9.2.17
Dear Parents,
I cannot believe half term is almost upon us! Where is this year going?
I need to raise again issues around drop off and pick up times. These times of the day are very tricky, a lot of people are using the same space in different ways and everyone has somewhere else to be so they are hurrying and distracted. These times are therefore the times our children are most vulnerable. Please can everyone be extra vigilant, drive extra slowly and park extra considerately. The times I am talking about are not just about the normal school day but also out of school activities. There was a near miss on Disco night when a child was almost run over. At the moment I allow parents cars into the car park for club pick up events but am considering the wisdom of this. I would welcome anyone’s thoughts.
The disco was a very successful night raising £382, thank you to everyone who helped.
I am very pleased that we have managed to organise I trial of online payments starting after half term. If you have not received the information about this please ask for another copy.
Today is bug busting day when we try and clear the school of head lice. Your child should be bringing home a detection comb and a letter about this. I am looking forward to seeing lots of lovely shiny hair tomorrow as everyone will have had their hair washed and checked.
If you are paying music teachers for lessons please try and send the correct amount as they often do not have change and neither do we.
Tuesday was internet safety day and the whole school has been learning about how to stay safe online. The internet is a wonderful thing but like anything we have to learn to use it safely. Out of the fabulous discussions the children have had some things have emerged I think you need to know about. Children are playing games such as Call of Duty without their parents knowing. Some children are using gaming platforms which pose some risks:
Roblox allows you to create your own games or play games others have made and chat online to other players. Children like it because it is fun, entertaining and creative. It is risky because players are open to inappropriate comments and are essentially sharing information with strangers.
Musical.ly and Live.ly are free social media music apps where users can watch user generated lip sync video, and create video themselves lip-syncing or dancing to music. Children like it because it is fun and easy to use and share. Risks include 18+ content, interacting with strangers, potential bullying and inability to be private – even videos from deleted accounts remain on the public database.
All social media apps pose risks. Be very aware of Ask.fm, Kik, Snapchat, Whisper and Yik Yak, all of which encourage the sharing of personal information with people users don’t know. The NSPCC Online Safety website is an excellent source of further information.
Have a lovely half term see you on Monday 20th February.
Alice Littlehailes