Dear Parents/Carers,
I hope this email finds you well.
We have had a good start to the new year.
Top Award Winners Wk beginning January 10th
Our core value for this week was Humility
5T – Sarrina
5H Emme
6O Alfie
6M Gabriel
7I Hannah
7L Oscar
8N Matt
8S Joey
P&Q Award Winner
Those children who show they are kind, friendly and respectful around the school during a school week (so those who “mind their Ps & Qs”) are awarded a P&Q slip. Each week the child who is drawn from those awarded a P&Q award wins a book of their choice.
Each term the school draws one winner from all those awarded a P&Q slip during that term.
The P & Q award winner for the Autumn term 2021 is…Ethan in Year 6. Ethan wins a £10 Amazon voucher.
Well done to all the award winners!
November Reading Challenge Award Winner tells us the books he bought
During November and early December children took part in our November Reading Challenge. Every book a child read gained a ticket into a prize draw where the winner won a £20 Waterstones book voucher.
Danny in Yr 6 won the first prize and below he tells us the books he bought with this award
A Kestrel For a Knave by Barry Hines
I chose this as I particularly enjoy novels set in real life rather than fantasy worlds and my Mum told me about “Kes” which is the film adaptation of the book. It is about Billy Caspar, a troubled teenager growing up in a Yorkshire mining town who discovers a new passion and inspiration in life when he finds Kes, a kestrel hawk.
he Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Another story based on real life events. It tels the story of life in Nazi Germany from the German point of view. I was drawn to it by this, written on the back of my edition of the book: “This is the tale of the Book Thief, as narrated by death. And when death tells a story you really have to listen.” All I know so far is that the story was inspired by the stories told by the author’s parents and that it’s about a hungry, illiterate girl who has such a desire to read that she steals books. I’m also wondering how it will work to have “Death” as the narrator?
Z for Zachariah by Robert C O’Brien
The key character in this book is living alone in a valley fearing that she is the only survivor of a devastating nuclear war. The book is described as a “terrifyign battle of wills between a girl and the last man on Earth”. I was curious to find out what life might have been like in the aftermath of a nuclear war. Mr Murtagh told me that the book gave him nightmares when he read it at my age so this makes me want to read it even more!
Thank you to Danny for telling us the books he’s bought with his award.
I hope you have a good weekend.
Take care,
Liam
Dear Parents/Carers,
I hope this email finds you well. We have had a good first week back at school.
Well done to the following children who won this week’s TOP Award.
TOP Awards Week beginning Jan 3rd
This week our core value is Endurance
5T – Matthew
5H – Jake
6O – Mary-Anne
6M – Grace
7I – Josh
7L – Amy
8N – Euan
8S – Archie
Well done to all these award winners.
Please remember that:
Children in Key Stage Three are recommended to wear face coverings
All staff, and children in Years 7 & 8 have been advised that unless exempt, they should wear a face covering in classrooms as well as communal areas of school including corridors and halls. In addition, they are required to wear face coverings on school transport. Please support us by providing your child – if they are in Key Stage 3 – with an appropriate face covering every day.
The advice is short term only and will be reviewed on the 26 January, in line with the review on Plan B measures.
Continued regular LFD Testing for KS3 children
Children in Key Stage Three are strongly encouraged to continue testing twice weekly at home and then for the results to be reported to NHS Test and Trace and to school. In the event of a positive LFD result, please contact school to let us know. From 11 January those children who do not have symptoms and have a positive lateral flow will still have to isolate, but will no longer take a PCR.
Even if your child has tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days, they are strongly encouraged to take part in LFD testing once they have completed their isolation period for their prior infection.
Symptomatic PCR testing
If your child develops symptoms at any time (including a high temperature; a new, continuous cough; or a loss or change to their sense of smell or taste and in addition sore throat or headaches) they must immediately self-isolate, and book a PCR test by visiting https://www.gov.uk/get-
Isolation
Since Wednesday 22 December, the 10 day self-isolation period for people who record a positive PCR test result for COVID-19 has been reduced to 7 days in most circumstances, unless you cannot test for any reason.
Children may now take LFD tests on day 6 and day 7 of their self-isolation period. Those who receive two negative test results are no longer required to complete 10 full days of self-isolation. The first test must be taken no earlier than day 6 of the self-isolation period and tests must be taken 24 hours apart. If both these test results are negative, and you do not have a high temperature, you may end your self-isolation after the second negative test result and return to school from day 8.
Daily testing for close contacts
People who are fully vaccinated, or children and young people aged between 5 and 18 years and 6 months, identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19, should take an LFD test every day for seven days and continue to attend their setting as normal, unless they have a positive test result or develop symptoms at any time. This is so that any subsequent positive cases can be quickly picked up and for self isolation to begin as soon as possible. We will continue to distribute test kits as needed to pupils in Year 7 and Year 8.
Remote learning Work is on Google Classroom
Work for remote learning during self isolation – if a pupil is well enough to complete it – is available on Google Classroom. Please do not hesitate to contact our school if there are any problems accessing the work.
We realise that this is a difficult time. We will keep you updated with any further information however always remember that you can contact us if you have any problems or concerns.
Take care,
Liam Murtagh – Headteacher
Our Year 8 pupils all did a wonderful job making and decorating their Christmas Cakes this year. The winners were chosen from unnamed photographs by a team of judges.
Winner – Lacey
Second Place – Katie
Third Place – Noah
Highly Commended – Imogen
Dear Parents/Carers,
It has been a good week at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School. Year 5 & 6 enjoyed a great trip to see The Sorcerer’s Apprentice at Northern Stage, Newcastle whilst Year 8 took part in our annual “Design a Christmas Cake” competition.
Positive Covid Cases
During this week the number of confirmed positive cases at our school has fallen to 2%. The additional mitigations we have put in place over the past three weeks are still in place. Our school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well. NHS Test & Trace will contact individuals who have been identified as a close contact.
November Reading Challenge
Today was the last day of our November Reading Challenge in which children were challenged to read three books each by a different author. Well done to all those pupils who have participated. Every book read will earn a ticket in next week’s prize draw.
During November I too took up the challenge and have read a range of children’s fiction. This week I read:
Stuntboy, in the Meantime… by Jason Reynolds
As a longtime fan of the Diary of the Wimpy Kid series – I saw Jeff Kinney live at Newcastle City Hall and the book (and subsequent film of) Rodrick Rules holds a very special place in my heart – I do enjoy an illustrated novel. However there are far more illustrated novels available than Diary of a Wimpy Kid books and this is none more so demonstrated by the excellent “Stuntboy, in the meantime” by Jason Reynolds.
Portico Reeves is a school boy who is also a self styled superhero named “Stuntboy”. He is the newest superhero in town…or at least he is in his own head. If you like the Wimpy Kid series then you’ll also enjoy the exploits of “Stuntboy”. I’d recommend this book to children in Year 5.
TOP Awards Week beginning Dec 6th
This week our core value is Justice
5T – Josh
5H – India
6O – Mary-Anne
6M – Danny
7I – Jacob
7L – Toby / Finley
8N – Imogen
8S – Ellie
This week’s P&Q award winner is Skye in Yr 8.
Well done to all of these award winners
Wednesday 15th December – Christmas Dinner Day!
Christmas Dinner will be served next Wednesday. Children are able to come to school in a Christmas Jumper – those doing so are invited to make a contribution of £1.
Take care,
Liam Murtagh – Headteacher
Dear Parents / Carers,
It has been a very difficult week for our community and I hope this email finds you all in a better place than we were in during the previous weekend. Our school site has been cleared and we are grateful that we have been able to be open from Wednesday, December 1st. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Positive Covid Cases
During this week we have had a fall in the number of confirmed positive cases at our school. The number of confirmed positive cases is now at 4% of the school population. We will still continue with the additional mitigations we have put in place in November, 2021. Our school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well. NHS Test & Trace will contact individuals who have been identified as a close contact.
Parent Evenings
It was lovely for our staff to be able to speak to Parents & Carers on Thursday, December 2nd. We are looking forward to our next parents evening on Tuesday, December 7th.
P&Q Award Winner
This week’s P&Q award winner is Alex in Yr 7. Well done!
November Reading Challenge
We are continuing with our November Reading Challenge and EXTENDING it! Due to some children currently being absent from school we wanted every child to have a chance to have the books they are reading and have read this month to be accurately recorded therefore we are going to extend the reading challenge to December 10th. Remember the challenge is to read three books – each by a different author.
I am continuing with my reading and this week I read:
The Valley of Lost Secrets by Lesley Parr
As a child I loved books set in World War Two that wrote about Evacuees. The choosing scene on a train station platform in Nina Bawden’s “Carrie’s War” is seared into my memory. Equally I adored “Goodnight Mr Tom” – a book that we teach in Year 6 English. Therefore books that return to such a well trodden area have much to live upto, however I can strongly recommend Lesley Parr’s “The Valley of Lost Secrets”, a book about World War evacuees who move from London to Llanbryn, Wales.
Jimmy and Ronnie – his younger brother – struggle to adapt to live in Wales but their arrival in this rural community disturb and uncover dark secrets hidden for many years…
I thought this book was superb and would recommend it to all readers. It is Lesley Parr’s first novel and I am looking forward to her second – “When The War Came Home” – which is released in January, 2022.
Incidentally if anyone is looking for books to give for Christmas presents and the person you are buying for is a football fan I would also recommend “Das Reboot – How German Football Reinvented Itself” by Raphael Honingstein and “Don Revie – The Biography” by Christopher Evans – two books I very recently enjoyed by candle light whilst shivering despite wearing all the clothes I possess…
I hope you have a lovely weekend.
Take care,
Liam Murtagh – Headteacher
School will be OPEN to Years 5, 6 and 8 on Wednesday 1 December. Unfortunately due to the damage sustained to the school during Storm Arwen Year 7 will have to remain at home and complete work set on Google Classroom until further notice.
Dear Parents / Carer,
I hope this email finds you well.
Positive Covid Cases
During this week we have had a further rise in the number of confirmed positive cases at our school. The number of confirmed positive cases is now at slightly over 12% of the school population. I informed you of the additional mitigations we have put in place earlier this week and we are working closely with Public Health Northumberland. Our school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal if they remain well. NHS Test & Trace will contact individuals who have been identified as a close contact.
I know this is a very difficult time for those pupils and their families who have been infected. Our thoughts are with you. Please do not hesitate to contact the school if there is any support or help you require. We want to serve you in the best way we can although please do appreciate that some of our staff are currently absent from school either having had a confirmed positive case of Covid 19 or with symptoms awaiting the result of a PCR test. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Parent Evenings
It was lovely for our staff to be able to speak to Parents & Carers on Tuesday, 23rd November. We are looking forward to our next parents evening on Thursday, December 2nd.
Odd Sock Day
Odd Sock Day is a way of celebrating each of our unique identities. Thank you to all of those children who sported such an eclectic array of socks. I enclose pictures of a few of these socks.
Anti Bullying Resource for Parents/Carers
Odd Sock Day is an initiative linked to Anti Bullying Week which we celebrated last week. The Anti Bullying Alliance – who organise the week – have published a resource pack for Parents & Carers. The pack is a tool for Parents/carers with advice on how to further support and guide children through their school years. The pack also promotes a parent advice phone line run by Kidscape – details of which can be found via this link – https://www.kidscape.org.uk/
TOP Awards Week beginning Nov 22nd.
This week our core value is Humility.
5T – Rosie
5H – River
6O Hylton
6M – Sophia
7I – Luke
7L – Toby
8N – Lucy
8S – Kate
Our P&Q award this week is Ethan in Year 5
Well done to all of our award winners!
November Reading Challenge
We are continuing with our November Reading Challenge and EXTENDING it! Due to some children currently being absent from school we wanted every child to have a chance to have the books they are reading and have read this month to be accurately recorded therefore we are going to extend the reading challenge to December 10th. Remember the challenge is to read three books – each by a different author.
The Outlaws Scarlett & Browne by Jonathan Stroud
Set in a future United Kingdom suffering the aftermath of a huge ecological disaster, teenage gunslinger Scarlett Browne terrorises the Kingdoms of Mercia; Anglia and Wessex robbing banks! Fresh from a successful bank raid of the Cheltenham Bank she comes across teenager Albert Browne – the only survivor of a terrible bus crash. Together Scarlett and Albert become an unlikely duo traversing an England more akin to the Wild West than the sensible; civilised country we know it to be today. In doing so they must do battle with outlaws; armed vigilantes and animals grown to beasts following the environmental changes wrought by the undescribed eco disaster. Their only hope is that they find refuge in the Lost Ruins of the London Lagoon. Can they survive?
This is an absolutely fantastic book. One I could not put down and one in which I wanted to reread the moment I completed it. Suitable for Key Stage Three ( as there are some quite scary moments) this is one of the very best books I have read this year.
Take care,
Liam Murtagh -Headteacher
Dear Parents & Carers.
It has been a very productive week at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School. We really enjoyed celebrating Children in Need yesterday, thank you to all those children who donated to such a worthy cause.
Positive Covid Cases
The number of confirmed positive Covid 19 cases in school have slightly risen to just over 2% of our school population. As a result of this we are going to add further mitigations to our current Covid-19 control measures. In order to further reduce mixing between Year groups, from Monday, 22nd November, we will be:
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Limiting all lunchtime clubs to single Year groups;
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Serving lunches to one Year group at a time;
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Reviewing risk assessments for all educational visits
Please remember one of our mitigations is advising all adults and children in KS3 to wear face coverings in corridors. Please remind children of the importance of this mitigation and support us with this advice.
Trinity Presentations
The concept of The Trinity in the Christian religion is sometimes a difficult one to understand. In Religious Education Year 7 were tasked with designing a model that would explain this. Well done to:
Sarah; Freya; Toby; Martha and Harriet for designing these excellent models.
Yr 6 Clay Day
In Religious Education in Yr 6 we will be studying Pilgrimages in our “Is life like a journey?” unit. Yr 6 today were designing Pilgrimage Trail Tiles for some of the Pilgrimage Trails in the World that Yr 6 will be studying in this unit, namely- Santiago de Compostela; Saint Oswald’s Way; Saint Cuthbert’s Way and Jerusalem Way.
Odd Sock Day
On Tuesday November 23rd all staff and children are encouraged to come to school in Odd Socks to mark Anti Bullying Week.
November Reading Challenge
Well done to all of our children who are continuing with our November Reading Challenge. This week I enjoyed reading Crater Lake and Armistice Day.
Crater Lake by Jennifer Killick
It’s your everyday story of possible Alien Invasion in Jennifer Killick’s Crater Lake.
Year 6 children in Montmorency Primary School thought they were attending Crater Lake Activity Centre for their Summer Residential. Instead they are humanity’s last hope to thwart Insect extra terrestrials taking over the world.
Led by Year 6 student Lance, his resourceful friends have their work cut out but their efforts are complicated by the fact that if they fall asleep they will become one of the aliens!
Crater Lake is an entertaining read that draws heavily on sci fi classic “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”). Suitable more for Key Stage Two pupils, readers who enjoy this could read “Crater Lake: Evolution”, a recently published sequel.
Armistice Day by Tom Palmer
A very fitting time to be reading this book set, as the name suggests, at the end of the First World War.
The books centres around Ernest, an 18 year old fell runner, who has joined up to avenge the death of his older brother. The reader finds out about his exploits through a diary being read by Lily – a modern day fell runner. Lily was given Ernest’s account by her grandmother of whom Ernest was her great great uncle. As this excellent book progresses, the story and the links between the two central characters are revealed.
This was a very moving and well written tale. I strongly recommend it,
This week’s P&Q Winner was: Tyler in Yr 5
Top Award Winners – Week beginning November 15th.
Our core value was Wisdom
5T – Gracie-Mae
5H Florence
6O – Leo
6M – Sam
7I – Will
7L – Alex
8N – Lewi
8S – Sasha & Isla
Well done to all of these award winners!
In Collective Worship this week, looking at Wisdom, we studied the Serenity Prayer.
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; Courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.
I hope you have a good weekend.
Take care,
Liam Murtagh – Headteacher
