Daneshill Diary 04/12/15

Headmaster’s Notes

This week marks the end of our Michaelmas term inter-school fixtures for boys and girls. We have experienced an ever-increasing number of matches as well as seeing a significant rise in the standard of opposition. It is, therefore, very encouraging to note that we are witnessing much higher levels of success and performance across all sports. The pupils unquestionably benefit from the excellent coaches and dedicated staff, who regularly support the development of sport throughout the school. All fixtures require referees and umpires plus those who will organise and support teams from the touch line both home and away irrespective of the weather conditions or the long distances travelled. When you add all the ALS activities such as sailing, kayaking and climbing the opportunities for sport at Daneshill are exceptional.

In addition, an increasing number of activities are happening outside of regular school hours. The school has enjoyed success at Biathlons, Horse Riding events, Golf matches, Swimming fixtures, Gymnastic events, as well as Tournaments for traditional team games. I would like to thank all the staff who actively support the school in this way and of course all those parents who turn up to watch and regularly help with the transportation of pupils. I would also like to acknowledge the increased burden that is placed upon our school catering department for the provision of match day teas. On occasions this term they have produced as many as
180 additional teas for visiting pupils/staff, which is hugely appreciated.

Finally, I would like to make special mention of Salvatore Bibbo who has spread his time between coaching the Arsenal first team squad and Daneshill pupils. We have been friends for 15 years and his fondness for our school is very apparent, as has been his influence on our football this term.

Next term sees the arrival of Hockey and Rugby coaches to support our regular team of accomplished teachers. More news on these exciting appointments to follow next week.

Mr Spencer

News from the Pre-Prep

This has been a busy week for Reception, as we prepare for the Christmas play. We have been practising our dancing and singing and are becoming very excited mice and chickens! Amongst the rehearsals we have been continuing to learn about celebrations. So far, we have looked at Diwali and now we are looking at Hanukah, Birthdays and Christmas. There has been lots of independent writing produced this week, including lists of party food, invitations and sentences of our choosing. It has been wonderful to see so much progress in such a short time.

Year 1 have continued to strengthen their knowledge of addition and have used a variety of practical resources to support them with this. Both number lines and bead strings have been used to reinforce counting and many children found these to be of great benefit. The children are beginning to see patterns and are growing in confidence when asked to complete addition questions mentally. Excitement filled the classrooms on Thursday as the children transformed into their characters to perform the Christmas Play for the Nursery. This provided the children with the perfect opportunity to rehearse in front of an audience before next week. We look forward to seeing you there!

What a busy week Year 2 have had both on and off stage. The children should be very proud of themselves taking on two roles in this year’s Christmas Play, not only in learning their lines but also developing two different characters. In preparation for next week, our Science topic of ‘Staying Healthy’ has reached an apt stage as they have been finding out how important it is to sleep and rest when looking after themselves and their bodies. Year 2 have learnt how their body grows and repairs itself when they are asleep and with such active lives at the moment that they need more rest so that they are ready, both in mind and body, to be active again. Well done for all the hard work so far and enjoy some well-earned sleep and rest over the weekend!

Pre-Prep Teachers

Nursery Corner

Another exciting week has passed with the children enjoying a range of craft activities as we enter the month of festivities. Our reindeer display has been a real hit, with the children all enjoying seeing each other with antlers and the compulsory shiny red nose and even more excitement at seeing their teachers on display too!

It has been a busy week of performances for us with the Nursery Nativity being performed for Reception on Tuesday and then again for all the siblings on Wednesday. We then had the wonderful opportunity to be ‘the audience’ for the Pre-Prep play on Thursday. A row full of delighted, grinning faces watched siblings, cousins and friends sing, dance and act out their wonderful Christmas story.

Amongst all this excitement we still managed to introduce the ‘m’ sound, making monkey masks and spending much of the day singing 5 Little Monkeys Bouncing on the Bed – such great fun!

Have a super weekend and look forward to seeing everyone prompt on Monday morning for our final performance of the Nursery Nativity.

Mrs Beeching