Safer Internet Day 2018
Pupils will be taking part in different activities to support their learning of this important subject. As well as in class learning, children will have the opportunity to work with the following external visitors.
We welcome ‘Splats Entertainment’ who will be delivering e-safety drama workshops for pupils from Year 3 to 6. Children will be learning and performing a show in a day. Please see your child’s letter to request tickets to watch this show at 2:30pm on 06 February.
D:side, an online safety charity, will be visiting classes Y1-Y6 on 01 and 02 February to deliver internet safety sessions with the following focus:
- What we use the Internet for (KS1)
- What is / is not safe to share online (KS1)
- What to do if we are not sure about the internet (KS1)
- Using emails safely (KS2)
- Social networking and safe profiling – including use of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snap Chat, Oovoo, etc. (KS2)
- ‘Chatting’ with care (KS2)
- Responsible and safe use of the internet (logins, email, photography, password protection, personal information and self-protection). (KS2)
- Using text and picture messaging (KS2)
- Behaving responsibly (KS2)
Dave Hill, from d:side, will also be delivering an online safety workshop for parents/carers on Thursday 01 February at 2:30pm-3:15pm. There will be chance to find out what your child has been learning in this area, to give you some skills and knowledge to keep your child safe online and to ask questions on this subject. There will be limited places for this workshop so please complete and return the response slip, on your child’s letter, if you would like to attend.
If you are unable to attend the workshop, please refer to the guidance that will be sent home with your child published by the NSPCC/O2. Further guidance can be found on our website. There will also be a workshop for parents of older children later in the term, specifically looking at the use of social media.
Make-a-wish
This year, we’re supporting Make-a-wish as our school charity, chosen by the School Council.
Today, we welcomed John Russo, a volunteer from Make-a-wish, who told us about the charity, the kind of wishes they make happen and how the money we raise might be spent.
Children were asked to consider how we can support the charity over this year. They could either write a suggestion for their ‘I want to say’ box or pass on their ideas to their class school councillors.
Fab feedback
Moortown Primary frequently welcomes visitors from other schools. Recently, two senior leaders visited from another successful school in Leeds. This is what they had to say:
We really liked the joined up thinking in terms of a whole school approach to the curriculum and in particular how there is a joint focus for all of the classes – this is something that we are going to give a lot of consideration to in the next academic year.
It was also clear how the teaching staff challenge their pupils to refine / explain their answers in greater detail – we were struck with how confident and articulate the children were.
Attitudes to Learning – in every class, the pupils were engaged and visibly enjoyed their learning.
Some spelling support
Have you checked out out Learn More pages? They contain lots of tips and ideas to support your child at home.
In particular, look at the Help Your Child page. On here, we’ve just published a new guide to support your child with their spellings – it’s full of ideas to learn spellings in an active way. Encourage your child to try out the ideas. They won’t all suit, but some may end up being their favourite – and most effective – strategy!
Attendance matters
Our attendance figures for Autumn are really encouraging – thank you to all the parents and carers who have helped to ensure children are in school as much as possible.
The whole school attendance figure is 96.8%. This is a little higher than for the same period last year (96.3%), which we’re really pleased about. Let’s aim to get higher than 97.0% by the end of the Spring term.
The year group totals are:
- Reception: 94.9%
- Year 1: 97.2%
- Year 2: 96.7%
- Year 3: 96.3%
- Year 4: 97.5%
- Year 5: 97.5%
- Year 6: 97.2%
Well done especially to Years 4 and 5, both of which have attendance quite a lot higher than the school average!
Living and Learning
- Drug, alcohol and tobacco education (DATE)
- Keeping safe and managing risk
Here are the weekly Living and Learning statements, for this half term, to support this learning.
- I don’t interrupt (with my mouth or my hand).
- I can make things better.
- I know what a drug is.
- I am aware of risks.
- I make safe choices.
- I stay safe online.
Be mindful
At this busy time of year, mindfulness can help children to take control of their emotions.
During our recent themed week, all children took part in mindfulness workshops to learn a variety of techniques to use at school and at home. Here’s a reminder of a few of them that might be useful for over the holidays. A mindfulness newsletter/parent guide will be sent out in the new year.
Breathing hug
Start with both arms in the air. Put one hand across your tummy and the other on your shoulder. Breath slowly in and out.
Breathing tree
In a standing position, raise your arms as you breath in and release your arms back down as you breath out.
‘Ok’ breathing
Make an ‘o’ sign on your tummy button to represent that it is ok to feel different emotions. Slowly breath in and out.
Mindfulness bottle
This is a bit like a snow globe. Shake it up and watch it. Simply watch the disturbance as it begins to settle – as does our mind.
Take a bottle, add glitter and food colouring and seal tightly.
Road Safety Pantomime ‘The Gift of Life’
Yesterday, all pupils watched this lighthearted show that delivered important road safety messages.
Pupils joined Santa and Rudolf as they travelled back in time to prevent young Neil Downe from being knocked down. Whilst being fun and interactive, the pantomime covered the following road safety themes:
- the Green Cross Code
- seat belts
- be bright, be seen
- safer cycling
Ask your child about the performance and what messages they took away.
Fab feedback!
In a time when many local authorities have stripped away the support they previously provided to school, Leeds continues to provide support to its schools. Our School Improvement Advisor visited recently and had lots of positives to tell us about:
The qualities of teaching… endorse the strong end of year outcomes, which have become typical of Moortown. Informal observations across the school verified the good subject knowledge and understanding of the national age related expectations for each member of the teaching team. For example, in Year 1, the temporary teacher led a writing session whereby pupils of all abilities were able to reap success.
Maths teaching observed… provided evidence of the school’s focus on lesson starters designed to develop arithmetical understanding. In each lesson, good subject knowledge was apparent.
It is very clear that pupils understand why they should behave well, rather than doing it because they are told to. Behaviour in each of the lessons seen was impeccable.
The early years classroom provides a well organised, welcoming and productive environment in which children can learn. Very well modelled behaviour and expectations from adults result in children quickly working well together, developing positive behaviour and an eagerness to try new things.
The Topic Book scrutiny evidenced a rich curriculum whereby children are afforded frequent opportunity to apply their reading, writing and mathematical skills beyond the core curriculum. The children’s books evidence an equality of demand for all abilities. Books also evidence a wealth of lessons that provide for ‘active learning’ opportunities…
Cross Country qualifier
Congratulations to Grace in Year 6 who finished 6th in the Year 6 girls Leeds East North East Cross Country race at Cardinal Heenan school last week to qualify for the Leeds final next year.
Well done to all children who represented school in traditional cross country weather. For some of the children, this was the first time they have taken part in a competitive event and spirits were still high despite the weather.
