As the year progresses there will be more opportunities for your children to engage in school trips and welcome exciting educational visitors into school. These events undoubtedly enhance learning and create lifelong memories.

Visits and visitors are carefully mapped to align with our curriculum to ensure that children benefit from a range of opportunities and experiences as they progress through the school. We recognise that value for money is increasingly important for families, and our teachers research good quality and recognised providers at all times.

As you are aware, in order to cover the cost of trips, we have to rely heavily on families making voluntary financial contributions.  We are also extremely grateful to the PTFA for their contribution. 

Please be aware that it is becoming increasingly common for schools to be forced to cancel school trips due to insufficent voluntary contributions being made.  We are eager to avoid this situation at Dunalley and the inevitable disappointment that cancellation causes. We are currently discussing fund raising strategies that will help.

We have been extremely grateful to families who have contacted us in recent months to make additional contributions towards the cost of school trips.  This has helped us to cover the shortfall that we usually experience.  IF you are in the financial position to do so, and you would like to make a contribution that is larger than that requested, please be aware that you can do so when accessing ParentPay.  

We are looking forward celebrating Harvest on Wednesday 19th October with the team from St Paul's Church.  

Harvest is a wonderful opportunity to collect food for our local food bank. If you'd like to contribute canned food, please send the tins into school with your child(ren) or leave donations in the main school reception area.  We will be collecting on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Y1 have enjoyed their new story 'The Owl Babies ' and have loved re-telling the story through play. 

There are some fantastic Halloween themed children’s activities taking place at the Soldiers of Gloucestershire Museum this October half-term: 

Halloween Children’s Crafts

Paint your own wooden Halloween decoration to take home and display!  Choose from bats, pumpkins, witches, ghosts, and many more.

Only 75p per child 

Halloween Museum Trail

Find the golden spiders hidden in cauldrons around the museum and reveal the hidden word to claim your free prize!

Museum admission;  £3 per child, £5 per adult (£4 concessions)

Weds 19th – Sun 23rd, & Weds 26th – Sun 30th October, 10am-4pm each day (last admission into museum galleries at 3pm).

Do you feel that you are now ready to get back into work, but still want to be at home for your family? If so, we have the solution.

Did you know that many of our staff returned to work through the role of midday supervisor? 

Some of our team have now furthered their careers with us, moving on to become Teaching Partners, Office staff and Nursery Practitioners.  Even Mr Childs, our Site Manager, started with us as a member of the lunch time team.

This is an exciting time to join the Dunalley team, and there are so many benefits to working at school.  Here is what you can expect:

• You work during term time only as an OPAL Play Partner/Lunch supervisor
• You work for 38 weeks a year, but get paid for 43.5 weeks a year
• A regular income for 12 months of the year (summer holidays too)
• Lots of free training and development opportunities
• Excellent pension through the local government pension scheme
• A lovely, friendly and rewarding working environment
• Wellness packages
• Comprehensive induction programme
• Opportunities for progression
• Supportive and approachable network of colleagues
  

“One of the biggest strengths in the school’s work is in the continuing development of staff to take up key posts and responsibilities.’” 

Ofsted 

Whenever we have a vacancy at Dunalley we welcome applications from people who are keen to make a difference and add that little bit extra.

OPAL Play Partners
We really do want to build our team of dynamic Play Partners, to support meaningful and productive child-initiated play during our lunchtimes ensuring that our children have the very best lunchtimes experiences possible. 

Lunch Hall Supervisors
We also want to add to our fabulous team who work in the dining hall.  

Full details of our vacancies are available on our website – opportunities to work at Dunalley available here.