News and Events at Dundonald Primary

• This week in P4LB

  Fri 02 Oct 2020
  We have been learning about personal identity and how it is OK to be different and how we all play a part in having a happy class and school, showing mutual respect. We have also been learning about the continents and oceans.

  

• HAVE A LOOK AT OUR 2020 CLASS CHARTERS

  Fri 25 Sep 2020

  In DPS and Nursery, we believe that the difference a Rights Respecting School makes goes beyond the school gates, making a positive impact on the whole community.

   

  To see our new Class Charters click on Pupils- Rights Respecting Council

  

• WELCOME BACK

  Thu 27 Aug 2020 KS
  

• Home Education

  Fri 27 Mar 2020

  Dear Parents,

  First of all, we would like to thank you for all that you are doing at home to ensure that your child/children continue to be educated. We greatly appreciate this during these very difficult times and trust that the first week of home education has gone well. As you are aware we are doing all that we can to help. To support you further, we have uploaded a variety of links and documents that you may find useful. These links can be found in the Parents - Home Education  section on the school website. 

   

  We hope you will find the information that has been provided beneficial, 

  DPS

  

• Key Support Parents' Provision

  Fri 20 Mar 2020

  DUNDONALD PRIMARY SCHOOL

  Together we … Aspire, Believe, Achieve

   

  20 March 2020

   

  Dear Parents

  Last night the Minister announced that all schools would be open on from Monday 23 March (from P1 to P7) to support identified Key Workers.

  Our aim at Dundonald Primary remains to keep the number of children in school to an absolute minimum. We have been asked to facilitate pupils in school whose parents are critical to the Covid-19 team who would have otherwise no option but to stay at home. Therefore, this would apply to sole parents and families where both parents are key workers. Children who do not fall into these groups should remain at home. The following headings have been provided, more detail is to be published by the Minister.

  • Health and Social Care: doctors, nurses, midwives, paramedics, social workers and home carers.

  • Education and Childcare: education professionals who remain active during Covid-19 response.

  • Public Safety and National Security: police, fire and rescue, prison.

  • Those keeping air, water, road and rail transport modes operating.

  • Utilities: staff needed for oil, gas, electricity and water and key staff in telecommunications, post and waste disposal.

  • Food production and processing and those essential to the provision of key goods (e.g. hygiene, medical).

  • Key national and local government.

  It is vitally important that we are aware of how many children of key workers will be attending school on Monday morning. With this in mind, if you are in the above category as a sole parent or both parents, and intend sending your child/ren to school on Monday, please telephone or email the office on 02890482680 or info@ddps.belfast.ni.sch.ukby 3pm today. Please give your child’s name, year group and what key worker group you fall into.

  Please note:

  • only children with both parents working as key workers and both parents out at work at the same time should consider sending their child to school

  • in single parent families, the main carer must be a key worker

  • if you work part-time we would state that pupils are only to be in on working days.

  • If possible, alternative childcare arrangements should be sought before deciding to send you child to school. Please try to use the school as a last resort. This will limit the number of children & adults together in a small space in line with social distancing.

  We are a large school and already working with a depleted staff. Parents must only use this provision if absolutely necessary. We will have a skeleton staff of teachers and support staff working in school from Monday.

  Please consider the following:

  • Staff will be performing childcare/supervision duties only, rather than teaching.  Staff will supervise the pupils on completion of activities in their home learning packs.

  • School will not be able to operate a “normal” school day

  • When in school the pupils may be in composite year group classes

  • To promote social distancing (children sitting 2 metres apart) the numbers of pupils in each classroom will be limited

  • As we are working with a reduced staff, in all likelihood your child will not be supervised by their own teacher or year teacher

  • Lunch at this point will be via packed lunch only.

  • School will be open from 9am to 2pm or 9am to 3pm (age dependent)

  • There will be no after school activities or Sunshine Club.

  • Children attending will be required to wear school uniform

  Please note my understanding of “vulnerable pupils” are those accessing some services such as counselling. More information is to be provided later.

  Following medical advice, children in our school with underlying health conditions, or children who share a home with someone who is vulnerable, should not be sent to school.

  I want to make it very clear and assure parents that the educational opportunities for all our Dundonald pupils is equal at this time. Teachers will therefore not be teaching but supervising. Although the Minister wishes to keep the numbers of pupils in schools at a minimum, we fully understand the need to support you in your vital role and if you send your child to DPS we will continue to care for them.

  Yours sincerely

  Julian Byers

• No School DInners

  Fri 13 Mar 2020
  Please remember to send your child/children to school with a packed lunch on Tuesday 17th March 2020. There will be no school dinners available for any children. 

• World Book Day

  Fri 13 Mar 2020

  Who am I?

  What book am I from?

   At DPS we had great fun working out who each character was and what book they were from. Lots of time was also spent reading books. 

   

  

• Off to the forest we go!

  Fri 07 Feb 2020
  Learning is not only valued within the classroom but outdoor learning is also of utmost importance. We are privileged to have a forest and are registered as an official forest school. This is a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn through nature. We hope you enjoy the photos below of the fun and learning which happens every week at DPS forest.

  

• The Titanic

  Fri 31 Jan 2020
  Primary 7 have been interested to learn all about the Titanic. Going to the Titanic museum was an amazing opportunity to learn more about the shipyard, sailing and sinking of the luxury British passenger liner which was operated by the White Star Line. After many talented individuals worked tirelessly building this beautiful steamship and watched it sail across the mighty ocean, it sadly sank on 15th April 1912. A great tragedy in recent history.

  

• Food & Fitness

  Fri 24 Jan 2020
  P6 have been learning all about their bodies and they would like to thank the Dairy Council who came to talk to them about the importance of keeping fit and eating healthy food. Their aim now is to ensure that they have a healthy and balanced diet, as well as getting at least 60 minutes of exercise every day. Come on P6 you can do it!