Christmas Jumper challenge...

Can you spot which member of staff is wearing which Christmas jumper?
There are five to have a go at - it's not easy!
Good luck!

There aren't any prizes - it's just for fun!

Merry Christmas!

On behalf of all staff and Governors, I'd like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!
Have a great holiday and enjoy the festivities!
Here's to a positive, happy, healthy and successful 2017!
Have fun! :)
Mr Edwards

Issues with images...

Seem to be having a few issues with images on our blog recently. Apologies...
We'll try to get things sorted our end as quickly as possible.
Thanks for your understanding!

MacMillan send 'thank you' certifcate...

It seems like quite a while ago now, but we have just received our letter and certificate from MacMillan Cancer Support thanking us for our fundraising efforts.

Thank you to everyone who was involved in making our coffee morning a real success. As the photo below shows, we raised a pleasing amount that will be well used by this amazing charity. Thank you!

Received today (8th December 2016)....thank you to all involved!

Downsview 'panto' success!

What a great day! The children were full of smiles and laughs as they returned to school after the pantomime today. It was a great success.

Some of children even went up on stage to tell and joke and share the spotlight with some of the characters in the panto! (Apparently, some their jokes were funnier than mine! Personally, I'm not sure that I believe that!?) Anyway, an exciting and memorable experience.

Thank you to all staff for making the trip so special, to all of the additional adult helpers who supported us, to all parents  for allowing us to take the children to the theatre, to the PTA for contributing to the cost of the trip and especially to the children who represented the school beautifully.

Thank you also to our coach drivers who were fantastic - always on time, ready to go and with big smiles too!

Year 1 Dinosaur Workshop

What a great way to begin a new learning project! At the start of Term 2 (November 2016),  Birch Class spent the morning as palaeontologists...

Take a look at some of the photos taken during the workshop - they're great!

In the photos, you can see the children fully engaged in their tasks and learning lots about the prehistoric dinosaurs from millions of years ago....a fantastic way to introduce a new topic to the children!

Thank you to Miss Selby for organising the visit and to Dr Helen from PalaeoQuest for leading this highly interactive and absorbing session.

Carefully using paintbrushes to move the sand and discover fossils...

Wow! Look what we've discovered!

Magnifying glasses help us to look more closely and carefully....

Look at the size of that bone?!

Carefully does it....

Downsview goes to the pantomime!

You can feel the excitement in school this morning....

Today, the whole school are heading to The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks to enjoy the seasonal pantomime! This year, the performance is Sleeping Beauty...and I'm sure the children will be cheering and boo-ing appropriately at the different characters that appear on stage. It should be great fun and a very memorable experience.

I would like to thank the Friends of Downsview (PTA) for their generous donation of £1000 towards the cost of the trip. Without this, transport costs and theatre ticket cost would have just been too expensive. As a result of their donation, the cost of the trip has been subsidised greatly giving us great value for money.

The event has needed a great deal of planning and organisation and I am very grateful to Miss Page and Mrs Burke for spearheading this work. They have done a fantastic job in preparation for the pantomime - thank you both!

So, it's nearly time to depart....oh no it isn't! (Sorry - couldn't resist!) Mr Edwards

PS - A reminder to all parents driving cars today: please do not park on the school driveway. With two coaches arriving and departing throughout the day, we need the driveway to be clear from any obstacles. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. Parents of children attending the afternoon performance are to wait in the playground (approx. 4:30p.m) for the returning coaches. Staff will be on hand to support a safe and smooth handover of children! Thank you.

Growth Mindset Workshop for Year 5 & 6

Last week, Tim Hall visited the school and spent the day working with Year 5 & 6 children to develop their 'growth mindset'. They took part in a range of activities including juggling, learning a brilliant pen trick (using slight of hand!) and building full size teepees!

Throughout the day, Tim talked to the children about their dreams and aspirations....they discussed what skills the children would need to make these dreams come true. It was an inspirational day that I hope has helped the children to further develop their resilience and help them to believe that anything is possible if they go for it and give it 100%!

Thank you to Tim for supporting our children to believe in themselves and to staff at school for participating so willingly and getting stuck in too!

For more information about the work Tim does, please feel free to visit his website:
www.bego.co.uk/

Winter weather - coat reminder!

Dear Downsview Parent,
Winter is on the way....the temperature has plummeted this morning and it is very cold!
Please, please ensure that your child is appropriately clothed in the cold weather. Every child should be wearing a warm coat (possibly with gloves, hat and scarf!).
Even though the weather is cold, we still try to get the children out at playtimes and lunchtimes as it is important for them to get some fresh air and exercise. Therefore, a warm coat is definitely required.
I will be asking all staff to ensure that coats are worn during outdoor playtimes - children will be asked to return to class and get their coat if they are not wearing it as they head towards the playground.
Thank you for your support with this.
Kind regards - Mr Edwards
PS - In the winter months, children are also encouraged to bring in a plain coloured track suit for outdoor PE lessons. If we can head outdoors for PE, we will, but children do need to be prepared for this - a warm plain coloured track suit is ideal. Thank you!

'Giant' Pudsey in coins...

Downsview supported the 'Children In Need' Appeal again this year and raised a total of £143.40....a tremendous amount of money that will be used to help children in both the UK and around the world.

This year, we did something a bit different - we asked the children to bring in 'loose' change. 1p, 2p, 5p, 10p, 20p and 50p coins were all brought in (along with a few £1 coins and a £5 note!).

And with all of the coins, we made a giant Pudsey Bear (as can be seen below).

Thank you to everyone who contributed to our efforts to support C.I.N.

We made Pudsey using all of the coins donated! He was over 2 metres tall!

All of the silver coins made the outline, with the coppers creating the colour!

Every class came to say hello to Pudsey and look at the artwork!

Our Year 6 pupils helped to create the artwork and count the money...all £140+

Friends of Downsview Xmas Poster Competition

The Friends of Downsview (PTA) are currently very busy getting organised for a number of festive events - The Christmas Shop, Christmas Discos and, of course, the Christmas Fayre.

To advertise the Fayre to the local community, the FoD held a poster competition for all children to enter. They received an overwhelming response with over 95 entries being returned. Fantastic!

Originally, only two prizes (Key Stage 1 & Key Stage 2) were to be awarded, however, with such a huge response, it was agreed that one prize per year group would be more appropriate.

Thank you to everyone who entered the competition and made judging such a challenge!

The winners were: Jacob in Year R, Annabelle in Year 1, Matthew in Year 2, Tomoki in Year 3, Jessica in Year 4, Ivanna in Year 5 & Bayley in Year 6. Congratulations to you all!

For info,

• Christmas Fayre is on Saturday 3rd December 2016 between 12midday - 2:00p.m.
• Christmas Disco: EYFS & KS1 on Friday 9th December between 4:00 - 5:30p.m
• Christmas Disco: KS2 on Friday 9th December between 5:45 - 7:15p.m
• Christmas Shop: Friday 16th December (all day - in school event for children only)

Downsview 'remembers'...

At 11:00a.m on 11th November 2016, Downsview Primary School stopped to 'remember'.

In our special assembly, we thought about all those servicemen and servicewomen who gave up their lives for our freedom today. We talked about why it is important to remember and why we wear the poppy. The two minute silence was conducted with due seriousness with the children showing great respect.

All of the money raised through the purchasing of poppies, snap bands, friendship bracelets, wristbands and reflectors will go to the Royal British Legion in support of those affected by war.

Lest we forget.

Year 3 go 'Scrumdidlyumptious'

Year 3 have had a terrific start to their new topic 'Scrumdidlyumptious.' So far, they have found out about Fairtrade products and have started to use Charlie and The Chocolate Factory as a stimulus for their English work.
Throughout the topic, the children will have the opportunity to make (and taste!) some wonderful treats as well as produce some fantastic learning in all subject areas (English, Computing, Maths and Geography to name but a few).

Please check the Elm Class website page regularly to keep updated!
(www.downsview-primary.org.uk)

Year 6 Forensic Cyber Crime Scene

Year 6 had planned to participate in a police crime scene investigation in Term 1, linking with their learning project called ID. However, there was a last minute cancellation by Swanley Police and so the event needed to be rescheduled. Hence, Year 6 have just this week become forensic scientists and crime scene specialists working with two police local officers. It was highly engaging and very informative!

The children discussed online safety and acted out a cyber crime. They were then tasked to investigate digital fingerprints, as well as their own, using special police inks. A great afternoon of learning. For a glimpse of the action, please see the photos below...

Solving the crime - with a smile!

Whose fingerprint is this? Does it match?

Fingerprinting and investigating the evidence...look closely for the forensic suit in the background!

Recording the evidence...

Year 2 'Messy Materials'

Cherry Class started the term with a very 'Messy Morning' where the children investigated the properties of different materials.

It was a great way to engage the children and 'hook' them into their new learning project. I'm not sure if Mrs Shah got messy though - perhaps she was taking the photos?

Is it 'flubber'? Looks pretty slimy to me...

This feels weird!

What does it smell like?

"I'm smelling it, not eating it - don't worry!"

Term 2 Learning...

At Downsview Primary School, the learning never stops! Check out what Year 2, Year 3 & Year 6 have been doing lately by reading the next few BLOGs! Here are a few clues...

Messy materials in Year 2, tasty treats in Year 3 and forensic police work in Year 6! Go on...read on!

Year 1 Dinosaur Workshop...

What a great way to introduce a new learning project to Birch Class...our Year 1 children became palaeontologists for the morning and worked alongside Dr Helen from Palaeo-Quest to learn all about fossils and dinosaurs.

It was an excellent morning! The children were highly engaged in a hands-on and fully interactive session discovering some amazing facts about the pre-historic dinosaurs from millions of year ago.

Thank you to Miss Selby and her Year 1 team for organising this absorbing and enjoyable session - a brilliant start to their new topic for Term 2. I can't wait to look at and read some the children's work following this activity.

Take a look at some of the images taken during the workshop...

Using paintbrushes to gently remove the sand to discover fossils...

Wow! Look what we've discovered!

A magnifying glass helps us to see more detail...

Looking CLOSELY for detail and information....

Have you ever seen a bone this big?

A palaeontologist needs to have good observational skills...

Carefully does it...don't damage the fossils!

Highly interactive and engaging...

Teamwork required...gently does it.

Recording skills are required too...

Term 1 reflections....

As we come to the end of Term 1, I thought I would share just a few reflective thoughts. Here goes...

Term 1 (September/October 2016)
Lots of our children have made good progress this term. This has been supported and driven by dedicated and talented staff who are keen to see the children achieve as well as they can. We are currently introducing a new approach to Mathematics this year and, with time, this will be highly effective in raising standards. We are also prioritising reading comprehension and want the children to really be confident in answering questions about a text and able to use evidence from within to support their ideas.

Not only have staff supported our youngsters, but they have also been supported by their parents. In particular, children who have 'flown' this term have been those whose parents read regularly with them, help them to learn their times-tables, play games with them and take a serious interest in their education. We cannot do this alone and we need every parent to be actively involved in their child's learning.

Daily reading is vital to success along with talking about the book, discussing ideas and making inferences about plot and characters. The more they read, the wider the children's vocabulary will grow....we are really trying to promote and push a broader range of vocabulary for the children to use verbally, in writing and in order to help them improve their comprehension skills. Again, any home support is welcome!

Our new children who have joined Apple Class this September have settled brilliantly and there has been some amazing progress and development seen over the past few weeks. Well done to all of our youngest learners in EYFS!

We have had some issues with parking and road safety this term and I would urge everyone to demonstrate care and consideration for others, especially at home time collection. With 207 children now on roll, we are at our busiest to date so please do take care when leaving the school grounds.

Attendance has been OK but I'd like it to be BRILLIANT (along with punctuality)...daily school attendance is absolutely vital to success and achievement.

Here's to more good teaching and learning next term...have a great half term and see you all ready for Term 2 on 31st October 2016.

Saftey reminder - hometime collection...

I would like to remind all children, parents/carers and anyone who collects their child at home-time that we must all act safely when leaving the school grounds. This week, we had a 'near miss' when a pedestrian left the safety of the pavement and walked along the road. This is unsafe and must not happen please.

Drivers - please park with consideration - not only for the safety of our children but for the good of the local neighbourhood community. I received a phone call on Wednesday from a local resident complaining about parking -they weren't best pleased. The school is planning on getting 'give way' road markings at the end of the exit gate - cars must be driven slowly and with care.

If your child cycles to school, please ensure that they are cycling safely and showing respect for the road and pedestrians.

When crossing roads, please remind your child to 'stop, look and listen'...the green cross code is really important.

I would like home-time/collection to be smooth and safe. Thank you for helping us to achieve this.

Kind regards - Mr Edwards 

Term 1 Update

There has been some great learning already this term and I am delighted with the way that the children have settled back in to daily school life...

Over the past few weeks there has been lots going on -

Year 1 visited Joyden's Wood to begin their learning project called the 'Enchanted Forest'.

Year 2 have spent time with the firefighters of Swanley Fire Station as part of their project 'Street Detectives'.

Cruella Deville has already visited Year 3 (and threatened to their dogs!) as part of their introduction to 'Heroes and Villains'.

Year 4 have made Anglo-Saxon warships - even adding scary figure heads to frighten their enemies - as they have begun 'Traders and Raiders'.

Year 5 have discovered the delights uncovered by Howard Carter in Egypt all those years ago, studying The Ancient Egyptians this term.

The learning project for Year 6 children is 'ID'. The local police have been booked to come in and do finger-print analysis and forensics...all exciting stuff!

And last, but by no means least, our new Year R children have joined us....and made a fantastic start!

Thank you to everyone for the energy, enthusiasm and commitment to learning!

Welcome back! September 2016...

Where do I begin?

Perhaps I should open by saying 'welcome back' to Downsview Primary School - welcome to another academic year...September 2016 - July 2017!

That is the Downsview Primary School that "continues to be a good school" in the eyes of OfSTED!



Yes - that's right! Our inspection took place on Tuesday 12th July 2016 when Mr Robin Hammerton (HMI - Her Majesty's Inspector) visited us for the day.  After a lengthy wait (due to the summer break), we received the final outcome letter from OfSTED this week and are both delighted and very proud of its contents...we are a "continually improving school" that "does a great job for its pupils."

I felt extremely proud of the whole learning community when reading through the final letter as I truly feel that it captures and reflects the ethos and essence of our school.  We, and when I say 'we', I mean everyone (children, staff, parents and Governors) involved within our school have worked hard to maintain standards and drive learning and progress whilst also ensuring an engaging and varied curriculum. And I'm thrilled that this balance has been recognised. We do strive to make learning fun and give our youngsters memorable experiences but we also do have ambition, aspiration and drive. I am one very happy Headteacher!

To read the full report please visit our school website, www.downsview-primary.org.uk, go click on the quick link to OfSTED.

In the meantime, we have started the new academic year positively and the children have settled quickly. Whilst we are still buzzing from the feedback received by OfSTED, we haven't forgotten our core purpose and will be continuing to work hard to further improve this year. Watch this space...

Downsview Country Dancing Team

Apologies for the late blog on this, but I wanted to congratulate everyone in the Downsview Country Dancing Team who participated in the recent festival at St Paul's. Our dancers shone throughout (yes - I know I'm biased!) and displayed great skill, timing and teamwork. Thank you to all of the pupils involved - a fabulous effort! Thank you also to Mrs Morgan, Miss Page and Miss Selby who accompanied the team...along with willing parents who supported them.

Below are some team photos! These were taken before the performance...they danced eight different dances and then finished with a dance with their Mums and Dads! Phew!

Downsview explores Hampton Court Flower Show 2016

What a fantastic day! I was lucky enough to accompany twelve Year 1 pupils and two Year 6 pupils to Hampton Court today...for the extraordinarily good Flower Show 2016! To be honest, I don't have the greenest of fingers, but I was blown away by the size and scale of the event...and the amazing plants and garden designs on display.

The grand Hampton Court Palace in the background...a wonderful venue for a wonderful event!

Whilst there, we visited Mr Saturn, our school entry in the 2016 Scarecrow Competition and spent time enjoying the other sixty three entries.

Then, with lunch in our bellies, we explored other aspects of the show including the Flower Marquee. Have a look at some of the beautiful creations...

We are hoping to create a new gallery showing more of this amazing event very soon. To find it, please go to www.downsview-primary.org.uk and look for the galleries section.

Cute beyond belief!

Just take a look at this photo.....talk about cute factor!

Just days old....fluffy and cute!

Year R children have been watching their eggs closely this week... and seeing amazing new life come into the world! From eggs to chicks - we now have nine in school - all fluffy, delicate and very cute! 

Not only have the children loved watching them grow and develop, but staff have also enjoyed observing these little bundles of joy! (Lots of other children have also managed to find a reason to visit Miss Page too....you can see why!)

Festival of Country Dancing

To further celebrate the 90th birthday of HRH Queen Elizabeth II, we held a special Festival of Country Dancing on Thursday 16th June 2016. Every class participated in the event, each performing their own special dance. We were very lucky with the weather and despite a few dark clouds, the rain held off and the school performed brilliantly!

In order of performance:

• Year 4: Flying Scotsman
• Year 2: She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain
• Year 3: Lucky Seven
• EYFS: Circassian Circle
• Year 5: The Oxo Reel
• Year 1: Princess Royal
• Year 6: Maypole

The perfect weave! Well done, Year 6!

Each class participated with their own dance.

The finale to the event was a whole school performance of Pat-a-Cake Polka...a great way to end the birthday festivities.

Thank you to all children for performing, to staff for supporting, modelling, demonstrating and organising and to all those parents who were able to attend.