Living and Learning: anti-bullying day and odd socks day
We kicked off anti-bullying day with our odd socks to celebrate that we are all unique and different.
First of all, we explored our school definition of bullying, created by our junior leaders, by looking at what some of the words meant.
What are the different types of bullying?
Our school definition helped us understand the different types of bullying – physical (hurting our body), emotional (hurting our feelings) or cyber bullying (online).
The story #Goldilocks looks at how we should treat everyone with respect whether it is in person or online.
How can you STOP bullying?
We used our weekly circle time to think about the role we all have to STOP bullying. Year 2 had some excellent suggestions.
Our main message is Start Telling Other People and to continue to do that until you are heard.
You can stop bullying by…
saying STOP to the bullies and if they don’t stop, tell an adult.
telling the bully to stop if you are a bystander.
being kind to people and not hurting them.
help the person being bullied and take them to an adult.
looking out for people and helping people solve problems.
telling an adult at home if it was online.
being resilient and saying STOP.
ignoring the bully, walk away and don’t say anything back to them.
What is the impact of bullying?
We used drama techniques to think about how someone being bullied might feel. By thought tracking the victim, we explored their different emotions. We also considered the role of bystanders and what they should do.
How can you get help?
Seeking help can be done in a number of different ways.
Who could you tell? (taken from our child friendly anti-bullying policy)
- Safeguarding team – Mrs Weekes, Mr Wilks and Mrs Russell
- Any other members of staff
- A trusted adult
- Someone in your family
- Friends
- Childline (0800 1111)
- Write a worry slip and put it in your Living and Learning box or the whole school worry box (outside the school office)
- Email stayingsafe@spherefederation.org
The children thought about who they would tell if they needed to Start Telling Other People.
Help at home: discuss our school definition of bullying with your child. Do they know the difference between falling out and bullying, and between a one-off situation and something that’s happened more than once?
Living and Learning: anti-bullying day and odd socks day
On Monday, all children will be learning about bullying and how to STOP bullying as part of the national antibullying week.
Our Junior Leadership Team have recently reviewed our bullying definition. As part of this, we use two STOP acronyms: Several Times On Purpose Start Telling Other People – one’s a definition of bullying and the other’s a solution.
On Monday, we will also be taking part in Odd Socks Day which celebrates that we’re all unique. Children are invited to wear odd socks to school, marking the fact we’re all different in some way.
Odd socks day sends an important message to pupils that they should be allowed to be themselves, free from bullying. It helps us celebrate anti-bullying day in a fun and positive way.
Help at home: Talk about our school definition of bullying and the differences between falling out and bullying, and between a one-off situation and something that’s happened more than once.
Living and Learning: Me and My Money week
Year 2 have been learning about all things money this week during our Me and My Money week.
This learning forms part of our Living and Learning curriculum.
At the start of the week, we had lots of questions about money.
What money do we use?
In maths, we identified and compared the different coins and notes we use in this country. The children were keen to share other currencies they’d used in different places around the world.
Why is money an important part of people’s lives?
We thought about this in our weekly circle time.
Money is important because…
It would be confusing without money.
People use money to buy the things they need to survive like shelter, food and water.
You can donate to charities.
You can save for something expensive.
Long ago, people didn’t have money and they had to swap things.
Now, money makes things fair.
What is the difference between needs and wants?
Year 1 and 2 worked together to learn what is a need and what is a want. We realised the link to our basic needs learning in science recently.
A need is food as you need this to survive.
A want is a Lego set as you can survive without this.
How do people use money?
People make different choices with their money.
Some people choose to donate money. On Monday, Steph from St Gemma’s Hospice, our current school charity, shared how our donations of £1500 have helped the hospice.
This week, we’ve been donating money to St Gemma’s Hospice by bringing any spare 1ps and 2ps to make a penny trail at the end of the week.
Where does my money come from?
We thought about where our money might come from and how that would change as we get older and have a job.
Help at home: discuss this learning with your child at home to consider how they use money and why money is important.
Me and My Money week – school charity donations
Donating money is one choice people might make when using their money.
As part of our Me and My Money themed week, we welcomed visitors from St Gemma’s Hospice, our current school charity, to hear how they have been using our donations over this year.
We have raised a staggering £1500 across the year so thank you for all of these donations. St Gemma’s Hospice are very grateful for this support.
There is one more way we can donate money this week and this is by bringing any spare 1ps or 2ps into class to deposit in each class’ saving jar.
On Friday, we shall be having a money trail with all the coins donated so please bring any spare change before then.
Here are Year 2 counting their coins so far.
We are biologists!
This half term, Year 2 have been busy learning all about animals including humans and what they need to survive.
We’ve learnt lots of knowledge about different types of animals and if you remember from our class assembly, they all have the same basic needs – air, water, food and shelter.
Here is the key vocabulary we have been learning.
More recently, we’ve been learning about humans in particular and how humans need to keep healthy as well as having their basic needs.
Help at home – the BBC website has some great videos to summarise the different types of animals and their basic needs. Choose some to watch with your child to discuss this learning.
We are readers!
This half term, teachers have been keeping an eye out for children impressing them with their reading.
In KS2, teachers were looking out for Reading Records where the weekly activity had been completed with time and care, book reviews had been done or challenges ticked off!
In KS1, teachers were looking for children who were putting the most effort into learning to read fluently.
Well done to our winners for this half term and welcome to the Library Team! They’ll meet with Miss Wilson occasionally to share their ideas and help make decisions about our library.
Take a look at some of their fantastic efforts:
Did you know?
Those who read for pleasure…
- Know more words
- Are better writers
- Have more empathy
- Have better general knowledge
- Have a better understanding of other cultures
- Are better at making decisions
- Do better in school generally!
Keep up the fantastic reading, everyone. There were so many people to choose from and you never know – it could be you next time!
Democracy
Today, Year 2 did a fantastic job delivering their speeches to be elected for the Junior Leadership Team (JLT). The children prepared some wonderful speeches with brilliant ideas. Every child had their democratic vote by deciding who they’d like to see represent our class in the JLT.
Well done to Isla and Henna for being voted as our new members of the JLT.
Tom Palmer local events
This year, some children at school attended an online workshop with author Tom Palmer. Tom Palmer has been in touch to let us know about some local events he is attending in half term.
Message from Tom
For children and families – I am also coming to Leeds on Thursday 2 November
2023 :
* Farsley Book Festival – 10am-11am more here
https://trumanbooks.co.uk/event/flf-kids-day
* Chapel Allerton Library – 2pm
* Pudsey Community Hub and Library – 4pm
PCSO visit
Yesterday, our local PCSO officers visited us. They came to give us an important message about being safe at Halloween and Bonfire Night. The children listened to the key messages really well.
Help at home by asking your children how to stay safe on Bonfire Night.
Living and Learning: respect
For the last two weeks in our Living and Learning lessons, we have been learning about respecting others and respecting ourselves. This is part of our relationships education.
What is respect?
Respect is where you consider the feelings of others and treat them as you would like to be treated.
Who should we respect?
Everyone! Even if someone is very different to you or has different thoughts, likes or beliefs to you, we should still respect them.
We recognised in the class that we have some similarities but also lots of differences. This makes us all special!
I am the same as Hannah because we both have blond hair.
I am different to Hadeed as we like to play different sports.
I am different to Kitty as I can speak a different language.
I am the same as Raffi as we both have a brother.
Next week, in our circle time, we will carry on this learning and think about what is special about each of us.
Help at home: read this story with your child to think about all ways we can be different.
