Year 6 Fire Talk
On Tuesday we had a visit from the fire brigade who gave us a talk on road safety and did a recap on the fire safety at home. Year 6 asked lots of really good questions. We had a quiz at the end and got most of the questions right.
10 Top Tips for Parents & Educators Educating Children on Spending and Saving
Managing money can be a difficult skill to master, even for adults. As such, it’s incredibly important for children and young people to learn all they can before they reach an age at which they’ll be responsible for their own finances. Teaching strategies for saving and responsible spending early on can be a huge help to youngsters, in a way that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. It can be tricky to know the best approach for teaching money management to children, however, especially in terms of giving them practical experience with this important life skill. This guide – made in collaboration with financial education app GoHenry – provides you with expert advice on how to educate children and young people on both spending and saving their cash.
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Reception - PSHE - Healthy Eating.
In PSHE we have been thinking about what food is healthy to eat. We talked about lots of different types of food and the children voted if it was good or bad for them. They certainly have some favourite foods but we agreed that they are not always good for us!
Pre-School-P.S.H.E- What Do Our Bodies Need?-Making Fruit Kebabs
Today Pre-school In P.S.H.E discussed what our bodies need to be healthy. The children told me that we need to eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink only milk and water to keep our bodies healthy because pop and sweets have too much sugar in them. The children told me they need to exercise like running, jumping and doing our P.E lessons with Mrs Corbally.
Year 2 - PSHE - Fire Talk
This week we had some special visitors from the fire station who gave us a talk on fire safety at home. It was great fun!!
Year 4 - Smoothie Bike
Year 4 took part in a smoothie making workshop. They had to choose different fruits which they thought would taste nice together before adding yoghurt and honey and pedaling the bike to mix it all together.
Teaching Cycle Safety
Cycling can be a fun and healthy way to pass the time for children and young people – encouraging them to go outside and stay active, while also spending quality time with parents, carers or other trusted adults. It’s also a useful skill for adult life: teaching youngsters how to use a cheaper, healthier and more eco-friendly method of transportation where possible. However, the risk of injuries that cycling carries can quickly put young people off the hobby. If a child is being introduced to cycling as an activity, it’s essential that they’re also taught how to stay safe while out and about. This free guide offers you expert advice on how to practise safe cycling and preserve the wellbeing of children when going out for a ride.
Reception - Smoothie Bike!
Reception took part in the smoothie bike experience this morning, and although our feet didn’t touch the pedals, we had great fun! The children discussed different types of fruits that they liked and learned how many portions of fruit and veg they should eat every day. The children tried 3 different smoothies altogether; strawberry and banana, mango and pineapple and then one with all of the fruit together.
Encouraging Children to Choose Respect
Even among adults, it can be all too common to see disputes and differing opinions grow extremely heated, which is rarely helpful to anyone. When emotions run high, it can be easy to forget yourself and perhaps even say something you didn’t mean, hurting feelings or escalating the situation further. For children, it’s just as important to avoid this kind of behaviour whenever possible; without the necessary guidance, however, they could struggle to identify any disrespectful behaviour, let alone recognise what they can do differently. This guide offers you expert advice on teaching children and young people to choose respect when interacting with their peers, helping to create an environment based on empathy and tolerance.
Year 5 Tree Planting - Creating a Micro Forest!
Year 5 were very lucky this week to be invited by Lancashire Council to help create a micro forest on Winterton Road. We were all very excited to plant some trees and help to save the planet! It was very muddy, but great fun and we all learned some valuable skills about how to plant trees!
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Year 3 PSHE - Planning A Healthy Meal
In PSHE, Year 3 received an email from Derek the Penguin. He wanted their advice about making healthy food for his friend's birthday party. In groups the children talked about the different food groups and then designed their own healthy menus.
Online Safety - Fortnite
Over the years, Fortnite has become a household name in the gaming community. It was one of the first titles in the ‘battle royale’ subgenre, where players are thrown into a chaotic free-for-all on a sprawling map and fight until only one remains. Its cartoonish presentation and satisfying gameplay loop make it a potentially attractive choice for young players. However, it’s important to remember that online safety risks are always present – especially in multiplayer games – and Fortnite is no exception. This free guide, put together with expert input, tells you all you need to know about the safety concerns of this popular title and offers advice on how to protect children and young people as they enjoy the game.
Reception - PSHE - Our Feelings
Reception has been talking about the different feelings we have throughout our day. They were able to show some amazing expressions for happy, cheeky, angry and sad. They were also able to talk about when they feel some of these emotions.
Supporting Young People To Build Emotional Resilience
Facing unpleasant feelings can be a challenge, even for adults – let alone for children and young people, whose minds are still developing. To many youngsters, a mistake in an exam, a hurtful word or even losing in a game can sometimes feel like the worst thing in the world, causing them to react accordingly. However, this isn’t always an effective way to deal with difficult emotions or life’s setbacks, so it's important that parents and educators are able impress a healthy approach to these feelings on the children in their care. This free guide offers you expert tips on how to instil emotional resilience in young people, helping them to learn from unexpected feelings and situations – and to process them in a mature, effective manner.
Online Safety - Horror Films and Age Ratings.
Ofcom’s latest Media Use and Attitudes Report states that most children can watch streamed films on a mobile device both in and out of the home, with 80% of UK children watching films on phones, tablets or laptops. That’s a lot of youngsters who might be using their own gadgets to watch something suitably spooky this Halloween season or perhaps, something a little too frightening. With older children in particular, it can be difficult knowing how to manage their increasing interest in more mature content – including horror films, in many cases – let alone knowing how best to safeguard them from inappropriate material. Our free guide offers expert advice not only on the risks of exposure to horror films and other potentially upsetting content, but also on preventing young viewers from seeing this material or protecting them from being too deeply affected by it if they do.
Year 6 Yellow Day
Thinking about affirmations and the value of positive self talk to help improve our mental health, and put ourselves in a positive frame of mind. We wore yellow to support mental health day.
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Reception - PSHE - Who Can Help Us?
In PSHE, Reception Class have been thinking about people they can turn to for help when they need it. They wrote the names or drew pictures of the people on a hand print. Lots of children said they would turn to "Mummy" or a sibling for help and enjoyed drawing pictures of them.
Fire Safety
A Home Office study has found that approximately 350 children are injured in accidental fires every year
Nursery - PSHE - Birthday Celebrations
Our new story for this week is 'Happy Birthday Lulu'. The children have really enjoyed reading about Lulu's celebrations on her big day, so we also took a look at our own birthday celebrations. We took turns in tapping the gifts on the screen to reveal the images behind. The children loved sharing pictures of their birthdays with the class and likewise, they enjoyed looking at their friends celebrations too. We discussed what items we could see in the pictures, presents, cakes, balloons, family members and more!
PreSchool-P.S.H.E-I Am Special
Today the children Had to secretly look inside the box and not tell their friends what they saw until the last child had looked inside, the children then discussed what they saw which was themselves in a mirror, We then talked about Why we are special and unique and what makes us special and what makes our families special.
Nursery - PSHE - What Would You Like To Be When You Grow Up?
Our dressing up box has been the focal point of our learning this week. The children have explored different job roles as we have discussed what they would like to be when they grow up. Using our brilliant role play skills we have been able to take on the job roles of, police officers, fire fighters, postal workers, doctors and nurses, builders and chefs!
Year 5 PSHE - Negotiation and Compromise Roleplay
Year 5 had fun in the hall acting out a roleplay aimed at understanding how to negotiate and compromise. Everyone had a go, and we all laughed a lot!
Online Safety - Instagram
Instagram is one of the most well-known social media platforms around, frequented by users of all ages all over the world, and allowing them to share photos and videos with friends, family and the wider public if they wish. The site has many younger users, allowing people as young as 13 to create an account and engage with its community. As a popular choice of platform for teenagers, it's vital that parents and educators understand the risks associated with the site and what can be done to mitigate them. This free guide lets you know about the most prominent safety concerns on Instagram, offering expert advice on how to make young people’s experiences on the app as secure as possible.
PreSchool-PSHE-Visitor-Toothbrushing
Today we had James The Dentist Visit us in Preschool and Reception class, James taught us the importance of brushing our teeth. James also showed the children how much sugar can be found in sweets and sugary drinks and discussed what a healthy snack should be.
Year 6 Role Play In PSHE
In our PSHE lesson we had to read 3 scripts and choose which one we wanted to act out as a group. The performance focused on finding a resolution to a situation where the six characters involved did not end up arguing. The characters found a diversion to otherwise occupy their minds and they still remain friends.
Year 1 PSHE
During PSHE Year 1 explored their feelings. They expressed various emotions with their faces such as happy, sad, cross and worried.
Top Tips for Supporting Children to Manage Conflict Effectively
As children go through life, they will inevitably come into conflict sooner or later. These disagreements can range from seemingly minor squabbles to far more serious disputes, and dealing with them in an effective, mature manner is an absolutely vital skill – one that takes some time and effort to cultivate. In children and young people’s formative years, it’s incredibly important for parents and educators to know how to teach them conflict resolution, as well being able to model this skill effectively. This free guide offers expert advice on helping youngsters avoid unnecessary conflict and supporting them in finding solutions when clashes arise. Sources https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/conflict-management-in-the-workplace/ https://positivepsychology.com/conflict-resolution-in-the-workplace/ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/stronger-the-broken-places/201803/11-tips-conflict-management
Year 5 PSHE - Collaboration Challenge!
Year 5 learned to collaborate with some fun posing exercises in the hall, before using this skill to try to build the tallest tower out of nothing but sheets of paper and sticky tape! We are learning to work together as a team.
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Nursery-PSHE-Exploring The Environment
The children have had a fantastic week back, meeting new friends and exploring the environment. Learning how to use new resources and engage in different activities around the classroom.
Reception Class: Exploring our world.
Reception class have been enjoying "Exploring their World" in our yard! They have had lots of fun on bikes and have been showing us what great climbers they are.
Pre School-PSHE-All About Me
The children have been getting to know each other this week and have talked about their likes and dislikes. The children then created pic collage adding materials and pictures to show what we had talked about. The children explored the classroom and showed their interests throughout the week.
Year 2 Courageous Advocacy
Year 2 talked about what they like about their community and what they would like to improve.
Year 2 Skills Builder
Year 2 developed their skills in communication, creativity and problem solving by making their own mini-art exhibition in Skills Builder.
Year 2 PSHE Stranger Danger
Year 2 explored what is safe or unsafe when talking to strangers.
What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Worry and Anxiety
At times, growing up can be a stressful experience. It’s not unheard of for young people to fret about things that could potentially go wrong in their lives – and what implications this would have for their life. In some situations, this can go beyond feeling uneasy about the future and become full-blown anxiety, which affects their mental, emotional and even physical wellbeing. While worry and anxiety can originate from many different places, it's immensely important for parents and educators to understand the effect this can have on youngsters – and how best to support them if they’re going through a difficult time. This guide provides insight into the ramifications of worry and anxiety, and how you can help children manage – and hopefully overcome – these challenges.
Year 5 Nurture
In our Nurture lesson we looked at keeping safe over summer. Year 5 researched stranger danger, fire and water safety and train line safety.They made a powerpoint to show others how to keep safe.
Pre School- Graduation 2024
The children have celebrated their Graduation this week. The children's parents came into nursery to celebrate this special occasion, remembering all the special experiences and progress they have made over the last few years. The children are ready for their new adventure to big school.
Year 6 Nurture Lesson
In their nurture lesson, Year 6 created presentations on their chromebooks about how to keep safe. They first chose a specific topic such as water safety, fire safety or stranger danger. After doing some research they then created a powerpoint to present how to protect themselves from dangers.
Year 4 Skills Builder Lesson
Year 4, during their Skills builder lesson, considered the legal system and how people deserve to be given a fair trial. After considering a case, the children debated if a person was innocent or guilty based on some initial facts given about a crime. The class was divided regarding what they thought and one person was brave enough to say they did not know either way. The class then had a debate on what should be the youngest age someone could be sent to court for a crime. The ages ranged from 13 to 20 and the children were excellent at giving the reasons for their arguments.
Year 4 PSHE - Puberty Talk
In our PSHE lesson this week Karen from SCARF came and explained all about our bodies and how they grow and change.
Year 5 PSHE
For our PSHE lesson this week the Year 5 children had a talk about how their bodies are going to change. They were extremely sensible and really enjoyed the lesson. Well done Year 5.
Online Safety - What Parents Need to Know About Sharing Images
The sharing of intimate images online can be a dangerous avenue through which abusers seek to exploit children and young people, forcibly exposing them to explicit material, coercing them into sharing self-generated intimate images, and extorting them with the threat of sharing such images more widely. From reputational impact to potential blackmail or emotional distress, and even legal consequences, exposure to this harmful behaviour can have a severe impact. It’s important to remember that the creation and distribution of explicit material featuring under-18s – even by the child themselves – is illegal under UK law. Our guide looks at the serious concerns associated with this behaviour, and lets parents and educators know how best to address these issues and protect young people. Sources https://www.childline.org.uk/
Pre School-PSHE-Taking Turns
The children have been developing their sharing and taking turn skills playing the game, Pizza, Pizza. Working in groups to collect the correct pieces to add to their board, but some pizza toppings had bugs on and they needed to go in the rubbish meaning that the children's boards did not get filled. We all supported each other until we all had a complete board of pizza.
What You Need to Know about Gambling
Online gambling has become more prevalent over the years, with such practises widely advertised on social media and even incorporated into various apps and games. It’s growing easier for children and young people to come across opportunities to gamble online, putting parents at greater risk of financial loss or mental and emotional strain. That said, there are steps you can take to keep these youngsters as safe as possible from the impacts of gambling, and our free guide details these for you. At the same time, our expert points out the most significant risks posed to under-18s, to help you keep these damaging pitfalls to a minimum. Support Services NHS National Centre for Behavioural Addictions and the National Problem Gambling Clinic NHS Northern Gambling Service website NHS Southern Gambling Service website NHS West Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic website NHS East Midlands Gambling Harms Clinic website NHS East of England Gambling Service website NHS South West Gambling Service website https://www.gamcare.org.uk/about-us/what-support-do-we-provide/ Sources https://www.leeds.gov.uk/one-minute-guides/gambling-and-young-people Gambling Commission - Young people and gambling 2023 https://www.gamblingcommission.gov.uk/PDF/Measuring-GRH-in-CYP-A-framework-for-action.pdf https://bigdeal.org.uk/ https://parentzone.org.uk/article/pressure-to-spend https://harmreductionjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12954-018-0220-3 https://www.problemgambling.ca/gambling-help/gambling-information/about-slot-machines.aspx#near_misses https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10899-017-9701-7 https://www.apa.org/monitor/2023/07/how-gambling-affects-the-brain https://www.itn.co.uk/media-centre/exclusive-5-news-study-university-bristol-business-school-exposes-alarming-scale#:~:text=Across%20all%20media%20channels%20examined,or%20115%20messages%20every%20hour. https://www.gambleaware.org/sites/default/files/2020-12/pbhm-final-report-december-2016.pdf
Year 5 Emotional Bingo!
Year 5 have been thinking about how they feel in certain situations. We discussed that feelings range in different situations. We discussed each new emotion on the bingo card then played bingo! A fun lesson was had by all!
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WakeUpWednesday: 10 Top Tips for Parents and Educators: Promoting Physical Wellbeing
Football’s European Championship is now well underway, and this huge event could potentially get children interested in having a go on the pitch themselves – or perhaps they’re already passionate about sport. It could present a great opportunity to get young people engaged in physical activity and regular exercise, which has proven positive impacts on all facets of their health – including mental and emotional wellbeing. With all that said, it can sometimes be difficult to get children and young people motivated to take part in sports and other exercise, but there are certainly ways to do so. This guide provides you with some top tips from our expert on how to encourage young people to stay active and remain invested in their physical welfare.
Fair Play and Friendly Competition
With football’s European Championships about to kick off, it’s likely that young fans will be inspired to take to the pitch themselves – or perhaps they’re naturally sporty already. High-profile tournaments such as this can be a great opportunity to teach children and young people about what constitutes being ‘a good sport’ – not just in terms of technique, but also attitude. This guide collates our expert’s tips for encouraging fair play and friendly competition between children. It will help you to ensure that they can relish an enjoyable game of football, rugby or something else entirely — without unhealthy approaches to winning and losing polluting what could be an uplifting experience for all. Sources https://www.yourschoolgames.com/taking-part/joining-competitions/reframing-competition/ https://www.yourschoolgames.com/taking-part/joining-competitions/reframing-competition/aac/ https://www.fairplayinternational.org https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7e208240f0b62305b80fa4/Going_20the_20extra_20mile_20-_20excellence_20in_20competitive_20school_20sport.pdf https://www.afpe.org.uk/ https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/65fd68f9f1d3a0001d32adbc/Enhancing_physical_education_provision_and_improving_access_to_sport_and_physical_activity_in_school.pdf https://www.youthsporttrust.org/school-support/free-resources
Wake Up Wednesday - Encouraging Healthy Friendships
It’s common for young people to have comparatively less of an understanding of social conventions. While children can benefit from this to some degree – making friends at the drop of a hat – this can also generate a good deal of confusion regarding certain aspects of any relationships that they form.
Nursery - PSED - Understanding Feelings
The children in Nursery class have been exploring facial expressions and feelings this week. During story time we have discussed the different characters and how they might be feeling, some children were also able to give a reason why the pirates were sad. The children were able to group together pictures of sad and happy expressions and displayed these in our emotions area.
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Year 5 Researching Greta Thunberg
In Year 5 the children were researching Greta Thunberg for our Courageous Advocacy day. The children were amazed at the accomplishments she has made in changing people's mindset on climate change.
Year 1 Picture News - Special Objects
Year 1 talked about the people who are special in their lives or a special time they have experienced. We discussed how simple objects can remind us of a person or an event. The children drew their special objects and shared their thoughts with the class.
St James Rainbows and Brownies
St James Rainbows and Brownies have spaces available. They meet each week at St James Over Darwen Church. Rainbows is for girls aged 4 - 7 and Brownies is for girls aged 7 - 9. The children earn different badges, they bake, craft, raise money and have lots of fun! Please contact Lisa on 07895023147 for more information.
School Avoidance
School avoidance is a sharply increasing phenomenon, with tangible negative effects on children’s wellbeing and education. The factors that come together to make a child consciously avoid seeing their classmates and teachers can be much more complicated than is often assumed. A careful, mindful approach from parents, carers and educators is required to help children return to an environment that may be causing them intense anxiety. Our guide aims to help you understand the issue of school avoidance – not only its potential roots and ramifications, but also what you can do to help children and young people navigate these obstacles and continue their education. Sources Pellegrini, School non‐attendance: definitions, meanings, responses, interventions, 2007 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02667360601154691 Gregory and Purcell, Out of school: a phenomenological exploration of extended non-attendance, 2014 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282446577_Out_of_school_a_phenomenological_exploration_of_extended_non-attendance Hughes, E K, Gullone, E, Dudley, A and Tonge, B (2010). A case-control study of emotion regulation and school refusal in children and adolescents; Journal of Early Adolescence, 30, 691–706., 2010 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237067765_Hughes_EK_Gullone_E_Dudley_A_Tonge_B_2010_A_case-control_study_of_emotion_regulation_and_school_refusal_in_children_and_adolescents_Journal_of_Early_Adolescence_30_691-706 Lyon and Cotler, Toward reduced bias and increased utility in the assessment of school refusal behaviour: The case for diverse samples and evaluations of context, 2007 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/pits.20247 Children’s Commissioner, Attendance is everyone’s business, 2023 https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/resource/attendance-is-everyones-business/
Year 5 PSHE Rosa Parks Story
The children looked at discrimination within our PSHE . They watched a clip and discussed how the children felt then they read the story of Rosa Parks. Afterwards they looked at how to treat people with respect.
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Year 2 - Fire Safety Visit
Today we had a visit from Darwen Fire Brigade. They taught us all about how to stay safe around fires and how it's important to have a get out plan at home.
Year 2 Fire Plan Reenactment
Year 2 acted out what they had learned about a fire plan at home.
Nursery Class - PSED - Can You Dress The Pirates?
Nursery Class have been exploring all about pirates this week. The children were tasked with choosing some clothing and dressing the pirates. We spoke about the name of the item of clothing and where on the body it would go.
Year 6 British Values
In our Class worship Year 6 asked and talked about the question 'Can the past help us learn about modern life?'
Year 5 PSHE
In PSHE the children were learning the importance of listening. During the lesson they played a lsitening game, they had to work with a partner to tell and listen to a story. They then had to feedback what had been said.
Online Safety - Helldivers 2
Within the last few months, Helldivers 2 has propelled to immense popularity in the gaming community, with players of all ages enjoying its frenetic combat, humorous presentation, and challenging gameplay. Whether they’re cooperating with friends or competing with strangers, the game has attracted many young players despite its higher age rating. As can be expected from an online game – especially one rated 18+ – there are several inherent online safety risks posed to children and young people who play Helldivers 2; from the content of the game itself to the dangers of interacting with strangers online. Our guide highlights the most prominent hazards of Helldivers 2 and provides you with top tips for keeping its younger players safe.
Nursery - PSHE - Our Pets
In Nursery class we have been exploring all about our pets. The children have really enjoyed searching behind the doors to find their own pets, showing them off to their friends with pride! They have also enjoyed finding their friends pets and sharing their findings with each other. We have explored the sounds that our pets make, what their names are and how to look after and care for our animals.
Online Safety - Ofcom Media Report 2024
On 19th April 2024, Ofcom released their annual Media Use and Attitudes Report, detailing the findings of several surveys and their implications for parents, children and young people in the UK. These statistics often include plenty of thought-provoking information relating to online safety. The report itself is extremely extensive, so instead we've provided a bespoke selection of data gathered by Ofcom about children and young people’s experiences on social media, video games and the like. Check our guide for a thorough breakdown of the headline findings.
Pre-school- PSHE- Me and my friends
PSHE- Me and my friends The children listened to the story of Elmer and Rosie. Within this story the children discussed their friendships and how they like and dislike different things. We talked about who we were friends with at nursery and at home. We discussed how we have similarities and differences between us. The children created Elmer the elephant of their own and talked about how everyone had created different ones.
Energy Drinks - What You Need to Know
While the short-term benefits of energy drinks can be attractive, it's not wise to ignore the potential health risks. Consuming these beverages regularly can have negative effects on the heart and blood pressure, and even cause dependency on these products to keep users’ energy at a ‘normal’ level. Factoring in that it’s illegal to sell these drinks to under-16s, the rise in children and young people using energy drinks is a cause for concern. This marked increase in young people using highly caffeinated drinks to supplement their energy has heightened the risk of these health issues arising in children – at a time in their lives where such impacts can have greater, longer-lasting consequences. Our guide addresses these possible hazards, letting you know how to minimise them for children and young people who like the occasional can.
Top Tips for Parents & Educators - Managing Exam Stress
Most of us have felt the dread of impending exams. The pressure to succeed and not let our loved ones – or ourselves – down can sometimes manifest in ways that are harmful to children’s mental and emotional wellbeing. Several studies have demonstrated that, in a vicious circle, such anxiety impacts our working memory and actually damages academic performance as result. However, there are various solutions to the pre-exam jitters besides simply “getting on with it” – and a little support can go a long way in boosting young people who are suffering from this type of apprehension. To tie in with National Stress Awareness Month, this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has some expert tips for helping children and young people to deal with exam stress.
Henry Program - New Course Available!
The next Henry 0-5 will be held at Darwen Family Hub (Lord St) starting on Wednesday April 17th from 12.30-2.30. It is an 8 week programme with a creche available for younger children if needed. Parents/carers can self refer by telephone 01254 585000 or by using the new family hub website https://familyhubsbwd.org/looking-after-your-family/parenting If you have any questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Online Safety - What Parents and Educators Need to Know about Township
Potentially addictive online games are nothing new, but the specifics of this kind of media can vary enormously – and, as a consequence, the risks in each individual game are just as diverse. The city-builder Township is no exception: providing its legions of devotees with accessible, satisfying fun … but exposing them to potential hazards at the same time. However, any safeguarding issues that the game might have can (with a little knowhow) be neutralised – allowing young players to have some engrossing fun without adults needing to worry about children’s data, their money or their mental wellbeing. Our guide outlines how to help young gamers enjoy Township safely and responsibly.
Online Safety - Wake up Wednesday - Clickbait
While scrolling online, you’ll almost inevitably have come across posts or links with headlines like “You Won’t Believe These 10 Crazy Facts about …”. Such lurid language – and the often-dubious nature of the content it promotes – has become something of a running joke on the internet. Yet while these articles are often laughed at by communities online, they can have an insidious side. Clickbait, as it’s known, can frequently function as part of a trap: intended to draw users in for the sake of advertising revenue or, in worse cases, masking an attempting to collect their personal information. This #WakeUpWednesday guide explores the various risks of clickbait and offers some top tips for evading the pitfalls of this controversial marketing technique.
Toileting Drop In Support Group
Lord St Family Hub are running a number of sessions to help and support you with toilet training your little one. Please see the dates and times listed in the photo, these sessions are ideal for ensuring your little one is ready for school in September.
10 Top Tips for Parents and Educators: Encouraging Open Conversations at Home
Cultural and technological changes have made the experiences of today’s children vastly different to our own childhoods; it can be challenging to engage youngsters in open, honest conversation – especially about more sensitive topics. This, combined with many children’s instinct to avoid “rocking the boat”, can make it difficult to stay up to date with the goings on in their lives. However, it’s hugely important that trusted adults still offer an empathetic ear and feel able to encourage young people to open up about their day-to-day activities. This #WakeUpWednesday guide provides ten top tips for promoting open conversations with children – helping to make sure there’s someone they know they can turn to in times of need.
Developing Healhy Sleeping Patterns
For children and young people, low-quality sleep can become a serious issue. It has been theorised that poor sleep can have a significant impact on children’s brain development, affecting them for the rest of their lives. A healthy – and consistent – sleeping pattern, therefore, is incredibly important for children and young people’s wellbeing. With the stresses and distractions that can present themselves to youngsters, it can be tricky to ensure they’re in the best mindset to wind down in the evenings for the rejuvenating rest that they need. The right approach, however, can give them a better chance of cultivating a healthy sleeping pattern. Our guide has some practical tips on helping them to achieve exactly that.
Year 2 - PSHE - Online Safety
In PSHE today, we had a discussion about what the internet is and how we can stay safe online. We focussed on staying safe when playing games and only playing with people we know. If we don't feel safe we TAG it - tell a grown up!
Pre School - Keeping Ourselves Safe
Today in PSHE we have been looking at keeping ourselves safe looking at safe and unsafe things to put on our bodies and in our bodies. We looked at different medicines and shampoos. We talked about sand and mud and how we have to try and not get it in our eyes and make sure we wash our eyes.
Supporting Children who are Being Bullied
The latest bullying research from the DfE makes for upsetting reading
Online Safety - Self Regulation
As infants, we all rely completely on adults to help us resolve situations that are causing us to become upset or stressed. This is known as co-regulation. The next phase, once autonomy has begun to develop, is called self-regulation: this is when children start to become capable of exercising more control over their impulses and behaviour, and managing their own emotions. This vital developmental milestone, however, isn’t reached spontaneously. Learning to self-regulate requires sensitive guidance from trusted adults – simply talking with children about their thoughts and feelings, for instance, can ease the route to self-regulation. This #WakeUpWednesday guide has some expert tips for supporting children to reach this goal.
Reception Class - Things that Matter to us
This afternoon the children have been discussing what matters to them. They transferred these thoughts on to paper and they are bringing them home.
Online Safety - Monkey
With Omegle finally shutting down in late 2023, the top spot among video chat services is up for grabs – and Monkey has its eyes set on the crown. Randomly matching its users for 15-second conversations, the platform’s developers claim to have created a dynamic online space for people to make new connections and, potentially, even some new friends. Despite these innocuous-sounding intentions, however, Monkey has been criticised for moderation which may not be comprehensive enough to defend against the obvious dangers that unregulated, random video calls pose to the younger element of the site’s userbase. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide tells trusted adults what they need to know about Monkey.
Online Safety - MYLOL
Teenagers’ blossoming interest in romantic relationships and their devotion to online networking is a potent combination – and, regrettably, not always a safe one. It raises all kind of worries about the possibility of sharing intimate images or deeply personal information; and that’s simply with contacts their own age – to say nothing of the chance of connecting with an older stranger. MyLOL – a site which specifically facilitates interaction between 13 to 19-year-olds – has amassed around a million users worldwide, but sadly its safeguarding protocols can’t match that level of success. The ease with which an adult could pose as a teen under a bogus birthdate makes grooming a realistic threat – and that’s far from the platform’s only risk, as our guide explains.
Pre School - PSHE - Feelings
Today in PSHE we talked about our feelings, exploring happy and sad and what makes us feel like this. We talked about who we would go to if we felt sad and who we would share our happy news with. The children then explored different textures that link to how we would feel in our tummy when we are happy and sad. The children had some fantastic answers and loved touching all the different objects and discussing how that made them feel.
Online Safety - Smartphones
According to Ofcom, 69% of under-18s use a smartphone as their main method of going online. Additionally, 49% of children use them for online gaming – putting smartphones only behind consoles (59%) as the device of choice for playing games on. Most people won’t require such statistical evidence, however, to acknowledge the huge importance of phones to young people. Given that Santa’s recent visit is likely to have bestowed smartphones on an even greater number of young people, it’s a particularly opportune moment to ensure that children are able to use their handsets responsibly – and, above all, safely. From passcodes to parental controls, and from screen time to scams, our #WakeUpWednesday guide has the essential advice.
Online Safety - Freedom of Speech
Freedom of expression is enshrined in international law. Some individuals, however, misunderstand the right to share their opinions as a license to target others with the most horrendous prejudice. So how do we balance people’s prerogative to have their voice heard against everyone’s right to live in a respectful, inclusive society? This conflict frequently unfolds in the digital world. Online posters can be falsely accused of hate speech, while actual hate is often defended as merely being ‘free speech’. To help children and young people learn to identify the boundaries and recognise genuine hate speech when they see it, our #WakeUpWednesday guide provides some helpful definitions and guidelines.
Online Safety - Settng Up Parental Controls
At this time of year, it’s highly possible that you have a new phone, games console or other digital device stashed somewhere at home, ready to be unwrapped. Many parents also prefer to place some protective measures on those gifts – to keep their child shielded from potential #OnlineSafety risks – while others would like to, but aren’t sure where to begin. Our guide shepherds you through the process of establishing parental controls on new internet-enabled devices, from smartphones to laptops to consoles. Simply find the device in question and read on to find out what options you have and how to enable them – letting children enjoy their shiny new gadget, without so much of the worry over where it might lead them.
Online Safety - Tech Free Christmas
With Christmas right around the corner, millions of families are excitedly anticipating the chance to spend some quality time with each other over the festive season. When everyone’s engrossed in their phones or glued to their games consoles, however, genuinely meaningful moments with loved ones can often be difficult to orchestrate. Our Christmas #WakeUpWednesday guide will lend a hand: providing some advice on helping young people to set aside their devices for a while and live in the moment. Even if going full tech cold turkey feels unrealistic, implementing just a few of these tips could still decrease the amount of screen time in your home this festive season – enabling everyone to make the most of it.
Online Safety - Disney +
‘Tis the season for family movie nights Many parents will be turning to Disney+ for exactly that reason – but how free from #OnlineSafety risks is the House of Mouse’s streaming service? Our #WakeUpWednesday guide delves into Disney+
Online Safety - The Online Safety Act
After a lengthy gestation period, the UK Government’s wide-ranging changes to the legislation around digital safeguarding have become enshrined in law as the Online Safety Act. The first of its kind in Britain, the act aims to improve protection for children online and clamp down on illegal material. Regulated by Ofcom, it will primarily impact social media platforms and companies which host user-generated content. The new legislation, however, also carries implications for schools and their staff. Although further developments are expected, our #WakeUpWednesday guide summarises the main points of the act that schools need to be aware of so far – outlining some specific areas that the new laws address and what effect, in practical terms, this will have on education providers.
Online Safety - Black Friday and Cyber Monday
Gone are the days of Black Friday only existing in the physical environs of the high street. Now, both this retail landmark and its sister event, Cyber Monday, see deals and discounts displayed across almost every online retailer. The array of reductions makes this an ideal moment to treat a loved one (or yourself!) to those treasured items for considerably less than their usual cost. The frantic dash for the best bargains online, however, also harbours several risks: chiefly, cybercriminals hoping to exploit people’s excitement and hoodwink them out of their hard-earned cash. Our #WakeUpWednesday has some expert pointers on keeping your both your money and your personal information safe while still making the most of the spectacular sales.
2’s Room - Dinosaurs
We have had lots of fun today cleaning the dirty dinosaurs. We talked about being dirty and how we could get clean. We had so much fun!
Nursery - Children in Need
We have had such a fun day celebrating children in Need! We even had Pudsey bear come and see us. Have a look at some of the photos of us all enjoying this special day.
Online Safety - Smart TVs
Smart TVs have become more affordable in recent years, making them readily available to most consumers. These more advanced systems offer numerous features beyond those of a normal television set – chiefly, the ability to access the internet and interface with popular streaming services without the need for a set-top box or other intermediary device. This increased functionality, however, also brings additional threats to privacy, security and more – as you’d perhaps expect from any device capable of going online. As TV is such a cornerstone of our home lives, these dangers can be uniquely difficult to manage. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down the major risks, with tips on helping children to enjoy TV … stress free.
Reception Class - Anti Bullying Posters
Today the children have been talking about how we can be a kind friend. We discussed what bullying means and what we can do if somebody is unkind to us. W then made some posters to put up in our classroom and around school.
Year 4 Anti Bullying Posters
As part of their PSHE lessons and in aid of Anti Bullying Week, the children have been designing their own anti bullying posters. Here are Year 4’s entries. We will be displaying the posters around school.
Online Safety Microtransactions
Does “free to play” really mean what it says? Many hit games cost nothing to download but make their money via microtransactions – a growing #OnlineSafety concern for parents of young gamers. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide has the details.
Online Safety X
Would you get an A for your knowledge of X? This #WakeUpWednesday, our free guide tells parents and carers about the #OnlineSafety risks – both new and familiar – to stay alert for on the platform formerly known as Twitter Download >> https://bit.ly/3Mq6t5p
Pre School - Birthdays
This week in Pre school we have explored birthdays and how we have celebrated birthdays before. We talked about how many candles we had on our cake, if we received birthday cards and presents and if we had birthday parties. We listened to the story of Kipper's Birthday and explored our objects on the carpet. The children then got to create their own present and wrapping paper on our workshop table.
Year 2 Firefighter Visit
Sean and Mark from Darwen Fire Service visited Year 2 last week to talk about how to stay safe in a fire and their role in the community. They taught the children to 'stop, drop and roll', which Dolly did a fabulous job at demonstrating. They also taught us the importance of having a fire alarm and set the children 2 challenges. I 1, to check they have a fire alarm that works in their home. 2, learn their home address in case they ever need to call 999. If you do not have a fire alarm then please call the Fire Service on 01254 702288 and they will fit an alarm, free of charge. The children also had the opportunity to role play a scenario. The family were sleeping when a fire alarm woke them up. They tested the 'door' to make sure it wasn't too hot then dropped to the floor before crawling to wake the rest of the family. They all left the building and called 999. Fire Fighter Bailey and Fire Fighter Delilah entered and put the fire out and rescued the dog. Miss Kausar also demonstrated the fire fighter uniform. She said it was very hot and heavy. Mark told us they also have an extra 20 kilo on their back too.
Harold the Giraffe Visit
This morning, Reception class has had two very special visitors. Steven and Harold from 'life education' came to teach us all about our bodies, our emotions and self care. The children loved learning about a few of their internal organs and what they do to keep our bodies functioning and healthy. We also discussed who we would talk to if we felt sad or unwell and how we could improve our mood by doing different activities. The children also looked after Harold by brushing his hair and brushing his teeth, making sure that he is ready for the day! Harold ended our session by singing a wonderful song all about emotions. I'm sure your little ones will have lots to tell you about Harold and what they have learnt when they get home!
Y6 - UK Parliament Day
Year 6 are enjoying the start of our UK Parliament Day by learning all about Parliament while playing a board game!
Y2 - Hand Washing
This afternoon the children learned the importance of washing their hands. Kasim visited school to teach the children about germs, how they spread and how we can stop them spreading by washing our hands and using hand sanitiser. The children used a special gel on their hands and looked at the ‘germs’ under a UV light. They washed their hands and checked again to see how well they had washed the germs away. The children then thought about the importance of cleaning their nails and in between their fingers when washing as these were the places that the germs remained.
Dealing with Grief
How do you deal with grief? It’s important that trusted adults feel able to help children and young people cope with grief –particularly at the moment, when we are mourning the loss of a public figure who was cherished by so many. This week, our first #WakeUpWednesday guide with The National College has practical tips to support children with the events of recent days.
Wake Up Wednesday - Equality Online
The goal is equality. To celebrate a vibrant opening week of #weuro22, our #WakeUpWednesday guide has top tips for helping young fans ensure they know how to remain respectful online … and how to react if they see a red-card offence!
Reception Class Transition Afternoons.
Our new Reception children have joined us for three transition afternoons this week, and what fun we had! The children were able to explore their new environment, meet their new teachers and each other, and take part in lots of fun games and activities. We can’t wait to see you all again in September!
Y2 and 3 Fire Service Visit
Y2 and 3 had a visit from Darwen Fire and Rescue Service this week. They learned all about keeping safe around fires and what the fire service do to help us.
Entrepreneurship at DSJ.
This half term in nurture groups the children have been developing their entrepreneurship skills by making and selling different items. The children have been learning how to budget, spend and record spending. They have created various methods of market research and on Friday we held a market in the hall to begin selling our items.
EYFS - Police Visit
This afternoon we had a visit from PC Ros and PC Gail. They came to talk to the children about the jobs that police officers do, and how they help keep us safe.
Y2 - Life Education Visit
This afternoon, Y2 had a visit from Life Education. Our topic for discussion was 'Feelings'. We had a special visit from Harold and we were lucky enough to give him a stroke.
Year 5 Primary Futures Webinar.
Year 5 were very lucky to take part in a Primary Futures webinar about gender stereotypes in the workplace. They met two people from different work places; Cheryl, who was a Delivery Project Manager within the building sector and Tony, who was a Mental Health Nurse for the NHS. The children really enjoyed asking lots of insightful questions to these people and learning all about their careers!
Looking After our Teeth - Reception Class
Today Reception Class had a visit from Helen at Talking Teeth in Schools. She came and talked to us about our teeth and how important it is to look after them. We toook par tin lots of fun activities around dental health and we had a healthy snack too.
Year 6 - Fire and Road Safety Visit.
Year 6 had a fantastic fire and road safety visit from the Darwen Fire Service this afternoon, and were lucky enough to get a guided tour around the fire engine afterwards!
Young Minds - Wear Yellow Day!
Friday 8th October we will be holding a #HELLOYELLOW day in aid of Young Minds Charity on World Mental Health Day .
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