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

• Last week in January

  Mon 25 Jan 2016 M.Purdy

  Our Film Makers Are Selected by the University of Sunderland

  Today representatives from the University of Sunderland Film and Media Department selected a group of children to work with them on a film about the Power of Yet in our school. These children were just a few of those pitching their creative ideas and, whilst the selection process is needed to make the project manageable, Mr Howe and the university representatives were very impressed with the variety and thought behind all of the pitches.

   

  Netball Success

  Last week our team got off to a brilliant start with three wins. We hope this winning streak continues into the league matches.

• Dickens, Gruel and a Whole Lot More

  Mon 18 Jan 2016 M. Purdy

  Special Awards Evening

  On the evening of Thursday 11th February the school will be holding a special awards evening. The brainwave of  Mrs Cruddas, our Special Education and Disabilities Co-ordinator, it promises to be an evening of fun and celebration plus a few little treats created by Gillian, our school cook. SEN Governors, Mrs Wright and Mr. Ramsay have both been at the cutting edge of  arrangements.

   

  Dickensian Themed World Book Day

  This year we are celebrating World Book Day (3rd March) by having a Charles Dickens themed two days. On the 2nd March Bigfoot Arts Education will be coming into school to lead a Dickensian assembly for all our children from the Reception age to year 6 followed by 45 minute workshops. Years 1 to 3 will look at the wonderful and child friendly Oliver whilst 4, 5 and 6  will investigate the lives of the poor in Victorian London.

   

  On World Book day itself, we are planning to follow this up by everyone dressing up in a Dickensian costume. Staff will act out characters (a Miss Havisham dress is already on its way for me!) and children will "visit" the characters to ask them questions. We think this will be the best ever World Book Day.

   

  So it's time for mums and dads to get their creative thinking caps on to change their modern little ones into any character from a Dickensian novel.

   

  Shakespeare Week-author visit

  Author Christopher Lloyd will be launching Shakespeare Week in our school on Monday 14th March. His What On Earth? sticker and timeline books are simply amazing and will be here to buy on the day. Take a look at his work by clicking here. Chris has workshops for the whole school and these were highly recommended by Rose in Yr 3 and her mum who attended the workshop at a book festival.

  

• Special Event - Cinema Themed Lunch!

  Fri 15 Jan 2016 S Baker

  Our School Meal Service arrange special event days throughout the year and our next themed lunch 'Going to the Cinema' is being held on Thursday 21st January. The children will get:

   

  Sausage in a Bun with French Fries in a Box

  Corn on the Cob

  Baked Beans and Colslaw

  Ice Cream Cup

   

  There will be special spot prizes available as well!

   

  If your child normally stays for a school lunch on a Thursday then you do not need to do anything, they will automatically be included. If your child does not stay on a Thursday, please contact the school office to book their place!

• Deadline for School Photos

  Fri 15 Jan 2016 S Baker
  The deadline for handing in order forms for Class/Club photographs is 10am on Monday 18th January. For your information, individual and family group photos will be taken on Friday 11th March 2016.

• Arts Mark Decision-by the School Council

  Tue 12 Jan 2016 M. Purdy

  Seaburn Dene Primary School has a long tradition of excelling in the arts. Drama, music, art and dance are all significant features of our school so we investigated renewing our Arts Mark status. Having been awarded gold standard twice, we are confident that it would be renewed at this level. However the application was to cost the school between £500 and £800. Added to which, staff would need to attend courses with the cost of supply cover at £180 a day. For a school with a very tight budget this seemed a lot of money.

   

  Yesterday I asked the School Council to consider the issue. Should we reapply for Arts Mark gold, which is very prestigious for the school, or should we spend the money on children in the form of an arts specialist or visiting author? Today Lloyd reported back on behalf of the School Council. The issue was discussed thoroughly then a decision made that the money is better spent on an event for the school rather than given to an organisation to receive a badge. The School Council believe that we can let people outside know how fantastic our Arts opportunities are in other ways.

   

  We will begin our search for a really worthwhile visitor to support children's learning in the Arts.

• A Fond Farewell

  Mon 11 Jan 2016 Miss Purdy

  This week we say farewell to one of our long standing and most popular Governors. Reverend Bruce Jarvis has worked tirelessly for the children of Seaburn Dene Primary School since he became a Governor in 1988 but has decided that the time has come for him to retire. Before he became a minister for the New Church, Reverend Jarvis was a teacher so has a wonderful understanding of the pressures teachers and children are under to cope with the endless changes made by successive governments. At meetings he is always first to ask how changes we make as a school will impact on the children.

   

  On Thursday we will be gathering together with staff, governors and, representing the whole school community, the School Council and their parents to say" thank you" for the superb loyalty and dedicated hard work Reverend Jarvis has given our school.

   

  With two of his grandchildren still at Seaburn Dene Primary, I am sure he will not lose touch with us and will still pop in for a cuppa from time to time and, we hope, fling his guitar over his shoulder and lead an assembly or two.

   

  Thank you Bruce..you deserve a standing ovation!

   

  Ballet Stories by Mal Lewis Jones

  I have just rediscovered some lovely books written by a friend of mine and his wife. Ivan Jones was most famous for writing a very popular children's television series called Ghost Hunter. His wife, a former dancer, Mal Lewis Jones has a wonderful series of books all about the adventures a group of aspiring ballerinas have in a ballet school. When in print they sold over 100,000 copies but now, I discovered at the weekend, are available in Kindle form at Amazon. So if you have a dancer in your family or someone who just enjoys a good story, they are really worth discovering for yourselves. Here is the Amazon Link http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mal-Lewis-Jones/e/B004MOD7XM

   

  Follow us from day to day on Twitter: @SDPS13

   

   

• Happy New Year

  Mon 04 Jan 2016 M. Purdy

  Welcome Back....to a new term and new year. We have a new baby on the staff too with Miss Bliss having Alice Mae on 29th December. We hear that the baby weighed in at 8lbs 10, has long legs like mum and is absolutely gorgeous. We can't wait to have a cuddle!

   

  This is a very short term with many events organised, starting off with an assembly on Wednesday led by Revd Child to celebrate the arrival of the Kings. Nissan will be visiting Years 3 and 4 on Thursday afternoon to talk about the way new cars are designed and they will bring the Leaf, their new electric car with them.

   

  In the term ahead we will be celebrating Shakespeare Week for the third time and taking part in Clean For The Queen to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday while taking pride in our own community. World Book Day is also coming up in March and, after last year's success, we will be repeating our stories at bedtime event.

   

  Please keep an eye on the calendar for information about the term ahead.