Latest News
Noteable events for the week ahead
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Head Teacher Blog - 23-10-20
Sat 24 Oct 2020Dear Families,
In order to keep us all safe, you will see WDPS staff wearing a face covering when they come to collect your children from the yard each morning. For the same reason, staff wear a face covering in communal areas of the school. Thank you for helping us to keep our children, staff and family members safe by choosing to wear a face covering when you are on the school yard. Also at the point when staff come out to the yard each morning and blow their whistle; we ask that all parents and carers leave their children and move to the back of the line away from all children and staff.
It has been another fun-filled week in school. Phase 3 have been improving their street dance moves with an Active Kids coach. Our Year 3 children have been learning to play the ukulele with a Newcastle Music Service teacher and some families have booked Music lessons in school for their children with Rocksteady Music. Also, Phase 1 children had fun working with the NUFC Primary Stars team and getting fit out on the field.
A highlight for me was spending Wednesday with Lois from Bumbl (Social Media Company that is helping us to showcase to the wider community the unique curricular offer that children enjoy at WDPS). We toured the school and witnessed the inspirational teaching and learning indoors and outdoors as children were enthralled with their learning. This included:
Foundation Stage and Key Stage 1
Nursery - Baking bread, using acorns in their Maths activities and making pumpkin soup.
Reception - Using the book 'What's in the Witch's Kitchen?' as a stimulus; the children made witch's slime, hammered pumpkins and wrote spells.
Year 2 - Investigated chemical reactions through a volcano experiment as well as investigating colour.
Key Stage 2
Y5/6 - Created their own rhythms using African drums.
WDPS Running and Mountain Bike Trail - Our cyclists demonstrated their bike-handling skills and improving stamina.
WDPS Allotments - The children weeded, tended the crops and showed the wide variety of vegetables that they have grown.
WDPS Bushcraft Area - Children demonstrated correct tool use, built shelters, created clay figures and natural art work and cooked chestnuts, pop corn and marshmallows on the fire.
Please follow us on our Twitter link at the bottom of the home page as we regularly post pictures of children enjoying stimulating learning experiences. Also, check your child's Class Page each Friday to see what they have been up to during the week.
At WDPS we have created our unique WDPS Life Skills Challenge Award (LSCA) which promotes a 'Natural Me' and 'Healthy Me' focus as we believe that children and adults benefit from positive time spent playing and exercising outdoors. Research shows that physical exercise is important for mental as well as physical wellbeing. Please encourage your family to spend quality time outdoors together as it is a lovely respite from screen time.
Improving Reading is a whole school priority focus as all children need the skills to conduct research and also to enjoy the creative pleasure of the written word. As a family enjoy reading some of the book reviews which you can access from the homepage: 'About Us' then 'WDPS-Whole School Focus.' Let’s all work together to make every WDPS child a fluent, keen and resilient reader at home and at school. Reading includes everything from learning and practising the Read Write Inc (RWI) Phonics to helping your children to conduct research for a school topic and also to improving their language knowledge through reading a wide range of challenging books from different genres.
Let’s make sure all our children receive the best wraparound support so that they achieve all that they are capable of in life.
Enjoy a relaxing, safe and fun family October holiday.
Kind regards,
Mick
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Head Teacher Blog - 16-10-20
Fri 16 Oct 2020Dear Families,
In order to keep us all safe, you will see all staff wearing a face covering when they come to collect your children from the yard each morning. For the same reason, staff wear a face covering in communal areas of the school. Thank you for helping us to keep our children, staff and family members safe by choosing to wear a face covering when you are on the school yard.
It has been another fun week in school. Phase 3 have been improving their street dance moves with an Active Kids coach. Our Year 3 children have been learning to play the ukulele with a Newcastle Music Service teacher and some families have booked Music lessons in school for their children with Rocksteady Music. As part of an Outer West Learning Trust (OWLT) initiative to develop Art skills and an appreciation of what Art is; some of our Y3 students are working with the artist John Quinn. Also, Phase 1 children had fun working with the NUFC Primary Stars team and getting fit out on the field.
Today, Friday 16th October, our Y5 students had an amazing Raising Aspirations Programme (RAP) Talk with the broadcaster and author Jonathan Dimbleby via Teams. Jonathan emphasised the importance of working hard, knocking on closed doors and caring about people in order to make your dreams come true. He was truly inspirational.
Please follow us on our Twitter link at the bottom of the home page as we regularly post pictures of children enjoying stimulating learning experiences. Also, check your child's Class Page each Friday to see what they have been up to during the week.
At WDPS we have created our unique WDPS Life Skills Challenge Award (LSCA) which promotes a 'Natural Me' and 'Healthy Me' focus as we believe that children and adults benefit from positive time spent playing and exercising outdoors. Research shows that physical exercise is important for mental as well as physical wellbeing. Please encourage your family to spend quality time outdoors together as it is a lovely respite from screen time.
Improving Reading is a whole school priority focus as all children need the skills to conduct research and also to enjoy the creative pleasure of the written word. As a family enjoy reading some of the book reviews which you can access from the homepage: 'About Us' then 'WDPS-Whole School Focus.' Let’s all work together to make every WDPS child a fluent, keen and resilient reader at home and at school. Reading includes everything from learning and practising the Read Write Inc (RWI) Phonics to helping your children to conduct research for a school topic and also to improving their language knowledge through reading a wide range of challenging books from different genres.
Let’s make sure all our children receive the best wraparound support so that they achieve all that they are capable of in life.
Enjoy a relaxing and fun family weekend.
Kind regards,
Mick
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Covid-19 Guidance for Families with Children - 14-10-20
Wed 14 Oct 2020 -
Local Covid Alert Level Posters - 14-10-20
Wed 14 Oct 2020Please see Local Covid Alert Level Posters - 14-10-20
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Head Teacher Blog - 09-10-20
Sat 10 Oct 2020Dear families,
In order to keep us all safe, you will see all staff wearing a face mask or visor when they come to collect your children from the yard each morning. For the same reason, staff wear a face covering in communal areas of the school. Thank you for helping us to keep our children, staff and family members safe by choosing to wear a face covering when you are on the school yard.
It has been another busy week in school. Y6 enjoyed a Healthy Active Lifestyle Roadshow and Phase 3 perfected their street dance moves with an Active Kids coach. Our Year 3 children have been learning to play the ukulele with a Newcastle Music Service teacher and some of this cohort are working with the artist John Quinn as part of an Outer West Learning Trust (OWLT) Art project. Our youngest children were enthralled by Zoolab and learnt a lot about rats, frogs, tarantulas and other animals! Also, Phase 1 children had fun working with the NUFC Primary Stars team and getting fit out on the field. Phase 3 also welcomed Laura Bell (Y7 Year Leader) and Val Wigham (Principal) from Studio West who talked to them about life in their secondary school.
Please follow us on our Twitter link at the bottom of the home page as we regularly post pictures of children enjoying stimulating learning experiences. Also, check your child's Class Page each Friday to see what they have been up to during the week.
As you know at WDPS we promote healthy lives for all children and adults as we all benefit from positive time spent playing and exercising outdoors. Research shows that physical exercise is important for mental as well as physical wellbeing. Please encourage your family to spend quality time outdoors together as it is a lovely respite from screen time.
Improving Reading is a whole school priority focus as all children need the skills to conduct research and also to enjoy the creative pleasure of the written word. As a family enjoy reading some of the book reviews which you can access from the homepage: 'About Us' then 'WDPS-Whole School Focus.' Let’s all work together to make every WDPS child a fluent, keen and resilient reader at home and at school.
Let’s make sure all our children receive the best wraparound support so that they achieve all that they are capable of in life.
Enjoy a happy family weekend.
Kind regards,
Mick
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Regional COVID Guidelines Poster - 09-10-20
Fri 09 Oct 2020 -
Philanthropy = Computers Gifted by Belmond & Co Claims Management and Smart IT
Wed 07 Oct 2020 -
Head Teacher Blog - 02-10-20
Sat 03 Oct 2020Dear families,
Thank you for helping us to keep our children, staff and family members safe by choosing to wear a face covering on the school yard.
It gives me a great deal of personal satisfaction to have created the unique WDPS Life Skills Challenge Award as our children are benefitting from activities that promote their positive mental health and wellbeing. This week Y5/6 developed their fine motor and speaking and listening skills and demonstrated resilience when weaving a shield from willow and wool. They have continued to work on their flint and fire steel skills and have started to use potato peelers for whittling. Our Reception children have demonstrated creativity and they have had fun exploring and looking for mini beasts. They also developed confidence, improved their gross motor, speaking and listening skills and showed resilience and patience. Check out their faces on our Twitter page as they savour the delights of fruit kebabs!
Our children have also developed stamina on 2 wheels as they competed in a 'Snail Race' on the pop up grass velodrome on the school field. Others developed their MTB skills on the hardcore WDPS Running and Mountain Bike Trail. It is a pleasure for me that WDPS students enjoy these rich opportunities in curriculum time.
Please follow us on our Twitter link at the bottom of the home page as we regularly post pictures of children enjoying stimulating learning experiences. Also, check your child's Class Page each Friday to see what they have been up to during the week.
As you know at WDPS we promote healthy lives for all children and adults as we all benefit from positive time spent playing and exercising outdoors. Research shows that physical exercise is important for mental as well as physical wellbeing. Please encourage your family to spend quality time outdoors together as it is a lovely respite from screen time.
Improving Reading is a whole school priority focus as all children need the skills to conduct research and also to enjoy the creative pleasure of the written word. As a family enjoy reading some of the book reviews which you can access from the homepage: 'About Us' then 'WDPS-Whole School Focus.' Let’s all work together to make every WDPS child a fluent, keen and resilient reader at home and at school.
Let’s make sure all our children receive the best wraparound support so that they achieve all that they are capable of in life.
Enjoy a fun and relaxing weekend.
Kind regards,
Mick
