What a wonderful end to the term it has been! Christmas in a Prep School is truly a joyous place to be, and I have barely been able to wipe the grin off my face over the last few weeks such has been the sense of enthusiasm and positivity on show.
We finish with a Carol Service in Wimborne Minster tomorrow which is a highlight of the school calendar, and a wonderful community occasion. I do hope you enjoy it, and please feel free to belt out those Christmas carols with as much gusto as you can muster - I can promise you, the children and the staff will be!
Cups and Awards Ceremonies
Each term at Dumpton ends with a Cups and Awards ceremony. We use these to celebrate children's achievements and their progress in the things that matter to us most. The Pre-Prep Ceremony happened today, whilst the Prep School will have theirs tomorrow morning.
In the Pre-Prep, we award a Class Cup, a Progress Cup, an Aim High Cup and a Be Kind Cup each term in each class. In the Prep School, as well as recognition for academic, sporting and performing arts endeavours; pupils who 'live our values' of being kind and aiming high are also celebrated. Perhaps the most sought after cups are 'The Dumpton Way' Cups: well done to the pupils who were recognised for their enthusiasm, empathy, creativity, resilience, courage, global citizenship and collaboration.
Dumpton probably awarded cups to pupils in its first year in 1903, and we are still doing so in its 120th year. Traditions like this transcend time – they are a hugely important and symbolic gesture to children that good things happen when you try to be the best version of yourself...
Staff Thank you
I just wanted to publicly thank the staff for their efforts this term. I know from the lovely cards and presents they have received from you all how grateful you are for all the work they do with your children, and the culture of nurture and high expectations that they work so hard to create in their classrooms. I am personally very grateful to them too for their ongoing professionalism and commitment to the school. I am sure we wish them all a very well deserved break over Christmas.
Y3 Christmas Play
After Nursery and Pre-Prep last week, Year 3 finished off our Christmas shows with a brilliant performance of Babooshka on Monday. It was so lovely to see the confidence on stage of all the children, their increasingly impressive singing and dancing. Thanks as ever to Director, Mrs Warde, the Y3 team and the performing arts staff for their efforts.
Pre-Prep Christmas Fun
The Pre-Prep had a wonderful time this week, with Y2 seeing a pantomime on Tuesday, Y1 having a special Christmas outing on Wednesday, and Reception having a visit from Jamie Jigsaw tomorrow. As well as that, all the pupils in Nursery and Pre-Prep will have the chance to visit a very special and jolly, red-dressed gentleman in the front hall tomorrow! They have behaved themselves beautifully all term and certainly deserved all the fun that they had this week.
Music and LAMDA Tuition - From Miss Oakes
We have had a fantastic term of music making and performances and this wouldn't be possible without a fantastic and dedicated team of professionals working hard to encourage and inspire our young performers. If you would like to enquire about instrumental/vocal lessons for pupils in Year 2-8, in advance of the new term, please would you complete the form here. We also currently have spaces for pupils in Year 5 to start LAMDA on Tuesdays at 4.15 each week. The form for LAMDA is here.
Instrumental, vocal and LAMDA lessons roll over automatically to the new term unless a half term's notice has been given. If you have any questions or queries, please contact Sarah Oakes s.oakes@dumpton.com.
Christmas Lunch
Steph and her team look after us so well every single day here at Dumpton - but the Christmas Lunch today was a particularly special occasion. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere was wonderful as pupils and staff enjoyed one another's company and shared the odd Christmas cracker joke. We were even treated to a ‘Christmas Conga’ from Miss Sophie and the Nursery! Thank you to everyone involved!
Autumn Term Summary Reports
Each child in the Pre-Prep and Prep School will receive a Summary Report, and these are published tomorrow on the Parent Portal. Having read them this week, they are a lovely summary of pupils efforts and achievements and provide useful information on their academic progress. Do ensure you have reminded yourself how to access the parent portal or downloaded the iParent App. If you have any questions, please ring the school office who will be able to help.
Dumpton Friends – A big Thank You
After a splendid parent Christmas party on Friday, I would like to thank the Dumpton Friends for providing so many wonderful events and occasions that brought the school community together this term. Rachel Wolfenden and the committee give up so much of their time and energy to make this happen and we are grateful for all that they do.
The Spring Term: An Exciting Term Ahead
We publish our Spring Term Calendar shortly. My thanks go to Mrs Shaw and Lerryn for their hard work here getting things ready – we hope it gives you the chance to plan ahead for the new year - term begins on Thursday 4 January.
As you will see, it already looks like it will be a term full of excitement for the pupils. As well as the Spring Spectacular which will involve ALL the pupils in the school performing, we are really looking forward to Mary Poppins production which will happen over four performances this time – to meet the high demand for tickets! As well as a myriad of the usual sporting fixtures and tournaments (including, for the first time ever, a dodgeball tournament!), we have a number of trips and special days for the children, including World Book Day, House Music Day, the brilliant House Singing Competition, and what is becoming a very prominent and important day in the school calendar, the ‘Global Citizenship’ Day.
We are also excited to be working even more closely together with you as the parent body. Parents can look forward to a Dumpton Talks Week where we will host an array of informative speakers here at Dumpton aimed at better understanding your children’s development and parenting. There will be parents evenings for every year group. And we will also be sending out our annual survey for parents early on in January, and for the first time, initiating some parent feedback groups for each school section to discuss how we can ensure Dumpton continues to strive to ‘Aim High’ and be the very best school we can be.
I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow at the Carol Service. As per tradition I will be at the Minster Door to wish you a Merry Christmas as you depart.
With best wishes
Christian Saenger
Headmaster