Deanshanger Primary School Parent Portal - Newsletters 2023-2024 no. 18 10th May 2024

The Deanshanger community is a very special one! Everyone involved in the school continually goes over and above and provides incredible support. Staff absence can be a very tricky time, but we are indebted to our dedicated team for standing in so brilliantly. Particularly thanks to Mrs Emilie Stevenson and the Year 4 team for keeping strong teaching and learning going so well in Mr Bass's absence and Mr Pennington, Mrs Nicky Tapp, and the Year 1 team, in my absence last week. The whole team are very adaptive and dedicated and constantly ensure the children's needs and happiness come first.

Whilst we try very hard to make the right decisions multiple times each day, we are always keen for you to make contact if you have any worries, concerns or questions - open communication is very important. Please make contact as soon as a situation arises, so we can address the issues as soon as possible. Thank you

World Earth Day

April 22nd marked World Earth Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about environmental issues and promoting actions to protect our planet. We believe it's crucial to educate our children about the importance of caring for the Earth, and they are definitely insightful and passionate with their thoughts.

On the day, many classes joined in an interactive BBC assembly, and we were thrilled in Year 1, when Amy-Rose's question was read out!

https://www.bbcchildreninneed.co.uk/schools/earth-day-assembly-sign-up/?f24_pid=76632d5c-ac3b-4adb-a458-e1eece40da67&utm_campaign=PR-APR-24-4&utm_source=force24&utm_medium=email&utm_content=textlink

Check out the whole programme or listen in at 22 minutes and 56 seconds for our moments of fame!

Alongside our whole school litter pick and singing a school favourite, I am the Earth, Miss Stanley and the school council set up a competition.

Thank you for all the entries for World Earth day. We are so proud of everyone who took part and amazed at the effort and creativity of the entries. All who took part have won lots of Dojos! The winners have also won a prize.

Runner up is Maksym Y3

The winners are Amelie Y1, Emily P Y3, Max Y4 and Sienna Y3.

School Annual Elections

A huge highlight of the school calendar is the chance for everyone to consider the theme for our class names for the year ahead. This year was no different and, indeed, the level of excitement seemed to reach a new all-time high! So, whilst the community voted in local elections, we exercised our democratic rights to decide whether the class names would be Nobel Peace prize winners, flowers, olympians or creatures living under the sea.

Despite powerful speeches from the staff, there was a runaway leader! With Mrs Watson's passion, dress up and just a little bit of competitiveness, each class will be selecting their class name from the 'under the sea' theme, in their 'going up' afternoons on 10th July.

Key Stage 2 SATs

From Monday 13^th May to Friday 17^th May our Year 6 children will sit their Key Stage 2 SATs (Standard Assessment Tests) in reading, maths, spelling, punctuation and grammar. These exams assess the children's journey through primary school and in many ways, are a rite of passage, as in the process of preparing for them, we are ensuring the children are ready for their education at secondary school.

We are incredibly proud of our current Year 6 children - they have worked hard and revised with real commitment and dedication. We wish them luck with these tests next week! Then onward towards the next adventure.

Mr Larcombe, Mr Pennington and Mrs Rice

Homework Questionnaire

Thank you so far to all those of you who have completed the questionnaire. The responses are incredibly honest and thought-provoking and will certainly be the subject of interesting discussions once the questionnaire has closed.

For those of you who have not yet had a chance to have a look at the questionnaire, the link is here.

Your comments are greatly appreciated.

Parent Action Group

The date for the next Parent Action Group will be Wednesday 23^rd May and will take place at 14:30 in the School Library.

The theme for our next discussion will be 'Home/School Agreement' - where we currently are with it, what it stands for and how we can further improve it.

I look forward to seeing as many of you as possible in attendance.

Many Thanks

Mike Pennington, Deputy Head

We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you about our school library! Whilst it has always been very much loved and prioritised in terms of functionality and a huge selection of books, thanks to the generous legacy funding left by Mr and Mrs. Aaronson, we are embarking on a major revamp of our library space that will benefit all of our students now and for many many years to come.

The Aaronson's were passionate advocates for education and believed deeply in the power of reading and accessible learning. Their legacy gift allows us to honour their memory by transforming our library. The library will shortly undergo a makeover, with new furniture and shelving.

With the library transformation almost upon us, we would like to enlist your help! Might you be able to join us after school on Thursday 20th May to help pack away a couple of our existing book cases so we are ready to take delivery of the new units? If we had about 20 volunteers, we think we could compete this rather mammoth job in about an hour. Similarly, we would love volunteers to help us restock the shelves after.

Please make contact if you think you could help.

Thank you so much

Come and join us for reading mornings every Monday from 8.45am - 9.00am

The PTA would like to thank everyone that supported the Family Bingo night on 26^th April – it was great fun and raised an amazing £790 for the PTA to help fund projects that enhance school life. Big thanks to everyone who supported the running of this event and in particular, Mrs Lisa Gordon, our bingo calling maestro! Look out for another bingo event at the start of the new school year.

Further dates for your diary:

Mufti Day – June 7^th: The PTA would like to invite all the children to take part in a non-school uniform day and donate a bottle at the school gates in return. A bottle of wine, soft drink, bubble bath…. Let your imagination go wild!

Colour Run – June 21^st: following the success of last year’s amazing colour run, the PTA will be holding another on the school field straight after school at 3.30pm. Wristbands for runners can be purchased on the PTA’s ticket website for £4 per runner – children, older/younger siblings, friends, parents and carers are all welcome to take part in this event. This is a parent/carer accompanied event so we do ask that all children under 16 are accompanied by an adult, any wrap club children who wish to join in may purchase a wristband and will be supervised by the wrap club team. Those who just wish to spectate may do so free of charge.

www.pta-events.co.uk/deanshanger/

Summer Raffle – June 21^st: The PTA will draw the summer raffle at the end of the colour run event. This year’s amazing star prize is a brand-new Play Station 5!! You can also expect the usual great variety of voucher prizes and hampers. Please look out for raffle tickets coming home in your children’s school bags.

Summer Disco – July 11^th: The final disco of the school year will take place after school on July 11^th. 3:30 to 4:30 for KS1 and 5:00 to 6:30 for KS2. Tickets will be on sale shortly via the PTA website.

If you would like to get involved with the PTA or are able to spare a few hours to help support the events above, please get in touch via: ChairOfPTA@deanshanger.northants.sch.uk.

In the next two weeks we will be taking school photos. On Thursday 16th May, for the first time, we will be having a whole school photo and on Thursday 23rd May it will be class photos - this has changed since our original plans. Children should wear their regular school uniform on both of these days rather than their PE ones. If your child has PE on these days, please ensure the PE kit is sent to school in a bag. Year 6 classes will have individual leaving photos on Thursday 23rd also.

Fruity Friday

Chefarone Fruit Bowl - Countertop Metal Fruit Basket - Black Fruit Bowls Vintage Style - Keeps Fruits and Veg Fresh - 26 x 26 x 12 cm (Black)

Due to popular demand, we have reinstated Fruity Fridays!

On the dates shown, the children are warmly encouraged to bring in a fruit item from home. The year group will do some creative thinking and turn the items into a healthy treat and they will be sold at the end of the school day to all families. The money raised goes directly to the year group to buy any 'nice to haves' they have voted on.

Year 6 and Year 2 have started the sales well, providing lots of tasty and healthy treats.

Friday 17^th May - Year 5

Friday 24^th May - Year 3

Friday 7^th June - Year 1

Friday 21^st June - Year 4

Friday 12^th July - Reception

Safeguarding and Mental Health Awareness Week

As parents, you play a crucial role in nurturing your child's mental health. It's important to be attentive to changes in behavior, mood swings, or any signs that may indicate your child is struggling emotionally.

Next week, our school will be focusing on various activities and discussions centred around mental health awareness - an area of school life which is regularly prioritised and part of our weekly mindfulness sessions. Our discussions aim to educate children in school about the importance of mental well-being, provide them with coping strategies, and making them realise that looking after our mental health is as important as supporting our physical health.

If you have any concerns about your child's mental health or need resources and support, please don't hesitate to make contact. We have lots of very good listening ears in the school and Mrs Lynn Mildren, Learning Mentor, has a full-time role supporting the ever-changing needs of the children. We are all here to provide support wherever possible.

Further information is on the wellbeing page of our school website including lots of very useful links for you to explore.

If you have any safeguarding concerns at any time, please be sure to pass them on.

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

Father's Day BBQ Lunch

Friday 14th June

Bookings will be open next week for you to join us for our annual Father's Day lunch. The BBQ lunch is £5. The children will already have eaten, so the BBQ is for dads and dad figures only. As always, we'll be hoping for glorious sunshine.

You are all warmly invited to join us at 12 pm, but please then spend time chilling on the school field and playing until your ticket is called.

If your youngest child in the school is in Reception, Year 1 or Year 2, you will receive a yellow ticket as you sign in on the day meaning that you will be served a burger between 12 and 12.25 pm. Please don't join the BBQ line if you don't have a yellow ticket. When yellow ticket adults have had their lunch, they are welcome to stay and play until 1pm.

If your youngest child in the school is in Year 3 or 4, you will receive a green ticket as you sign in on the day meaning that you can have fun with your child/ren until 12.25 and will then be served a burger between 12.25 and 12.45 pm. Please don't join the BBQ line at 12.25pm if you don't have a green ticket. When green ticket adults have had their lunch, you are more than welcome to stay and play until 1 pm.

If your youngest child in the school is in Year 5 or 6, you will receive a blue ticket when you sign in on the day. Feel free to come in at 12 pm, but you won't be called for the BBQ lunch until 12.45pm.

If you are not having the BBQ lunch but want to come in to 'play' only, we look forward to seeing you too. Please ensure that you sign in as you arrive. You won't receive a coloured ticket.