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.

Olympics dressing up day!

We all had a great time today, dressing up as Olympic competitors. We had equestrians (one of whom found controlling her horse extremely difficult!), gymnasts, swimmers, weightlifters, boxers and other martial artists, along with a sailor, a cyclist, many runners, football players (including a blind one), basketball and rugby players, tennis players, archers, a discuss thrower and even a hockey goalkeeper.  A snowboarder swept in from the winter olympics! A couple of kayakers managed to make it up the white water course!  Look out for photos on the front foyer display!

Many thanks for all your support, including your kind donations for POWSA's Christmas Fair, which is next Friday after school!

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

DASP Olympic Torch relay

On Wednesday 23rd November children from St Mary's Catholic School will be bringing us the DASP Olympic torch! During the week our children will be learning about the Olympic Values through designing and making large banners. Some of our children will be carrying these along with the Olympic flame, to Manor Park School on Monday 28th November.

Olyorts Festival

On Wednesday 15th November six of our children from Year 1 through to Year 4 enjoyed participating in a sports day specifically designed for children with disabilities. They competed with each other and with older students from Dorchester Middle School and Thomas Hardye, learnt new skills and took part in some different sporting events! They had a great time! Well done to them all!

Olympic Dreams Week

On Wednesday 23rd November as part of our Olympic Dreams Week, a Paralympic Champion will be visiting the school!! Mark Newton has cerebral palsy and won a Bronze medal for Britain in the 1996 Atlanta Paralympics in the 4 x 100 relay!

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 been really excited this term by the number of children who have brought learning that they have done at home into school to show us! It is particularly exciting that the children have been motivated to do this themselves without being asked: they have just continued some learning started in class. Examples have been diaries, stories, poems and other pieces of writing. Two children even co-operated together to write some instructions about a little toy they had made together! We always try to reward the children who do this! Please keep it coming!!!

New praise certificates!

This week we are about to present a range of new praise certificates to complement our PE and Arts awards. These will be presented each half term for Maths, English and ICT to one child in each class who has demonstrated either very high standards or exceptional effort. We shall also be giving out seven Citizenship awards to each class to praise children who have shown the qualities of our Seven Caterpillars.