Online Safety -Useful Links for Parents

We receive regular updates from E-safety advisers. As parents and teachers, we all know the pressures, problems and dangers our children face online. It is a feature of life now and it can be hard to know how to support our children.

Here are some extracts from the latest newsletter which I hope will help.

Useful Links for Parents

Advice by age:Younger children need different advice and guidance than older children. Older children need different advice and guidance than teens. It can be really difficult keeping up with everything that is online and what risks and issues may affect children of different ages, so on these pages there is some age-related advice and guidance for parents and carers:Pre-school – https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/0-5/6 – 10 year olds – https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/6-10/11 – 13 year olds – https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/11-13/14 plus – https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/14plus/Setting up devices:It can be difficult knowing all the different settings that are available on different devices to help protect children, this includes allowing or disallowing chat, friends, spending money, content filters and much more. On these pages you will find the details, as well as non-technical instructions, which will help you understand what is available to you and how to set up your child’s devices.Gaming consoles and devices – https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/gaming-consoles/Smartphones – https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/smartphones-and-other-devices/Broadband and mobile networks – https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/broadband-mobile/Entertainment and search engines – https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/entertainment-search-engines/Safety/privacy settings on social media:Whilst the mainstream social media apps require those signing up to be 13+ and we recommend that children under 13 do not use mainstream social media, many children and young people are using social media. It is therefore important to understand what features are available to you to help protect your children. This is also important because for the most part, all privacy settings are default off when a new account is created, but also because some social media providers change their features quite frequently, e.g. TikTok.Take a look at this link to see what is available to you and how to set up your child’s social media. We would also advise doing this with your child so that you can discuss the features together.https://www.internetmatters.org/parental-controls/social-media/There are a few apps out there for those younger children. However the challenge is that, given children primarily use social to message their friends, if their friends aren’t on the app then the children won’t use it. It’s a real dilemma but it is worth letting parents know that there are alternatives out there, which you can find HERE.
Useful new features on YouTube and YouTube KidsYouTube is hugely popular with all age groups but historically parents haven’t had a lot of control over what their children can/cannot watch. But things have changed and YouTube now gives parents a greater degree of control. It isn’t perfect but it is a step in the right direction. Take a look at the page below where you will see a few short videos of newer features that can help you on YouTube and YouTube Kids.https://www.esafety-adviser.com/youtube-parental-restrictions/

Gaming

Finding good games, as well as knowing what is appropriate for the age of the child isn’t easy, particularly when there can be lots of peer pressure to play the more popular games which are not always appropriate. Taming Gaming is a great resource for parents to find new games for children as well as lots of advice about content, suitability etc.https://www.taminggaming.com/

Green and Yellow Nativity Performance

On Tuesday 6th December the Green and Yellow Nativity performance will begin at 1.30pm. Children are able to go home with grown ups straight after this performance.

The evening performance will begin at 5.30pm so we ask that children are back in school for 5.15pm to allow a small window of preparation time.

Children will be sent home in their costumes in the afternoon and should return to school in costumes ready for the evening performance.

Green Class Reading for Pleasure

Reading for Pleasure

Reading for pleasure can be directly linked to children’s success throughout their time at school and even into adulthood. Research shows that reading for pleasure opens up new worlds for children. It gives them the opportunity to use their imagination, to explore new ideas, visit new places and meet new characters. Interestingly, reading for pleasure also improves wellbeing and empathy. It helps them to understand their own identity and gives them insight into the world and views of others (Oxford Owl).

Alongside your child’s Read Write Inc book, you will notice a second book in your child’s book bag. This is their ‘Reading for Pleasure’ book.

This is a book that is chosen by your child to enjoy with you at home. This book is not matched to your child’s Read Write Inc phonics sessions and is a book purely to promote their love and enjoyment of reading.

Children will be given the opportunity to change their ‘Reading for Pleasure’ book every morning. They can change their ‘Reading for Pleasure’ book as often as they like. This book will not be recorded in your child’s reading diary.

Click on the link below for ideas of how to encourage your child to read for pleasure:

Reading for pleasure – Oxford Owl for Home

Thank you for your continued support.

 

Green Class Reading at Home

Read Write Inc Book Change Day in Green Class:  Monday

Each week on Monday, your child will be provided with a new Read Write Inc book. Your child’s Read Write Inc book has been carefully matched to their Read Write Inc phonics sessions at school.

Reading is an extremely important and vital life skill. Please can we actively encourage you to read with your child at least three times a week at home. If you can read every day, that would be fantastic and incredibly beneficial to your child.

When you have read with your child, please write:

  • the date when reading took place
  • the title of the book
  • a comment about your child’s reading 

 Comments may include:

-Did they enjoy the book?

-Were there any sounds/words that your child found particularly tricky and may need more support with?

-Could your child answer questions about the text? You can use the reading comprehension grid in your child’s book bag for ideas of questions to ask.

We ask that your child’s reading diary is brought into school every day with their book.

On Monday mornings, adults in Green Class will look through your child’s reading record to see how often your child is reading and look through any comments you have written. Children will then be sent home with a new Read Write Inc book, so reading can take place over the week and into the weekend.

Thank you for your continued support.

Junk Modelling

Next week as part of our learning based around the story “Lost in the Toy Museum”, the children will be invited to make toys using junk modelling as one of our continuous provision activities. We would be very grateful of any recycling you may have that the children could use to build their creations.
Thank you!

Shropshire Star Class Photo

We are delighted that the Reception and Year 1 children’s photograph featured as part of the Shropshire Star’s ‘School Class Photo’ supplement as promised on Wednesday 9th November 2022.

Well done Reception and Year 1. You all look very smart in your school uniform.

White Rose 1 Minute Maths

White Rose Maths have launched an app called ‘1 minute maths’. We follow White Rose Maths as a school, so it fits in superbly and will look very familiar to the children. The app gives children quick 1 minute challenges for addition, subtraction and subitising (recognising a quantity without needing to count). If you are able to, please download the app and let them have a go. This is an app to enjoy at your leisure with your child to support their learning journey.

White Rose 1 Minute Maths

Thank you for your continued support.