28th April 2023
Dear Parents and Carers,
The children continue to be immersed in their topic work and the pupils in the Explorers Hub are really enjoying ‘Beside the seaside’. Some more children visited the Sealife Centre this week. They saw giant turtles and sharks! The children were able to spend some time out of their wheelchairs to get close up to the tanks and track the fish, which they loved! Others visited a local fish and chip shop and enjoyed the smells and tastes! Other children enjoyed some calming beach sensory sessions, exploring sand and water with their feet. Children in the Engineers Hub have been enjoying some orienteering lessons this week and were excitedly following maps and instructions without needing much adult support! Within communication, language and literacy there has been some great improvements in communication with one child signing ‘good morning’ as they came in for the first time. A number of children have improved their phonics and one child demonstrated fabulous independent reading. In maths, a child verbalised counting to 15. In the development of social skills, two children formed a new friendship together and walked in off their bus holding hands (without running)! I was also delighted to see three of our Investigators working together on a phonics task they had been set quietly and sensibly with no adult input. Their focus and concentration was a joy to see!
Strike Update: Next week, the NEU has called for a strike on Tuesday 2nd May
The following classes will be closed:
- Zebras
- Pelicans
- Polar Bears
- Peacocks
- Sloths
- Llamas
- Gorillas
- Ladybirds
- Pandas
- Gorillas
- Huskies
The schools will remain open for pupils in:
- Owls
- Hippos
- Sealions
- Crocodiles
- Koalas
- Leopards
- Badgers
- Geckos
Safeguarding Spotlight
With access to and use of social media being so common these days we all need to ensure that we do not put ourselves at risk when posting things online. Comments made online are not safe and secure and should never be considered as such. We all want to set the best example for our children, so please do think carefully before typing/posting on social media.
From time to time, you may have concerns, worries or frustrations about a matter in school and when such circumstances occur, we want to know about it and look into the situation in order to resolve things as speedily as possible. Please speak to your child’s class teacher or email them asking they give you a call rather than expressing your concerns online. You can also speak to our Family Liaison Officer or a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Posting a concern on social media will not resolve the matter and sometimes posts can cause unnecessary worry for other parents/carers
We are aware that people like to chat on apps like WhatsApp where people can talk in groups. School does not endorse or police any groups that you are part of with other parents.
In ensuring that staff and children are protected at all times, please refrain from posting negative comments, using inappropriate language and naming or tagging other children in posts. We are all working in partnership to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children and we all want to be strong role models for them.
If you are uncomfortable with anything, our advice is to leave the group.
Negative communication or offensive messaging between parties on varied platforms, including WhatsApp and social messaging platforms could result in specific charges of malicious communications or an offence under the Communications Act.
The use of apps such as Whatsapp can spread misinformation, moreover, it can bypass the necessary safeguarding and data protection checks that we work so hard to use. Adding or commenting on posts can mean that a child’s confidentiality can be broken which is contrary to normal GDPR requirements.
There is no substitute for the continued existence of face-to-face communication channels or telephone calls that allow contact which creates trust and professional working relationships between parents/carers and school. There is a lot at stake if this relationship breaks down.
Attendance Focus
For the week commencing 17 April, the classes with the best attendance were;
- Explorers hub – Pelican class
- Investigators hub –Gecko class
- Engineers hub – Koala class
Coffee Morning
Wednesday 3rd May from 9.15am – 10.30am
This week’s sign of the week is King!
Upcoming dates:
May 8th: Coronation bank holiday
June 21 and 22: Summer term parents’ evenings
June 23: INSET day
Have a lovely weekend!
Very best wishes,
Catriona