SEAL theme 'Changes'
As we enter our final half term, the next SEAL theme looks at Changes.
We begin with a focus on manners and I cover my mouth (when I cough, sneeze or yawn) is our weekly statement.
The ‘Vampire method’ can help to prevent germs spreading. By coughing or sneezing into our elbow, germs are not spread into the air or on our hands which may contaminate other things. Don’t forget to ‘use your sleeve to cough and sneeze’.
Following this, we will begin the SEAL theme of Changes. This theme aims to equip children with an understanding of different types of change, positive and negative, and common responses to change. It aims to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in three key social and emotional aspects of living and learning: motivation, managing feelings and social skills.
The key ideas and concepts behind this theme are:
- Change can be uncomfortable, because it can threaten our basic needs to feel safe and to belong
- Change can also be stimulating and welcome
- Both adults and children can experience a range of powerful and conflicting emotions as a result of change – for example, excitement, anxiety, uncertainty, loss, anger, resentment
- Worries about change can be made worse by uncertainty, lack of information, or misinformation and lack of support from others
- People’s responses to and ability to cope with change are very variable, and might be influenced by individual temperament, previous experience of change, and the nature of the change – chosen or imposed, expected or unexpected, within our control or out of our control
- Some children may welcome most forms of change and dislike routine and predictability. Other children may find even small changes very difficult.
Within school, children, who are coping with or have undergone significant change, are supported in a variety of ways:
- Our positive ethos within school
- Support systems, from staff and peers, for children who have undergone change or who maybe new to the school
- SEAL and circle time sessions where children feel safe to talk about their feelings
- Class SEAL boxes for children to record any concerns
- Preparing children wherever possible for planned changes for example, a change of class teacher, Key Stage or even school
Money Matters round up
This week we’ve had our whole school themed week, Money Matters. There has been some great learning about how to spend, save, donate and get money.
‘It’s been fun and interesting to learn things we didn’t know about money.’
Some highlights include:
- All classes visiting Barclays Bank. Thank you to Steve Fergusson, the branch manager, and all his staff for supporting this.
- Moneysense workshops with KS1 and KS2 classes. Thank you to all volunteers from RBS and NatWest who supported these sessions.
- Hearing about how our new school charities, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Leeds Mind, use donations and also how one of our old school charities, St Gemma’s Hospice, have used our donations.
- Donating money to our charities through our Hotshots sponsored event. Please ensure sponsorship money is sent to school.
- Donating loads of pennies to our charities too.
- Seeing children starting to use their School Saving Club accounts – taking responsibility for managing their money.
- And finally, to our parents and a governor who were able to spare time to come and talk to the children about their money-related jobs.
Watch out for the first homework after the half term where children can show what they have learnt during the week.
To find out more about how to support your child/children with financial education, here are a number of suggested websites.
- Pfeg Learning about money with your children guide
- Pfeg My Money Primary Parents’ Guide
- Money Advice Service
- Moneysense
- Fun to Save
- Values Money and Me
- Nationwide Education
- Money Saving Expert Child Savings
The Jangle app contains interactive activities allowing parents and carers and their children to gain financial experience and to learn about money together in an active and varied way. They are focused on meaningful and relevant financial topics and are linked to the day to day real life experiences of children and their families – designed for children aged 7 – 11.
goHenry is a Pre-paid Card and App with unique parental controls, for young people aged 8 to 18.
Kwik cricket success
Congratulations to our Year 5/6 kwik cricket team, along with Harehills, who recently saw off Highfield and Alwoodley to qualify for the Leeds Kwik Cricket Finals at Weetwood on 17 June.
Well done and good luck in the final!
School Saving Club
This week, as part of our Money Matters themed week, was the first paying in session for children who have opened their School Saving Club accounts.
It was great to see children take responsibility and start to manage their money in their new accounts.
We have two more paying in dates this term and you are welcome to accompany your child to pay in their money.
- Wednesday 22 June 3.15pm
- Wednesday 20 July 3.15pm
Also, it’s not too late to open an account. Please ask at the office for an application form.
Leeds Cycling Starts Here consultation
Young people are being encouraged to share their views in the ‘Leeds Cycling Starts Here’ public consultation on the future strategy and ambition for cycling in Leeds. The consultation was launched on Friday 13 May 2016 for six weeks, closing on Sunday 26 June 2016.
There is a prize draw for completed consultation responses (first prize: £50 shopping voucher).
Money Matters
- Why do people get paid different amounts for jobs?
- What happens after you have spent the money?
- Why is there different money in different countries?
- Why do we need to have money to buy things?
- Who invented money?
- How has money changed over the years?
- How can I spend money wisely?
- What would happen if there was no money?
These are some of the questions suggested by children prior to our Money Matters themed week.
The week kicked off with our Hotshots fundraising event for our two school charities, Leeds Mind and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Children are encouraged to bring in their sponsor money and forms this week, following the event.
Representatives from Leeds Mind and Yorkshire Air Ambulance will be visiting during our week to talk about their work and how they use donations.
Today, St Gemma’s Hospice visited to talk about how our donations have support patients and families in Leeds. St Gemma’s Hospice were one of our previous school charities. We even got to meet their new mascot, Gemma the Giraffe.
We’ve also launched our class collecting jars where children are encouraged to bring in any spare 1ps and 2ps so we can create a penny trail on Friday. All proceeds to the two school charities. The jars are already starting to fill up.
Thank you to Barclays Bank who hosted all classes at their branch today, showing the children behind the scenes of a bank.
On Thursday after school, we will be holding our first School Saving Club paying in session. For those children who have returned their application forms this will be an opportunity to start to pay into their new account. Please note money should be paid in at these sessions rather than bringing money to the office. Accounts are also available for siblings. Please ask on Thursday.
Our cash4coins collecting tin is now available at the office. This PTA fundraiser uses old coins and any foreign currency to raise funds for the school.
Finally, thank you to those parents who have offered their time to come in and speak with the children about their money related jobs.
As the week goes on, please check on class news to find out more about our Money Matters week and discuss with your child/children about their learning this week.
More good news...
Mr Wilks and Mrs Valentine have been involved in some professional development for Science. As a result of this, an action plan from Moortown has been selected as a special merit award winner by the STEM centre (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). A cash prize will be used to improve Science teaching and learning.
As one of 60 winners, the action plan will be submitted into a shortlist to select the finalists. We’ll find out in July whether we have been chosen to win another £5000!
In the meantime, well done to Mr Wilks and Mrs Valentine.
School Saving Club
As part of our upcoming themed week, Money Matters, we’ll be setting up a School Saving Club, in partnership with Leeds City Credit Union.
There will be a parent information session on Wednesday 18 May, from 3pm-4pm, to find out more information and pick up an application form from Leasey Newton, Leeds City Credit Union.
As an extra incentive, children in Year 3 will receive £10 from Leeds City Council for opening an account.
During our Money Matters week, we’ll hold the first paying in session on Thursday 26 May from 3pm-4pm.
The Savings Club will then run on a monthly basis. The dates for this term are Wednesday 22 June from 3.15pm-4pm and Wednesday 20 July from 3.15pm-4pm.
Leeds City Credit Union First Savers account
Opening your child/children a First Savers Account is a fantastic way to help them to learn how to save and will teach them a skill they can use in the future. It has been proven that children who utilise a savings scheme within a school, watching their savings grow, continue to save throughout their adult lives.
There are no minimum requirements to this account and with each deposit, however small; your child will earn rewards to collect.
Leeds City Credit Union has introduced a new fun way for children to save and would like you to say hello to “The Potts Family”.
All children joining the savings club will be given an individual membership number and savings card. After every sixth deposit a sticker will be given. Each sticker represents a member of “The Potts Family”. When all the five stickers have been collected your child will receive a special badge of “Dolla” the dog.
Once the account is open, and your child reaches the signatory control age, the account will stay theirs to do as they wish, setting them up to continue saving throughout their adult life.
If you would like your child to join the Savings Club, please ask at the office for a First Savers application form, or come along to the parent information session on Wednesday 18 May from 3pm-4pm.
Do you have any old or foreign coins and bank notes?
If so, we will be launching a cash4coins PTA fundraiser during our Money Matters themed week.
Many people have some old foreign currency, either notes or coins and perhaps some old UK or Irish decimal coins.
We are collecting all worldwide current currency in notes or coins and any of the older currency such as the German Marks, Spanish Pesetas, old UK shillings, old UK decimal coins including Ireland, Channel Islands, Scotland, Isle of Man and £5/£2 coins.
We can turn your old money into a valuable donation.
Please donate at the school office.
Would you like to 'tri something new'?
As part of the forthcoming World Triathlon Series weekend in Leeds, here are some details of how you can have a go too.
Tri Something New is a programme launched by Leeds City Council and British Triathlon and supported by Sport England, which gives you a fantastic opportunity to give triathlon a go.
On Saturday 11 June, newcomers to the sport can have a go in a fun and relaxed environment at the GO TRI event in Roundhay Park. The distances for the event are much shorter than a usual triathlon, so everyone can give it a tri! The swim is 200m (that’s just 8 lengths of a normal swimming pool), the bike 10km and the run, jog or walk just 2.5km. Costing £10, anyone can take part and to make the event even more fun and friendly, you can sign up to one of our special start waves, so you can take part with like-minded people:
- Platinum 50+ – Because age doesn’t matter in GO TRI, this wave is for those that would like to take part with fellow evergreen participants.
- Made in Leeds – Aimed at Leeds residents; those that are born and bred in the city and want to take part with other Leeds locals.
- This Girl Can – Year on year female participation in triathlon is increasing and we’re proud to offer a women’s only wave at the event.
- Relay – Don’t fancy taking on all three elements? Team up with one or two friends or family members and take on the course together.
- Splash and Dash – Not got a bicycle? Fear not, you can still take part on the same course in our swim-run event.
- Pedal and Plod – Swimming not your thing? Our peddle & plod wave is the perfect way to take part, whilst sticking to dry land.
Discounted entry is available for large groups; please contact jennyvincent@britishtriathlon.org for more information.
The Tri Something New programme provides free tailor made GO TRI training and GO TRI taster events at each of the four hub sites; Fearnville Leisure Centre, Middleton Park/John Charles Leisure Centre, Armley Leisure Centre and the Universities. There is also the chance try out open water swimming at one of our training days at Roundhay Park, to give you a chance to have a go before 11 June.
