E-Safety Information – Clickbait

27th March 2024L Forster

Around one in five headlines online are clickbait. That’s an estimate from experts at Stanford University, who conducted a study into this phenomenon which has gradually extended its reach to almost every corner of the internet – powered by a strategy of snagging users’ attention by any means necessary rather than a legitimate desire to inform or enlighten.

As that statistic indicates, this manipulative marketing strategy is difficult to avoid online. There’s still plenty that can be done though to limit its influence – especially in relation to young people, who are often more susceptible to sensationalist headlines. Today’s #WakeUpWednesday guide details the potential hazards around clickbait and has expert tips for avoiding them.

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.

Seasonal Salads!

22nd March 2024C Whitehead

This half term we have been researching seasonal vegetables and the benefits of seasonal eating! Last week we tasted various vegetables and picked our favourites! Today we’ve had lots of fun making a delicious seasonal salad!

 

 

Branching databases

15th March 2024L Forster

In year 3, the children have started work on branching databases. They discussed how to group objects based on yes/no questions – breaking them into smaller groups.

They were then tasked with creating a branching database about dinosaurs. They were given cards and questions to help break the dinosaurs into smaller groups based on physical attributes.

World Book Day 2024

15th March 2024P Mullea

World Book day is always one of our favourite days of the year and this one was amazing thanks to the wonderful efforts of our children. It was so lovely to see so many lovely characters from the stories we know and love.

Throughout the day the children took part in a range of book related activities and enjoyed discussing how they could have different careers with books, including becoming an Author or illustrator.

We also held our Book swap event- giving the children a chance to swap an unwanted book from home for a new one to refresh their collections. Thank you for the wonderful donations.

It was a fantastic day!

 

E-Safety Information – Developing Healthy Sleeping Pattern

13th March 2024L Forster

Dreaming of a decent night’s sleep? Many of us are – and it’s a particularly pervasive problem for young people. Concerningly, research has suggested that around 70% of teens get less than the recommended 8–10 hours’ sleep per night. The effects of poor-quality sleep on a developing mind, of course, can be harmful over a prolonged period.

Although a significant portion of under-18s struggle for shut eye, there is still plenty we can do to support them in getting the beneficial rest they need during those formative years. Compiled in conjunction with our friends at award-winning mental health charity Minds Ahead, this week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide has tips on helping children to develop healthy sleeping habits.

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.

https://nationalcollege.com/

Top Tips for Supporting Children Who Are Experiencing Bullying

1st March 2024L Forster

The latest bullying research from the DfE makes for upsetting reading. Almost half (40%) of schoolchildren in the UK have been bullied within the past 12 months – with 21% of them experiencing negative changes to their behaviour, including avoiding going to school. In 15% of those cases, the victim’s behaviour suffers to the extent that they are ultimately excluded themselves.

Understanding and honest conversation can be an immense benefit to children who have become the target of bullying – but it’s such a delicate subject that it can often be hard for trusted adults to know where (or how) to start. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide this week contains ten practical tips for supporting a child who is experiencing bullying.

Bullying has long been a pervasive issue in schools – and, being realistic, it’s regrettably a problem which is always likely to exist to a certain extent. There are still plenty of steps we can take as trusted adults, however, to lend support, comfort and reassurance to children who are going through this deeply upsetting experience.

Such a highly emotive topic can be a difficult one to talk about with children – but honest, open communication nevertheless remains vital to young victims’ wellbeing. It’s important to be aware, then, of effective ways to broach and explore the subject. Our #WakeUpWednesday guide has expert advice on effective ways to support children who are being bullied.

https://nationalcollege.com/

Year 3’s trip to Arbeia and The Watch House!

15th February 2024C Whitehead

We have been learning lots about the Romans so we were very excited to visit our local Roman Fort in South Shields. We took a tour around the fort, we learned that it was key military supply base to other forts along the wall. We visited the soldier’s barrack block, it was dark and cold inside their rooms! After that we went into the very impressive commanding officer’s house and spent some time in the Summer dining room. We really got a feel to what life would have been like for a soldier in Roman Britain!

In Geography, we have been learning lots about the rivers and seas around the UK! On our trip to the Watch House, we were able to view where the River Tyne meets The North Sea! We all enjoyed having a go in Mr. Ratcliffe’s jeep, he even let us play the siren before going inside to see how much the lifeboat brigade has changed how they respond to emergencies. We went to the very top of the Watch House and could spot lots of local landmarks- we could even see Tynemouth!

 

 

Year 3 explore local History!

9th February 2024C Whitehead

Year 3 have been learning lots about the Romans. This week, we had a special visitor  who came to teach us all about The Regina Tombstone. This amazing piece of history was found in South Shields! It is usually displayed at Arbeia Roman Fort but is currently on loan to the British Museum.

With our visitor, we looked closely at the tombstone with our historian heads on. One of the really interesting things about this tombstone is that the inscriptions is not only written in Latin, it also has a line of Palmyrene script as well, and this is unique in Roman Britain!

We thought about the meaning of monuments and then designed our own using creative art!

 

 

E-Safety Information – Monkey

7th February 2024L Forster

Online video calling with random strangers. It’s hardly a new internet phenomenon – but the recent demise of Omegle has prompted the creation of several similar platforms bidding to fill the vacuum. One such contender is Monkey – a service that randomly connects its users for video calls, using their mobile numbers and Snapchat account details

Monkey has surged in popularity since Omegle’s shutdown in November 2023: visits to the site more than doubled within a month and have been climbing steadily ever since. Regrettably, it also seems that Monkey suffers from many of the same pitfalls as its notorious predecessor – our #WakeUpWednesday guide highlights these possible risks to young people in more detail.

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.