Newsletter: 24th November 2024
Posted on November 24, 2023 | By Mr Cole
In the run-up to the Christmas Holidays, we’ll be running a series through the weekly Newsletter to help parents with aspects of online safety with your children. We know that many children will be getting new or upgraded devices over Christmas so this is a good time to share hints or tips to help keep your child safe online.
It’s becoming more and more evident that children are more active online than their parents think they are, and are seeing a lot more unpleasant content than their parents think they are… and at a much younger age every year – this is a national trend, not something specific to our schools! However, we want to make sure you have the best advice we have so that you can feel confident in talking about online matters with your child and protect them from online exploitation, grooming and online bullying.
If there’s an Online Safety topic you’re particularly concerned about and would like some advice on, please let me know and I will do my best to include these topics over the next few weeks. The resources we use in school for teaching Online Safety come from a variety of sources, but the ThinkUKnow campaign which is run by CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) have extremely good and up to date information, and their resources will be the focus of these articles. Other sources are available too including the NSPCC and Barnardos.
Today, though, we’re focusing on Online Safety for 4-7 year-olds
This link will take you to a video for you as parents, explaining from a parents’ point of view the things that might be concerning when your 4-7 year old is online. We advise you to watch this video before sharing the resources below with your child (it’s only a minute and a half long!) https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/jessie-and-friends/
Once you have been able to look at the above resource, there is a collection of 3 videos which tackle Watching Videos, Sharing Pictures and Playing Games. These videos are designed to be watch alongside your child and be a starting point for discussions and further conversation. Each of the videos is a short story with Jessie as she comes across scary things online, a situation where photos are shared and managing unknown players in online games. All three movies have the If You Feel Funny In Your Tummy song which both you and your child will soon pick up and helps reinforce the message that your child should tell someone they trust if they see something that makes them feel funny in their tummy. Enjoy the song!
The link to the three videos is here: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/jessie-and-friends-videos/
You can also download the story books from each video to share with your child if you want to go through any of the themes explored in the videos. The downloads are available at the top of the Videos page
Next week, we’ll take a look at the CEOP/ThinkUKnow resources for 8-10 year olds.
Fobbs would like to thank everyone for their continued support with buying/donating hot chocolate and cookies on Fridays. Last friday Fobbs donated half the takings towards children in need, so thank you to everyone that came and supported us
Thank you once again for your enthusiastic support of this year’s Children in Need appeal. We have been so pleased with the fundraising efforts in all three school, which were organised by School Voice. Especially in times like this when finances are tight, it’s amazing to see the totals raised:
Buckland Brewer: £86.50
Parkham: £133.60
Woolsery £153.00
Total from Village Schools Partnership: £373.10
Yurt Alert!
We’re really pleased that thanks to a substantial grant from Bideford Bridge Trust, our new Yurt is going up on Buckland Brewer school field. This means that all three schools now have an all-weather shelter for outdoor learning so that Forest School sessions can still take place even when it’s too bad to be outside. Huge thanks to Woodland Yurts from Somerset for making and pitching the yurt today, and to Lee for volunteering and assisting. The yurt will be ready to use in next week’s Forest School sessions… when the weather will be fine and dry (!)
Cross Country Series
Good luck to all our children taking part in the latest event in the winter Cross Country Running series. This takes place on Sunday for the third race of the North Devon Cross Country League. Races start at 10am at Coxleigh Barton Equestrian Centre.
Counting Down To Christmas
If you’re stuck for Christmas present ideas, we will be counting down the December days of term with a book-themed blog. Each day, we will recommend a book that could be the perfect gift for one of the readers in your family. Please see the blog and let us know if you have any recommendations for us to include! The Posts will be here: https://woolseryprimaryschool.edublogs.org/category/24-books-to-christmas/
Lost Property
Woolsery School are growing their very own mountain of lost property – especially winter coats, which by the weather forecast will be needed next week! Please have a look through the box in the foyer and retrieve anything that beloings to your child. Thank you.
Buckland Brewer Youth Action
On Monday 27th November from 3.30pm – 5.30pm there is a Youth Consultation Meeting at the Buckland Hall for young people from Year 6 to Year 11 to give their views on possible Young People’s Work in the Parish. Again there will be Youth Workers from Torrington who will be available to listen to the views/ideas of the young people of our Community & pizzas will be on offer. – Contact Dave Watson on 0748 422 3515 for more details.
Well done to everyone who has received a Headteacher’s Award in assembly today! As usual, our awards are given in recognition of achievements relating to our six learning animals which represent for children the qualities needed to be a good learner. They are:
Orleigh: Mylee (Bee) For noticing when a younger friend needed a hand with their coat and helping them to put it on and do up the zip; Leo H (Dolphin) For enthusiasm towards learning new sounds and growing the code in phonics.
Tythecott: George (Bee) – developing his social skills in Real PE with his younger peers; Noah (Spider) – making links and connections with addition and subtraction to solve mathematical problems.
Gorwood: Eliza (cat) – for showing curiosity in her reading and choosing a different book to read at home; Hannah (dolphin) – for diving into her learning of the play and practicing her part and all the songs at home
Foxdown: Willow (tortoise) – Willow has worked really hard on her handwriting and is now writing much smaller letters on the line!; Darcey (Bee) – Darcey has been working hard with the adults and school and her family at home when reading her books. She is now more confident and more fluent.
Melbury: Odin (dolphin) – Excellent engagement with Forest School this week, you persevered to make your dragon fly, well done!; Iris (Owl) – A fantastic Owl, using what she’s learnt in History this term to help her with her non-chronological report writing.
Goldworthy: Jimmy (dolphin) for diving into our English lessons, and writing a well-structured biography about Queen Victoria. Jimmy has also learnt all his lines for the production; Bronte (spider) for showing great excitement and enthusiasm towards her learning- making links and connections between subjects.
Sunflowers: Olivia and Nancy (dolphins) – for great work in Foundations for Phonics this week!
Cranford: Rafferty (owl) – looking at our previous art work of circles and developing it into beautiful spirals; Albert (tortoise) – for not giving up to find Jess. Your posters were amazing and I’m glad we have found Jess!
Burscott: Darcie (dolphin) – diving into her learning and making great progress in her phonics, reading and writing; Grace (dolphin) – diving into her learning and practicing her reading at home
Stroxworthy: Kaleb (bee) – for working together like a bee and collaborating well with his group during Science when measuring temperatures; Rudi (tortoise) – for being resilient like a tortoise and rising to the extra challenges when working with past tense in English.
Alminstone: Olivia (dolphin) – diving into her learning by engaging in discussions and answering lots of questions this week. Great work!; Oliver (spider) – making good links with previous learning on matters of state, in Science. Well done!
Ashmansworthy: Arthur (bee) – for confidently engaging in PE, collaborating willingly and successfully with his team; Joe (dolphin) – for showing growing maturity and confidence when expressing his opinions and ideas in discussions
- 1st December – FOPS Christmas Fayre
- 3rd December – Woolsery chidlren singing at Clovelly Lights Switch-on
- 3rd December – Christingle at Buckland Brewer parish church 4pm
- 13th December – Parkham Christmas Production (Alice The Musical) 6pm
- 13th December: Woolsery Christmas Production (Porridge) 1:45pm & 6:30pm
- 14th December: Buckland Brewer Christmas Production (Panto Pandemonium) 1:30 and 6pm
- 14th December: Woolsery Christmas Production 6:30pm
- 19th December: Christmas Dinner Day (all schools)
- 20th December: Last Day of Term
- 8th January 2024: First Day of Spring Term
After an incredibly busy couple of weeks, next week is looking much calmer…!
| Monday | |
| Tuesday | Mrs Kersey, Miss McCann, Mrs Farmer, Mr Cole in meetings PM |
| Wednesday |
Melbury Class – Appledore Art (am) Local Authority Review at Buckland Brewer (all day) |
| Thursday | |
| Friday | FOPS Christmas Fayre at the Allardice Hall 6-8pm. All welcome! |
| Sunday |
Clovelly Lights – Woolsery children singing Christingle Service – Buckland Brewer 4pm |
Mr Cole’s planned schedule
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| Monday | afternoon | ||
| Tuesday | all day | ||
| Wednesday | all day | ||
| Thursday | all day | ||
| Friday | morning | afternoon | afternoon |
With best wishes,
Matt Cole, Headteacher