It’s hard to believe that we only have 2 weeks left of this half term – the time seems to have flown past. This week has really shown how well the Darite family work together with the Year 6 SATs tests taking place. The children in Y6 have worked so hard in the run-up to these tests and, considering the disruption to learning from COVID, they did fantastically well. We even had a moderation visit in the middle and their superb conduct and attitude was mentioned then. We are all so proud of them for getting through the week and they thoroughly deserved their day of fun. Whatever happens with the results, we are proud of them and know that they are more than the scores of a test.
The other children in the school (along with the staff) conducted themselves amazingly, helping to support the Y6 with reassurance and quiet during the test. Year 2 will be having their assessments before the end of the half term and they have also been working hard with the preparation for these.
Thank-you to you all for helping with the preparation for the SATs. I know how stressful they can be but the children, with your help, have managed to navigate these tricky waters well.
Have a well deserved weekend and a rest in the improving weather.
Mr Whipps
What a busy week we’ve had - it’s never dull at Darite! Even though it was only a 4 day week, we certainly crammed a lot in!
Firstly, thank-you so much for booking and coming to the parents consultations this week. The teachers really enjoyed being able to welcome you all back into school again following COVID to have a conversation about the children and their learning. If you missed the appointments this week but would like to speak to your child’s teacher, please contact the office and we can make an appointment for you.
We also welcomed the Cornish Caretakers into school on Wednesday. Hailing from the PK Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications, Class 2 had a workshop in which they learnt all about the history of communications from smoke signals, through carrier pigeon to modern phones. Every day is a school day and I learnt that 97% of global communications still travel through the cables at Porthcurno! The whole school then had a hilarious performance and a sing song. I am having to keep my eye open as the smoke signals said that someone in Class 1 was looking to hold a takeover of the school! Thanks so much for PK Porthcurno for coming in.
Class 2 had an amazing trip to Wheal Martyn on Thursday. They all set an amazing example and I’ve heard nothing but amazing things and learning from them today! Thanks to all the additional adults who came to support. We can’t do trips without you.
T
o finish the week we had a professional photographer in school today taking pictures of the children for the school and trust website. The children, staff and school were praised for their attitude to learning and the welcoming nature.
Phew! I hope you all have a well deserved weekend. Mr Whipps
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Welcome back to the summer term!
I hope that you managed to have a some time to relax over the Easter break and there wasn’t too much chocolate eaten!
It is hard to believe that we have only been back a week and we have reached the summer term!
The children have all been working hard in class and it is always a privilege to be able to walk round and see the learning going on. The children were keen to show me their learning and the enthusiasm across the school really makes a difference.
The police were in this week, working with Class 3 on their Mini Police scheme. This was an opportunity for the children to see the police in another light. They told the class about their role and how they are there to help. The children did work on online safety, antisocial behaviour and then planned and carried out a social action campaign on issues close to their heart (make sure you pay attention to the new posters up around the school!) I would like to thank the police for their time and also the children. Both officers said what a wonderful welcome they received from Darite and that it was one of the kindest schools they have visited. The children each recieved a certificate and a Mini Police cap to take away as a sign of their hard work.
There are a few key dates coming up that I wanted to draw your attention to. Thank-you to everyone who has booked a session for the parents consultations next week. Remember, these are booked through Arbor online and can be either in person or a phone conversation. If you are having issues with using Arbor, please contact Mrs Evett and she will be able to help you. Class 2 are visiting Wheal Martyn next week. Please login to ParentPay to give permission if you have not already done so.
Next Thursday there will be a short session after school for Year 6 parents as we lead up to the SATs assessments on the week beginning the 9th May. It is a short session to help you understand what is going to happen and how you can support the children on the run up to this nerve-wracking time. Please come along at 3.10 to find out more.
Please enjoy the long bank holiday weekend and we will see all the children back on Tuesday.
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What a wonderful day we had on Thursday. The sun shone, legs ached and smiles were seen all over Minions Moor for our Moor Day. The children did amazingly well and the staff from Arena commented on the behaviour and enthusiasm. They took part in three workshops. They created a group collage telling the stories of the Hurlers stones (I learnt that one yesterday!), learning about navigation and creating a moorland shaker using natural materials.
The walk was fantastic with spotting the signs of mining heritage and the wildlife (although my legs were feeling all of the 13,000 steps I did). Well done to the children for their attitude and maturity. The children at school know that I love a quote and one person (who wishes to remain nameless) told me “I’m up here so often but this is brilliant to do some activities. Learning is fun in school but it’s great to have a break!”.
The children are a credit to themselves and the school.
What an amazing (and full of famous faces) day we had today. We saw Enid Blyton characters , Roald Dahl favourites and lots of superheroes! Princesses and the whole school of Hogwarts were also in attendance!
We had a great start with a reading breakfast. It was lovely to see so many parents joining us to hear the children and share their love of books. Thanks so much to all those who joined us and for everyone who reads at home.
We were also very lucky to have Ellie Jackson - the author of the Wild Tribe Hero books. We’re only the 5th school in the world to hear the new story about Ziggy the bee. It was fantastic and I can’t wait for you to be able to read it. Thank you so much to Ellie for coming in.
We all joined in with the Puffin Live lesson with author tip, guides from illustrators. The children loved it.
In the school spilt up and each group did a range of book day activities. I’m sure it he children can’t wait to tell you about their day!
What a week we’ve had at Darite! Balancability took place on Thursday and it was lovely to see the younger children whizzing around on the playground. The coach commented on how good the children were and that he had a great time in our school.
It was Children’s Mental Health week and the children have been discussing their feelings, creating “Support Balloons” and “Reaching for the Stars.”. The maturity of the children in these discussions have demonstrated real maturity and emotional intelligence.
My final special mention this week has to go to Year 6 for their work in the Cornish heat of the National Lego League event. For the last few months they have working incredibly hard on the project and yesterday competed remotely against 20 (!) other teams from across the county. They were one of the youngest teams to enter, other competitors being from secondary schools and colleges!
The day included creating a programmable robot to compete in the robot game, completing missions based on the theme of cargo transportation. They coded brilliantly and scored 255 points! The second aspect included inventing something that would help the world in terms of transport – keep you eyes peeled for the Darite Stair-climbing Robot! This project had to be presented to the judges (an air-force engineer and a tutor from the robotic program at Truro and Penwith college - no pressure!) and they were grilled about their choices and reasoning. Some comments from the judges include: “They were enthusiastic, joyful and they made us feel enthusiastic too.” “The design and iterations were excellent and showed good problem solving skills”. “Don’t hit too many chickens in the future! – Use your designer to put your logo on the roboto!” (ask Y6 about the last one!”
They truly did themselves proud and I for one could not be more proud of them. The children were over the moon when the closing ceremony occurred and they discovered they had come second overall from the whole county! Not only that, but they have been awarded the Innovation Project award by the judges for their stair climbing project. This means that they have a chance to complete in the NATIONAL finals alongside teams from across the UK. I will work with the children and parents with the logistics of this. Once again, I am so proud of all the children.
Have a lovely weekend.
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What a great week we’ve had! The sun has been shining which always improves our mood and the smiles on the faces of staff and children alike as I walk through the school always make us smile.
The trip to the pantomime was great (oh yes it was!). My ears are still ringing from the “boos” and “he’s behind yous!” The children were amazingly behaved and set the perfect example for the other schools who were there. Thank-you so much to the PTA for helping fund the trip.
COVID-19 is still around in the community so please continue to be vigilant of the symptoms. The guidance for isolation recently changed and so please make sure that you update yourself with the latest changes here. School are happy to support with any information so please keep us in the loop should you suspect a case of COVID-19 in your family.
Excellence!
Our school value that we will be looking at this half term is "Excellence". We have had an assembly about what it means and how getting things wrong is all part of the journey towards excellence. If you see anything at home that shows the value, please let us know so that we can celebrate in school.
It is hard to believe that we are now over half way to half term! The weeks have flown by and the learning the children have been doing has been wonderful to see. The determination that I have seen in the school has really shown the effort and pride that the children have in their learning and school. They are a real credit to Darite and make the school what it is! They are embodying the values of the school and trust in everything they do.
Star assemblies are getting very full now with successes in 99 Club, Spelling Shed and TTRockstars! Thank-you for all the support that you have been giving children at home with these programs. We celebrate their successes on Friday in assembly. The HUGE scores on spelling tests are testament to the hard work of the children. Amazingly, Class 3 are ranked number 32 in the world currently! Fantastic spelling everyone. Remember, if you are having problems logging in at home, please let us know. If the children have an achievement from outside of school (a cub badge or swimming certificate for example) please send it in by Thursday so we can add that to our celebration.
Please keep checking the newsletter and calendar on the website for key dates. Due to the nature of COVID and the weather, events may change. We will always endeavour to give you as much notice as possible for these. Shortly you will be sent details of the Parents Consultations that will be taking place on the week beginning the 11th October.
As part of the wider curriculum, Class 3 are looking at Ancient Greece. We are writing myths that would make Homer proud. To link with this, the children are learning to use Blue Bots to navigate mazes - just like Theseus and the Minotaur.
They looked at basic controls this week (I was run over several times!) ready for desiging simple courses next week.
Well done Year 5 and 6. Find out more on the Class 3 blog!
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It has been a wonderful day at school. Even the weather was shining and smiling on the start of the new school year. It was super to see the new Reception children in the morning after an exciting time for their first day at school. Having our first whole-school assembly in the hall was a highlight for me!
It was fantastic to welcome Mrs Thomas to school. She has settled in already and the children are really enjoying having her in Class 3. Mrs Dungey also returned as well, meaning we are back to full staffing. I spoke to all the children and it sounded like they all had a fantastic holiday and have come back excited and ready to learn. Thank-you for your continued support of the school last year. With the relaxing of some restrictions, we are hoping to be able to welcome visitors back to school soon. Please watch this space for upcoming events!
Remember that if you have any questions about school, please speak to your class teacher or Mrs Evett at the office.
Housekeeping
I know that you will have received an email from the trust this afternoon about completing the permissions for photos, trips, medications etc. on Arbor. It is really important that these are completed soon as they allow staff to plan in more detail. Even if nothing has changed since last year, please can you re-complete the forms so we have the most up to date information. If you are having trouble logging in, please contact Mrs Evett in the office.
If you think you are eligible for the Pupil Premium, please can you complete an application form here. It is available to all children from Reception up, and provides school with additional funding and resources that we can use to support the children. We know that all children in Reception, Year 1 and 2 are entitled to receive free meals, however this provides additional funding to the school that can help provide additional opportunities to the children.
Keep checking the website and class blogs for more updates about learning at Darite.
Mr Whipps
Creative
We are bold and innovative in our approach to find new solutions to the challenges we face.
Curious
We are inspired by the awe and wonder of the world.
Responsible
We take responsibility for our actions in an environment of mutual respect.
Enthusiastic
We are passionate about learning.
Excellent
We are the best we can be.
Determined
We overcome all barriers to reach our potential, developing a capacity to improve further.
Spaces available, please contact the school secretary on secretary@dariteprimary.co.uk
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