DESS Newsletter - 38

Visitors to DESS always comment on the amazing buzz that there is in the school; the DESS factor.  There is a real energy to the place that is motivating and inspiring.  We are all missing this experience hugely at the moment and desperately awaiting information about how and when we can all be back together again at school.  In the meantime, our teachers are doing the very best they can to continue to enthuse and engage our children in their learning.  You only need to dip into their lessons or watch some of their videos to see how much our staff invest in our children’s learning.

Currently whilst we are all working from home, one day can feel much like the next and this is when we really need to draw on this week’s character strengths of ‘Zest’ and ‘Humour’ to help see us over the finish line.  Are you one of those people who believes in living life to the fullest and making the most out of every day?  If so, then you are a zestful person. Zest makes an individual loaded with positive vitality that emanates from him to others around. Zest is contagious and surrounding yourself with individuals who radiate this positive energy will undoubtedly raise your spirits. Two such radiators are Sarah Curran who this week produced this lovely video for our children on ‘Zest’

and Rebecca Eldred who hosted this week’s assembly on ‘Humour’

So here is the brain science.  Zest is an emotional capacity involving a strong will-power. Feeling lively and high-spirited everyday conditions our brain to form neural networks that make us feel joyful, which is why zestful people don’t have to put in much effort to extract positivity – they reflect it spontaneously.  And as a result, zestful people are said to be; great performers; high achievers; excellent team workers; good life partners; empathetic and compassionate; encouraging to others and themselves; good listeners and communicators.  I am sure you would agree these are all skills that we want for our children to enable them to have the best chances in life.  Please see some of our DESS children in our weekly Vlog on zest and humour.

Behind the scenes we are busy planning more ways to keep the zest going right up to the end of term.  These include; the introduction of some ECAs, another enrichment day on 18th June, entitled ‘Back to the Future’; online award ceremonies; Arabic and Literacy Awards on 11th June, Years 3 and 4 Sports Awards on 17th June, Years 5 and 6 Sports Awards on 18th June, Performing Arts Awards on 25th June, School Awards on 30th June, and, of course, our Year 6 production which will be released on Sunday 21st June. Today, I particularly enjoyed watching our Year 6 children engage in workshops for their production of Matilda hosted by Sam Lathwood and Marianne Benedict from the West End production.  Of course, this is not a substitute for the real life experience but it is an opportunity that they would not have had if we were not teaching online.  We also have plans for some online transition meetings for your children and their new teachers and, to enable time for these meetings, we will inform you of your child’s new class teacher on 18^th June, a week earlier than originally planned. Mr Tolan will be sending out plans for our Year 6 leavers in his weekly newsletter on Saturday. 

On Tuesday, we experienced our first Distance Learning Evaluation from DSIB.  We welcomed two evaluators into our live lessons and meetings with school leaders to discuss the journey that we have been on.  A huge thank you to all of you who contributed to the surveys.  It was a very positive experience and we look forward to publishing the report as soon as it is shared with us. 

‘Zest’ and ‘Humour’ are inextricably linked and, in her piece in this newsletter, Olivia Tom, our Student Advisor, explains how we can learn much from our young people about how to harness these characteristics.  I hope that knowing the importance of zest will also help when your zestful, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed child bounces on your bed to wake you up too early this weekend and that you too can keep your sense of humour.

Happy Weekend DESS!

Mrs Catherine Dando
Headteacher

Message from our Student Advisor

Those tiny slices of hope we have been looking for may become more meaningful as we start to find a little more freedom. However, as we immerse ourselves safely back into society, in our teams and communities, some may struggle with continued worries. Some may find freedom, playfulness, and joy. Perhaps there may be a way of finding both… 

Laughter. It’s one of the strongest medicines out there… Dr. Segal et. al. (2019),  suggests that laughter strengthens our immune system, boosts one’s mood, helps us to control pain, and protects you from the troubling effects of stress. Nothing works more quickly or more reliably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humour takes away your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others around you, and keeps you grounded, focused, and alert. It also helps you release anger and forgive sooner.  

Dr. Segal et. al. (2019), offers an article on the physiological, psychological, and sociological benefits of laughter. Once again, our children are the experts at laughing – leading by example of living in the present and finding playful moments. We can continue to learn a lot from our little people if we continue to lean into what they are trying to tell us…   

Laughter is the Best Medicine - PDF | 132KB

Olivia Tom
Student Advisor

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Meet the Teacher

Miss Macpherson

What is your full name?
Julia Elizabeth Macpherson

What do you teach?
Year 2 Yellow

What is your top tip to dealing with the stay at home policy?
My top tip is to prioritise making time for yourself and for the things you enjoy doing. It can be easy to get stressed and down, so I make regular breaks for cooking, reading and yoga. I also like to be out in the garden/on the balcony as often as I can – I think being in the fresh air makes a huge difference.

How are you staying active?
I’m fortunate to have a dog that I take for two walks a day and I join in my friend’s live zoom yoga sessions, which make me feel great. I’m also enjoying cooking healthy meals that I don’t usually have time to plan and make.

What is your favourite food?
On a good day, it’s strawberries and every other day it’s chocolate!

How do you relax in the evenings?
I love zooming friends and family back home; it helps me switch off from the day. We have also been busy wedding planning which gives us something positive and exciting to look forward to!

Miss Wright

What is your full name?
Aimee Wright

What do you teach?
Year 5

What is your top tip to dealing with the stay at home policy?
My top tip is to make sure you get up and have a shower, so you are fresh and awake for the day!

How are you staying active?
I have continued cycling on my bike, both outside and on my indoor trainer. I have also got back into horse riding, so have been heading to the stables to ride most evenings.

What is your favourite food?
My favourite food is Mexican food – mainly burritos – yum yum!

How do you relax in the evenings?
Once I have come back from either training or riding, I have dinner and then curl up on the sofa with my two kittens and watch Netflix!

 

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Welcome to the DESS Family

We would like to welcome Mrs Fazal’s baby girl Noor to the DESS family, she was born on Monday 1st June, weighing a healthy 3.125kg.  Mother and baby are doing well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Competition Winner!

Back in February, many of our DESS students entered the COBIS & Discovery Education Coding International competition. We are thrilled to announce that Tanish in FS2 Orange, has been awarded 3rd place in the 5-6 year category, winning himself a $100 Amazon voucher!  

He designed an app called, ‘Life in the Garden”, which shows a habitat, featuring the creatures who live there and the things that they eat!  The judges’ feedback was as follows: 

• Demonstrates a wide range of coding skills, techniques and understanding 
• Creative use of events and inputs combined in a complementary way 
• Clear, clean and organised code 

Well done Tanish, the DESS community are so proud of your achievements!  

Some of the main benefits of learning to code for children include:

• Computational thinking 
• Problem-solving skills/ algorithmic thinking 
• Preparing children to be future-ready 
• Learning how to anticipate and deal with problems/perseverance 

If you would like to use Discovery Education Coding to develop your child’s coding skills this half term, please get in touch with Mrs. Harrow via Mrs Jaqui Thurley ([email protected]) so that your child can be set up with a login.  

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Sporting ECAs

It was fantastic to see over 200 DESS children join the first week of KS2 Sporting ECAs which took place “Live” on Webex. 

 

We hope that the children enjoyed the first session and look forward to many more students joining us over the next 3 weeks of the Sporting ECA program. 

 

These ECAs take place at 2.30pm each school day and more details can be found by clicking here