It seems unbelievable that we only have a week and half until we break up for the October half term. School finishes on Wednesday 20th October and restarts on Monday 1st November. The term certainly seems to be flying by and the school is gradually being filled with colourful displays of the children’s learning this term. It has been a busy week for those year 6 children who are currently participating in their residential at Call of the Wild in Wales developing teamwork skills, resilience, perseverance and a participating in a whole host of outdoor and adventurous activities. 

Please be aware that we have a number of ‘bugs’ circulating in school.  Numerous families and a few staff members have reported high temperatures, sore throats, headaches, sickness etc.   

Please keep your child at home if they are unwell.   

If you are at all concerned that your child may have COIVD-19, please book a PCR test as soon as possible (lateral flow tests are not suitable for children under the age of 11).  We have had one confirmed case of COVID-19 in our school this week.  A few members of staff have tested positive on lateral flow tests; so far, follow up PCR tests have returned negative results.  As a precautionary measure, staff members who are testing positive on LFTs have been working at home.  We will continue to take a cautious approach in order to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.   

Please be aware that for most people, COVID-19 will be a mild illness.   

Email [email protected] if you would like further information or advice. 

We love reading at Dunalley and have a huge range of books to read from fiction to non-fiction and poetry to picture books. It is really important that your child practises their reading at home using the books that come from school which ever key stage you are in. These books should be able to be read fluently and with developing expression. 

If you are in key stage one, you will be receiving a letter via MSTeams about Oxford Owls ebooks which is a free service giving you access to a range of phonic readers. Home-readers are sent each week and these books should be read and re-read with your child so that they are reading them fluently. They also have valuable activities to complete at the back of the book. 

 We also like to foster a love of reading. Please follow this link to some authors of the week for the month of October https://authorfy.com/ 

Follow this link for stories in English and lots of other languages too https://worldstories.org.uk/library 

Given its success, our welly swap will remain open for the next few weeks.  If your children have grown out of their wellies, just bring them to our main reception and swap them for a larger size.  You will find the wellies on display on the window sills.   

Donations are all most welcome - please take pre-loved wellies to our main reception - we will add them to our collection. 

Thank you for replying to our recent survey.  We are busy allocating spaces.  Due to an overwhelming interest in opportunities that staff have kindly offered, we are doing our very best to ensure that every child is allocated a place in at least one of the clubs they have expressed an interest in.  If you have requested a space, we will let you know which club your child has been allocated before half term. 

Reception and KS1 children receive free fruit at for breaktime and we like to encourage all children in KS2 – years 3-6 to follow the same healthy eating habits during their breaks too. Please encourage your child to bring any of the following for breaktimes: 

• Cubes of cheese 

• Fruit or veg 

• Mini box or tub of plain dried fruit 

• Savoury rice cakes or breadstick 

If these can be palced in a re-usable, plastic box (named) then we can also do our bit for the planet. By not having items in wrappers or plastic bags we can minimise litter and prevent hazards for wildlife and Pippin our school dog who will try to eat wrappers and clingfilm if it is on the floor! 

Following on from last weeks newsletter about considerate and safe parking we understand that a neighour was unable to attend a medical appoitment due to a car parked accross their drive at school drop off time.  Once again we would ask that you do not park in front of driveways, on double yellow lines or double park. 

Why not take advantage of the parking available around the park and walk to school from there. 

We are still very excited about our OPAL initiative - Outdoor Play And Learning. We still need your help though.

Next week we hope to collect items listed below, it doesnt matter what condition they are in !    
 
Mrs Byrne would still love to have a little boat or a canoe..but we really need -
Picnic Blankets, Stickle Bricks, Lego or any other construction toys.  Dolls, dressing up clothes, buckets and spades, small world toys ..
Perhaps you are having a clear out after Christmas ? If so keep us in mind, if you are unsure if we want it, just drop us an email or give us a quick call.

If you have anything to donate please bring any small items to the office for the attention of Mrs Byrne, if you happen to have any larger items please email [email protected]

Mr Childs resuced a fledgling Jay this week.

We are unsure how this beautiful bird came to be on our outside area, but it was carefully and
comfortably taken to The Vale Wildlife Hospital in Beckford.  They hope to care for it it until it is strong eough to be released back into the wild. 

Thank you Mr Childs, not all super heros wear capes !

OPAL Play Partners - After School Play Partners
We are seeking to recruit a dynamic Play Partner who will support meaningful and productive child-initiated play during our after school Lates provion.
3pm - 5.30pm Monday to Friday (term time only)

OPAL Play Partners - Lunchtimes
We are also seeking to recruit Play Partners who will support similar child-initiated play during our lunch times at Dunalley Primary School.
These roles are fabulous opportunities to join our team as we implement a new, whole school play initiative and continue to develop our school site including our wonderful outdoor spaces.

The successful candidates will work closely with the OPAL Play Coordinator, other lunch time staff and members of the Senior Leadership team to facilitate play opportunities to embed play into the school’s lunchtime period. 

Please email [email protected] if you have any queries, the full details of the vacancies and application form is avaliable on our website : https://dunalleyps.schoolzineplus.co.uk/opportunities-to-work-at-dunalley

Languages Survey

If your child is absent:

• Please notify the school before 8.30 am on first day of absence
  • Call 01242 512 391 and leave a message
  • Or complete the Absence Form on our App: https://dunalleyps.schoolzineplus.co.uk/form/3
•  If your child is absent for more than 48 hours you must update the school on the third day of absence and then every 48 hours

If your child has vomitted or had diarrhea:

• Please keep your child at home for 48 hours after the last episode of illness

If your child has a Covid symptom - cough, temperature, loss of taste or smell:

• Please book a PCR test: https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test. LFTest is not sufficient.

Dunalley Primary School expects the highest attendance and punctuality from all pupils, at all times. We support pupils and their families in ensuring that excellent attendance is achieved. We therefore aim to achieve 100% punctual attendance. We are committed to eliminating unauthorised absence from school and poor punctuality.

Attendance & Punctuality Policy

The App is an exciting two-way communication tool and provides easy access to important information. 

With just a couple of taps you can find out what's for lunch, report and absence, submit a medicine form, access Parent Pay, visit our website, update personal information, receive notifications about your child and read our weekly Dunalley Update.

Another exceptionally beneficial element of the App is that it can translate messages and our weekly update into any language supported by Google Translate. 

If you haven't yet downloaded our App, please click the following link for more details:

https://dunalleyps.schoolzineplus.co.uk/form/16

The App is linked to the email address you have registered with school - please click the link above if you wish to add or update an email address.  Each parent requires an individual email address.

Kind Regards

Sara Byrne

Business Manager

https://dunalleyps.schoolzineplus.co.uk/calendar