Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Christmas Hampers - Prize Draw

  Mon 16 Dec 2019 Mr J Howe

  From today until Wednesday, all children will be entered into a prize draw to win a Christmas hamper worth over £100 - thanks to the generosity of New Springs City Church. Three hampers will be drawn each day with hampers available for collection from 2pm on Thursday, 19th December from the school office.

  Every child's 100% weekly attendance certificate will count as an entry into the prize draw alongside certificates in our golden book for Autumn term. The more 100% weekly attendance records your child has, the more entries they will have for each draw.

  Winners will be informed on our website, via email/text on each day.

  Today's winners:

  Polly (Y3)

  Sophie M (Y4)

  Kenzie (Y2)

   

  Well done everyone. Three more winners will be drawn tomorrow.

• Operation Encompass - the Next Step

  Mon 09 Dec 2019 Mr J Howe

  We are pleased to share with you that our school has been given the opportunity to take part in a new Home Office approved project. It is being led by Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Dame Vera Baird and Northumbria Police in partnership with Barnardo’s and Operation Encompass. The project, named Operation Encompass the Next Steps, aims to form part of a wider strategy to break the cycle of Domestic Abuse through education and support.

  The project will help all children in the Northumbria force area to learn about friendships, relationships, emotions and rules so that they can live and work together safely.

  Our school will also benefit from having one of twelve School Safeguarding Liaison Officers who will:

  • Work with our teachers to deliver an age appropriate session exploring aspects of Domestic Abuse/friendships /relationships/emotions (adapted appropriately for our learners at Seaburn Dene Primary School.)
  • Be available in school at specified times so that children and parents can talk about issues that they may have around relationships and Domestic Abuse (the first drop in will be  2.30pm on Tuesday 10t^h December and Thursday, 12th December in the school staff room)

  We are keen to offer the best support possible to all our pupils and we believe this will be extremely beneficial for children and the whole school community.

• Christmas meal and Jumper Day

  Fri 06 Dec 2019 Mr J Howe

  On Wednesday, we are having our Christmas meal and Christmas jumper day.

  This is a special occasion when invited guests from our community join the children for a wonderful celebration of Christmas and its core messages: sharing and giving.

   In that vein, this year I am asking that children - instead of a cash donation to accompany their Christmas jumper - bring in a donation to school for Sunderland Foodbank. This would include items - non-perishable food - such as tinned goods, pasta, tea, coffee could make a significant difference to someone else's life, in our city, this Christmas. Thank you.

  

• It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

  Wed 04 Dec 2019 Mr J Howe

  After an incredibly hectic but wonderfully festive week, we're on the last run up to Christmas. Every class has their party during the week ahead (clothes to be brought in for changing after lunch) and on Friday the Foundation Stage will hold their special Christmas event - singing around the Christmas tree - in our main hall.  The final day ends with board games and a calming Christmas Assembly at 2.30pm.

   We return to school refreshed and ready to learn on Tuesday 7th January 2020 - after an INSET day - and break up on Friday 14th February for half term.

   Our Christmas Fayre at the end of November was a great success, raising just over £1,000! Thank you to everyone who contributed their time and effort. As you know Santa popped into school for an Evening with Santa on Thursday 12th December, again - another success and thanks to all from the Friends and staff who made this possible.

   

  Everyone's a Star in Shepherd's Delight 

  One word - fantastic! Years 1 and 2 presented the wonderful Shepherd's Delight to the school and their families last week. It was truly beautiful with amazing acting and melodic singing and went down a storm with parents.

   

  We Say Goodbye to Miss Bliss

  On Friday we sadly said farewell to Miss Bliss who has taught with us for the last four years - in Yrs 3 and 5.  Miss. Bliss is leaving us to pursue new avenues in the art and therapy world. Everyone who has had their child taught by Miss Bliss, knows the special affinity she has developed with pupils, in both Yr 3 and 5 during her time with us. She has persistently taught the children to believe in themselves and inspired them through her creativity and empathy. Miss Bliss’s commitment to the children has extended beyond the classroom and her Minecraft Club was a star attraction on the after-school club rota. She has spoken of how much she will miss the children, but is looking forward to the new adventure in front of her.

   Personally, I would like to thank Miss Bliss for her dedication and commitment to the children of Seaburn Dene. I am sure that all the parents and carers would like to join me in wishing her good luck and happiness on her new journey.

    Replacing Miss Bliss in Janaury, will be Mr Good, who will take Yr 3 for the remainder of the school year. Mr Good, who is a former pupil of Seaburn Dene, is a highly experienced key stage two teacher of 16 years standing and a maths lead in his current school – a large primary in South Devon.

   

  Give Children the Gift of a Book This Christmas

  The National Literacy Trust has published shocking statistics which revealed that 383,775 children in the UK don’t have a single book of their own.

   Their survey of 56,906 UK children found that, compared to children who don’t have a book of their own, children who own books are:

  • Six times more likely to read above the level expected for their age
  • Nearly three times more likely to enjoy reading
  • More than twice as likely to agree that reading is cool

  For top gifting recommendations, check out the NLT's Ultimate Christmas book list - an advent calendar of children’s books chosen by 24 leading authors and illustrators who have each recommended a book that they personally love and wish a child could unwrap this Christmas.

  The list includes:

  • The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf; recommended by Children’s Laureate Cressida Cowell
  • Some Dogs Do by Jez Alborough; recommended by Nadiya Hussain
  • Fantastic Mr Fox by Roald Dahl; recommended by Dermot O’Leary

   

  And finally all that's left for me to say is.....

  I hope you all have a magical and peaceful Christmas followed by a happy 2020.

   

  Coming up in the Spring term:

   

  Week  Ending 24th January

  Poetry Recital

   

  Week Ending 13th February

  Inter House Times Tables Challenge

   

  Half term Science project

   

  Week ending Friday 28th February-

  Whole school topic day, "A Day in the Life of..."

   

  Thursday March 5th -World Book Day. This year's theme is Reading Around the World - stories from different parts of the Globe.

   

  Monday, March 16th is Shakespeare Day and the start of Shakespeare Week.

   

  Week ending 6th March

  • Parents Evenings

   

   

  Have a very Happy Christmas everyone!

   

   

• Season's Delight

  Tue 03 Dec 2019 Mr J Howe

   We are approaching the end of a long term and the whole school community is looking forward to the magic Christmas injects into school life.

   The prospect of Christmas cheers us and lifts our spirits away from the cold, dark and depressing weather of the season. At the moment, the Posada is making its way around the homes of some of our children, while preparations are underway for Christingle, as seasonal songs drift through the corridors.

   Next week, we are hoping to see every child decked out in their Christmas jumpers for our annual Christmas meal - the only donation we ask for is an item of non-perishable foods for a whole school donation to Sunderland Food Bank. Tinned/canned foods and dry pasta and rice are well received and donations of 'Bag for Life' bags are also needed to bag up the food once it has been gathered.

   Christmas has always been a magical time for me and to be at Seaburn Dene this year and get to share in the Christmas festivities, as headteacher, promises to be extra special, particularly when I got to see the intense excitement on the faces of our pupils during the Nativity rehearsal of Shepherd's Delight, and the prospect of all those Christmas parties.

   I must also comment on the fantastic attendance of our Performing Arts Choir at New Springs Church on Sunday. Their attitude and enthusiasm really made this a special occasion, one of many, I predict in the coming fortnight.

    Please check your emails for my email today listing all the events and days to remember in our Christmas season.