10th May 2019 Early Years Key Worker Vacancy - September 2019 The Governors of Dunston Hill are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and committed Early Years Key Worker to join the school on a fixed term contract for 1 year. Working hours are 8.30am – 3.45pm Monday to Friday term time only. You should have: An NVQ/CACHE Level 3 for Teaching Assistants/Childcare or equivalentGood literacy and numeracy skillsCurrent or recent experience of working with pupils in the Foundation StageAn understanding of child development, learning and the Early Years curriculumAn understanding of relevant policies/codes of practice and awareness of legislationEffective use of IT to support learning and assessmentGood communication skillsAn ability... 26th April 2019 Quick Sticks Hockey Twelve Year 4 children took part in a quick sticks hockey skills on Wednesday afternoon. Children were split into three teams and took part in mini games sessions where they played against each other and neighbouring schools. One of our teams became the overall winner. All children worked really hard and demonstrated good teamwork. Mrs Bruce and Mrs Ion were impressed with all of the children's attitude and behaviour. Well done all! Zac said "It was fun and the training was really good" and Zoe said "It was a fun afternoon". IMG_0760 IMG_0761 IMG_0762 IMG_0763 IMG_0764 IMG_0765 IMG_0766 IMG_0767 IMG_0768 IMG_0769 IMG_0770 IMG_0771 IMG_0772 IMG_0773 IMG_0774 IMG_0775 IMG_0776 IMG_0777 IMG_0778 IMG_0779 IMG_0780 IMG_0781 IMG_0782 IMG_0808 IMG_0809 IMG_0810 IMG_0811 IMG_0812 IMG_0813 IMG_0814 8th April 2019 Tribal Adventures Fun was had by all at Tribal Adventures this week. The children loved making dragon eggs, magic wands and building bridges. This was followed by an Easter Egg hunt and a cosy camp fire to keep everyone warm. Mrs O'Hara and Mrs Cox are looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow!It was great to see that both dates were fully booked. Proposed dates for the summer term are 28 & 29 May, 22 & 23 July and 19 & 20 August. Parents/carers will be notified when bookings are can be made via the school gateway app. 5th April 2019 What an Eggstravaganza! We have been blown away by the creativity and talent of our children's entries for our Easter Competition. The theme was linked to 'what makes you feel good'!. Mr Sutherland and Mrs Anglesea have awarded prizes to each year group. IMG_1964 IMG_1965 IMG_1966 IMG_1967 IMG_1968 IMG_1969 IMG_1970 IMG_1971 IMG_1972 IMG_1973 IMG_1974 IMG_1975 IMG_1976 IMG_1977 IMG_1978 IMG_1979 IMG_1980 IMG_1981 IMG_1982 IMG_1983 IMG_1984 IMG_1985 IMG_1987 IMG_1988 IMG_1989 IMG_1990 IMG_1991 IMG_1992 IMG_1993 IMG_1994 IMG_1995 IMG_1996 IMG_1997 IMG_1998 IMG_1999 IMG_2001 IMG_2002 IMG_2003 IMG_2005 IMG_2008 5th April 2019 Year 4 Cragiside Visit Year 4 thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Cragside yesterday. Whilst there they explored the magnificent Victorian House where Lord and Lady Armstrong lived. They also walked through the rock gardens and the pinetum, which led them to the Power House, where they discovered how hydroelectricity worked. The children's behaviour was exemplary and we got a lot of positive feedback from members of the public as well as the staff."This has been the best school trip I've ever been on. Thank you so much for taking us." Izzy 4B"I loved our trip to Cragside. I've learned lots about hydro-electricity and... 4th April 2019 Easter time Forest School Adventures The children in RCY are continuing to enjoy their Forest School sessions on a Tuesday morning and as a treat for the end of term, the Easter bunny had hidden name pegs all around the Environmental Area. Once the children had found their name peg, they were able to swap it for an Easter treat! Great fun was had by all! As well as this, the children really enjoyed working very closely with Mrs O’Hara to use the flint to make a spark. Well done RCY! IMG_1691 IMG_1693 IMG_1694 IMG_1695 IMG_1696 IMG_1698 IMG_1699 IMG_1701 IMG_1702 IMG_1703 IMG_1705 IMG_1706 IMG_1707 IMG_1709 IMG_1710 IMG_1711 IMG_1712 IMG_1714 IMG_1715 IMG_1716 IMG_1717 IMG_1718 IMG_1719 IMG_1720 IMG_1721 IMG_1722 IMG_1723 IMG_1724 IMG_1725 IMG_1726 IMG_1727 IMG_1728 IMG_1729 IMG_1730 IMG_1731 IMG_1732 IMG_1733 IMG_1734 IMG_1735 IMG_1736 IMG_1737 IMG_1738 IMG_1739 IMG_1740 IMG_1741 IMG_1742 IMG_1743 IMG_1744 IMG_1745 IMG_1746 IMG_1747 IMG_1750 IMG_1751 IMG_1752 IMG_1796 IMG_1802 IMG_1803 IMG_1805 IMG_1807 IMG_1808 IMG_1815 IMG_1823 IMG_1824 IMG_1833 IMG_1875 IMG_1877 IMG_1879 IMG_1880 IMG_1884 IMG_1887 IMG_1889 IMG_1915 IMG_1917 IMG_1918 3rd April 2019 Weekly Newsletter - 05.04.19 Care and Respect for All 05/04/2019 Thought of the Week: “Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.” Maya Angelou Message From Mr Sutherland What an incredibly busy term we have had! I think that if I tried to list here all the activities that have taken place, I would then hold the record for the longest newsletter ever created! I hope that you have all managed to keep up to date via our website, Facebook page and of course this weekly newsletter. Keeping in touch is so important and being able to celebrate all the wonderful events your children participate in,... 19th March 2019 Year 4 Hockey Team silver finalists! Following last weeks success, a selection of Year 4 children took part in the Gateshead Hockey Finals this afternoon at Whickham Comprehensive. After beating each of the 5 teams in the group stage of the tournament, Dunston Hill went through to the semi finals. A 2-1 win meant we were through to the finals. Unfortunately we suffered our first defeat of the day to a very strong team, however we proudly came away with the silver medals and will now go on to represent Gateshead in the Tyne and Wear Finals. Mrs Broadbent is extremely proud of the team... 15th March 2019 Science Week at Dunston Hill There has definitely been a ‘buzz’ around school this week as children have enjoyed taking part in a range of science activities. The theme was ‘Journeys’ and it has been lovely to see how staff have interpreted that theme to give our children lots of memorable experiences. Here is what each year group have been up to:- Reception have been observing frogspawn and learning all about the life-cycle of a frog and have also been making boats to help the Gingerbread Man cross the river. They have also been investigating how kites fly in the wind. Year 1 enjoyed finding out... 13th March 2019 Cluster Hockey Tournament 24 Year 4 children competed in a hockey tournament this afternoon at Kingsmeadow against a range of other schools in the cluster. The children played exceptionally well and it was great to see them using the skills they have been taught in our recent PE lessons. One of the four teams that competed this afternoon came first, meaning that a selection of children will now go on to represent Dunston Hill at the Gateshead Finals on Monday. Good luck and well done to all involved. You did us proud! 8th March 2019 World Book Day Extravaganza Wow! What a totally incredible day we have had in school for World Book Day! This year, our theme for World Book Day was ‘Share a Story’ and this was brought to life through a range of exciting workshops around the school. Children had the opportunity to visit different teachers and teaching assistants across the school, sharing in a story or text that they love. These ranged from picture books and novels right through to poems and non-fiction books. There was definitely a buzz around school, with the children loving the opportunity to be creative! We’ve seen shaving foam... 7th March 2019 On an Art Adventure - Saltwell Park and Shipley Art Gallery 7th March 2019 Multi-Sport Festival Ten KS1 children attended the School Sports Partnerships Multi-Sport Festival at Gateshead Leisure Centre yesterday. The aim of the festival is for children to have a go at different sports they may not have played before, whilst competing against children from Gateshead schools. Mrs Neve and Mrs Dalby were very proud of how the children embraced learning new skills and their excellent teamwork. 5th March 2019 Pancake making on the camp fire Year 2 enjoyed making pancakes this afternoon. They were joined by 3B who didn't want to miss out on the fun! Children learned how Shove Tuesday has religious significance, marked by feasting and celebration and is traditionally preceded with the observance of the Lenten fast. 5th March 2019 Talented Scientists in 4C 4C had a great afternoon making a simple series circuit. We had to work with our partner to find out which components we would need to create the circuit. We also discussed the differences between a complete and an incomplete circuit. I think we have some very talented scientists in 4C! IMG_5316 IMG_5317 IMG_5319 IMG_5322 IMG_5323 IMG_5324 IMG_5325 IMG_5327 IMG_5328 IMG_5329 IMG_5330 IMG_5331 IMG_5332 IMG_5333 IMG_5335 IMG_5337 IMG_5338 IMG_5339 IMG_5341 IMG_5342 IMG_5345 IMG_5348 IMG_5349 IMG_5351 IMG_5353 IMG_5355 IMG_5356 IMG_5357 5th March 2019 Football success! Mrs Cox was very proud of our Year 4/5 girls football team who played really well against other Gateshead Schools in round 1 of the competition. The games were hosted at Swalwell FC by the SSP (Schools Sports Partnership) who co-ordinate a range of activities and collaboration amongst local schools.Their mission is to build an active and healthy future for all young people through sport and physical activity.Good luck in the next round! IMG_3667 IMG_3663 IMG_3661 IMG_3660 IMG_3646 IMG_3643 IMG_3641 28th February 2019 5O ask how do we know we are safe? In PSHE in 5O, we spent time thinking about how to know when we are safe and unsafe. We discussed ‘Early Warning Signs’ that our bodies might use to tell us when something is unsafe. Examples were: a knot in your stomach, your heart pounding and sweating palms. The children were great at recognising the importance of listening to their bodies and their ‘gut feelings’. We then discussed how to deal with these feelings and who we can talk to, to help us feel safe again. IMG_0471 IMG_0472 IMG_0473 IMG_0474 IMG_0475 IMG_0476 IMG_0478 IMG_0479 IMG_0480 IMG_0481 IMG_0482 IMG_0483 IMG_0484 IMG_0485 IMG_0486 IMG_0487 27th February 2019 Forest School Fun in Spring Yesterday RCY had an amazing morning exploring the Environmental Area during their first session of Forest School. The children impressed us all by being super speedy at getting suited and booted and they were lined up ready to go in no time! During their morning session, the children played a number of games, showed great skill in working together to make bird feeders and had time for lots of child initiated exploration. Children chose to count the number of sticks they could find, take turns on the tyre swing and use various items to make music! Enjoy taking a... 15th February 2019 Our Mini Health Champions! Introducing our Mini Health Champions! Four Year 5 children were successful with their applications to become Health leaders in our school and took part in training at Gateshead Leisure centre yesterday. The children looked at: Physical Activity, Healthy Eating and Emotional Health and Well-Being. Activities included designing a new playground game, taking part in a yoga and mindfulness session with Kalma Baby and looking at how to deal with positive and negative emotions. Miss Ornsby was so proud of the children and can’t wait to meet after half term to look at our action plan! Watch this space! IMG_0427 IMG_0431 IMG_0432 IMG_0433 IMG_0434 IMG_0435 IMG_0437 IMG_0440 IMG_0441 IMG_0442 IMG_0443 IMG_0444 IMG_0445 IMG_0446 IMG_0447 IMG_0449 IMG_0450 IMG_0451 IMG_0452 IMG_0453 IMG_0454 IMG_0456 IMG_0457 IMG_0458 IMG_0459... 15th February 2019 Year 5/6 Basketball Success Last night Mrs Donaldson was lucky enough to accompany the year 5/6 basketball team to the Gateshead cluster schools finals at Cardinal Hume. In our first game the team secured a very impressive 10-0 victory against St Peters. For the second game, the team came up against tough competition in St Marys but still came out on top with a 3-1 win. For our final group game we were again successful against Carr Hill with a 6-0 victory. In the semi final we came out victorious in a very tight game with Glynwood B team meaning we had made the final! In... 12th February 2019 What a week!!! 5J have been showing no signs of slowing down this week! From sport to acting to dancing to repair work, we have done it all! It all started on Tuesday, with the fantastic Valentine's Disco...everyone looked fabulous and the dancing was competitive to say the least! Everyone had a fantastic time, which was lovely to see. Then, on Wednesday, we were treated to a Judo Taster session. From defense to trying out the Judo pin, our white-suited year 5s worked hard with their partner to try out the principles of Judo. Speedy feet and quick movements were essential!... 7th February 2019 Gateshead Schools Basketball Competition Mrs Donaldson was so proud of the year 4 children who took part in the Gateshead school basketball competition held at Whickham School. They showed excellent skills and team spirit, meaning they were an absolute joy to take out. They just missed out on a semi final place due to goal difference which was hard to take. All in all it was a great night! IMG_5203 IMG_5204 IMG_5207 IMG_5208 IMG_5209 IMG_5210 4th February 2019 Mental Health Awareness Week As it is Children’s Mental Health Awareness week, Year 5 have taken time this afternoon to really think about our minds and feelings. We began the afternoon with some mindful colouring to calm us down after lunchtime. We then discussed the difference between mental and physical health and looked at ‘small, everyday feelings’ and how we can represent these using pictures. It was lovely to hear the discussions in class. 1st February 2019 Scrumptious Science We have been learning a little bit about different food types in Science and what they help your body do. We found that there are energy-giving foods called carbohydrates, body-building foods called protein and maintenance foods that keep you healthy, like fruit and vegetables. This week we have been investigating food packaging to find the nutrition charts to see how much of these food types are in them. We discovered some surprises. We found that Mrs McLean's tomato soup, that we thought would be healthy, actually contained lots of saturated fat! So Isabella recommended cuppa soups instead, because she''d... 25th January 2019 A caravan in the yard? How strange... What a fantastic day it's been in school today. The children were met in the yard this morning by a random caravan. Where had it come from? Who does it belong to? Why is it there? This was just the first of today's strange goings on... Where is Mr Sutherland? Why is there a fire on the field? Who has left a suitcase? Why is there a line full of washing? All these curious events were to inspire our children to write and inspire it did from fantastic imaginative stories to news reports to recounts of events of the... 24th January 2019 Singing Together This year, on March 13th, we will be taking our school choir to Sage Gateshead to take part in this year's Spring Sing. This event is a great opportunity to showcase the talents of children from across the north east and join with others. This year, the Spring Sing coincides with national Sing Up Day where schools from all over the country can be singing the same song with the same message. The song this year is: One Moment, One People. Some of our year 3s described this as a great song about 'being friends' and 'having each other's... 23rd January 2019 Snow Days Fun Days in Nursery! Nursery explored the outdoor environment with the snow and the ice and then explored ice in our water tray and tried to find ways to get our toys that were trapped in the ice out! We also played with the foam as the children thought it looked like snow but it didn't feel like snow! 15th January 2019 Seasonal Food - new DT Today we began our Design Technology topic for this term – Seasonal Food. We learnt that some food only grows at certain times of year but we can get things from all around the world so that we have food available in supermarkets the whole year round. Some foods, like grains and wheat, are planted and harvested in Britain round the year and they stay fresh for a long time so these can be used in lots of our food. Grain is milled to produce flour and flour is used in LOADS of the things we eat. We used... 14th January 2019 Healthy Eating with Newcastle Football This week is ‘Obesity Awareness Week’ and Year 5 have worked hard during their second NUF session looking at the Eatwell plate and the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. They discussed the different food groups and the importance of each, as well as designing their own healthy meals! The children understood just how important it is to keep active but also make sure that they are eating the right amounts of each food group to keep them nice and healthy! IMG_0109 IMG_0110 IMG_0111 IMG_0112 IMG_0113 IMG_0114 IMG_0115 IMG_0116 IMG_0131 17th December 2018 A surprise visit from Santa Our Early Years and Key Stage 1 children enjoyed their surprise visit from Santa today. IMG_0289 IMG_0290 IMG_0293 IMG_0295 IMG_0298 IMG_0299 IMG_0301 IMG_0303 IMG_0304 IMG_0306 IMG_0307 IMG_0308 IMG_0309 IMG_0311 IMG_0312 IMG_0314 IMG_0315 IMG_0317 IMG_0319 IMG_0320 IMG_0321 IMG_0322 IMG_0323 IMG_0324 IMG_0325 IMG_0326 IMG_0327 IMG_0328 IMG_0329 IMG_0330 IMG_0331 IMG_0332 IMG_0333 IMG_0334 IMG_0335 IMG_0336 17th December 2018 Mmmmmm Year 6 Food Tasting in Kingsmeadow Today 6P were invited to Kingsmeadow to taste a menu prepared by their Year 8 children in conjunction with The Newcastle Foundation. It was a wonderful experience and it was evident how much hard work had been put into the preparation of menu, the ambience of the room and the food itself. Similarly it was great to see some old faces from previous years really excelling in this subject! The children had a great time. Thank You Kingsmeadow! 17th December 2018 Christmas Bongo Bingo and Grand Raffle Draw We would love you to join us on Thursday morning at 9.10am at what we hope will be our most exciting Christmas Coffee morning yet! Not only will we have children from across the school joining us to sing some festive tunes but for the first time at Dunston Hill we will be creating our very own Bongo Bingo! For the Grand Raffle draw please make sure all completed ticket stubs, unsold tickets and money for our Grand Christmas Raffle Draw is returned to school by Wednesday 19 December. First prize is a £100 intu voucher, second prize a luxury family... 14th December 2018 Christmas Dinner Day! Year 5 have thoroughly enjoyed their Christmas dinner today! 14th December 2018 Thank You Lakeland Miss Briggs received a wonderful surprise this morning when she was presented with a £500 donation from Lakeland, Eldon Square this morning. Emily hand delivered the cheque with her Mum, who works at the store for our ‘Dunston Goes Tech’ project. This has increased our total to an amazing £14,969 towards our £17,000 target. A huge thank you to our business sponsors who have collectively raised a staggering £11,355 : United Carlton £4,505, Graham Whiley Foundation £5,000, Asda Foundation £500, Pulman Group £500, Lakeland (Eldon) £500, Launch Group £100, Vision for Education £150, Pinnacle £100. We would also like to thank... 13th December 2018 KS1 Production of 'Prickly Hay' Well done to our Year 1 and 2's for their amazing performance of the 'Prickly Hay' story. The story is based around Sam, a hardworking young stable boy, trying to keep the stable clean and the hay fresh for all the animals in his stable - a very smelly job! No one seems to notice his hard work and it's making Sam feel very insignificant. His ever-faithful friend, Shrew, tries to keep his spirits up, but Sam is finding it hard to feel important at all. However, as crowds gather in Bethlehem for the census and the inns fill up,... 13th December 2018 'The Greatest Showman' hits Dunston Our Year 3 and 4 children enjoyed a day of dancing yesterday with Julie from Juno Events. Our children came alive through the power of music and their performance of 'The Greatest Showman' and a cheer-leading routine.Fun was had by all! 13th December 2018 Shine Star Shine! Well done to our Early Years children in the amazing performance of 'Shine Star Shine' this week. You are all super stars in our eyes! 11th December 2018 Our visit from 'Acropolis Street Food' Thank You Acropolis Street Food! Today Year 6 had an authentic Greek lunch of chicken and vegetable kebabs, traditional Greek salad with a range of sources and pitta bread. It was delicious and allowed us to round of our humanities work on the Ancient Greeks with huge smiles on our faces and full tummies! It is great for local businesses from our community to be involved with our school - a lasting memory for the children indeed! IMG_0923 IMG_0924 IMG_0925 IMG_0926 IMG_0927 IMG_0928 IMG_0929 IMG_0930 IMG_0931 IMG_0932 IMG_0933 IMG_0934 IMG_0935 IMG_0937 IMG_0938 IMG_0939 IMG_0940 IMG_0942 IMG_0944 IMG_0945 IMG_0946 IMG_0947 IMG_0948 IMG_0949 IMG_0950 IMG_0965 IMG_0966 IMG_0967 IMG_0968 IMG_0969 IMG_0971 IMG_0972 IMG_0973 IMG_0974 IMG_0975 IMG_0976 IMG_0977 IMG_0978 IMG_0979 IMG_0980 IMG_0981 IMG_0982 IMG_0983 IMG_0984 IMG_0985 IMG_0986 IMG_0987 IMG_0988 IMG_0989 IMG_0990 IMG_0991 IMG_0992 IMG_0993 7th December 2018 Christmas Fayre A huge thank you to Mrs Cox and the Friends of Dunston Hill for their efforts for making this afternoons Christmas Fayre a huge success. 5th December 2018 Autumn Fun at Gibside Reception wrapped up warm and braved the cold and wet for an afternoon at Gibside. Upon arrival, we were informed that Mrs Claus had lost some of the reindeer’s food sacks and we needed to help her find them! The children were eager to get started and showed great enthusiasm. Before starting on our adventure we met Elsie, an elf. She helped us to warm up and get ready. We then walked through the woods, stopping off to explore our surroundings and for the occasional Christmas sing song. Before long we had found all of the reindeer’s food sacks...
10th May 2019 Early Years Key Worker Vacancy - September 2019 The Governors of Dunston Hill are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and committed Early Years Key Worker to join the school on a fixed term contract for 1 year. Working hours are 8.30am – 3.45pm Monday to Friday term time only. You should have: An NVQ/CACHE Level 3 for Teaching Assistants/Childcare or equivalentGood literacy and numeracy skillsCurrent or recent experience of working with pupils in the Foundation StageAn understanding of child development, learning and the Early Years curriculumAn understanding of relevant policies/codes of practice and awareness of legislationEffective use of IT to support learning and assessmentGood communication skillsAn ability... 26th April 2019 Quick Sticks Hockey Twelve Year 4 children took part in a quick sticks hockey skills on Wednesday afternoon. Children were split into three teams and took part in mini games sessions where they played against each other and neighbouring schools. One of our teams became the overall winner. All children worked really hard and demonstrated good teamwork. Mrs Bruce and Mrs Ion were impressed with all of the children's attitude and behaviour. Well done all! Zac said "It was fun and the training was really good" and Zoe said "It was a fun afternoon". IMG_0760 IMG_0761 IMG_0762 IMG_0763 IMG_0764 IMG_0765 IMG_0766 IMG_0767 IMG_0768 IMG_0769 IMG_0770 IMG_0771 IMG_0772 IMG_0773 IMG_0774 IMG_0775 IMG_0776 IMG_0777 IMG_0778 IMG_0779 IMG_0780 IMG_0781 IMG_0782 IMG_0808 IMG_0809 IMG_0810 IMG_0811 IMG_0812 IMG_0813 IMG_0814 8th April 2019 Tribal Adventures Fun was had by all at Tribal Adventures this week. The children loved making dragon eggs, magic wands and building bridges. This was followed by an Easter Egg hunt and a cosy camp fire to keep everyone warm. Mrs O'Hara and Mrs Cox are looking forward to Day 2 tomorrow!It was great to see that both dates were fully booked. Proposed dates for the summer term are 28 & 29 May, 22 & 23 July and 19 & 20 August. Parents/carers will be notified when bookings are can be made via the school gateway app. 5th April 2019 What an Eggstravaganza! We have been blown away by the creativity and talent of our children's entries for our Easter Competition. The theme was linked to 'what makes you feel good'!. Mr Sutherland and Mrs Anglesea have awarded prizes to each year group. IMG_1964 IMG_1965 IMG_1966 IMG_1967 IMG_1968 IMG_1969 IMG_1970 IMG_1971 IMG_1972 IMG_1973 IMG_1974 IMG_1975 IMG_1976 IMG_1977 IMG_1978 IMG_1979 IMG_1980 IMG_1981 IMG_1982 IMG_1983 IMG_1984 IMG_1985 IMG_1987 IMG_1988 IMG_1989 IMG_1990 IMG_1991 IMG_1992 IMG_1993 IMG_1994 IMG_1995 IMG_1996 IMG_1997 IMG_1998 IMG_1999 IMG_2001 IMG_2002 IMG_2003 IMG_2005 IMG_2008 5th April 2019 Year 4 Cragiside Visit Year 4 thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Cragside yesterday. Whilst there they explored the magnificent Victorian House where Lord and Lady Armstrong lived. They also walked through the rock gardens and the pinetum, which led them to the Power House, where they discovered how hydroelectricity worked. The children's behaviour was exemplary and we got a lot of positive feedback from members of the public as well as the staff."This has been the best school trip I've ever been on. Thank you so much for taking us." Izzy 4B"I loved our trip to Cragside. I've learned lots about hydro-electricity and... 4th April 2019 Easter time Forest School Adventures The children in RCY are continuing to enjoy their Forest School sessions on a Tuesday morning and as a treat for the end of term, the Easter bunny had hidden name pegs all around the Environmental Area. Once the children had found their name peg, they were able to swap it for an Easter treat! Great fun was had by all! As well as this, the children really enjoyed working very closely with Mrs O’Hara to use the flint to make a spark. Well done RCY! IMG_1691 IMG_1693 IMG_1694 IMG_1695 IMG_1696 IMG_1698 IMG_1699 IMG_1701 IMG_1702 IMG_1703 IMG_1705 IMG_1706 IMG_1707 IMG_1709 IMG_1710 IMG_1711 IMG_1712 IMG_1714 IMG_1715 IMG_1716 IMG_1717 IMG_1718 IMG_1719 IMG_1720 IMG_1721 IMG_1722 IMG_1723 IMG_1724 IMG_1725 IMG_1726 IMG_1727 IMG_1728 IMG_1729 IMG_1730 IMG_1731 IMG_1732 IMG_1733 IMG_1734 IMG_1735 IMG_1736 IMG_1737 IMG_1738 IMG_1739 IMG_1740 IMG_1741 IMG_1742 IMG_1743 IMG_1744 IMG_1745 IMG_1746 IMG_1747 IMG_1750 IMG_1751 IMG_1752 IMG_1796 IMG_1802 IMG_1803 IMG_1805 IMG_1807 IMG_1808 IMG_1815 IMG_1823 IMG_1824 IMG_1833 IMG_1875 IMG_1877 IMG_1879 IMG_1880 IMG_1884 IMG_1887 IMG_1889 IMG_1915 IMG_1917 IMG_1918 3rd April 2019 Weekly Newsletter - 05.04.19 Care and Respect for All 05/04/2019 Thought of the Week: “Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud.” Maya Angelou Message From Mr Sutherland What an incredibly busy term we have had! I think that if I tried to list here all the activities that have taken place, I would then hold the record for the longest newsletter ever created! I hope that you have all managed to keep up to date via our website, Facebook page and of course this weekly newsletter. Keeping in touch is so important and being able to celebrate all the wonderful events your children participate in,... 19th March 2019 Year 4 Hockey Team silver finalists! Following last weeks success, a selection of Year 4 children took part in the Gateshead Hockey Finals this afternoon at Whickham Comprehensive. After beating each of the 5 teams in the group stage of the tournament, Dunston Hill went through to the semi finals. A 2-1 win meant we were through to the finals. Unfortunately we suffered our first defeat of the day to a very strong team, however we proudly came away with the silver medals and will now go on to represent Gateshead in the Tyne and Wear Finals. Mrs Broadbent is extremely proud of the team... 15th March 2019 Science Week at Dunston Hill There has definitely been a ‘buzz’ around school this week as children have enjoyed taking part in a range of science activities. The theme was ‘Journeys’ and it has been lovely to see how staff have interpreted that theme to give our children lots of memorable experiences. Here is what each year group have been up to:- Reception have been observing frogspawn and learning all about the life-cycle of a frog and have also been making boats to help the Gingerbread Man cross the river. They have also been investigating how kites fly in the wind. Year 1 enjoyed finding out... 13th March 2019 Cluster Hockey Tournament 24 Year 4 children competed in a hockey tournament this afternoon at Kingsmeadow against a range of other schools in the cluster. The children played exceptionally well and it was great to see them using the skills they have been taught in our recent PE lessons. One of the four teams that competed this afternoon came first, meaning that a selection of children will now go on to represent Dunston Hill at the Gateshead Finals on Monday. Good luck and well done to all involved. You did us proud! 8th March 2019 World Book Day Extravaganza Wow! What a totally incredible day we have had in school for World Book Day! This year, our theme for World Book Day was ‘Share a Story’ and this was brought to life through a range of exciting workshops around the school. Children had the opportunity to visit different teachers and teaching assistants across the school, sharing in a story or text that they love. These ranged from picture books and novels right through to poems and non-fiction books. There was definitely a buzz around school, with the children loving the opportunity to be creative! We’ve seen shaving foam... 7th March 2019 On an Art Adventure - Saltwell Park and Shipley Art Gallery 7th March 2019 Multi-Sport Festival Ten KS1 children attended the School Sports Partnerships Multi-Sport Festival at Gateshead Leisure Centre yesterday. The aim of the festival is for children to have a go at different sports they may not have played before, whilst competing against children from Gateshead schools. Mrs Neve and Mrs Dalby were very proud of how the children embraced learning new skills and their excellent teamwork. 5th March 2019 Pancake making on the camp fire Year 2 enjoyed making pancakes this afternoon. They were joined by 3B who didn't want to miss out on the fun! Children learned how Shove Tuesday has religious significance, marked by feasting and celebration and is traditionally preceded with the observance of the Lenten fast. 5th March 2019 Talented Scientists in 4C 4C had a great afternoon making a simple series circuit. We had to work with our partner to find out which components we would need to create the circuit. We also discussed the differences between a complete and an incomplete circuit. I think we have some very talented scientists in 4C! IMG_5316 IMG_5317 IMG_5319 IMG_5322 IMG_5323 IMG_5324 IMG_5325 IMG_5327 IMG_5328 IMG_5329 IMG_5330 IMG_5331 IMG_5332 IMG_5333 IMG_5335 IMG_5337 IMG_5338 IMG_5339 IMG_5341 IMG_5342 IMG_5345 IMG_5348 IMG_5349 IMG_5351 IMG_5353 IMG_5355 IMG_5356 IMG_5357 5th March 2019 Football success! Mrs Cox was very proud of our Year 4/5 girls football team who played really well against other Gateshead Schools in round 1 of the competition. The games were hosted at Swalwell FC by the SSP (Schools Sports Partnership) who co-ordinate a range of activities and collaboration amongst local schools.Their mission is to build an active and healthy future for all young people through sport and physical activity.Good luck in the next round! IMG_3667 IMG_3663 IMG_3661 IMG_3660 IMG_3646 IMG_3643 IMG_3641 28th February 2019 5O ask how do we know we are safe? In PSHE in 5O, we spent time thinking about how to know when we are safe and unsafe. We discussed ‘Early Warning Signs’ that our bodies might use to tell us when something is unsafe. Examples were: a knot in your stomach, your heart pounding and sweating palms. The children were great at recognising the importance of listening to their bodies and their ‘gut feelings’. We then discussed how to deal with these feelings and who we can talk to, to help us feel safe again. IMG_0471 IMG_0472 IMG_0473 IMG_0474 IMG_0475 IMG_0476 IMG_0478 IMG_0479 IMG_0480 IMG_0481 IMG_0482 IMG_0483 IMG_0484 IMG_0485 IMG_0486 IMG_0487 27th February 2019 Forest School Fun in Spring Yesterday RCY had an amazing morning exploring the Environmental Area during their first session of Forest School. The children impressed us all by being super speedy at getting suited and booted and they were lined up ready to go in no time! During their morning session, the children played a number of games, showed great skill in working together to make bird feeders and had time for lots of child initiated exploration. Children chose to count the number of sticks they could find, take turns on the tyre swing and use various items to make music! Enjoy taking a... 15th February 2019 Our Mini Health Champions! Introducing our Mini Health Champions! Four Year 5 children were successful with their applications to become Health leaders in our school and took part in training at Gateshead Leisure centre yesterday. The children looked at: Physical Activity, Healthy Eating and Emotional Health and Well-Being. Activities included designing a new playground game, taking part in a yoga and mindfulness session with Kalma Baby and looking at how to deal with positive and negative emotions. Miss Ornsby was so proud of the children and can’t wait to meet after half term to look at our action plan! Watch this space! IMG_0427 IMG_0431 IMG_0432 IMG_0433 IMG_0434 IMG_0435 IMG_0437 IMG_0440 IMG_0441 IMG_0442 IMG_0443 IMG_0444 IMG_0445 IMG_0446 IMG_0447 IMG_0449 IMG_0450 IMG_0451 IMG_0452 IMG_0453 IMG_0454 IMG_0456 IMG_0457 IMG_0458 IMG_0459... 15th February 2019 Year 5/6 Basketball Success Last night Mrs Donaldson was lucky enough to accompany the year 5/6 basketball team to the Gateshead cluster schools finals at Cardinal Hume. In our first game the team secured a very impressive 10-0 victory against St Peters. For the second game, the team came up against tough competition in St Marys but still came out on top with a 3-1 win. For our final group game we were again successful against Carr Hill with a 6-0 victory. In the semi final we came out victorious in a very tight game with Glynwood B team meaning we had made the final! In... 12th February 2019 What a week!!! 5J have been showing no signs of slowing down this week! From sport to acting to dancing to repair work, we have done it all! It all started on Tuesday, with the fantastic Valentine's Disco...everyone looked fabulous and the dancing was competitive to say the least! Everyone had a fantastic time, which was lovely to see. Then, on Wednesday, we were treated to a Judo Taster session. From defense to trying out the Judo pin, our white-suited year 5s worked hard with their partner to try out the principles of Judo. Speedy feet and quick movements were essential!... 7th February 2019 Gateshead Schools Basketball Competition Mrs Donaldson was so proud of the year 4 children who took part in the Gateshead school basketball competition held at Whickham School. They showed excellent skills and team spirit, meaning they were an absolute joy to take out. They just missed out on a semi final place due to goal difference which was hard to take. All in all it was a great night! IMG_5203 IMG_5204 IMG_5207 IMG_5208 IMG_5209 IMG_5210 4th February 2019 Mental Health Awareness Week As it is Children’s Mental Health Awareness week, Year 5 have taken time this afternoon to really think about our minds and feelings. We began the afternoon with some mindful colouring to calm us down after lunchtime. We then discussed the difference between mental and physical health and looked at ‘small, everyday feelings’ and how we can represent these using pictures. It was lovely to hear the discussions in class. 1st February 2019 Scrumptious Science We have been learning a little bit about different food types in Science and what they help your body do. We found that there are energy-giving foods called carbohydrates, body-building foods called protein and maintenance foods that keep you healthy, like fruit and vegetables. This week we have been investigating food packaging to find the nutrition charts to see how much of these food types are in them. We discovered some surprises. We found that Mrs McLean's tomato soup, that we thought would be healthy, actually contained lots of saturated fat! So Isabella recommended cuppa soups instead, because she''d... 25th January 2019 A caravan in the yard? How strange... What a fantastic day it's been in school today. The children were met in the yard this morning by a random caravan. Where had it come from? Who does it belong to? Why is it there? This was just the first of today's strange goings on... Where is Mr Sutherland? Why is there a fire on the field? Who has left a suitcase? Why is there a line full of washing? All these curious events were to inspire our children to write and inspire it did from fantastic imaginative stories to news reports to recounts of events of the... 24th January 2019 Singing Together This year, on March 13th, we will be taking our school choir to Sage Gateshead to take part in this year's Spring Sing. This event is a great opportunity to showcase the talents of children from across the north east and join with others. This year, the Spring Sing coincides with national Sing Up Day where schools from all over the country can be singing the same song with the same message. The song this year is: One Moment, One People. Some of our year 3s described this as a great song about 'being friends' and 'having each other's... 23rd January 2019 Snow Days Fun Days in Nursery! Nursery explored the outdoor environment with the snow and the ice and then explored ice in our water tray and tried to find ways to get our toys that were trapped in the ice out! We also played with the foam as the children thought it looked like snow but it didn't feel like snow! 15th January 2019 Seasonal Food - new DT Today we began our Design Technology topic for this term – Seasonal Food. We learnt that some food only grows at certain times of year but we can get things from all around the world so that we have food available in supermarkets the whole year round. Some foods, like grains and wheat, are planted and harvested in Britain round the year and they stay fresh for a long time so these can be used in lots of our food. Grain is milled to produce flour and flour is used in LOADS of the things we eat. We used... 14th January 2019 Healthy Eating with Newcastle Football This week is ‘Obesity Awareness Week’ and Year 5 have worked hard during their second NUF session looking at the Eatwell plate and the importance of a healthy, balanced diet. They discussed the different food groups and the importance of each, as well as designing their own healthy meals! The children understood just how important it is to keep active but also make sure that they are eating the right amounts of each food group to keep them nice and healthy! IMG_0109 IMG_0110 IMG_0111 IMG_0112 IMG_0113 IMG_0114 IMG_0115 IMG_0116 IMG_0131 17th December 2018 A surprise visit from Santa Our Early Years and Key Stage 1 children enjoyed their surprise visit from Santa today. IMG_0289 IMG_0290 IMG_0293 IMG_0295 IMG_0298 IMG_0299 IMG_0301 IMG_0303 IMG_0304 IMG_0306 IMG_0307 IMG_0308 IMG_0309 IMG_0311 IMG_0312 IMG_0314 IMG_0315 IMG_0317 IMG_0319 IMG_0320 IMG_0321 IMG_0322 IMG_0323 IMG_0324 IMG_0325 IMG_0326 IMG_0327 IMG_0328 IMG_0329 IMG_0330 IMG_0331 IMG_0332 IMG_0333 IMG_0334 IMG_0335 IMG_0336 17th December 2018 Mmmmmm Year 6 Food Tasting in Kingsmeadow Today 6P were invited to Kingsmeadow to taste a menu prepared by their Year 8 children in conjunction with The Newcastle Foundation. It was a wonderful experience and it was evident how much hard work had been put into the preparation of menu, the ambience of the room and the food itself. Similarly it was great to see some old faces from previous years really excelling in this subject! The children had a great time. Thank You Kingsmeadow! 17th December 2018 Christmas Bongo Bingo and Grand Raffle Draw We would love you to join us on Thursday morning at 9.10am at what we hope will be our most exciting Christmas Coffee morning yet! Not only will we have children from across the school joining us to sing some festive tunes but for the first time at Dunston Hill we will be creating our very own Bongo Bingo! For the Grand Raffle draw please make sure all completed ticket stubs, unsold tickets and money for our Grand Christmas Raffle Draw is returned to school by Wednesday 19 December. First prize is a £100 intu voucher, second prize a luxury family... 14th December 2018 Christmas Dinner Day! Year 5 have thoroughly enjoyed their Christmas dinner today! 14th December 2018 Thank You Lakeland Miss Briggs received a wonderful surprise this morning when she was presented with a £500 donation from Lakeland, Eldon Square this morning. Emily hand delivered the cheque with her Mum, who works at the store for our ‘Dunston Goes Tech’ project. This has increased our total to an amazing £14,969 towards our £17,000 target. A huge thank you to our business sponsors who have collectively raised a staggering £11,355 : United Carlton £4,505, Graham Whiley Foundation £5,000, Asda Foundation £500, Pulman Group £500, Lakeland (Eldon) £500, Launch Group £100, Vision for Education £150, Pinnacle £100. We would also like to thank... 13th December 2018 KS1 Production of 'Prickly Hay' Well done to our Year 1 and 2's for their amazing performance of the 'Prickly Hay' story. The story is based around Sam, a hardworking young stable boy, trying to keep the stable clean and the hay fresh for all the animals in his stable - a very smelly job! No one seems to notice his hard work and it's making Sam feel very insignificant. His ever-faithful friend, Shrew, tries to keep his spirits up, but Sam is finding it hard to feel important at all. However, as crowds gather in Bethlehem for the census and the inns fill up,... 13th December 2018 'The Greatest Showman' hits Dunston Our Year 3 and 4 children enjoyed a day of dancing yesterday with Julie from Juno Events. Our children came alive through the power of music and their performance of 'The Greatest Showman' and a cheer-leading routine.Fun was had by all! 13th December 2018 Shine Star Shine! Well done to our Early Years children in the amazing performance of 'Shine Star Shine' this week. You are all super stars in our eyes! 11th December 2018 Our visit from 'Acropolis Street Food' Thank You Acropolis Street Food! Today Year 6 had an authentic Greek lunch of chicken and vegetable kebabs, traditional Greek salad with a range of sources and pitta bread. It was delicious and allowed us to round of our humanities work on the Ancient Greeks with huge smiles on our faces and full tummies! It is great for local businesses from our community to be involved with our school - a lasting memory for the children indeed! IMG_0923 IMG_0924 IMG_0925 IMG_0926 IMG_0927 IMG_0928 IMG_0929 IMG_0930 IMG_0931 IMG_0932 IMG_0933 IMG_0934 IMG_0935 IMG_0937 IMG_0938 IMG_0939 IMG_0940 IMG_0942 IMG_0944 IMG_0945 IMG_0946 IMG_0947 IMG_0948 IMG_0949 IMG_0950 IMG_0965 IMG_0966 IMG_0967 IMG_0968 IMG_0969 IMG_0971 IMG_0972 IMG_0973 IMG_0974 IMG_0975 IMG_0976 IMG_0977 IMG_0978 IMG_0979 IMG_0980 IMG_0981 IMG_0982 IMG_0983 IMG_0984 IMG_0985 IMG_0986 IMG_0987 IMG_0988 IMG_0989 IMG_0990 IMG_0991 IMG_0992 IMG_0993 7th December 2018 Christmas Fayre A huge thank you to Mrs Cox and the Friends of Dunston Hill for their efforts for making this afternoons Christmas Fayre a huge success. 5th December 2018 Autumn Fun at Gibside Reception wrapped up warm and braved the cold and wet for an afternoon at Gibside. Upon arrival, we were informed that Mrs Claus had lost some of the reindeer’s food sacks and we needed to help her find them! The children were eager to get started and showed great enthusiasm. Before starting on our adventure we met Elsie, an elf. She helped us to warm up and get ready. We then walked through the woods, stopping off to explore our surroundings and for the occasional Christmas sing song. Before long we had found all of the reindeer’s food sacks...
