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    • Dunalley News 16/10/26

    It's been a busy week at Dunalley.

    We are working hard to ensure that families receive information in a timely manner while also reducing the number of emails sent from school.

    To stay up to date with school news and upcoming events, please regularly check our newsletter and school calendar. We have redesigned the newsletter so that you can quickly scan the headline information in the bullet points and then click through to read more details if you wish.

    Working together we can streamline and improve our communication for all families.

    Boys' and Girls' Cross Country Races  

    The cross-country race was challenging, but we persevered and came through it with smiles on our faces! We pushed our bodies to the limit! The race was tough, nerve-racking and exhausting, but we kept going and did it for Dunalley! We were shocked to find out that the Ashley Manor hill was one of the biggest hills in Cheltenham. When we crossed the finish line we were really proud of ourselves!

    Chloe and Amyra 5H

    Well done to all the boys and girls who represented Dunalley in the cross-country races at Ashley Manor School. We are incredibly proud of your positive attitude throughout the event. A huge thank you also goes to our families for transporting children to the venue and for their continued support.

    Phonics Open Morning

    Thank you so much to everyone who was able to attend our Phonics Open Morning on Tuesday. It was wonderful to see so many of you! We hope you enjoyed the session as much as the children enjoyed showing off their fantastic phonic knowledge and sharing how much they enjoy learning through the Essential Letters and Sounds (ELS) scheme. 

    It was lovely to hear your positive feedback, including comments such as:

    "So helpful to see an example of a phonics lesson and amazing to see how well the children are doing. It's helpful to know the phrases and actions I can use at home."

    "It was fantastic to see how the children are learning phonics and how well they are doing."

    "Really impressed with the new scheme!"

    Thank you again for your continued support. Working together helps us give the children the best possible start on their reading journey! 

    Cheltenham Literature Festival Visits

    Year 3, 4 and 5 had an amazing time at the Cheltenham Literature Festival this week, meeting inspiring authors Rachel Chivers Khoo, Jenny McLachlan and Katherine Rundell. Each event sparked our learners’ imaginations, encouraging them to discover new stories, develop a love of reading and feel inspired to write their own!

    'I enjoyed listening to the author talk about her book series Finders of the Silverthorn Forest.' - Evie

    'I liked it when I got to go up on stage and speak to the author.' - Olivia

    Financial Friday

    This morning the whole school assembly was our new Financial Friday assembly!

    This is a termly assembly where children discuss, debate and decide about an important Big Question.

    Our Big Question this term was “What is more important to you, being a good person or being rich?”

    Our Year 6 children were Chief Financial Officers and they led a discussion with children who were mixed from year 1-6 and helped develop the discussion. One group then returned to present to the whole school.

    It was a wonderful collaborative process, improving our financial literacy and working on our Oracy skills too.

    A Fond Farewell

    We will soon be saying goodbye to our School Business Manager, Mrs Byrne, who will be leaving Dunalley on Friday 6th November.

    Mrs Bryne has been part of the Dunalley a number of years and has made a real difference to our school. One of the things we will especially remember is the enthusiasm and passion she has brought to OPAL, helping to make playtimes such a wonderful part of our children's day. Our two OPAL Platinum Awards are something we are incredibly proud of!

    A huge thank you to Mrs Bryne for everything she has done for Dunalley over the years. We will miss her and wish her lots of happiness and success in whatever comes next!

    Wool Request

    The children at calm club are enjoying making pom-poms. 

    However, we are running out of wool.  If you have any spare wool you would be happy to donate, we would be most grateful to receive it.

     

     

    Thank You - Wear Yellow Total

    Thank you to everyone that wore yellow last week, we raised £405.14 for Young Minds: Hello Yellow | World Mental Health Day | | Young Minds

    Let’s Get Talking!
    Here is this week’s starting point for family discussion. Please take some time to share your ideas, listen to each other and explore different points of view. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

     

    To access more information about the bullet points, please click on the headers to open up the details. 

    Learning This Week Across School .. .. ..

    Pre-School Learning

    In Pre-school we have been learning about the artist Jackson Pollock. We created our own Jackson Pollock paintings. 

    Year 2 Learning

    Year 2 have been discussing the importance of staying safe online this week.

    They discussed which information would be considered private and why you don’t want to share this information on social media or the internet.

    They also established who their trusted adults were so they know who to tell if they see something online that they feel shouldn't be there.

    They created e-safety posters to support their understanding.

    Year 2 Tudor Houses

    Year 2 had a fabulous 'fire' afternoon with parents and helpers who came to build the city of London.

    After our learning about Tudor houses and their construction with daub, beams covered with tar, tiled roofs and windows for the wealthy, we reconstructed the homes and built the city back up. The children worked collaboratively and carefully to include jetties and chimneys of the era as well as more than a few flames!

    More photos .. .. ..

     

    Year 5H Learning

    5H have been learning about the structure of the Earth and the different layers it contains. We have learnt how tectonic plates (the Earth's crust and upper layer of the mantle) can cause earthquakes and volcanoes. We had fun making our own structures of the Earth. 

    Year 5R Learning

    5R have been looking at volcanoes and earthquakes. To understand how a volcano is formed or how an earthquake occurs, we have looked at tectonic plates, the Pacific 'Ring of Fire' and the structure of the Earth. As part of this learning, we created models of the Earth, labelling the four layers.

    Year 5 Music

    Year 5 have, unfortunately, come to the end of their Sea Shanty unit of work in music. They have been so enthusiastic about this unit, it's been a joy. Amongst many musical skills that we've covered in a few weeks, the children have sung (a lot of) 'Drunken Sailor' with a variety of lyrics and listened to and sung a range of other shanties, for example 'Wellerman' which was very popular. Both classes recorded their version of 'Drunken Sailor' with tuned and untuned percussion in the verses and choruses. Lots of us found it challenging to sing, perform and play at the same time, it's a tricky skill, but they are all getting better!  Well done, Year 5, AH HAAARRR!

     

    Year 5 Cheltenham Literature Festival Visit

    Year 5 had the opportunity to go to the Cheltenham Literature Festival, where we were able to hear the amazing Katherine Rundell (author of Impossible Creatures) speak. She was inspiring and brilliantly engaging. Some of us were privileged to ask her questions and every one of us enjoyed it!

     

    • Pre-school create their own Jackson Pollack paintings
    • Yr2 look at internet safety and make Tudor Houses
    • Yr5 have learnt about volcanoes, a drunken sailor and been to the Literature Festival

     

    Important Information for All .. .. ..

    Email communication

    We recognise how important it is to be able to contact us when you have something you would like to discuss.

    We receive a large number of emails each day, both from within and beyond our school community. Whilst we always aim to respond as promptly as possible, it is not always practical for colleagues to read and respond to emails immediately alongside their other responsibilities.

    We therefore kindly ask for your patience and understanding. We will continue to do our best to reply within five working days, although we are pleased that we are usually able to respond much sooner. There may occasionally be exceptional circumstances, such as staff absence, which mean that responses take a little longer than usual.

    If you have a matter that requires a more immediate response, we would encourage you to telephone the school office or pop in to arrange a convenient time for a conversation. Speaking directly with a member of staff is often the quickest and most effective way to resolve a query or concern.

    Thank you for your understanding and support.

    Teacher Parent Meetings: Don't Forget!

    In-person meetings:

    Tuesday 20th October - 3.30pm to 6.20pm &
    Wednesday 21st October - 5.00pm to 6.20pm

    Online meetings:  

    Wednesday 21st October - 3.30pm to 4.40pm 

    Log onto Edulink, 'TEACHER/FAMILY MEETINGS' if you are yet to book a slot.

    Introducing Our Permanent Book Swap! 

    Following the success of our book swap in the summer, we are delighted to announce the launch of our permanent Book Swap, officially opening on Tuesday 20th October during Parents’ Evening!

    We invite families to bring in any books suitable for primary school-aged children to donate. In return, you can choose a new-to-you book to take home and enjoy. It’s a wonderful way to share the joy of reading, discover new stories and give books a second life!

    📍 You’ll find our Book Swap in the school entrance. Please help us keep the area neat and tidy by placing donated books carefully on the shelves provided.

    Thank you for your support, and happy swapping and reading! 

     

    Medical appointments

    Medical and dental appointments should be arranged outside school hours wherever possible.

    Where this is unavoidable:

    • Parents/carers should notify the school in advance
    • Evidence of the appointment may be requested
    • Pupils should attend school before and/or after the appointment wherever possible
    • All appointments, whether morning or afternoon, will be recorded as an authorised absence (M code)
    • All appointments on the last day of a half-term will require evidence

    Healthy Snacks

    Please consider providing your child(ren) with health options for snacks and packed lunches.

    Birthday Treats

    As an Allergy Aware school, we ask that families do not send in edible treats to celebrate their child's birthday with friends.  

    School Grid Lunches

    If your child is absent, please log on and cancel their hot school dinner if you have ordered one.

    Visit Lunches

    If you would like your child to have a school-packed lunch on a visit, please log onto School Grid to book it and make your sandwich selection.

    • We will continue to do our best to reply within five working days to emails.
    • Don't forget Teacher-Parent Meetings on Tuesday and Wednesday next week.
    • We are delighted to announce the launch of our permanent Book Swap
    • Healthy snacks and packed lunches help our children stay fuelled and ready for a busy day of learning.
    • Please refrain from sending edible treats to school for birthdays.
    • If your child is absent due to illness, please remember to cancel their hot school lunch on SchoolGrid.
    • School packed lunches for educational visits can now be booked through SchoolGrid.

     

    Important Information for Yr3, Yr4, Yr5, & Yr6 .. .. ..

    New Event added to Families Calendar for Year 5

    Please click on the event for full details:

    Yr6 Secondary School Applications

    The closing date for secondary school applications is approaching – midnight, 31st October 2026.

    GCC are encouraging parents/carers to apply online at: https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions/transfer-to-secondary-school-or-from-middle-to-high-school-september-2027/

     

    • Yr5 - A new event has been added to the Families Calendar for 27th November. Please click on the event for full details - no lunch required.
    • Yr6 - The closing date for secondary school applications is approaching – midnight, 31st October 2026.

     

    PTFA News .. .. .. 

    Christmas Fair

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • Christmas Fair

    Community News

    Extreme Robots

    • Extreme Robots coming to Gloucester 14th & 15th November

     

    Dates for your Diary

    Don't forget to click on the title of the event to find out a little more.  Then click your back button to return to the calendar or newsletter.  

     

     

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