It’s Anti-Bullying Week
This week, it’s anti-bullying week and the theme for this year is ‘Change starts with us’.
Don’t forget – we are also taking part in Odd Socks Day on Tuesday 12th November.
Recently, some of our Year 6 pupils have created a child friendly anti-bullying policy which will be shared with the rest of the school during this week.
Child friendly anti-bullying policy
Written by: Evie, Zidaan, Omar and Eve (Year 6)
What is bullying?
In our school, this is what bullying means:
Bullying is where you hurt someone, physically or emotionally, several times on purpose.
What might bullying look like?
If any of these things happen several (lots of) times, it is bullying.
- Hurting peoples’ feelings, for example, name calling, teasing, threatening, ignoring or spreading rumours
- Hurting peoples’ bodies, for example, hitting, punching or kicking
This could be in person or online (cyber bullying) and could be because of someone’s race, disability, gender or appearance.
What could you do if you are being bullied?
Start
Telling
Other
People
Who could you tell?
- Mrs Weekes/Mrs Freeman/Mrs Russell/Mrs Small (they are child protection staff)
- Mrs Taylor (Health Leader)
- Any other members of staff
- Friends
- Someone in your family
- Childline (0800 1111)
- Write a worry slip and put it in your Living and Learning box or the whole school worry box
- Email stayingsafe@spherefederation.org
Our views on bullying
STOP bullying – bullying is wrong!
We’re a happy and healthy school.
Anti-bullying week – Odd Socks Day
Next week is Anti-bullying Week. This year’s theme is ‘Change starts with us’ and we will be taking part in Odd Socks Day on Tuesday 12 November.
This day is to raise awareness of our differences, individuality and personal choice. There is no need for any payment – your child should simply wear odd socks and join in the fun!
Thank you for your support.
Living and Learning: Identity
Our Living and Learning theme this half-term is Identity. Pupils will learn about what makes themselves and others special, valuing the similarities and differences between themselves and others and what is meant by community. This will be taught through our Living and Learning sessions and two focused weeks.
Anti-bullying week (11 November) ‘Change starts with us’
My Community themed week (25 November)
Our new school charity will be chosen as part of the My Community themed week. Every year, we nominate a new charity to support. This year, we have been supporting WWF. We decide this on the basis of a Talk Time homework, and then school councillors make the final decision.
Our Living and Learning long term plan details the learning for each year group across the year and you can keep up to date with our weekly Living and Learning statements on the parent noticeboard in the playground and also on the school calendar. We will begin and end this half term with a focus on manners.
I apologise when I need to.
I say please and thank you.
Living and Learning: Democracy
Having discussed the importance of voting following our homework last week, school council elections will take place this week. We talked about the importance of voting for who we thought was the best candidate once we’d heard all of the speeches. We understand that our friend won’t always be the best person for the job and how our secret ballot allows us to vote fairly.
School council speeches will take place on Wednesday 23 October and the children will vote in the morning on Thursday 24. New school councillors will then be announced in an assembly at the end of the day on Thursday.
Multiskills at Roundhay
On Wednesday, some children joined in with a multiskills event at Roundhay Secondary Campus.
We worked our way around a number of activities which tested our speed, agility, aim and resilience and tried to beat our own score each time. The children were fab and enjoyed their time there.
Living and Learning: Rights and Responsibilities
This week, we’ve been discussing rights and responsibilities. We’ve explored what rights we have as children and what responsibilities go with these rights.
Here are some of the points that have been discussed. See whether your child can tell you the right or responsibility that goes with each one.
Rights
- to be educated
- to be healthy
- to be happy
Responsibilities
- to bring my homework
- to be a good role model
- to be kind to others
School Council elections
We have recently launched this year’s School Council election process. Our School Council is one of the ways that children are encouraged to take an active part in pupil voice.
The election process allows children to develop an understanding of one of the British Values, democracy, with two representatives from each class, chosen democratically by their peers.
Here are some of the qualities our school councillors think are needed to be an effective school councillor.
- use the 8Rs for learning
- be respectful and polite
- help others
- be a good speaker and listener (to members of your class and in the meetings)
- share and be confident with your ideas
- let others speak
- accept the views of others even if you don’t agree
- be friendly and approachable
- follow our school rules and make good choices in class and around school
Our current whole school homework is all about the election and democracy, ready for the elections next Thursday 24 October.
Bonfire night themed menu
Catering Leeds, our school meal provider, will be running a special themed menu on Tuesday 5th November. Please contact the office, as soon as possible, if your child would like a school meal on this day (no action needed if your child normally has a school meal on this day).
Supporting your child’s learning
Thanks to everyone who attended the learning workshop last week. We hope that we were able to answer any questions that you had and that you feel able to support your child’s learning at home.
Remember, short chunks of time will work best to keep your child focused and interested. Try learning a few spellings or times table facts a night rather than looking at them all at the same time; listen to your child read for 10 minutes but then read to them too; and make sure they see you read for pleasure, even if it is a newspaper or magazine.
Here is the powerpoint that was used for the workshop. Please come and ask if you have any questions.
Design and Technology: treehouse building
We’ve researched. We’ve designed. We’ve planned. Now, it’s time to make.
Starting with our three main criteria, we have moved into the making stage of our design process. Our platform, entry/exit and team flag were the criteria that every group had to include in their design and all groups have added these to their trees this week. Some groups have moved on to their other criteria too.
We’ve found it really tricky to attach things to our trees and are having to develop our knotting skills and analyse whether what we’re attaching is sturdy enough.
There’s been some great teamwork throughout the whole design process. Now, we’re having to work together to decide what the best materials are for the different parts of our plan and weigh up the cost of these materials too.
At home, ask us what we’ve achieved on our treehouse so far and what obstacles we’ve had to overcome.