Speak out. Stay safe.

Dear Parent/Carer,

The NSPCC’s Speak out. Stay safe. programme is visiting our school to make sure our pupils have the knowledge and understanding they need to stay safe from abuse.

I’m pleased to tell you that we will be working with the NSPCC, the UK’s leading children’s charity, who’ll be delivering their Speak out. Stay safe. programme on Monday 13th March. This is a nationwide programme for every primary-school-aged child in the UK and Channel Islands. With the help of their friendly mascot Buddy, they’ll be presenting an assembly to the children in our school as well as a workshop for Years 5 and 6.

"NSPCC has helped me to build the confidence to tell people about my worries and problems." Child’s feedback

What is the Speak out. Stay safe. programme?

Through child-friendly, interactive assemblies and workshops their specially trained staff and volunteers will give our children information about how to keep themselves safe from harm and how to get help if they have any worries, sensitively discussing issues like bullying and sexual abuse, without using scary words or adult language.

We have studied the content of the materials and heard from other schools who have participated and are extremely confident that they are appropriate for primary-school-aged children. By the end of their visit, we’re convinced children will feel empowered – knowing how they can speak out and stay safe.

"This service provides important information in a child-friendly way – it should be made mandatory in all schools. A brilliant service!" Teacher, Wistaston Primary, Crewe

If you would like any more information about the NSPCC Speak out. Stay safe. programme, including frequently asked questions, you can find it on the NSPCC website nspcc.org.uk/schools or please come into speak to me and I can provide more information.

Talking about the Underwear Rule with your children

The NSPCC’s work in schools will help encourage conversations about staying safe – and they have a number of child-friendly materials to help you carry on the conversation afterwards. That includes ‘The Underwear Rule’, a simple way for parents to help keep children safe from sexual abuse – without using scary words or even mentioning sex.

The guide uses the rules of PANTS to teach children that their body belongs to them and them alone. You can find out more and download the free resources at nspcc.org.uk/pants

If you’d like to know more about the NSPCC’s work, or take a look at the wide range of information and advice which is available for parents and carers, please visit their website nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/

Yours sincerely,

Hina Shah

Headteacher

Safer Internet Day 2017

Safer Internet Day 2017 is being celebrated globally today, Tuesday 7th February, with the theme 'Be the change: unite for a better internet'. There will be e-safety lessons taking part throughout the school, promoting safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology.

For more information please see the Safer Internet Day website and our Internet Safety page.

If you haven't done so already please complete our parent and carer e-safety survey. It will only take a few minutes, the results are anonymous and they will help towards improving our e-safety policies at Earlsmead. Thank you.

Congestion and security at the end of the day

Dear Parents / Carers,

You might recall that I wrote to you in October last year about the congestion and concerns around safety and security at school building entrances in the mornings and at the end of the day.

At that time, we urged parents and carers to avoid using the entrance points that children use and instead to use the main school entrance on Broad Lane if they needed to go to the school office for anything including making appointments to see members of staff.

Unfortunately this has not been a success and having a free flow of parents, carers, staff and children using the same entrance and exit points has lead to dangerous congestion in these areas and has left the school unable to control and manage who is in the building in the mornings and at the end of the day.  

As a result we will be implementing a different and hopefully more secure and straight forward system from Thursday 2nd February, so please note the changes below:

The start of the school day

  • At the start of the school day only staff and pupils will be allowed to enter the building and parents and carers will need to say goodbye to their children in the playground.

  • If you have children in both KS1 and KS2, a member of staff will be on duty so that children line up with the member of staff to be led into the building and taken to their classes.

  • Parents and carers will only be allowed to enter the building by going to the school office using the entrance on Broad Lane.

The end of the school day

  • Children from Reception Classes will be dismissed as usual. Year 1 children will be bought downstairs from their classes and children will be dismissed from the front entrance of their building so we will ask parents to be patient and to not stand in front of these doors.

  • Children in Year 2 Pink will be dismissed from their class playground exit. Year 2 Yellow will be dismissed from the main entrance from the infant playground.

  • Children in Years 3 Orange and Year 3 Purple will be dismissed from the playground entrances in the junior playground.

  • Years 4, 5 and 6 will be bought out in a line to the junior playground by their teachers and dismissed from there. If you collect your child please ensure that you arrive collect them promptly at 3.15 p.m.

If your child collects a younger sibling from another class, they will be accompanied by a teaching assistant to wait with their siblings’ class and then be dismissed with that class.

If your child attends an after school activity it is up to the club leader to decide whether parents and carers are allowed to stay and watch. Please note that if you do watch your child or come and collect your child from a club you will still need to use the entrance to the building that is on Broad Lane.

There may be issues that we have not thought of but we will be regularly reviewing the process. Please do keep in mind that these changes are designed to keep your children safe so we would appreciate your patience and cooperation whilst we implement them.

Yours sincerely,

Hina Shah

Headteacher.

 

We’re counting down to Number Day 2017!

Dear Parents/Carers

We are delighted to be supporting the NSPCC by taking part in their Number Day on Friday 3 February 2017.

Children deserve an equal start in life

The NSPCC believes that all children deserve a childhood free from harm but, sadly, that’s not the case for many children. That’s why the NSPCC is fighting for every childhood and working to help keep children safe from abuse.

The NSPCC needs our support. By raising money, we can help to fund their vital services like ChildLine – the helpline that’s always there for children and young people whatever their problem or concern.

Making maths meaningful

Number Day is a great way to make maths fun and bring about a positive, ‘can-do’ attitude towards it.

On 3 February we will be taking part in The Great Earlsmead Number Challenges!! Pupils will be learning number facts and times table facts to complete their year groups timed tests. To help raise money for the NSPCC, we are asking for families and friends to support and sponsor children to complete their number challenges. Please complete the sponsor form on the back of this letter and return it with any sponsor money in an envelope to your child’s class teacher.

Also on that day, we’ll be taking part in Dress up for Digits and pupils will be invited to wear number themed fancy dress or an item of clothing with numbers, shapes and patterns on it. To help raise money for the NSPCC, we are asking for a suggested donation of £1, we’d love everyone in the school to take part!

It all adds up

We’re looking forward to all the fun of Number Day, and we really appreciate your support. All the money we raise will make an enormous difference to children today and help change the lives of children tomorrow.

You can find out more about the NSPCC’s work at nspcc.org.uk

Many thanks for your continued and appreciated support. If you do have any queries or questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Adell Horbury - Assistant Headteacher

 

 

Please watch this video and help us win a set of Chromebooks!

Since we made the change to Chromebooks last year the students have been loving the learning opportunities that the new devices have given us. As part of a competition to win a set of 30 brand new touch screen Chromebooks, we have put together this short video explaining why we love them so much. The video with the most views is the winner so please share it with your friends and help us win the competition!

Large turnout for our Parent coffee morning

Thank you to all the parents and carers who came to the coffee morning!

We were delighted to host the coffee morning with a view of establishing future  social as well as more formal occasions for the parents to come, meet and discuss ways we can work together to support their children and take a part in the school community.

To embrace the language diversity of our school community, the members of the support staff used their language skills to socialise with the the parents who speak additional languages to English.