School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham Newsletter Date: 27 th March 2013 Issue: 16 Dear Parents, We would like to share with you the results of our recent accreditation. Please find attached to the email the full accreditation report. Following the IPC accreditation PDO School was found to be Mastering in 8 out of 9 criteria. However to achieve the status as being an IPC Mastering school you need to be awarded Mastering in all 9 criteria. As a result PDO School was judged to be ‘Developing’. Below is the conclusion and award as stated in the full accreditation report: “The accreditation team agrees with the school’s own judgements about its performances at Mastering level in relation to eight out of the nine criteria. For the criterion on the implementation of the brain-friendly elements of the IPC, the accreditation team recognises elements of Mastering but judges that the school’s overall performance in this criteria as currently at Developing level.” In response to our accreditation Martin Skelton, who established the IPC wrote: “We know the combination of the hard work, rigour and enthusiasm and time that you have put into developing the implementation of the IPC to support learning in your school. It is obvious that an enormous amount of good and exciting things are happening.” Clearly as a school we are disappointed that we did not reach Mastering status but we are also incredibly proud of the progress that we have made and the challenges that we have overcome to be awarded Mastering in 8 out of 9 criteria. We are now in the process or putting together a clear action plan which will target those aspects of the brain-friendly criteria that we need to focus on. Following a telephone conference with both Martin Skelton and Graham Reeves from WCL, we discovered where the judgements lay with regards to brain friendly learning. The highlighted cells are the accreditation team’s judgements: PDO School PO Box 81, Muscat 100 Sultanate of Oman Website: www.pdoschool.com Tel: (+968) 24675864
Transcript
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Newsletter
Date: 27th March 2013 Issue: 16
Dear Parents,
We would like to share with you the results of our recent accreditation. Please find attached to the email the full accreditation report.
Following the IPC accreditation PDO School was found to be Mastering in 8 out of 9 criteria. However to achieve the status as being an IPC Mastering school you need to be awarded Mastering in all 9 criteria. As a result PDO School was judged to be ‘Developing’. Below is the conclusion and award as stated in the full accreditation report:
“The accreditation team agrees with the school’s own judgements about its performances at Mastering level in relation to eight out of the nine criteria. For the criterion on the implementation of the brain-friendly elements of the IPC, the accreditation team recognises elements of Mastering but judges that the school’s overall performance in this criteria as currently at Developing level.”
In response to our accreditation Martin Skelton, who established the IPC wrote:
“We know the combination of the hard work, rigour and enthusiasm and time that you have put into developing the implementation of the IPC to support learning in your school. It is obvious that an enormous amount of good and exciting things are happening.”
Clearly as a school we are disappointed that we did not reach Mastering status but we are also incredibly proud of the progress that we have made and the challenges that we have overcome to be awarded Mastering in 8 out of 9 criteria. We are now in the process or putting together a clear action plan which will target those aspects of the brain-friendly criteria that we need to focus on. Following a telephone conference with both Martin Skelton and Graham Reeves from WCL, we discovered where the judgements lay with regards to brain friendly learning. The highlighted cells are the accreditation team’s judgements:
PDO School PO Box 81, Muscat 100 Sultanate of Oman Website: www.pdoschool.com Tel: (+968) 24675864
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Implementation of the brain-friendly elements of the IPC Beginning Developing Mastering
Most teachers and classroom assistants in the school are aware of
some of the implications of brain research for learning and classroom
practice.
All stakeholders in the school are aware of the implications of brain
research for learning and classroom practice.
All teachers and classroom assistants in the school are able to talk at an
appropriate level about those aspects of brain research that are well-
founded and those that are less so. Teachers are aware that the design of the IPC incorporates elements that are
derived from brain research.
Teachers know which elements of the IPC are derived from brain research
and can identify them.
Teachers can identify clearly those aspects of the IPC that emerge out of brain research and can articulate how
and why. Teachers have an awareness of
learning styles and multiple intelligences and make some attempt
to use them in their classroom practice.
Teachers’ own knowledge and skills in, and awareness, of brain-friendly
learning are continually developing.
Teachers have deep insights into the nature of intelligence and multiple
intelligences and can apply these in the classroom.
Teachers know about the key brain-friendly elements of the IPC (entry
point, knowledge harvest, explaining the theme, research tasks and
recording tasks) and make some attempt to implement them
throughout each unit.
Children have experience of each of the five key brain-friendly elements of
the IPC (entry point, knowledge harvest, learning styles, multiple
intelligences and research/record) in most units.
The five key brain-friendly elements of the IPC (entry point, knowledge harvest, learning styles, multiple
intelligences and research/record) are consistently and deeply implemented.
Most teachers share with their children some information and ideas related to
brain-friendly learning.
Teachers share with their children information and ideas related to brain
friendly learning.
Children are able to think about and adapt their own and others’ learning
on the basis of their awareness of brain friendly elements.
From our discussions with both Martin and Graham it was clear that we need to gain a greater understanding and that although some teachers already have this we need to ensure that all teachers and classroom assistants are able to do this. In order to ensure that as a school we are able to attain Mastering in all five aspects we are in the process of organising additional brain friendly training for all members of staff.
We hope you all have a wonderful break and look forward to seeing you for the start of term three on 13 April 2013.
Kind regards,
The PDO School Team Swimming
Please note swimming will start again the week beginning 20th April. The Milepost 1 Swimming Gala was a great success and the children really enjoyed it. Many thanks to all those parents who supported this event.
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Learning in P4L
Poetry
In IP4L we have been learning to write shape poems in Literacy. We have analyzed different poems and looked at the layout, punctuation and descriptive words.
We have learnt how to write our
own shape poems.
We have learnt how to use alliteration.
We have learnt how to use adjectives.
Read our fantastic shape poems. Can you work out what shapes our poems should be, from the descriptions we have written?
It is a sun.
It is yellow.
It is a circle.
It looks like a ball.
It is bright.
It feels hot.
By Abir
I can float carefully.
I am colourful.
I am made of plastic.
My string looks like a tail.
I am very shiny.
Blow me up then I am as round as a ball.
POP!
Bouncing balloons burst on birthdays.
POP!
By Timo
Wrinkly wet skin.
Floppy flippers and sharp beak.
A shell as hard as stone.
Swiftly swims through
the crystal clear sea.
Paddles away in the crashing waves.
In search of jellyfish, wherever it goes.
By Daniela
Woof! Woof!
Dirty dogs dig down deep.
As hairy as a carpet.
It has a wet nose.
Woof! Woof!
They chase cats.
The little ones are cute.
Big ones are scary.
Woof! Woof!
By Marijn
Can you write your own shape poem?
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Learning in PN Sarah
We have learnt how to use
onomatopoeia.
Crunchy, crunchy juicy apples.
As round as the sun.
Smells like a fresh Spring day.
It is sweet and it is two different colours.
Falls off the tree in Autumn.
By Naya and Bhumika
It is a sphere made of pentagons.
As hard as stone and steel.
The football is flying fast with fun friends.
Bang! Kick! Smash! Crack! Pass.
The smell makes me think of the wet grass.
By Max and Radja
My kitten, as soft as a fluffy ball,
Just like silk.
Purring to herself,
Quietly.
Hilariously playing, quite a joy to look at.
It’s my kitten, friendly and fair.
By Anna
Woof! Woof!
There are different types of dogs.
Hairy, quite fluffy and soft.
Dirty dogs dig down deep.
Woof! Woof!
As hairy as a carpet.
Dogs have wet noses,
Which they use to smell cats,
Chasing them and barking.
Woof! Woof!
By Ivar and Veerle
We have learnt to use similes.
Cats have fluffy fur and tickly tails.
They are as soft as silk.
Cute cats chase chickens with sharp claws.
Meow! Meow! Hunting cats go,
With wiggly ears and furry fur.
Meow! Meow! Goes the street cat.
Cats have long whiskers.
Meow! Meow! Meow!
By Eliysa
Super smooth shell and big green body.
Moves with floppy flippers,
through the wavey water.
Sharp short beak crunching coral.
The round black eye searching for juicy jellyfish.
By Keno
Cats have fluffy fur and a tickly tail.
They are as soft as silk.
Cute curious cats chase chickens and have sharp claws.
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Learning in Pre-Nursery with Miss Sarah
Our current IPC unit is ‘Let’s Pretend’ with a focus on traditional tales.
For our Entry Point we made necklaces, crowns and mirrors for our dressing up
corner. We love dressing up!
We learnt to make bread just like ‘The Little Red Hen.’ We
learnt what different ingredients
are needed and here we are with
sticky fingers making the dough.
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
We learnt the story of ‘The Enormous Turnip’. We practiced our jigsaw and
sticking skills whilst putting together a big and a small turnip.
We acted out parts of the story.
“They pulled and they pulled but they couldn’t pull up the enormous turnip!”
‘The Three Billy Goats Gruff’ went ‘trip, trap, trip trap’ across the bridge and escaped from the big troll who was going to gobble them
up!
We learnt to make our own stick puppets and a bridge to help us to act out the story.
We cooperated during group work to paint our
big gingerbread men. We then gave them eyes, mouths and
buttons. The gingerbread man shouts “Run, run, as fast as you can. You can’t catch me
I’m the gingerbread man!”
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Learning focused questionnaire PDO School 2013
All parents were asked to complete a learning focused questionnaire via the web. Please find below a summary of your responses. Should you have any comments please feel free to share these with the Leadership Team.
1. Which year group is your child in at present?
The questionnaire was accessed 159 times and completed 115.
2. My child enjoys learning at school Strongly agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree Number of responses 51 56 8 0 0
Percentages 44.3% 48.7% 7% 0% 0%
3. My child regularly talks about what they have been learning about in class
Please could we remind all parents that when the school barrier is closed you are not allowed to park in front of it. It is vital that this is kept clear as it is an emergency access. Should you have young children in the car at collection time our advice would be to arrive early before the barrier is closed so that you have less distance to walk.
School Year 2012-2013 Issue 16 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham
Pyjama Day
A big thank you to everyone that participated in pyjama day today. It was a great success and we raised in excess of 130 OMR for the Association of Early Intervention for Children with Disabilities.
Intentions for the academic year 2013 – 2014
Many thanks to all those parents that responded with their intentions for the next academic year. The deadline for this was today 27 March 2013.
Dates for your diary
Please find below important dates that are coming up soon. A reminder that all term dates are available on the school website www.pdoschool.com .
Date Event 27th March End of Term 2 and Pyjama Day 13th April Start of Term 3 27th April After School Activities begin
