Dear Parents & Carers,
I hope this email finds you well. It has been an exciting week at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School. Year 5 really enjoyed their trip to the Hancock Museum – a trip that supports our History Curriculum.
Please be aware that we are now celebrating Children in Need on Thursday, November 18th.
Kooth – Online Mental Well Being for Children and Young People aged 11 – 25 years old
Kooth is a free, anonymous and safe online mental wellbeing community for children and young people, aged 11 – 25 years old across Northumberland. It is a service funded by Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group.
There are two Kooth Awareness sessions being run for all parents & carers across Northumberland. If you are interested then please follow the links below.
Wednesday 24th November 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Tuesday 30th November 10:30am – 11:30am
Please join Malcolm Connelly for a Kooth Awareness Session for all Parents & Carers across #Northumberland. Malcolm will explain how Kooth.com can support Young People aged 11-25 across the County with their emotional wellbeing.
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/
Remembrance Sunday Service
Our House Captains will be attending the Remembrance Sunday Service at All Saints. They will be laying a Poppy Wreath on behalf of our school’s pupils, staff and parents.
November Reading Challenge
This November we are challenging our Yr 5; Yr 6 & Yr 7 children to read at least three fiction books from different authors than they would normally read. Every book completed by a child then enters them into a draw for a Waterstones Book Voucher.
This week well done to Poppy; Elsie; Beth; Harry; Cecily; Jessica; Lucy; Dillan; Joe; Danny; Jonah ; Gabriel; Edward; Lewis; Emma; Hylton; eva; Max; Elsa; Jayden; Alfie in Yr 6 and Luke ; Freya; Harriet; Josh; Wilf; Luke; Alic; Alex; Isabella; Toby in Yr 7 who this week completed at least one book to enter the challenge.
Taking up the challenge myself I am really enjoying reading some current children’s books. Last week I really enjoyed The Haunting of Aveline Jones by Phil Hickes. This week I read the latest book by Lucy Strange – an author I have never read before.
Sisters of the Lost Marsh by Lucy Strange
When Grace’s father sells Grace – his eldest daughter – for a horse so begins a story full of mystery and superstition.
The Fernsby family have six daughters (Grace; Willa; Freya; Deedee; Dolly and Darcy) and they live with their father on a farm amidst the mists and mires of the Lost Marsh. Scared of her fate and tempted by the excitement of the travelling Full Moon Fayre, Grace flees her family only to find herself at the mercy of other forces that move among the dangerous marshlands. Can Willa and her other sisters save their eldest sister and repay their father’s debt?
Sisters of the Lost Marsh is a brilliant novel that creates its medieval marshland setting very vividly. I found it the perfect book for this time of year as the nights draw in. More suitable for readers in Key Stage 3, this was the first book I’ve read by author Lucy Strange and I am very excited about reading her other three novels – Our Castle by the Sea; The Secret of Nightingale Wood and The Ghost of Gosswater.
Sisters of the Lost Marsh is a book I would highly recommend.
TOP Award Winners – Week beginning Nov 8th
Core Value was Service
5T – Charlotte
5H – Emily
60 – Ethan
6M – Jonah
7I – Joel
7L – Cameron
8N – Abby
8S – Dan
P&Q Award Winner – Lewis in Yr 8
Well done to all these award winners.
Please be aware of the additional COVID-19 control measures in our school
Additional COVID-19 control measures in our school
Face Coverings worn by adults and Key Stage 3 children in corridors
All adults and secondary age children (Year 7 and above) are advised and encouraged to wear face coverings in corridors. Please support your child (if they are in Year 7 & Year 8) in this area.
Ventilation
We will continue to ensure all areas in school are well ventilated. As the weather gets cooler it is important that all members of our school community remember to layer their clothing so having extra clothing to keep them warm. Coats can be worn over a school sweatshirt but not instead of them – children will not be permitted to wear a non school uniform hoodie or jumper.
Testing for household contacts:
Where a family member has tested positive for COVID we will be advising that all household members should arrange a PCR test. In addition, staff and secondary school age pupils (KS3 and above) who are household contacts are advised to undertake daily lateral flow testing at home until they have received a negative PCR result.
All meetings; parents evenings and school worships to be conducted online
During this next half term all parents evenings; Key Stage Worships / Whole School Worships and staff meetings will be conducted online and not face-to-face
Cleaning regime
We will continue our strict cleaning regime which includes a mid day clean of touch points within school and all toilets.
I hope you have a good weekend.
Take care,
Liam Murtagh – Headteacher
