recognised Children's Mental Health Week - an area that we take very seriously. The information below might be useful when having conversations with your child.
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On Wednesday, children from Years 4,5 and 6 took part in a tag rugby competition run by Northamptonshire Sport. Thank you to David Hanson who ran and organised the event. Three teams competed on behalf of DPS who finished 1st, 2nd and 5th! Everyone showed great willingness, determination, teamwork and communication throughout all the matches played. I would like to commend them all for doing so well, especially with very little coaching from the sidelines! We are definitely fortunate to have so many great athletes.
Mr Taylor
PE Champion
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The Reception kitchen area continues to go from strength to strength and is very nearly complete now! With the help of Miss Forward's dad this week, the tiling is well on its way.
We have been so fortunate to have so much support for this project.
A huge thank you to everyone involved.
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French Workshop at the Stables Theatre
On Monday the 5th of February, Some year 6 children accompanied Mrs Stevenson to the Stables for a French workshop day. In the morning, they practised their French literacy and language skills by watching short films. They used their French knowledge and worksheets to make French sentences, express their opinions and used their imagination to write a scenario. Some children were even brave enough to go on stage to share their scenarios.
The children showed great interest and were all actively participating during the day. In the afternoon, we watched a film " A cat in Paris" in French.
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Top Table
Congratulations to all the students selected for our Top Table lunch this week. The midday supervisors and Fresh Start team look out for those showing beautiful manners at lunchtime and trying lots of different food.
The Top Table lunch is always a special occasion and one that we all look forward to.
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The Bookfair arrives on 28th February and is collected on 6th March 2024.
There's the usual exciting variety of books to keep the children turning pages and enjoying reading...why not take a look after school with your child?
Good news too - with the rising cost of living in mind, a third of the books in the fair are under £5 AND we can automatically apply a £1 discount on a book for World Book Day!
Shoppers now have the option to make cashless payments using a QR code, so feeding their reading is more convenient too!
Watch this space for a competition to win book vouchers...coming soon!
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Governor Updates
As I wrote in my last entry in the newsletter: “Watch this space for the imminent announcement on the appointment of a new Chair of Governors”, well we are still awaiting the announcement, hence this is my second missive. The person who has been identified to fill the role, has to go through a number of procedures, prior to their appointment. It is therefore only a matter of time, until the announcement is made.
We governors need to keep our training up to date and as such some of us have been back to the classroom, well not quite, but online learning, which is very much the same, but without the comradery of school life.
We have completed a modular training course created by the National Governance Association entitled “Safeguarding: how to fulfil a governance role”. An excellent set of modules which adds to our knowledge and understanding of this very important subject. This course is only one of many that we study, to ensure that our knowledge and development is continuous. Every day's a school day, as they say!
School life is as busy as ever and like the course of true love, doesn’t always run smooth. As seen this week when there was a safeguarding event which took place in school on Wednesday. Due to the excellent safeguarding training that all the staff participate in, this training was called upon, tested, and not found wanting when the Safeguarding team jumped into action, ensuring the safety of all at the school. Well done and my sincere thanks to all the team that were called upon to help and ensure the safety of all.
With this being the final newsletter before the half-term break, I do hope that you all enjoy the break from school life. I can only hope that the weather improves by then, as I write this, it is pouring down.
Best wishes to you all.
Andy Limbert
Vice-Chair of Governors
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Terry the Tortoise continues to be a much loved school pet and with half-term rapidly approaching, I can sense his excitement growing for a week at a family's home.
I'm pretty sure that a family expressed interest in having him for the week - could you please make contact if this was you? Thank you
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Please be reminded that leggings are not part of our school uniform for either PE or a regular day. Thank you
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Thank you very much for helping us to raise £146.45 for the NSPCC whilst having lots of number fun!
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On Friday 8th March, we will be hosting an event for Mums and Mum figures (of course this might include dads). You are invited to enjoy a Fish Friday with your child/ren. After booking, you are invited to join us for lunch at the time of your youngest child. E.g., If you have a child in Y2, 3 and 5, you will come for lunch at the time shown for a Y2 child (12.00pm).
Reception at 11.30am; Year 1 and 2 at 12.00pm; Year 3 and 4 at 12.30pm; Year 5 and 6 at 1.00pm
Adults will sit with their children in the hall and enjoy fish, chips and mushy peas followed by a delicious Victoria sponge. There will be a vegetarian alternative available too
The cost will be £5. Bookings are not open yet as the date is still a few weeks away, but we'll let you know when they are. You are limited to no more than 2 adults per child or family, please.
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PAG Meeting Two – Wednesday 31st January at 14:30
Following the first successful Parent Action Group prior to the end of last-term, as a staff team, we have been looking at revamping our approaches to behaviour in order to, as requested, provide you with greater transparency and improved consistency.
This week, the 'Behaviour Steps' have been shared with all classes and the children should now be aware of how positive behaviour is rewarded and, on the odd occasion, poor choices are made, they should understand how the consequences work. As a result of this, you should start to see notifications via Class Dojo or in the Pupil Planner informing you of your child's behaviour and attitude to learning.
At the moment, we are trialing this process and expect their to be hiccups along the way. Once the 'Steps' have been finalised, it will be shared with you.
I am looking forward to seeing the positive impact these 'Steps' have on the already good behaviour frequently displayed by many of our children.
Many thanks for your continued support.
Mike Pennington
Deputy Head
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Thank you for your support with our fundraising and recycling
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West Northamptonshire Stay Connected February 2024
Please find below the link for this months Stay Connected newsletter. This newsletter focuses on all the amazing events, clubs and groups that families, children and young people can access across the county that are free or affordable to attend.
This months addition contains information on the following:
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SENDS4Dad Training and Information events
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Autism East Midlands - Family Support Hub Northampton - dates for 2024
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Courses provided by SEND Support Service in West Northamptonshire on food sensitivities, sensory and anxiety workshops. All courses are free, just a £5 refundable booking deposit is taken and then refunded upon attendance.
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Safeguarding
The safeguarding training that all staff have in the school ensures that every adult knows what to do in a safeguarding situation. Policies and procedures are well-known and applied as and when needed. In our weekly staff meetings, we rehearse scenarios and question each other to ensure that this knowledge is always ready to be applied.
Our duty in safeguarding is to everyone in the school community, and as shared in an earlier communication this week, this is inline with a core document Keeping Children Safe in Education.
We are keen to know whether you feel it would be helpful for us to run a workshop for parents in safaguarding. If you think this could be something that you would appreciate, please let us know. Thank you
Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) - Mrs Rachel Rice
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (DDSLs) - Mrs. Lynn Mildren, Mrs. Natalie Parsonson, Miss. Steph Forward and Mr. Mike Pennington
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OPAL play and mud!
The children continue to enjoy a variety of different play opportunities at break and lunchtime. Dressing up, as showcased below, is a real favourite. If you have any children's dressing-up outfits that are now too small or not being used, feel free to send them our way. We can guarantee that they will be well used and enjoyed.
With the weather being very wet again at the moment, we do apologise if your child has come home very muddy. We have re-reminded the children to ensure that they put their forest school kits on, including their welly boots, if they would like to play on the top field and in the mud!
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The next three weeks @DPS
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Wishing you all a lovely weekend.
Rachel Rice
head@deanshanger.northants-ecl.gov.uk or head@deanshanger.northants.sch.uk
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