News

Spring Term

2009 - 2010

Friday 12th February is a Training Day. We'll see you on Monday 22nd February.

The Rainbow Theatre Group came to perform some famous fairy tales for children in Classes JA, ST, LB and MM. We saw Little Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Billy Goats Gruff and The Three Little Pigs. They were really good.

The Rainbow Theatre

Haiti

Some pupils in Year 6 have asked if we can hold a Non-Uniform Day to raise money for the people of Haiti. We all agreed this was an excellent idea. On Wednesday 27th January we held a Beach Day and raised more than £700. Thank you for your generosity.

Spring Term

Child/ Parent/Teacher Consultations

Child/Parent/Teacher Consultations will take place on Wednesday 3rd February and Thursday 4th February. Please click on the link below.

Parent Consultation Letter

Thank you

We would like to say a huge thank you to the staff, parents and governors who gave up their time last Sunday to clear snow from the school grounds. This ensured the safety of the children whilst still enabling them to play in the snow this week.

Snow Clearing

Welcome to

Mrs Craig and Mrs Wilson

A new year and TWO new Headteachers for Downham C of E Primary School. Mrs Craig and Mrs Wilson worked with all the classes today to plant a bulb. Each pupil has planted and taken home a bulb. Mrs Craig and Mrs Wilson have challenged us to grow the bulb. These should be brought back to school once they have flowered.

Autumn Term

2009 - 2010

We wish you all a Merry Christmas

and a Happy New year.

Farewell Mr Southgate

Mr Southgate joined us on Tuesday 5th January for his Leaving Assembly. Each class presented a card and Mr Southgate opened his presents from children and families of Downham C of E Primary School. Mr Southgate was overwhelmed by the number of gifts and thanks families for their generosity. As promised, here are some photographs:

Leaving Assembly

In the event of any future temporary School Closure:

The Local Authority has just updated its guidance for schools.

We have been reminded of the importance that local radio plays in alerting parents of any closures caused by weather conditions.

I have listed the details below:

Essex Radio broadcasting on 103.5 and 95.3 FM

729, 765 and 1530 AM and DAB

Heart Essex FM broadcasting on 102.6 and 96.3 FM

Father Christmas Visits

Thank you to Mrs Perry and her team for cooking our delicious Christmas dinner. Father Christmas took time out of his busy schedule to visit us after our meal - just as the first snowflakes began to fall. We also enjoyed the chocolate bars he gave us.

Christmas Dinner

Generous giving at Christmas

An enormous 'thank you' to all those lovely people

who contributed towards the collections

following our Christmas performances.

We managed to raised £1,629 for

Little Havens Children's Hospice.

We presented our cheque to a representative

from the charity today, 16.12.09

Christmas Bazaar

What a lovely event!

Thanks to all the hard work carried out by PTA members

we managed to raise a fantastic £1,226.

Have a look at some photos on our PTA page.

Primary Maths Challenge

Congratulations to the children in Years 5 and 6 who took part in the Primary Maths Challenge. The competition is a national event organised by the Mathematics Association. This is the third year that Downham pupils have participated. The Primary Maths Challenge is designed to extend and excite able mathematicians across the country.

Downham School Children Sing

Well done to the children in Years 3,4 and 5 for their beautiful carol singing at Barleylands charity evening on Friday 20th November. Thank you and also well done to the children in Year 5 vwho joined a choir of children from other schools in the area to sing at Chelmsford Cathedral on Saturday 21st November.

Downham School Newspaper

has arrived

Stop the press ... The first publication was sent out to all families on Friday 20th November. Well done to everyone involved in producing this. Work has begun on the next edition.

Positive Attitude Week

This year our theme has been: Keeping Healthy, Keeping Safe and Being Happy. Children have explored this theme within their classes as well as considering their talents and developing their thinking skills. Badges were designed in each class and sold to raise money (along with a non-uniform day) for Children in Need.

Alex and Thomas Spooner made some Pudsey cakes.

Peter Roberts raised money by not playing any computer games for a whole week.

Alex Spooner Class CW Thomas Spooner Class ES Peter Roberts Class JN

Each class designed their own badge and sold them for 50pence each to raise money for Children In Need.

Decathlon

The Year 2 and Year 3 Decathlon took place at Brightside Primary School this week. Well done to all those who took part.

Autumn Term School Trips

Foundation and Key Stage 1 pupils had a very enjoyable trip to Hanningfield Reservoir this week. Key Stage 2 found out about the life in Tudor Times during their Tudor Day at Cressing Temple.

Downham School Newspaper is in preparation...

The editorial group met last night (Thursday 8th October) to begin to format the first edition of our school newspaper. This is a new venture and is led by children from Years 5 and 6. Karazita Monday (Class RP) has been instrumental 'behind the scenes' in getting the idea communicated across the community and her hard work has paid off.

We hope to publish our first paper after half-term.

Watch out for further updates!

New Headteachers Appointed

Monday 5^th October 2009

Dear Parents,

Following our selection day interviews last week I am pleased to let you know that we have appointed Mr Southgate’s successor.

Mrs Susan Wilson and Mrs Helen Craig will fill the role of Headteacher in a job share capacity from 1 January 2010. Mrs Wilson and Mrs Craig currently work together as Headteacher of a C of E Primary School near Colchester and have a long and successful track record of co-leadership together.

We appreciate that this is quite a novel and unusual arrangement, particularly in the primary school stage of our education system. However, we are confident that the vision they share for the future of our school will build upon our current strengths and take the school forward to even greater successes. Our Governing Body are committed to supporting our new Headteachers and our joint goal is for Downham to be recognised as an outstanding school at our next inspection.

Mrs Wilson and Mrs Craig will be spending time in school later in the term to familiarise themselves with our day to day procedures and to speak with Mr Southgate and the Senior Leadership Team. I know that they will wish to meet you all early in the New Year.

Yours sincerely,

Janice Josiah

Chair of Governors

'Eco-Schools Award'

We are in the process of applying for the 'Eco-Schools' Bronze award. As a school we have made great developments to our school outdoor areas, had environmental days, worked closely with Chelmsford Borough Council and educated children on protecting the environment. Thank you to the PTA for all their help and support. We look forward to informing you of the good news about achieving this special award.

We are collecting vouchers from Morrisons to get gardening equipment and seeds. These will help us to develop our school outdoor areas further. Please continue to bring these valuable vouchers.

Harvest Thanksgiving 2009

Our two Thanksgiving assemblies were rich with thought and creativity. Our theme 'An attitude of gratitude' allowed us to consider the need to be ever thankful for all that we have and to be aware of the need to give generously.
We were joined by Audrey Pegrum, representing Blythswood Care, Jane from Schools' Ministry Billericay and our Rector Stephen Robertson.
Audrey gave us a very clear understanding of the importance of our Shoebox gifts. She told us stories of children and adults whose lives have been enhanced by receiving a Shoebox.
Jane reminded us of the Parable of the 10 Lepers and the importance of saying 'thank you'.
Stephen led us in prayer.
Our singing was very lively and we introduced our parents and friends to many new songs this year.
Our Year 6 children will begin delivering Grocery Boxes in our local community this week. (28.9.09)

Harvest Thanksgiving

Playleaders

Year 6 have completed their training and have now begun Playleading. Our Playleaders work with classes on a rota of activities that help promote active play and provide further opportunities for exercise.

Playleaders

Talk Like a Pirate Day

Friday 18th September was a Pirate Theme Day.

A big thank you to those parents who read to classes and a well done to everyone for amazing pirate costumes. All classes were involved in the day. Work was based upon a pirate theme. Some of the activities were making treasure maps from tea bags, painting pictures, making telescopes, writing words for a pirate song to given music and writing stories and poems. Please see individual class pages for more photographs and details of the day.

Pirate Day

School Development Plan

Priorities for

2009-2010

Involvement of Creative Partnerships in supporting the performance of girls in Maths using opportunities beyond the classroom.

Using the resources ‘Talk for Writing’ to support the development of children’s writing across the school.

Revise the structure and content of the RE Curriculum, in line with the new Local Authority Syllabus.

Embed expectations of ‘Let’s get Cooking’ Project

Achieve re-validation of our Advanced Healthy Schools status

Consolidate our school’s relationship with Billericay Community Trust.

Ensure established processes to support regular attendance and punctuality are maintained and reinforced.

We will also be working with Singing Leaders from Chelmsford Cathedral and extending our work with African Drumming.

Welcome Back

Children return to school on

Thursday 3rd September.

Please wait with your child on the playground until 8:45am From 8:45am children may go to their classrooms where staff will be waiting to greet them. The bell rings at 8:55am for registration to begin.

Downham C. of E. (Controlled) Primary School

Caring, Consideration and Courtesy