The two weeks off have done everyone a lot of good and everyone is raring to go with learning. We started lots of new topics this week, including out book for writing “Escape From Pompeii”. The children role-played being citizens in Pompeii, before the volcano erupted.
The children explored replica Roman artefacts to better understand life in Ancient Rome. We shall see real versions of these when we visit Verulamium Museum on Wednesday 24th January.
In Maths, we have been learning about other ways to work out the answer to multiplication calculations and today the children used Dienes to show that multiplying a number by 12 is the same as mutliplying it by 12 and by 2, which are straightforward calculations to do; and then adding together these two answers.
I found out today that the cake sale raised £199.10 which is really fantastic! Thank you for your generosity in organising, making cakes as well as buying and selling them. I will discuss with the class what we would like to buy with the money.
I hope that you all have a lovely weekend and let’s all hope that it’s not going to be bitterly cold.
We will post important, relevant and up-to-date information on online safety and wellbeing here. As with all aspects of your child’s education, learning and wellbeing, close school/home relationship is the best way to support children, parents and carers. Navigating the internet so your family can benefit from all it has to offer, while protecting your young people, can be complicated and time-consuming. These resource should help. Please feedback with successes and particular issues so we can inform other parents and carers.
InEQE publishes a weekly electronic safeguarding newsletter – “Safeguarding Hub Newsletter” . If you would like to receive these into your email box please sign up here. https://ineqe.com/safeguarding-hub/. I’ll copy or post the features relevant to families (with younger and older children).
14th October 2024
Dear Parents and Carers
Roblox made headlines again this week and Colin Stitt, Head of Safer Schools at INEQE Safeguarding Group, spoke to the Mail Online about actions that parents, carers, and safeguarding professionals can take to make the gamers in their care safer online. He said The report is a stark reminder that we can’t simply assume a platform is safe for children just because it looks child-friendly. Parents and carers need to be proactive and educate themselves about the potential risks their children may face online, including exposure to inappropriate content, online predators, and harmful social interactions. It’s crucial for parents and carers to have open and honest conversations with their children about online safety, empowering them to navigate digital spaces responsibly.
This includes teaching them how to block and report users and content, and encouraging them to talk to a trusted adult if they encounter anything upsetting online. Remember, safeguarding our children in the digital world requires a collaborative effort. Parents, carers, educators, and platforms like Roblox all have a role to play in creating a safer and more positive online experience for young people.’
The link to the Daily Mail Online article was sent out in an email to parents and carers on 14.10.24. (The link is not included here as the article contained references to topics and images which are not appropriate for children.)
With kind regards
Katharine Gibbons
23rd February (sent out as Parent Mail Monday 26th February)
Online Safety Update – 23rd February 2024
Being informed about online safety can include awareness of activity that, as parents and carers, we’d rather not think about. But this awareness will help our children make the most of online life without getting in trouble.
The INEQUE Safeguarding Group Newsletter has recently highlighted two different aspects of online safety.
Computer Misuse Act 1990
A recent survey showed that 20% of children between the ages of 10-16 violate the Computers Misuse Act, which criminalises unauthorised access to computer systems and data. In gamers this rises to 25%. It’s important that children aged 10 and over understand what this criminal behaviour is as they may not realise that it is illegal and, as the age of criminal responsibility in England, Wales and N Ireland is 10, could get them into trouble with the police. This video explains the risks to young children if they abuse the Computer Misuse Act 1990 – https://youtu.be/smkXHZ6Qf3s. It shows how young people can break the law without realizing it and how that can jeopardise promising careers in Computing or other areas.
Examples of activity which 10-year-olds may not realise is illegal, under the 1990 Computer Misuse Act:
“Saltburn” – and proliferation on social media and online
The film contains highly explicit content and has spawned many videos, memes etc which young people can become aware of. For example, there are TikTok videos with up to 3.5 million views discussing and showing clips from the most graphic scenes. These scenes can be accessible even when logged into an account assigned to a 13-year-old. Also, reaction videos and images have been shared across platforms such as X, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube. There are gaming adaptations on platforms such as Roblox. . This link details the potential risks of “Saltburn”, should you need more information on it: https://ineqe.com/2024/02/15/safeguarding-risks-saltburn-movie/
10th February – ESports – The Esports industry has seen tremendous growth over the years, and you might have a young gamer in your care who is interested in participating or watching esports tournaments. However, are you familiar with the world of Esports?
Our informative shareable will help you understand what you need to know in the world of Esports, including the potential risks and explanations of commonly used buzzwords.
27th January – Instagram introduces new “night-time nudges” to reduce teens’ time on the app – https://tcrn.ch/3vDotns (copy and paste this link to go to the short article).
The organisations below publish authoritative, relevant information on online safety and their websites are updated. Together with ChildLine, they are the first places to go to to if you have queries or worries about your child or young person online.
Internet Matters has some guides for parents around setting up devices at home, and enabling home broadband filtering for each specific provider. https://www.internetmatters.org/setupsafe/
There’s no denying that the way we use tech continues to evolve. Let’s pledge some New Year resolutions to take on tech with a new approach, where we’re in control and can enjoy the advantages it brings.
Resolution 1 – We will speak more kindly online
Words matter. Whether spoken out loud or posted online, what we say to each other has an impact. This resolution means that, as a family, you’ll avoid online conflict (like engaging in arguments on Facebook, saying mean things out of frustration while gaming, or criticising a stranger’s outfit on Instagram), and instead pledge to say kind or encouraging things whenever possible. You can use our ‘What Are Your Words Worth’ activity pack to find more information, ideas, and ways to explain to the whole family what this resolution is all about. Find it here.
Resolution 2 – We will have healthier screentime habits, including mobile phones
If your family rules got thrown out the window over Christmas, you’re certainly not alone! Now that the New Year is here, it’s time to get everyone back on track. A lot of New Year resolutions fail because the expectations aren’t reasonable, so keep any ideas for new screentime limits realistic. A good example would be to have a device-free dinner time including all mobile phones. Use our Family Screen Time activity pack to help the whole family make better screentime decisions all year round.
Resolution 3 – We will be cyber-secure
Being privacy and security aware is one of the greatest tools for creating a safer online experience for the whole family. This resolution could include doing things like creating better passwords, learning how to spot dodgy links and emails and keeping scam aware. To help you on your way, check out our Cyber Security Toolkit for children. You’ll find more helpful articles and ideas in our Online Safety section.
Resolution 4 – We will use tech together to learn and explore
What are your most visited sites, platforms, or apps? For most of us, the answer is probably a social media site but there’s also a whole online world full of interesting platforms that can help us learn new and exciting things. You could learn a new skill to try together, like making simple origami or learning a new language. Watch our video for more hints about learning a language online.
Resolution 5 – We will stay in the loop of safeguarding news and alerts
Through our Home Learning Hub, and Safer Schools App (available for download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store), you can use practical tools to help you stay in the know. You can also listen to our weekly Safeguarding Soundbytes podcast. It’s free, easy to access, and delivers the latest safeguarding news in a ‘byte sized’ way. You can also sign up to our Online Safeguarding Hub newsletter. For the young people in your care, we have recently launched the brand-new Online Safety Show. Find it on our Safeguarding Apps and on Teach Hub.
It was a very relaxed last day to the school year today, deservedly so after all the hard work put in this term. Mrs Porter led an assembly where we remembered the important events all those years ago, listening to the same words from The Bible that so many people have heard over the years. The children sang “Silent Night” beautifully. It was also a time to say goodbye to Mrs Ruffell who had worked at St Adrians for twenty years! We also said goodbye to Mrs McSweeney, which was sad for Year 4, who are hoping that the next cook will prepare such good lunches.
The children enjoyed opening their KrisKringles and working out who gave them their gifts. We missed the children who weren’t here today and hope they get better soon.
Miss Cartwright, Miss Parkes, Miss Goodall and I thank you sincerely for the very generous gifts you gave us. They are all very much appreciated.
It only remains to wish you all a very happy, peaceful and safe Christmas with your family and friends, whether you are at home or away. There are no home learning activities on Google. Reading for enjoyment is always a good thing to do, along with getting lots of fresh air when possible and spending quality time with family and friends. I very much look forward to seeing you all on 8th January 2024!
The children looked very festive in their beautiful jumpers and tops today. Mrs Porter and the year sixes decorated the dining room so it was very colourful and cheerful for Christmas lunch.
This week, the children made their slingshot cars which they finished and tested today.
I hope you all have a lovely weekend and that the Christmas preparations are going well.
Year 4 is making good progress with learning the 6 times tables and have been exploring the links between the 3 and the 6 times tables. They have used resources and counting the multiples, backwards and forwards, to help understand and learn the facts.
This week they verbally built sentences based on “The Snowman” and said what they liked about their partners’ writing. By responding positively to other people’s ideas they are giving others feedback on what works well as well as reading ideas which they may want to magpie.
Singing of the songs is coming on, but everyone really needs to commit the lyrics to heart so they can sing the songs confidently and beautifully on Monday, when we’re all looking forward to seeing you at St Bart’s, starting at 6.30pm.
Thank you for all the hard work in providing cakes and selling them this afternoon. They looked really amazing! We will have to consider what we, collectively as a class, would like to spend the money on.
The countdown has begun! Year 4 has made some cheerful decorations for the classroom and is starting to look festive. The Advent table is ready and we have been learning the importance for Christians to prepare themselves during Advent, for the coming of the Christ Saviour.
This is the year 4 “Carol on the door”. Which carol is represented?
We have started our new book, “The Snowman”, which the whole school is reading. The children are really enjoying it. There is much nuance and inference when there are no words! I loved the simile one child thought of, when they said the boy’s hat flying was “like a kite”
The Maths topic of multiplication and division has started. Please don’t hold back with learning those times tables off by heart!
I hope to see you at the Christmas fair. Have a lovely weekend and stay nice and warm.
Year 4 has completed many topics in learning this week. They completed their story about the varmints, learnt all about Area (in Maths) and have continued learning about Sound in Science amongst other learning. They looked fantastic in their spots and have made some amazing-looking cakes.
Mr Hayes has released powerpoints for the Christmas songs for the KS2 play. The link is below. Please spend some time at home learning the words so the songs sound amazing at the performance. Have a great weekend and look forward to seeing you all next week. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nDi_UuwLfmAC_ZB_-fWD8Y1uEfJjgcXx
Year 4 sat respectfully during today’s Remembrance Service and sang very well. Thank you to the children who created beautiful “stained glass windows” for this year.
The children always enjoy the library trip and yuekeles on Friday.
They have finished learning about addition and subtraction and will start Area next week. Their versions of “The Varmints” are progressing very well and they are including lots of expanded noun phrases which we have practised lots.
Next Friday there will be a bake-off competition for CHildren in Need, so year 4 will have their cake sale on Friday 24th.
Have a lovely weekend and look forward to seeing everyone next week.
Year 4 was a credit to the school and their families at St Bart’s on Wednesday. They are also representing the school very well on the weekly swimming trips, when they are making very good progress with their skills.
We have moved onto Addition and Subtraction with 4-digit numbers in Maths and are writing our first story, with the children creating interesting sentences using expanded noun phrases, prepositions for detail and personification. The inspiration is a book called “Varmints”, which the children have really enjoyed exploring.
They are also enjoying the ukelele lessons and the strumming sounds very tuneful!
Luckily, the rain has not been falling at breaktimes so the children can still get outside at play. Long may this continue!
Monday is photograph day , so the children should come to school super-smart like they usually do.
Apologies for the lack of photos this week. I will endeavour to post some next week.
It was wonderful to see many adults at Harvest Festival and we hope you enjoyed the year 4 enthusiastic song about healthy eating.
We started our new book “Varmints” this week and the children have done some very thoughtful writing using adverbial phrases of place, personification and expanded noun phrases. Ater half-term they will write an alternative version of the story.
In our Reading sessions, we are reading an amazing book together, called “The Wild Robot” which covers themes such as being an outsider and what it means to be human. The children love choosing books in the beautiful library and relaxing when we go there on Fridays.
The children all love their trips to the library, both getting new books and enjoying the books and library with their friends. We have very efficient librarians who carry out their duties very well.
The children continued to learn about electricity by investigating which materials are conductors and which are insulators.
I hope you all have a very enjoyable week during the half-term break and look forward to seeing you the week after.
