Message from the Headteacher – 1 December 2023

4th December 2023Tracey Carnaby

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope this email finds you well.  It has been a very busy few weeks at Dr Thomlinson Middle School.

Zambezi Sunshine Trust visit Dr Thomlinson’s

We were delighted to welcome visitors from the Zambezi Sunshine Trust on Wednesday, 29th November, 2023.  The Trust is further extending Linda Community School in Livingstone, Zambia.  The school specifically provides an education for vulnerable children in a very disadvantaged area of the city and one of the charity’s trustees was explaining how the school is now benefiting from almost £2000 of new textbooks which was bought for the school through the money raised by Dr Thomlinson Middle School in a sponsored walk on June 23rd, 2023.  Dr Thomlinson has made plans for further links with Linda Community College in March 2024 when teaching staff from both schools will be exchanging good practice through a series of online meetings.

 

Theatre Company visits Dr Thomlinson Middle School

Dr Thomlinson welcomed the “Why queue theatre Company” on Tuesday 28th November who presented a educational drama on road safety to Year 7

 

Dr Thomlinson School visits Barter Book

A group of Dr Thomlinson pupils visited Barter Books on Wednesday 29th November.  The visit, part of the school’s strategy to promote a ;love of reading, was very well received by the children who attended

 

Year 8 Christmas Cake Baking

It must be getting near Christmas as Year 8 are beginning their annual Christmas Cake Competition.  Year 8 pupils are baking their fruit cakes during one Food lesson then decorating them in the next with the design of the cake decorations being judged and prizes awarded to the best designs.  Best of luck to all those taking part.

 

Dr Thomlinson’s got Talent

Parents/Carers are invited to attend our Dr Thomlinson’s Got Talent show on Monday, 18th December 2023.  The show, starting at 6:30pm, will be a culmination of a series of auditions which begin during lunchtimes on the week commencing December 4th.  We look forward to seeing who will claim the prestigious prize.

 

Welfare Meetings

At Dr Thomlinson there are two parent meetings each year.  In the Autumn parents/carers have an opportunity to book an online welfare meeting with their child’s form tutor.  Then in the Spring, parents/carers have an opportunity for face-to-face meetings with their child’s subject teachers.

Thank you to those Yr 7 parents/carers who spoke to our Yr 7 Form tutors on Wednesday, 22nd November and our Yr 8 Parents/carers who took part in the Year 8 Welfare meetings on Wednesday, 29th November.  Our Face-to-face parent evenings will take place in March and May of 2024.

 

Dates for Parent Evenings (Face-to-Face 3:30pm – 7;15pm)

Yr 5 – 14th May

Yr 6 – 21st May

Yr 7 – 21st March

Yr 8 – 7th March

 

TOP Awards Week beginning 20th November

Our Thomlinson Outstanding Pupil Award is given to the child in each Form Class who, in the opinion of their form tutor, has best shown our core value of the week.

We are concentrating on the core values of Hope; Service; Koinonia; Friendship and Service this year as our school feels that these values will help us best raise awareness of the United Nations 17 sustainability goals that have been devised to help us tackle Climate Change.  Through this important work we feel that we will best live our school mission statement of using our skills and talents for “the good of all”.

This week our core value was Hope.

Well done to the following award winners:

5T Reuben

5H Finley

6O Anna

6M Imogen

7I Jessica

7L Leon / Bethany

8N Madeline

8S T-Jay & Hollie

Well done to all of these award winners

Prayer for Advent

Newcastle Diocese is committed to working with parishes to encourage and support them in reaching out to children and young people and designed a series of prayers for Advent to help with this.

Heavenly Father,

As we join together to pray, we think especially of the children and young people in our parish – those in our schools; in our streets, in our own homes and in our families.

We give thanks for each one, we praise you for all you are doing in their lives, and all you are doing through them.  Help us to see them with your eyes, listen to them with our grace, and love them with your heart.

In the name of your son Jesus Christ, who welcomed the children and placed them in the centre.

Amen

 

I hope you have a good weekend,

Liam Murtagh – Headteacher

SIGN UP FOR MPN MUSIC TUITION

1st December 2023Tracey Carnaby

SUBJECT: 🎵 SPRING TERM SIGN UP FOR MPN MUSIC TUITION🎵  

Dear Parents and Carers,

Music Partnership North are the main instrumental/vocal tuition provider across Northumberland, offering high quality individual/group tuition on a range of instruments, as well as vocal tuition. Free instrument hire is possible, subject to availability (excluding keyboards and drum kits). Lessons usually take place during the school day. After-school online lessons are possible, subject to tutor availability (please see attached flyer).

If your child/ren is interested in starting music lessons, please click on the link below to register for lessons for the spring term:

PLEASE SIGN UP FOR MUSIC TUITION TO GAIN A PLACE ON OUR WAITING LIST FOR THE SPRING TERM

Once registered, you will be placed on a waiting list and contacted as soon as we are able to offer lessons to your child.

Lesson Costs:

  • Group tuition (group of 3+) – £6.50 per lesson
  • Shared group of 2 – £9.50 per lesson
  • Individual 20 minutes – £12.70 per lesson
  • Individual 30 minutes – £19.00 per lesson
Please note, you don’t need to re-sign up if: 
  • your child is already having MPN lessons. Your registration will carry forward each term, even if your child changes school 
  • you’ve already registered your child onto the waiting list. We will be reviewing the list in the next few weeks and will contact you as soon as a place becomes available 

Please feel free to contact MPN on 01670 624045 or email [email protected] giving your child’s full name and school, if you have any questions.

Inter Faith Week 2023

30th November 2023Tracey Carnaby

Inter Faith Week 2023

Dr Thomlinson celebrated Inter Faith Week in November 2023 by organising a poster competition to design an alternative poster to promote this important event. See the competition winners in the attached presentation.

Message from the Headteacher – 17 November 2023

17th November 2023Tracey Carnaby

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope you are well.  It has been a very busy two weeks at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School,

 

Remembrance Day

Dr Thomlinson marked Remembrance Day last week with a visit by the British Legion who, together with the Fusiliers Museum, gave an excellent workshop on what it was like to be a soldier on the front line in World War One.

Thank you to all of our House Captains who represented both our school and the other schools in the Coquet Valley at the Remembrance Sunday service at All Saints in Rothbury.  The House Captains laid a wreath at the Rothbury War Memorial as part of the service.

 

Macmillan Coffee Morning

It was lovely to meet so many parents whose children are new to the school during our annual Macmillan Coffee Morning on November 10th.  We raised £259.65 for this very important cause.

 

Cross Country Success

Well done to the 35 Dr Thomlinson children who took part in the North Northumberland Cross-Country competition on November 8th.  Conditions were tough in wet and windy weather.  Mr Heath was very impressed with the attitude and commitment of all those who took part.  Particular congratulations go to the 12 Dr Thomlinson competitors who qualified for the County Finals in January – Nick; Oliver; Jake; Amberley; Nancy; Bethany; India; Daniel; Miles; Cecily; Amber and Emma.

Dr Thomlinson progress in Football Competition

On Thursday the 9th of November, Dr Thomlinson Middle School took a squad of KS2 players to take part in the Newcastle United Foundation Football Tournament. There were 8 other schools taking part – the format involved every school playing each other and then the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals.

In the group stages, Dr Thomlinson’s played matches, winning 5 and drawing 2. This meant we qualified in first place for the semi-finals.

 In the semi-final we played Shilbottle, a team we had previously drawn against. This time Dr Thomlinson’s were able to capitalise on their position and comfortably won the game 2 – 0. This set up a final against Swansfield. This was a closely fought game with both teams having chances before Dr Thomlinson’s scored the decisive goal 2 minutes before the final whistle.

Dr Thomlinson’s will now represent the North Northumberland Area in the regional finals – well done to all the boys.

Children In Need

Thank you to all those who donated to Children in Need today. We raised £207.11

 

Welfare Meetings

At Dr Thomlinson there are two parent meetings each year.  In the Autumn parents/carers have an opportunity to book an online welfare meeting with their child’s form tutor.  Then in the Spring, parents/carers have an opportunity for face-to-face meetings with their child’s subject teachers.

Thank you to those Yr 6 parents/carers who spoke to our Yr 6 Form tutors on Tuesday of this week.  We look forward to our Yr 7 Welfare Meetings on 22nd November.

 

Dates for Welfare Meetings (online appointment during the school day)

Yr 7 – 22nd November

Yr 8 – 29th November

 

Dates for Parent Evenings (Face-to-Face 3:30pm – 7;15pm)

Yr 5 – 14th May

Yr 6 – 21st May

Yr 7 – 21st March

Yr 8 – 7th March

 

TOP Awards Week beginning 6th and 13th November

Our Thomlinson Outstanding Pupil Award is given to the child in each Form Class who, in the opinion of their form tutor, has best shown our core value of the week.

We are concentrating on the core values of Hope; Service; Koinonia; Friendship and Service this year as our school feels that these values will help us best raise awareness of the United Nations 17 sustainability goals that have been devised to help us tackle Climate Change.  Through this important work we feel that we will best live our school mission statement of using our skills and talents for “the good of all”.

This week our core value was Friendship.

Well done to the following award winners:

 

w/c 13.11..23 – Friendship

5T Theo

5H Iona

6O Betsy

6M Oscar

7I Gracie

7L Laila

8N Poppie

8S Gracie

 

w/c 6.11..23 –  Service

5T – Tilly

5H Niamh

6O Bobby

6M Isla

7I Jake

7L Leon

8N Jodie

 

I hope you all have a restful weekend.

Take care,

Liam Murtagh – Headteacher

Friday 20th October – Wear it pink or red

17th October 2023Tracey Carnaby

Following requests by pupils at our school we are going to support  “Wear it pink for breast cancer”  – an initiative led by the charity Breast Cancer Now who are encouraging people to wear pink to raise money to help fund life-changing breast cancer research and support.

 

On Friday, October 20th children can come to school in pink or red.  If children chose to do so we suggest children bring a donation of £1 for this very good cause.

Message from the Headteacher – 29 September 2023

29th September 2023Tracey Carnaby

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope this email finds you well.  It has been a lovely week at Dr Thomlinson Middle School.

 

Open evening – September 28th

Thursday, September 28th was Dr Thomlinson Middle School’s annual open evening and it was wonderful to see so many children and parents/carers visit our school.  I thought it was a really enjoyable evening and the school looked and felt wonderful.  The best thing about our school are our pupils and I really appreciated the fact that so many pupils gave up their evening to represent the school in either assisting subjects with their activities or being tour guides showing our visitors around the school.  Thank you so much for all those pupils who gave freely of their time – their actions encapsulated perfectly our core value of Service

 

Yr 8 Careers Talk

On Friday, September 29th we welcomed visitors from Northumberland National Park who led sessions with all Yr 8 children about possible careers with the National Park. The sessions also told our children about the history and context of the parks as well as giving an opportunity to appreciate the parks and the work they do in conserving, enhancing, sustaining and giving opportunities for us to enjoy the natural beauty; wildlife and cultural heritage of these areas.  The visit was well received and linked well with our core value of Creation as well promoting the idea of working “for the good of all”.

 

Boys Football

Our boys school football fixtures continued this week with Dr Thomlinson playing Newminster.  Our Key Stage Two team gave of their best in defeat.  Very well done to Alex who scored a debut goal!  The goal put Dr Thomlinson’s 1-0 up and our joy was great yet it served to rouse Newminster to reply with goals to give them the victory.  Mr Pickup – our team’s coach –  was very complimentary of all our team’s efforts.

 

Yr 5 Welfare Meetings

At Dr Thomlinson there are two parent meetings each year.  In the Autumn parents/carers have an opportunity to book an online welfare meeting with their child’s form tutor.  Then in the Spring, parents/carers have an opportunity for face-to-face meetings with their child’s subject teachers.

The first of these – Yr 5 Welfare meetings will take place during the school day on Tuesday, October 3rd.

 

Dates for Welfare Meetings (online appointment during the school day)

Yr 5 – 3rd October

Yr 6 – 14th November

Yr 7 – 22nd November

Yr 8 – 29th November

 

Dates for Parent Evenings (Face-to-Face 3:30pm – 7;15pm)

Yr 5 – 14th May

Yr 6 – 21st May

Yr 7 – 21st March

Yr 8 – 7th March

 

Further dates for your diary:

9:30am – 10:30am – parents/carers who are new to the school are invited to our Macmillan Coffee Morning at Dr Thomlinson Middle School on October 20th

 

TOP Awards 29th September 2023

Our Thomlinson Outstanding Pupil Award is given to the child in each Form Class who, in the opinion of their form tutor, has best shown our core value of the week.

We are concentrating on the core values of Hope; Service; Koinonia; Friendship and Service this year as our school feels that these values will help us best raise awareness of the United Nations 17 sustainability goals that have been devised to help us tackle Climate Change.  Through this important work we feel that we will best live our school mission statement of using our skills and talents for “the good of all”.

This week our core value was Koinonia.

Well done to the following award winners:

5T – Martha

5H  – Olivia

6O – Teddy

6M – Finn

7I – James

7L – Lucinda

8N – Daisy Lou

8S – Sam

Every week we also award a P&Q award – this award is drawn from all those children who were awarded a P&Q slip – slips given to those who show caring behaviour to others during our school day.  Mind your Ps and Qs is an English language expression meaning “mind your manners” – so people gaining this award at our school are those being kind; friendly and respectful so behaving and acting in a way that lives out our school’s Christian Vision – “for the good of all”

This week this award was awarded to Cecily in Year 8.

I hope you have a restful weekend.

Take care,

Liam Murtagh – Headteacher

Message from the Headteacher – 22 September 2023

22nd September 2023Tracey Carnaby

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope this email finds you well.

We have had a busy and productive week at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School.

House Captain Elections

This week was election season at Dr Thomlinson’s as fifteen candidates campaigned for one of our six House Captain roles.  The role of House Captain is an important student leadership role at our school and part of the role is to raise awareness and educate pupils on the life and works of their House Saint – St Aidan; St Bede the Venerable and St Cuthbert.

I was very impressed with the application letters and presentations and speeches of all the candidates.  The successful pupils were:

Aidan House Captains – Daisy and Edward

Bede House Captains – Xanthe and Miles

Cuthbert House Captains – Danny and Lily

TOP Awards 22nd September 2023

Our Thomlinson Outstanding Pupil Award is given to the child in each Form Class who, in the opinion of their form tutor, has best shown our core value of the week.

We are concentrating on the core values of Hope; Service; Koinonia; Friendship and Service this year as our school feels that these values will help us best raise awareness of the United Nations 17 sustainability goals that have been devised to help us tackle Climate Change.  Through this important work we feel that we will best live our school mission statement of using our skills and talents for “the good of all”.

This week our core value was Friendship.

Well done to the following award winners:

5T – Jasper

5H Elliot

6O – Isabella

6M – Oscar

7I – Henry

7L – Oliver

8N – Eva

8S – James

Every week we also award a P&Q award – this award is drawn from all those children who were awarded a P&Q slip – slips given to those who show caring behaviour to others during our school day.  Mind your Ps and Qs is an English language expression meaning “mind your manners” – so people gaining this award at our school are those being kind; friendly and respectful so behaving and acting in a way that lives out our school’s Christian Vision – “for the good of all”

This week this award was awarded to Oscar in Year 6.

 

Well done to all of these award winners.

 

Thank you to those who attended our Online Safety Education Session For Parents on Monday 18th September.  The session was very well attended and it was lovely to see all those who were there.

Boys KS3 Football

Our football season kicked off last night with a game against Newminster Middle School.  Our team did very well against strong and highly committed opponents.  The match was closer than the 1-7 scoreline suggests, the Dr Thomlinson highlight being an outstanding goal from Matthew.  Well done to Lewis who was our person of the match.

Dr Thomlinson School Open Evening

Thursday 28th September sees our annual School Open Evening.  The evening is from 5:30pm – 7pm.  The best aspect of our school is our wonderful pupils and it is pleasing to see that so many of our children wish to help out during the evening.  Those children who are helping will be given a letter – please respond promptly to these invites.

 

I hope you have a good weekend.

Take care,

Liam Murtagh – Headteacher

Message from the Headteacher – 15 September 2023

15th September 2023Tracey Carnaby

Dear Parents/Carers,

I hope this email finds you well.

We have an enjoyable week at Dr Thomlinson CofE Middle School.

 

TOP Awards 15th September 2023

Our Thomlinson Outstanding Pupil Award is given to the child in each Form Class who, in the opinion of their form tutor, has best shown our core value of the week.

We are concentrating on the core values of Hope; Service; Koinonia; Friendship and Service this year as our school feels that these values will help us best raise awareness of the United Nations 17 sustainability goals that have been devised to help us tackle Climate Change.  Through this important work we feel that we will best live our school mission statement of using our skills and talents for “the good of all”.

This week our core value was Service.

Well done to the following award winners:

5T – Jasmine

5H Dylan

6O Charlie

6M Kaitlin

7I Emily

7L Kane

8N Lily-Kate

8S Cecily

 

Every week we also award a P&Q award – this award is drawn from all those children who were awarded a P&Q slip – slips given to those who show caring behaviour to others during our school day.  This week this award was awarded to Finn in Year 6.

 

Well done to all of these award winners.

 

Thank you to those who responded to the invite to attend the Online Safety Education Session For Parents.

These sessions (for those who responded to the invite) will take place in Room One (turn right at the main entrance and Room One is the first classroom you walk past) –

Monday 18 September 2023 at Dr Thomlinson Middle School, Rothbury

● 5.30pm – 6.20pm – Early Years to Year 6

● 6.30pm – 7.20pm – Year 7 to Year 13

 

School Photographs

Our school photographs are taking place on 21st September at school.  Those who wish to have photographs with younger siblings please arrive at 8:30am.

 

I hope you have a good weekend.

Take care,

Liam Murtagh – Headteacher