Information Update – Design Proposals for New Buildings

Thank you to all the parents who have already had a look at the proposals and given their feedback. If you have not seen the proposals, they are available on the school website . I would like to reassure parents that there will be no overall loss of playspace; the new hall will have a landscaped play and learning space on the roof – the same space as below just one floor up from the ground, This new space will be designed to allow more outdoor learning as well as creative play such as den building, play construction, quiet reading and drawing areas and more opportunities to be involved in planting . These activities were voted most popular in pupil surveys and focus groups in July.

There will be a walkway between the new and old building – the height of this walkway is anticipated to be 5.5m tall. The height of the new building, including canopy at the southwest end of the building, will be approximately 8.5m.

The main playground will also be transferred to the Lant Street playground. The temporary classrooms (currently housing year 1s) will be removed and replaced by green landscaping and retaining of the sports pitch. This new playground will include lots of opportunities for climbing and trails (also requested by the children) as well as simple run around space. It will be in this new playground space that parents of children in years N to Year 2 will drop off in the morning, using gates at both ends of Lant Street.
Overall we are gaining higher quality play space as well as two purpose built halls for PE, dance, assemblies and shows. This is in addition to the internal works to create more classrooms.

Finally, the proposals include a new bespoke nursery classroom on the site of the old school keeper’s house. This additional one storey nursery space will allow the school to offer free 2 year old provision to local families.

As soon as we have updated architectural drawings, these will be shared.

Bonjour!

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*Tout le monde a bien dormi la nuit dernière bien que certains enfants se sont plaints que leur partenaire ronflaient toute la nuit !  Après avoir terminé leur petit déjeuner continental, le groupe sera à la tête dehors pour une autre journée bien remplie !

*Good Morning, Everyone slept well last night although some children complained that their partner snored all night! After finishing their continental breakfast, the group will head out for another busy day!

 

J’aime Paris!

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*En une journée, ils ont accompli tant de choses, y compris la commande déjeuner en français, en marchant toutes ces étapes du Sacré Coeur, visite du Louvre, en suivant les indications et acheter des souvenirs. Il n’est pas étonnant ils sont tous endormis dans le lit depuis des heures!

*In a day, they have achieved so much including ordering lunch in French, walking up all those steps to the Sacre Coeur, visiting Le Louvre,  following directions and buying souvenirs. It isn’t any wonder they are all fast asleep in bed hours ago!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Petit déjeuner sur Eurostar!

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*Bonjour tout le monde!

Voici quelques photos de certains d’entre nous

Nous mangeons notre délicieuxpetit-déjeuner dans l’Eurostar. Tout le monde a eu un croissant et de fruits, et nous sommes plein d’énergie pour notre journée à Paris!

 

* Good Morning Everyone!  We are eating our delicious breakfast on the Eurostar. Everyone has had a croissant and fruit and we are full of energy for our busy day in Paris! Here are some photographs of some of us

If you sing it, we’ll play it!

Mr Oxenham has recently launched a Ukulele club for pupils in years 3 and 4 who are keen to learn. This week they performed their first ‘gig’ for the whole school accompanying the year 3 and 4 choir as the choir sang a newly written ‘Friendship Song’, with lyric written by the choir and melody by Emeli Sande and led by Ms Gemmell

You can see their performance here

Watch Ukulele Club and Year 3/4 choir

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Big Friend, Little Friend

This week has been friendship week at CDPS and the highlight is always ‘big friend, little friend’ when our oldest children partner up with our very youngest for an afternoon of sharing books, playing game and being made to feel special. For the older children, it is a chance to be caring and generous and to exemplify the values of the school to a younger child – they all feel very grown up and proud. For the younger children, it is often a highlight of their term, as a trusting and warm relationship with an ‘big boy’ or ‘big girl’  often makes transitions up the school easier and gives our younger pupils the confidence to join in with clubs and activities with older year groups.

For everybody, a school where friendships transcend age groups and gender makes for a very happy school!

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Animals take over the school!

Today, Charles Darwin School was occupied by countless animals representing all the different animal kingdoms. There were marine animals, birds, land mammals, extinct dinosaurs and if Charles Darwin had been here I’m sure he would have identified a new species or two. Thank you to all the children, parents and staff for helping to make the day so colourful and enjoyable!

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The Zoo Bus

Science and Engineering week was kicked off with a bang or rather a bus as Dr Mike Leahy and his zoo bus pulled into the Lant Street playground yesterday morning. Stepping on to a double-decker bus you normally expect to be greeted by the driver and a few dozen other passengers but for Charles Dickens pupils catching children catching TV presenter Dr Mike Leahy’s unique Zoo-Bus, there was a whole host of weird and wonderful treats on board.

Dr Mike Leahy’s passengers include reptiles such as tree frogs, a bearded dragon, tarantulas and a two-metre long boa constrictor, which all come from his private collection. After pupils had explored and bravely held the animals in the mobile zoo, they popped upstairs to the top deck ‘micro lab’ to look at very small creatures in more detail. A brilliant immersive zoological experience!

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