Dear Parents
What a term it has been! I can scarcely remember a more enjoyable, or more successful term - and this last week of term has seen us finish on a real high. I thought I would jump straight into a run down of the highlights of a wonderful week which showed the Dumpton pupils off at their very best.
Blues Brothers
Firstly, on Monday and Tuesday we were wowed by the Y6 and Y7 casts who performed Blues Brothers. I have rarely seen an audience have quite as much fun, with so much tapping feet, clapping and spontaneous whooping and cheering as our superb live band played us through the story. It was a little like a music gig at times! What really amazed though was the performances of the children. So many had their moment in the sun, singing solos, acting and dancing with such confidence that we had to remind ourselves they are only 11 or 12 years old. An absolutely brilliant show – and every single child in Y6 and Y7 performed and played their part admirably.
House Cross Country
Then on Wednesday we had the House Cross Country. This is an entirely different kind of event of course – but the same Dumpton ethos still applies. Every single child gets involved, and we just want each and every one of them to give it their all and do their best. There was so much courage and resilience on show – but again what shone through was the camaraderie, the spirit and the support for one another. Well done to Sussex for coming out on top – but really all 200 children who ran and finished the course should feel very proud indeed. Character building stuff!
U11 Girls Regional Hockey Finals
Also on Wednesday, our brilliant U11 girls headed to Clifton College for the regional hockey finals after they had become Dorset County Champions last term. There were some really tough fixtures against some of the top hockey schools in the country, but the girls all showed admirable grit and resilience. We’re so proud of this group who have achieved so much together, and we hope they will look back on their achievements with real pride too.
Mother's Day and Easter Egg Hunts
A big thank you to the Dumpton Friends for all their support this week, from some lovely Mother’s Day Crafts (thank you to Mrs Brass too!) to the fantastic Easter Egg Hunts this afternoon. The children absolutely loved it! We really appreciate all the work the Dumpton Friends do to support the school community, and it has made for a very special last day of term.
Y8 A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Our brilliant Y8 took part in their final Dumpton performing arts show today – their own interpretation of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. We have loved seeing the independence and leadership they have shown, directing and choosing their scenes and crafting a performance that really represented them as a year group. They are such a fabulous bunch, and such wonderful role models to our younger pupils. This show perfectly captured what a joyous, talented and fun group of children they are.
Holiday Clubs and Nursery Provision
Even though school ends today, Dumpton will be alive and kicking over the holidays. We have lots of children from Reception to Y8 signed up for the holiday club at Dumpton next week. We also have nearly 30 families using our Nursery provision over the holidays we only introduced year round nursery provision in September, but it's wonderful to see it going from strength to strength. Supporting busy parents with childcare remains part of our future plans – we know how invaluable this support can be so we want to do all we can to help.
Reports
Thank you to Mr Morgan who is publishing reports on the Parent Portal as we speak. Prep School parents will get an update on pupils’ attainment across their subjects, whilst Pre-Prep parents will receive a short summary from their child’s class teacher.
Townsend-Warner History Prize and VE Day 80th Anniversary - from Mr Tridgell
Firstly, a huge congratulations to Ivory J and Flynn B for their outstanding achievement in this year's Townsend-Warner History competition. To reach the final stage alone is wonderful so I am immensely proud of their achievements. Ivory impressed so much that the organisers sent a card of commendation for her - the first at Dumpton for a long time! I look forward to seeing who would like to put themselves forward next year for this prestigious competition.
Secondly, VE Day marks its 80th Anniversary on May 8th. Wimborne Town Council have invited the pupils to enter a poetry competition reflecting on the themes of peace, courage, and remembrance. It would be wonderful for as many pupils as possible to enter (please see attached flyer for details of how to enter) and if possible, please may you share a copy of the poem with me. I have also asked the pupils to ask at home about any family stories about VE Day. This would be a fantastic way of engaging with oral history, and to learn about the past through family experiences. If any pupils would like to do this then please could they share their stories with me - I would love for these to be part of a special assembly to mark the 80th Anniversary of VE Day. I look forward to receiving some wonderful ideas after Easter.
Science Week roundup by Mrs Catton
We have enjoyed a fantastic celebration of science, full of excitement, exploration, and creativity - which has ended with the poster competition judging this afternoon! Across lessons, students engaged in excellent hands-on practical activities, bringing scientific concepts to life in an engaging and interactive way. It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm and curiosity in action! A particular highlight this week was the superb talk by Henry Clarke on Energy and Future Solutions, which captivated our Year 7 pupils and sparked some brilliant discussions about sustainable innovations.
We were amazed by the many outstanding science poster entries submitted, and I would like to congratulate the many students who went above and beyond to produce such creative and diverse Science posters. Well done to everyone who took part! There will be some postcards and commendations for the highly commended entries next term, and the 5 entries voted best across the Pre-Prep and Prep School will receive Headmasters Commendations and be entered into the British Science Association national competition. A special well done to the closely contested top 5 posters, who were: Elizabeth M (reception); Zara H (year 6); Sebby S (year 6); Ivory J (year 8) and collaboration between Stella A and Izzy N (year 8).
Sponsored Swim in the Prep School – from Mrs Cox
As part of their studies on Building a Sustainable Future and in alignment with our character education and student-voice initiatives, our Year 8 students have been developing whole-school activities in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). One of their initiatives is a Sponsored Swim for the Prep School, which will take place during lunchtimes and swimming lessons in the week of 28th April. This event aims to raise awareness and support for SDG 14: Life Below Water and the Earthshot Goal: Revive Our Oceans. Pupils who wish to take part should complete this form and aim to gather as much sponsorship as possible from friends and family (e.g. £1 per length). Funds can then be transferred via BACS to the usual school account, using your child’s name and "Y8 Swim" as the reference. All funds raised will go towards supporting Project Planet Earth, a local charity dedicated to ocean conservation, led by Oly Rush, an endurance swimmer and extreme beach cleaner, who will be joining us for Assembly to inspire the swimmers!
Parent Sport - Dumpton Ducks Cricket Team
It has been lovely to see so many parents involved in community sport, and the weekly netball in the sports hall and Friday football on the astro are always very well attended. In the last couple of years, a parents and staff cricket team has formed – the Dumpton Ducks! It’s a very jolly and informal group, but this year seven fixtures have been secured, playing against other local schools and cricket clubs for some friendly evening Twenty20 fixtures. We’re looking for more squad members, so any keen cricketers, no matter how out of practice you are, are encouraged to get in touch with John Micklewright in the first instance. Do look out for more information on Classlist soon. The first fixtures is on the 20th May against the Sandroyd Sandpipers.
I hope that you all have a lovely Easter break.
With best wishes,
Christian Saenger
Headmaster