News

Living and Learning: STOP bullying

This week, all classes have been learning about different aspects of bullying during national Anti-Bullying Week.

Thank you to those families who supported our Odd Socks Day on Tuesday, celebrating that we are all unique.

Classes have been considering the following during this week.

• Our school definition of bullying.

‘Bullying is when you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, several times on purpose.’

• Types of bullying – cyber-bullying and prejudice-based bullying related to gender, sexual orientation, race, religion and belief, special educational need and disability
• What to do if children experience  or witness bullying. The key message is to tell someone (start telling other people)

STOP can stand for two key messages: the definition (Several Times On Purpose) and the solution (Start Telling Other People).

Our new child friendly anti-bullying policy has been launched this week and this was shared, by the four Year 6 authors, in assembly.

All classes have access to their class Living and Learning box or the whole school worry box where they can tell an adult any concerns about bullying or any other issues.

Please discuss this important learning at home (our whole school homework this week).

For further support, here are some resources and advice that can be found at…

• https://www.anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/advice-parents
• https://www.kidscape.org.uk/resources/
• http://www.bullying.co.uk/advice-for-parents/
• https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/news-blogs/get-involved-in-anti-bullying-week-2019-change-starts-with-us/
• https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/bullying-and-cyberbullying/keeping-children-safe/
• https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/types-bullying/
• https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/bullying/
• https://esafetyoffice.co.uk/resources/

It's Anti-Bullying Week

This week, it’s anti-bullying week and the theme for this year is ‘Change starts with us’.

Don’t forget – we are also taking part in Odd Socks Day on Tuesday 12th November.

Recently, some of our Year 6 pupils have created a child friendly anti-bullying policy which will be shared with the rest of the school during this week.

Child friendly anti-bullying policy

Written by: Evie, Zidaan, Omar and Eve (Year 6)

What is bullying?

In our school, this is what bullying means:

Bullying is where you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, several times on purpose.

What might bullying look like?

If any of these things happen several (lots of) times, it is bullying.

• Hurting peoples’ feelings, for example, name calling, teasing, threatening, ignoring or spreading rumours
• Hurting peoples’ bodies, for example, hitting, punching or kicking

This could be in person or online (cyber bullying) and could be because of someone’s race, disability, gender or appearance.

What could you do if you are being bullied?

Start

Telling

Other

People

Who could you tell?

• Mrs Weekes/Mrs Freeman/Mrs Russell/Mrs Small (they are child protection staff)
• Mrs Taylor (Health Leader)
• Any other members of staff
• Friends
• Someone in your family
• Childline (0800 1111)
• Write a worry slip and put it in your Living and Learning box or the whole school worry box
• Email stayingsafe@spherefederation.org

Our views on bullying

STOP bullying – bullying is wrong!

We’re a happy and healthy school.

Anti-bullying week - Odd Socks Day

Next week is Anti-bullying Week. This year’s theme is ‘Change starts with us’ and we will be taking part in Odd Socks Day on Tuesday 12 November.

This day is to raise awareness of our differences, individuality and personal choice. There is no need for any payment – your child should simply wear odd socks and join in the fun!

Thank you for your support.

Living and Learning: Identity

Our Living and Learning theme this half-term is Identity. Pupils will learn about what makes themselves and others special, valuing the similarities and differences between themselves and others and what is meant by community. This will be taught through our Living and Learning sessions and two focused weeks.

Anti-bullying week (11 November) ‘Change starts with us’

My Community themed week (25 November)

Our new school charity will be chosen as part of the My Community themed week.  Every year, we nominate a new charity to support. This year, we have been supporting WWF. We decide this on the basis of a Talk Time homework, and then school councillors make the final decision.

Our Living and Learning long term plan details the learning for each year group across the year and you can keep up to date with our weekly Living and Learning statements on the parent noticeboard in the playground and also on the school calendar.  We will begin and end this half term with a focus on manners.

I apologise when I need to.

I say please and thank you.

Our website

In the past few months, our website has been experiencing a few problems, the main one being that the whole-school news posts haven’t been published on our Facebook page. We hope this is now sorted.

In the next week or so, there will be more tweaks made behind-the-scenes on our website. This hopefully won’t cause any problems, but do let us know if you notice something.

Sorry for any problems you’ve encountered.

School Council elections

We have recently launched this year’s School Council election process.  Our School Council is one of the ways that children are encouraged to take an active part in pupil voice.

The election process allows children to develop an understanding of one of the British Values, democracy, with two representatives from each class, chosen democratically by their peers.

Here are some of the qualities our school councillors think are needed to be an effective school councillor.

• use the 8Rs for learning
• be respectful and polite
• help others
• be a good speaker and listener (to members of your class and in the meetings)
• share and be confident with your ideas
• let others speak
• accept the views of others even if you don’t agree
• be friendly and approachable
• follow our school rules and make good choices in class and around school

Our current whole school homework is all about the election and democracy, ready for the elections next Thursday 24 October.

Bonfire night themed menu

Catering Leeds, our school meal provider, will be running a special themed menu on Tuesday 5th November.  Please contact the office, as soon as possible, if your child would like a school meal on this day (no action needed if your child normally has a school meal on this day).

Fab feedback

Thanks very much if you have been to one of our learning workshops  – we have had a good turn-out of parents/carers, keen to know more about their child’s learning journey in school and how to support at home.

Thanks also for leaving us with some feedback – teachers really do appreciate this…

• ‘Everything was well explained. Questions were listened too and answered.’
• ‘Very informative and encouraging.’
• ‘Really good overview of how to support our child with learning.’
• ‘It was really helpful to be able to raise concerns and issues.’
• ‘Makes me feel more comfortable with vocabulary used and showed me techniques being used in the classroom.’
• ‘The session gave good insight into expectations of Maths in Year 6.’
• ‘Really useful to hear about my child’s day and what he gets up to.’
• ‘The workshop was really beneficial – it gave us a chance to understand the layout of the day.’

Look out for other workshops coming up in November.

All kitted out

This year, our Year 5 and 6 football team will be sporting their new colours with pride, after receiving our free Premier League Primary Stars kit.

Stocked full of items including 15 football shirts, shorts and socks, the Premier League kit was awarded to school following our successful application for the Premier League Primary Stars Kit and Equipment Scheme, which is delivered by the Football Foundation. The team colours were chosen democratically by our School Council.

The scheme is part of the Premier League Primary Stars education programme which uses the appeal of Premier League and professional football clubs to inspire children at primary schools across England and Wales to learn, be active and develop important life skills.

The new kit will be hugely beneficial for the new Year 5 and 6 football team who are about to start the new season. Good luck to the team.

School Savings Club paying in dates 2019/2020

Did you know we offer a School Savings Club in association with Leeds Credit Union?

The account is open to all children and it is free to set up. As there is not minimum deposit requirement, it is a great way for your child/children to learn the importance of money.

As an extra incentive, Year 3 pupils who open an account, or who currently have an account, will be credited with £10.

We offer paying in sessions every half term where you can bring along any savings to be paid into your child’s account.

The paying in dates for this year are at 3.15-3.45pm on the following dates (the penultimate Monday of each half term).

• 14 October
• 09 December
• 03 February
• 23 March
• 11 May
• 06 July

If you’re unable to attend in person, please hand in any money to be deposited to the office in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs Tiffany.

To find out more about the accounts or if your child would like to open account, please enquire at the office.