Christmas is a very magical time of year, and Christmas in a primary school is even more so! Although regular learning has been continuing, there have been rehearsals and concerts slotted in too! Seeing children across the school on the stage and performing, is a real honour and something that we all enjoy. Their confidence, talent and enthusiasm is just wonderful to see.

If you've had had the opportunity to join us for any concerts this week, thank you. Although we appreciate that the school hall is full to bursting for such events, it is wonderful to share their talents with you. The school staff have all been extra busy planning and rehearsing these concerts; we are also very grateful for the musical expertise and flexibility of Mr Luke Webb.

Mr Peter Nickoll has been a very committed, knowledgeable and passionate governor at the school for many years, and most recently our Chair of Governors. As former head teacher at Deanshanger Primary, and then taking on a lead school improvement role with the Local Authority before working for Ofsted, he has always been very well-placed to support the school's progress and hold us to account.

Peter will be stepping down from his role at the end of December and moving to Kent with his wife to be nearer to his family.

We are hugely appreciative of his personable approach, and wish him all the very best in this exciting move.

Huge thanks also to Mrs Beccy Merritt. Beccy has also been a very committed and strong governor with her extensive early years experience. We wish Beccy all the very best in her new role as head teacher of an infant school from January. Thank you for everything you have brought to our governing body.

Miss Rosalba Nocito has been a great team player and Year 1 class teacher since September 2023. She leaves us at the end of next week to start her maternity leave.

We would like to thank her for hard work, care and flexibility. She fitted into the DPS team brilliantly.

From January 2023, I will be teaching Year 1 in the mornings ( Rachel Rice) and Mrs Nicky Tapp in the afternoons. We are both very excited about this new teaching arrangement and are committed to supporting a fabulous Year 1 teaching and learning experience.

Following this link, you will find a newsletter from West Northamtpnishire focusses 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.

Over this Christmas and new year period, there is an optional activity that you can consider with your child/ren in readiness for our Invention Convention on Tuesday 16th January. Working on their own, or as a family, the children are encouraged to consider a real-life problem and then invent something that solves it. The children are encouraged to record their ideas and plans and then, if at all possible, create a model to demonstrate the invention - it is not expected that the model will work. This year, if possible, we would like the inventions to help the environment in some way with a green / eco focus.

The event on 16th January, is an opportunity for all children in the school to share their invention with the school in true Dragon's Den style! Tables will be set up around the hall for the children to showcase their models on. They should be ready to talk about their invention, why they made it and how it works.

If your child is showcasing their invention on 16th January, you are welcome to come along from 2.30pm to see the inventions.

The week after our internal Invention Convention, we will be hosting a Grand Union Partnership one here @DPS for some of the contestants from our school and the other schools in the partnership.

Thanks to the hard work and fundraising from the PTA, and your support, we have recently bought a large summerhouse for the forest school. It has now arrived and a small group are building it next week.

If you are open and able to help us build this with them, then please make contact.

Thank you very much.

It was an absolute pleasure to host 35 members of the local community for a Christmas lunch yesterday! What a great way to celebrate our community, share the skills of our kitchen staff and bring an audience to our choir.

When we raised funds for our kitchen a few years ago, we always promised that we would welcome in external groups for lunch as much as possible - we have stayed true to this promise.

Many thanks to the Fresh Start team, Lisa, Shelley and Vickie, for working extra hard to facilitate this very special afternoon.

Safeguarding

Keeping children safe is a role that all staff take on, and as parents and members of the local community, it is your role too.

Whilst we recognise what a sensitive area it is, if you do have any concerns about anyone at any time, it is important that you pass them on, even if it seems a very small concern. Anything that niggles you, must be shared. Thank you.

As always, please report any concerns to our safeguarding team:

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

We are delighted to see that 299 children have been signed up to see Snow White as a whole school trip next Tuesday! This should be a very special and memorable occasion for us all.

Please note that the Y3, 4, 5 and 6 children will not be back at school until approximately 4.20pm.

Huge thanks to Miss Rosanna Zeolla for organising this trip for us all.

Thank you very much for continuing to buy and sell PTA Christmas raffle tickets. Please send the book stubs and money to the school office. Additional books are available for sale in the office too.

Bring your tickets along to the draw on Wednesday 20th @ 3.30pm outside the front of the school.