DBS NEWSLETTER

  Last week, Jodi Steans (Head of English) and Michael Neville (Head of Science) attended a two day conference where they enjoyed an incredible exploration of the mechanisms of learning through formative assessment.  The event was led by Dylan Wiliam PhD, one of the world's foremost authorities in education.  Dylan William is Emeritus Professor of Educational Assessment at University College London.  He is the first and the last word in formative assessment, and one of education’s most celebrated experts and critically acclaimed authors. His best-selling book, Inside the Black Box (1998), did not change the status quo. It shattered it.  Ms Steans reflects: “Training to be a teacher, over 20 years ago, one of the stand out pieces of research for me was Inside the Black Box. It redefined what was understood about the nature of how students learn, and the power of feedback that wasn't reliant on grades.  Once students are given a grade, any advice on how to im...

  Congratulations to our Year 5&6 Science Team for their participation in today's Shrewsbury Riverside Science Competition. They had a fantastic time, and we're thrilled to announce that our Year 6 team emerged as the champions!

 Magpie Class have had another fantastic week! We had a great day on Tuesday celebrating Halloween. We spent the day making spooky crafts and having our very own Halloween dance party! In English, we are into the second week of reading The Storm Whale. The children have been working really hard on using nouns and adjectives within their writing! Well done Magpies! 

  This week in Otter Class in Year 2, we have been learning about 2D and 3D shape properties. We have explored the names of shapes, identifying sides and vertices of 2D shapes and seeing if we could spot a pattern. In English, we have been learning about the features of a letter, from our stimulus which is about deforestation. We learnt that when writing a persuasive letter, we are trying to change our readers mind and get them to see our point of view. We also practised our basketball skills in P.E, focusing on dribbling skills. 

The Mini Dragons had a spooooooktacular Hallowe'en!  We loved dressing up, saying 'Boo!' to our friends, and doing the Skeleton Dance!  We learnt to say 'Trick or Treat' and carved our very own Jack O' Lantern. The children loved scooping out all the seeds and seeing the inside of the pumpkins.  It was quite magical when we put a candle inside and turned out the lights! We also made some cute little ghost crafts, talked about the characters we could see in our Hallowe'en story books, and sang 5 Little Pumpkins. We even had a go at wrapping and unwrapping our very own mummy! The Daisy class are now exploring the big wide world of animals!  We love to pretend to be animals by stomping our feet, swinging our arms, and waving our trunks! We are learning lots of new English words through a variety of sensory and messy play related to this theme.   

This week in the Sunflower Class we celebrated Halloween and it was so wonderful to see the children’s excitement as they arrived in their costumes.  Throughout the week we have focused on the story “Room on the Broom” by Julia Donaldson.  Stories are a great opportunity to develop new vocabulary and this story introduced different characters - a witch, a cat, a dog, a bird, a frog and a dragon.   On Thursday we had a lovely visit to the Early Years Garden.  The children were all very active and we can see their confidence growing, as they challenged themselves to the various physical challenges the garden has to offer.   We hope you all have a lovely weekend.   Miss Cullen, Miss O, Miss Ploy and Miss Taryna.  

  It has been another great week in Woodpecker Class! On Tuesday, the children throughly enjoyed celebrating Halloween and blew me away with their amazing costumes! In Maths, the children have been working on using a number line to order and compare numbers to 20. In English, we have begun learning our story map for the Storm Whale and the children wrote noun phrases to describe the whale in the story. In Art, they created beautiful water colour paintings of whales and in Global Perspectives learnt the continents of the world!  

  What an amazing week in Pufferfish class. All the children had a wonderful time celebrating Halloween this week. Their costumes looked amazing and we created lots of scary creations including ghosts, spiders and monsters! We hope you all had a lovely Halloween :).  We have also continued reading and retelling our story of "The Three Little Pigs". The children have used puppets and masks to become the animals and retell the story. Super work Pufferfish!

  This week in Seahorse Class we celebrated Halloween with spooky dressing up as we had transformed into scary and adorable characters. We also revisited our Talk for Write story of the Three Little Pigs, allowing your children to recall the story and reenact it with puppets and masks. And amidst all the fun, our young performers started their preparations for the upcoming Christmas show, practicing our song and performances. It's been a week of imagination, storytelling, and holiday cheer, and we can't wait for next week!

What a fun packed week it has been in Bumblebee class. This week was of course halloween, where we all showed up in halloween costumes and got into the halloween spirit! In phonics we have been learning the special friends, ch, th, sh, as well as trying very hard during word time, focusing to blend out many green words. During maths we have been exploring circles and triangles, as well as positional language. We all worked as a team to construct a record long obstacle course, where we went on, under, through and over! During Jigsaw Time, we have been learning that we are all unique and that we should celebrate these differences. We read Elmer and made our own unique elephants. In music we have been practising our songs and dance moves for our christmas show.  Well done Bumblebees!

  It is the end to another wonderful week in the Caterpillar’s class and this week has been spooktacular! The children had a fantastic Halloween on Tuesday and we had lots of fun talking about our costumes and completing Halloween themed activities. In phonics we continued to learn our set 1 sounds and introduced some digraphs. For Maths the children enjoyed going on a shape hunt outside and were able to see lots of different shapes in our playground. We all practiced the words to our songs and started to learn the dances to go with them. As part of our Talk for Write learning we looked at different places on the globe and many of the children then drew their own pictures of Earth and we had lots of lovely talk about space and planets.  

  The Dragonfly class has had an absolutely fantastic week, brimming with exciting events, creative endeavors, and a plethora of new knowledge. In the realm of phonics, we've welcomed three new "special friends," expanding our linguistic horizons. Our mathematical journey has led us into the world of geometry, where we've been piecing together the intriguing puzzle of shapes and spatial relationships. Halloween, a day filled with delight and enchantment, saw our little Dragonflies donned in their most imaginative costumes, trick-or-treating with friends and sharing delightful moments. Furthermore, our exploration of "Handa's Surprise" has taken us on a captivating journey to Africa, where we've used mud, sticks, and cereal to construct mud huts inspired by the traditional African huts we discovered through Google Earth and captivating South Africa videos. It's been an incredible week of exploration, discovery, and boundless enthusiasm  in the Dra...

Well done, Butterfly class for another very productive week at school. Tuesday saw us dressing up and having fun for Halloween. The children completed lots of art activities and had fun playing with their friends. The children enjoyed finding ways of opening the pumpkins themselves and loved scooping out the seeds from inside. We have saved these and will plant them to see if they grow! We have been exploring shapes in our environment and the children have enjoyed making artwork with circles and triangles, using the correct terminology to describe their features. In amongst the Halloween excitement, we have also been busy practising our songs for the EY Christmas Show-we only have four weeks until the big day! They make very cute Christmas elves! Well done, everyone. See you next week x  

  This week in Fox class we have started our new maths unit on shapes. We recapped the names of shapes and explored how counting the sides and vertices can help us name irregular shapes. We also began exploring lines of symmetry by cutting out the shapes and folding them to check. In Science we learned about vets and how they help a range of animals. We came up with a list of questions to ask the vet and look forward to hearing from them. Finally in English we have been comparing letters to stories to help understand how they are different in preparation for our upcoming big write. 

  A fantastic start to the festive season with a fun; not too frightening Halloween celebration. It was wonderful to see all the Jellyfish dressed up and getting involved in all the day had to offer. Thank you for sharing all your sweet treats, smiles, and goodwill. We have started practicing for our Christmas show which promises to be delightful. The next few weeks will be action-packed with Family Time on Monday,  The Nursery Sound Hunt the following Monday, and the Christmas show the week after that. Have a relaxing and restful weekend to help prepare for the exciting weeks that will follow. 

During the past week, the Robin class had an exciting time at school. On Tuesday, the children came to school dressed up in creative and spooky Halloween costumes, filling the classrooms with laughter and excitement. Throughout the week, they delved into their geography lessons, learning about the seven continents and the diverse cultures and environments found across the world. In their English language class, the students made significant progress, as they began to construct full sentences, showcasing their growing language skills. It was a week filled with learning, creativity, and fun, providing the young learners with valuable experiences inside and outside the classroom.

Greetings from the enchanted realm of Ladybird Class! This week, we've been bewitched by the Halloween spirit, and the fun has been absolutely spine-tingling! Our little Ladybirds have transformed into creatures of the night, donning their most eerie costumes. They've grooved to the haunting tunes of Halloween songs, crafting spooky masterpieces that would make any ghost or goblin jealous. But that's not all; Ladybird Class has also embarked on an exciting journey into the world of storytelling. Armed with story maps, we've learned how to retell our Talk4Write story 'Handa's Surprise', starting with the very first sentence. Our young storytellers are on a thrilling adventure of words! In the mystical realm of Mathmagic, we've delved into the secrets of circles and triangles, even using these enchanted shapes to conjure up witch crafts! We then embarked on an epic shape hunt around our school, discovering the magic hidden in every corner. During our Jigsa...

 Our week 30th of October - 3rd of November 2023 We have had a spooky week in Sea Turtles! We really enjoyed celebrating Halloween by making many decorations, learning about Halloween and seeing everyone’s fantastic costumes. It was great to see so many enthusiastic children! In phonics this week we have been very good at identifying different sounds such as animals and halloween creatures. We have been continuing our learning of the Three Little Pigs in our Talk4Write sessions, using our recalling, speaking and roleplaying skills to remember the key parts of the story ready to make our story map next week. We are already starting to practice for our special Christmas show by learning our Snowman song which has been very fun! Well done for a great week Sea Turtles.

Dear Parents and Guardians, I hope you all had an enjoyable break and that your children have returned suitably refreshed. In the week before the break we celebrated our annual book week with some riveting talks by our visiting Author Emma Cary who ran workshops as well as giving talks on her journey to becoming an author as well as her journey on a tandem bike from Vancouver to Santiago. Some of our musicians went on a tour to Malaysia where they had several high profile performances, as well as a range of cultural experiences. It was an excellent experience enjoyed by all. Today we hosted a coffee morning to promote our many Heart of DBS activities. With more established parent rep committees, we are taking a new approach to the Heart of DBS. Rather than having a formal committee, we aim to host a range of events to bring parents together and then support in two key areas, community and charity. This morning, parents who attended got to meet new friends with children in different yea...

The Vital Role of Feedback in School Improvement: A Heartfelt Thank You to Parents As an educator, I cannot emphasise enough the significance of feedback in the ongoing journey of school improvement. It is not only the school's staff but also the unwavering support of parents that propels this process forward. Today, I wish to express our deepest gratitude to parents for their invaluable role in this endeavour. Feedback acts as a mirror reflecting a school's strengths and areas that require enhancement. Constructive criticism and praise from parents provide us with the chance to adapt and refine our teaching methods, ultimately serving the diverse needs of our students more effectively. This collaboration enhances the overall learning experience and ensures that every child receives a well-rounded education. Beyond this, feedback fosters a sense of community within our school. It promotes open communication and trust between parents and educators, thereby creating a positive le...

  Dear DBS Prep Parents, Welcome back to Term 1b! It has been a fantastic week back in school, and we were delighted to hear from our musicians who had been away on the DBS Music Tour to Malaysia during the break. In our assembly this morning, they shared their experiences of a remarkable five days of culture, performance, creativity and adventure! The presentation linked superbly with our focus on the DBS value of courage within the assembly. Despite what we might initially think, courage is not the absence of fear. Courage is having fear but doing something anyway. Travelling to a different country, being away from home and performing for others are all excellent examples of courage. Well done to all that were involved! All Prep School students have been set a 'courage challenge' for this half term. Every student was asked to think of something that scares them and then challenged to do it over the coming months. Examples of things they could do include: Trying something new ...

Dear Pre-Prep Families, I hope that you all had a restful and enjoyable October break, filled with moments spent together, relaxation, and rejuvenation. It's exciting to see our students return to school for the commencement of Term 1b with such enthusiasm. They've come back refreshed and ready to embark on the exciting journey that awaits them in the coming months. As we look ahead, I want to share a glimpse of what's in store for our Pre-Prep children. The much-anticipated EY Sports Day is approaching, promising a morning of fun, teamwork, and friendly competition for our Early Years students. Our talented young performers are already busy preparing for the Pre-Prep Christmas Productions. These festive performances will undoubtedly bring joy and warmth to our holiday season. Creative Curriculum Week is on the horizon for our Year 1 and Year 2 children. Prepare to be amazed by the creativity and innovation they will showcase during this special week. We understand the sign...

  Thank you for joining us at the DBS Farmer's Market! 🍅🌽 We had an amazing day filled with fresh produce, delicious goodies, and community spirit. Can't wait to see you again next time as we continue to support local community! 🥕🍇🌻 View Gallery

  What a brew-tiful morning spent with the Senior Leadership Team! 💼🤝  Parent's Coffee Morning was a delightful blend of great company, insightful conversations, and, of course, lots of coffee! ☕️ Thanks to all the parents who joined us for this meaningful get-together. We're looking forward to more enriching interactions in the future. 

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The EY Garden was filled with fun and laughter as we had a very special visit from Tim & Bill's Farm! The children were curious to meet and feed various animals including ducks, sheep and goats, as well as playful geese and fluffy rabbits. The animals were very friendly, and the children showed remarkable courage and care towards each creature whilst using their speaking skills to describe what they could see, hear, touch and smell. It was an interesting and very memorable experience for our little learners!

Whilst we're still a small school in BISA let's focus on some of the incredible positives from this match; we were able to put out 4 boys and 2 girls teams, which is 4 more teams than we put out last year in the GBAC conference. We had boys and girls who have never represented teh sxhool before getting their first taste of being a "Dragon:". All of the games were played in a good spirit and we showed a 'never give up' attitude that we, as teachers at DBS are proud of. Did we lose the games? Yes. Did we show courage, commitment, heart and passion? Also yes. As we are growing, this will happen,. But with the right encouragement and coaching, the Dragon will roar soon! Well done all. View Gallery

U11 Girls Football vs Harrow : 0-0 After a wet and cagey first 10 minutes under the roof of Sports Hall 3, the rain stopped, and the girls headed outside to play on the full-sized pitch. It was at this point that the U11's team really took control of the game. The girls extended their lead with some outstanding goals and kept a clean sheet thanks to an amazing save from the goalkeeper. Another great performance, and with just one more fixture until the BISA tournament, things are looking very positive. Well done girls! U11 Boys Football vs Harrow : 2-0 View Gallery

  Our U15A Girls Basketball had another game vs Kings, in which the learning curve was very high for the players. The team spirits has never been better. All have shown their best they have.  Well done all team, we are proud of you. View Gallery

  In truth it was another incredible day against King's U13 Girls. The girls has done an incredible job in the game and kept their spirit high throughout. Great job in putting all you have got and ensuring the team spirit was as high as ever. Your determination has shown in the game, well done girls! View Gallery

The U13 Girls Basketball had a fantastic game against Harrow away. They dominated during the first quarter, quickly taking the lead with many baskets including a 3 pointer from Ging, where DBS were leading 15 - 0. Harrow regrouped and added pressure to the DBS team, denying them any baskets in the 2nd and 3rd quarter. The DBS girls continued to fight for the ball and make offensive plays despite the strong defense. Ging's final 3 point shot during the last quarter ensured the DBS win 18 -13. Congratulations to all the girls for their fantastic fighting spirit and hard working attitude. We look forward to the final BISA Basketball tournament next weekend. View Gallery

The U15 boys basketball match against Shrewsbury was an intense and thrilling showdown. The DBS team started strong, racking up points early in the game. However, Shrewsbury displayed great determination and worked hard to narrow the score gap. It was an exciting and competitive game, with both the athletes and the spectators thoroughly entertained. Well done teams for your impressive performance! View Gallery