Friday, 9th February 2018
Lower School Newsletter
Learning in the Lower School
Concerts
We were treated to two lovely concerts last week. The students who have peripatetic lessons invited their parents in to admire their performances. We saw students play the piano, the guitar, the ukelele, the drums, the cello and the clarinet. We also saw some acting, reciting and listened to some lovely songs. It is great to see our students succeed as a result of their hard work practice and commitment. Well done to all the students that shared their talents: Joshua, Filipo. Charlie, Lola, Gali, Emilio, Demir, Karina, Arthur, Bruno, Archie, Koutarou, ToaHai, Antoni, Akex, Eliza, Yoni, Gloria, Elisa, Dea, Sofia, Saranya, Alex H, Dea, Miya, Josefine and Sofia and to the teachers and parents who made this event possible. The concert made us smile and gave us a great sense of pride.
Year 6 Trip to Parliament
Year 6 had a great trip to the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday . They got to see both the House of Commons and the House of Lords as part of their inquiry into governance. They even got to see the Parliamentary bill for women's votes that was 100 years old this week.
Year 3 Trip to The Science Museum
Year 3 went to the Science Museum on Tuesday and they had a great time. Mrs. Gaylor and Mrs. Weber were very impressed with the students' behaviour and their questions. The students discovered information about electricity as part of their Unit of Inquiry.
Year 1 became Victorians!
Our young learners in Year 1 found out what life was like in a Victorian Classroom by becoming Victorians and attending a Victorian class for the day. Role play is a great way to learn about historical times. The students in year one commented on how strict the teachers were in Victorian days and how they were not allowed to speak or work together very much.
ACE Time and Reports
We invited all of our parents into school this week for ACE time - ACE time stands for Adult Child Evaluation time. The parents of Kindergarten, Reception, Years 1, 2 and 5 came in on Thursday. Years 3, 4, and 6 came in on Friday, 9th February between 9.00am and 10.00. We want to thank you all for attending, for sharing the learning with your sons and daughters and for being so positive and complimentary about their progress. On the theme of progress our Mid Year Reports should be emailed out to all parents today. This is our first time sending reports electronically. Whilst we hope it all works well we will be available to resend in the first week back after half term if there are any anomalies.
The next half term....
I am already excited about some of the events and the learning scheduled for next half term. In late March there will be residential trips for Years 3, 4, and 5. In late February we are hosting an exciting Language Day celebrating the many different languages in the school on February, 22nd. Sandwiched between those events is our Book Week from 26th February - 2nd March. On Tuesday 27th, author Cliff McNish will be arriving and having workshops with Years 4, 5 and 6. On Thursday, 1st March there will be a Dance Days book theme workshop for Kindergarten to Year 3.
On Friday, 2nd March it will be our book character costume day, when we encourage our students to come dressed up as any book character for the day and our Book Week Disco will take place that evening. Students can bring in any unwanted books in good condition for a book swap - bring a book - take a book! Books can be brought in from 19th February.
Safety Week
We celebrated Safety Week this week. We met a Police Constable and discussed stranger danger, emergency calls and laws. We emphasised the importance of internet safety. We watched two plays about the uses of the internet and how to make sure it is used safely. We invited in the NSPCC who talked to us about speaking out, about childline telephone number 0800 1111 and about abuse at age-appropriate levels.
It was a useful and enlightening way to emphasise the importance of being safe in our lives.
Thank-you
Finally some of you may know that we had an impromptu (but routine) Independent Schools Inspection compliance this week. Thank you for your good wishes and for helping with their surveys. We always strive to do our best for the students in the school and we hope that the inspectors recognised this. Their Inspection report will be sent to us in late February.
Reminders
- Next week is half term and we return to school on Monday, 19th February.
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Key dates for this term
- Good luck to the Upper and Lower School student skiers who are off on a school ski trip to France over the half term break.
- Good luck to the Upper School performers who will be taking centre stage at Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, New York, USA also during the half term break.
Useful dates for this term
- Language Day is on 22nd February.
- Book Week is from 26th February to 2nd March.
- Book Week School Disco for Years 3-6 is on 2nd March from 6.30-8.00pm please register via WisePay.
- Year 5 go to Flatford Mill on 21st-23rd March.
- Year 4 go to Moat Mount on 22nd-23rd March.
- Year 3 have their class residential sleepover on 22nd March.
Super Question and Language of the Week
Our Super Question last week was: What right did women gain in the UK, 100 years ago? The answer was of course the right to vote and two young women got the answer correct - well done to Sofia Year 4 and Iliana in Year 2
We set the following topical Super Question for next week 19/2/18 which is - What is the next Chinese Year, the year of?
Our Language of the Week when we return will be Mandarin.
Have a great weekend and a lovely half term break
Matt Parkin
Lower School Principal
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Dwight Parent Association News and Events
Dwight Quiz Night
7-10pm Saturday 24th February
Upper School Jubilee Hall
£17 per person entry fee
Dinner included/Cash Bar
Come and join us for a fundraising evening of fun and games, and a delicious Indian dinner, at Dwight's Quiz Night on Saturday February 24th. Teams of 8 or 10 people go up against other Dwight parents and staff for a night of trivia! Since we come from all over the world, our quiz is really international. There's lots of picture quizzing, sport, music and pop culture questions so that everyone can have a no-pressure good time. It's a really fun evening of games and socialising with the Dwight community.
This is a major fundraiser for the Dwight Parent Association, this year supporting the Dwight School's very own Dragon's Den for students - the Spark Tank Project.
Sign up on your own, or get your friends and year group together and put together a team!
You can sign up via WisePay
Contact katehbuk@gmail.com with any questions, or to co-ordinate which table you'd like to join.
We look forward to seeing you there !
Dwight Parent Association
March Out and About – Eltham Palace
Join us for an outing to visit Eltham Place in SE London. Experience the decade of decadence as you are transported back to the 1930's! Created for millionaires, Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, Eltham Palace is part showpiece of Art Deco design and 1930's cutting edge technology, and part medieval royal palace!
Date: Friday, 16th March, 2018
Meet: 9am West Finchley station or 10:30am at Eltham Palace, Court Yard, London SE9 5QE
Cost: £14.40 – we will purchase our tickets at the entrance
Please let Michele know if you plan to join! Michele@seanoneill.com
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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