Monday 5th December Family Voice Meeting Tuesday 13th December Prevent Assembly – 9:00am Parents are welcome to attend please let us know on office@stdominics.org.uk Wednesday 14th December Christmas Lunch for pupils and students Thursday 15th December Reward trips

Wembley Stadium Tour

Gun Wharf Quays Friday 16th December Christmas Jumper Day

School Celebratory Assembly

Drama Club Pantomime – 10:55am

Monday 19th December Reward trips

Shrek

Star Wars – Group 1 Tuedsay 20th December Reward trip Star Wars Group 2 Wednesday 21st December

Last Day of Term - School closes at usual time of 3.20pm

Family Forum - 1.00pm - followed by Christmas Service and Carols (Please advise the front office if you are attending so we have an idea of numbers)

Christmas Holidays

21st December 2016 to 3rd January 2017 inclusive.

Family Voice

The Family Voice meeting on Monday, 5 December at 2pm will focus on the following: • Update on the mobiles phones and electronic devices policy • Safeguarding If you are intending to come along to the meeting, please let us know on tjones@stdominicsschool.org.uk if you have not already done so.

St Dominic’s School

Friday Flyer

December 2nd 2016

Attendance Whole school attendance for last week was 93%

KS2 Golden Apple Award Each week, one Golden Apple Award is given to a pupil in each Key Stage 2 class to celebrate their achievements. Well done to this week’s winners: Falcons – Matthew and Dara Ospreys – Callum B Eagles – Willliam

Positive Slips Winner This week’s winner is Sid– well done!

Christmas Jumper Day – Friday 16th December 2016 – Have you got your Christmas Jumper ready? The money we raise will help to save children’s lives.

Radio Eagle recently came into school to deliver workshops on e-safety. So if you are out shopping and feel able to purchase an extra little present for a disadvantaged child, then please send your donations into school by Friday 9th December.

On Thursday 24th November the residential pupils at Phoenix House had an American breakfast. This tied in with the themed thanksgiving lunch time menu the school kitchen provided. The breakfast consisted of:

Homemade buttermilk pancakes

Creamy scrambled eggs

Grilled bacon

Maple syrup or golden syrup. Needless to say this breakfast was very much appreciated and enjoyed by all. Pupils enjoyed a good start to the day.

Weekly Focus on

Teamwork

This week we have been looking at Wedgwood in 7a and created our own ceramic plates and designs.

KS2 pupils (Dara, Connor, Peter, Matthew, and Louis) rose to the challenge to transport heavy pieces of wood using only rope and sheer strength, the end result being their very own bridge to walk across. All pupils demonstrated great teamwork and showed great support to one another!

This half-term, the residential area of the school is sharing how teamwork plays an important part in contributing to the development of pupils and students. Teamwork is subtly embedded into so much of our everyday lives. Teamwork takes place in our homes, in the work place setting and with our interaction with friends and family etc.

At the residential cookery club, pupils are often encouraged to work together in a team. Sometimes pupils pair-up and at other times everyone attending the cookery club will form a larger team to produce a dish made in bulk. The cookery club is fortunate to have a team of therapy staff and residential staff to support pupils. Pupils are often completely unaware of the wealth of teamwork that is constantly taking place during this activity. Below are just a few examples of when teamwork takes place between pupils:

Carrying over the cooking ingredients from the residential area to the food tech room

Getting the washing and drying up completed with one pupil washing and the other drying

Pupils verbally repeating and relaying information to others e.g. weights and measures/cooking times

Passing ingredients to other pupils after finishing with them, so the next person can use them

Individual pupils preparing ingredients in bulk to be used and shared in a recipe with other pupils who have simultaneously prepared different ingredients for sharing

Taking turns at mixing (especially useful if your arm is aching as a result of mixing by hand for a long time). On Thursday 17th November the cookery club made a tagliatelle carbonara-style dish. Staff explained that this dish was to be made in bulk as a team. Staff talked through how the dish needed to be prepared and what jobs needed to be done for the preparation and the cooking. Two pupils took up the task of cutting bacon and another pupil diced the onion. The pupil dicing the onion found that the onion made his eyes water, so another pupil, unprompted, stepped in to take over the dicing of the onion. This supportive action taken by the pupil is one of the things that makes teamwork so worthwhile, ‘helping others’.

Cook, learn and grow together

Pupils are often observed subconsciously working together as active participants to achieve success in the cooking of a dish. Pupils are seen supporting others who may struggle with a task or fall behind with their allocated job. Within the pupil cookery team it is often easy to observe which set of skills pupils bring to their team, as we all have something to offer. Some pupils have good fine motor skills so may be good with cutting, while other pupils may have good auditory processing skills so can repeat verbal instructions to others who may have misinterpreted specific instructions. Below are listed some of the positives that teamwork can bring to all:

Pupils are exposed to a learning, working environment where patience, kindness and accepting the differences in the team’s abilities can often contribute towards positive end results

Sharing knowledge skills and abilities

Our contribution can lead to lighter work for all

Encourages team spirit

Demonstrates that everyone is different, but together the team can ‘fit together as one’

Prompts positive team building

Teamwork gives pupils the chance to function as active participants

Promotes the benefits of treating others with respect and in a supportive manner

Awareness of time management

Helping to get mundane jobs completed quickly

The chance to build a rapport with others in order to build a coherent team

Can work towards resolving any conflict or animosity towards others

Promotes inclusion.

All of the above will help to improve and consolidate team working that will be essential in adult life for all of our pupils.

Together Everyone Achieves More

The below message has been sent to us by our local community police officer, but is of relevance to everyone:

Our top festive tips for keeping your home safe and secure

Register valuable property on immobilise.com it's free of charge and can deter a thief Fit window locks and ensure French windows and patio doors are secure Install a burglar alarm and set it every time you leave your home. A visible burglar

alarn will make a potential intruder think twice Install low wattage security lighting that comes on automatically at dusk and goes off

at dawn Never leave door or car keys or other valuables in reach of a letter box or window Do not leave spare keys in an obvious place, such as under a flower pot or a door mat Keep your front and back doors shut and locked – even when you are at home Don't keep large amounts of money or jewellery at home. If you have to, use a home

safe that is stored out of sight Make sure your house looks occupied even when it isn’t. Use an automatic timer

switch to turn interior lights on and off Secure your garage and shed too – equipment kept inside can be just as tempting for

a thief Mark your property with an ultraviolet pen.

Keep Christmas presents out of sight Once unwrapped, dispose of all packaging

Reducing garage, shed and garden crime

Use good quality fixings and a padlock to secure doors Use anti-tamper screws in door hinges

If possible, lock any windows Fit a mains or battery powered alarm

Use a forensic coding product to 'property mark' all valuable tools and equipment with your postcode/house number

If possible, secure lawnmowers and other valuable equipment to a shed or garage wall

Lock tools away when you aren't using them.

Going away?

As well as the above:

Don't discuss holiday plans in front of strangers Don't post details on social media

Cancel milk and newspaper deliveries Mow the lawn and tidy the garden Ask someone you trust to collect your mail

Give a trusted neighbour contact details in case of emergency Ask your local Neighbourhood Watch Scheme to keep an eye on your property When travelling, don't display your home address on your luggage tags.

A CHANCE TO CHOOSE The target is to support the process of making choices. Facts regarding ASD • Pupils with ASD often find the concept of choices difficult • Open-ended activities or being given too many choices can be over-whelming • They may struggle to make a decision because they cannot always predict what the outcome of each decision will

be and therefore are unsure of the right choice to make • They need to understand the expectation regarding the quality and quantity of the task and information needs to

be explicit in simple unambiguous language • They may need to see examples of possible outcomes. Suggested Script

You have a chance to choose. You could either draw a picture or make a model.

Hints and Tips

Offer weighted choices where one option has a clear and positive outcome

Where possible, narrow choices down to two options. Reiterate that simple choices can be straightforward and may not have significant consequences.

St. Dominic’s School - Social Communication Programme

Student Voice Representatives meeting with Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 and Key Stage 2 Forum

This week’s Student Voice meeting focused on a range of topics including:

Feedback from the representatives’ meetings with Key Stages 3, 4 and Sixth Form

Feedback from the Key Stage 2 Forum meeting, including their ideas for renovating the Japanese garden. As there have been many great ideas from the whole school community about this, it has been decided to form a working party of interested pupils and students to work with Mr Trott to look at this project

Common Room Games A range of games, for all key stages, has been identified by Student Voice representatives and these were discussed with Mr Reynolds to check the suitability for all key stages. These will now be purchased to replenish our resources in the Common Room

Quentin Forbes Quentin left St Dominic’s 6th Form last July at the end of Year 14 and has

successfully moved on to Richmond College to do a Level 1 Carpentry Course.

He has settled well into college and is also doing some voluntary work at The

Ecological Centre, near to his home.

Congratulations Quentin!

Menu for week beginning Monday 5th December 2016

MENU MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

BREAKFAST Theme Lunch Italian Cooked Breakfast

MORNING SNACK

Blueberry Muffin Fresh Fruit Fresh Fruit Bread Pudding Fresh Fruit

LUNCH

Chicken Fricassee

Macaroni Cheese

New Potatoes Jacket Potato

Baked Tomato

Peas

Fresh Salad Bar Sliced Cheese

Lamb & Mint Stew

Mushroom Stroganoff & Rice

Sauté Potatoes Jacket Potato

Broccoli Cheese

Broad Beans

Fresh Salad Bar Sliced Ham

Baked Ham with Five Spice & Honey Rub

Tagliatelle,

Vegetables & Basil Cream sauce

Roast Potatoes Jacket Potato

Cabbage

Mixed Vegetables

Fresh Salad Bar Tuna Mayo

Chicken, Leek & Pea Pasta Bake

Winter Vegetable Pasta

Creamed Mashed Potatoes

Jacket Potato

Carrots Sliced Green Beans

Fresh Salad Bar

Sliced Chicken Breast

Breaded Fish

Leek, Potato, Mushroom & Cheese

Roast

Chips Jacket Potatoes

Baked Beans

Peas

Fresh Salad Bar Egg Mayo

DESSERT Spiced apple Crumble & Custard

Fresh Fruit Basket

Yoghurt

Syrup Sponge & Custard

Fresh Fruit Basket

Yogurt

Fruit Jelly & Cream

Fresh Fruit Basket

Yogurt

Tiramisu Cheese cake & Cream

Fresh Fruit Basket

Yogurt

Chocolate Brownie & Cream

Fresh Fruit Basket

Yoghurt

AFTERNOON SNACK

Mincemeat Buns Cheese & Ham Scones Chocolate chip shortbread cookies

Mini pizza

SUPPER Beef Hotpot Vegetables

Chicken Fajitas Wedge Potatoes

Vegetables

Jacket potatoes, Coleslaw & Tuna

Mayo

Gammon Steaks New Potatoes

Cabbage

Our son’s placement at St Dominic’s is invaluable, he has grown-up and been taught in a safe and nurturing environment. He has grown in confidence and has been able to make mistakes without fear of ridicule. His independence is encouraged, supported and continues to grow.

Assemblies W/C 28th November 2016 Theme – Sports

Monday 28th

Mr Roberts began the week with a potentially contentious debate – should competitive sport be compulsory for every pupil in school? After this bombshell he explored the issue with the students and pupils, firstly picking apart exactly what is meant by the statement and then discussing the implications for the wide range of children and young people who attend school. There were some very well thought out answers given and some of the reasons were – • Can’t improve if not competing against anyone better than yourself • Helps people to understand how to win or lose graciously • Good exercise, helps you to keep fit • If you do train in competitive sport it gives you an appreciation of how hard people work to become successful in their chosen field • Teaches teamwork BUT • Competition can bring out the worst in some people • Some people don’t enjoy sport • Sport can cut into valuable lesson time • People have the potential to become injured if playing contact sport • There will always be people who are better, or worse, at a particular sport and that can feel unfair SO – the school was pretty much divided 50/50 between those who thought it was a good thing per se and those who thought competitive sport should not be compulsory at school. From last Friday (INSET day) Josh D in Year 8 won the Positive Slips award with 5 slips for last week. Tuesday 29th – KS 2&3 Mr Sanders talked about how people can take a pride in sport, how supporting a particular team or sports person can motivate an individual. He is a great Birmingham City fan, gave his daughter a little BC shirt on her second birthday and is now pleased as punch that she won’t take it off! Pupils were encouraged to think about how sport gives us social interaction – both on the pitch and off. On the pitch there is team work, training, and communication between players and off the pitch there are fans, supporters’ clubs and families. Sport can elicit a huge emotional response in otherwise calm and sensible people, both negative and positive. Mr Sanders shared the time of the 2011 final when Birmingham City beat Arsenal in the final minutes of the match – grown men were crying and hugging and kissing each other in their joy at the result, something they would never do normally. In the international matches the country comes together to support our national teams – England in the European Championships for example. It was suggested by one of the pupils that families come together also to watch sport on the TV, memories of big football matches, the Olympics, Andy Murray winning Wimbledon, the Grand Prix around the world, the Test Matches or golfing tournaments – all sporting occasions that can bring people together. No matter what faith, creed or culture people are brought together through following sporting events and the other differences don’t seem so important when sharing in the excitement and happiness sport can bring. Mr Sanders finished by emphasising how lucky we are at St Dominic’s to have such a wide range of sporting opportunities through the lunch time clubs and our PE department. Wednesday 30th – Extended Tutor Time Thursday 1st December – KS 4&5 Mrs Gilmour, assisted by some members of 6th Form, led today’s assembly. She began by asking who has been to watch a sporting activity. There was a surprising variety, from both students and staff – Horse racing/Athletics/Wimbledon/Paralympics 2012/Rugby/Swimming/Trampolining. We were asked – what do sporting venues have in common? Answers included – security, shared by different sports, well maintained. Why might the atmosphere in a stadium sometimes be tense? – rival teams, ‘away’ and ‘home’ stands in football venues – another sport where there isn’t such an atmosphere is rugby, where there is no home or away stand, everyone mixes in together. Families watch TV sport altogether, and emotions can run high. Some emotions associated with sport – nervous, anxiety, excitement – depending on whether your team is winning or losing. The assembly finished with a quiz – guess the name of the stadium – that was lots of fun! Friday 2nd December – Good News

Mr Connor led this morning on a theme of ‘St Dominic’s Question of Sport’, with great success. Firstly it was guess the sport from a number of pictorial clues, then guess the ‘Mystery Guest’ from elements of a photograph. Everyone was fully engaged and it was a really fun end to our Sports themed week. Mr Morton announced the Positive slips award – this week Sid Binding with 3 slips – well done!