News

SEAL statement 31 January

‘I can be responsive’ is the SEAL statement for this week. 

Listening skills can play a key role in how responsive children are to peers and adults in school. 

A good listener always:

• looks at the speaker
• asks appropriate questions
• answers correctly to show they are listening
• doesn’t interrupt the speaker

The Great Swapathon

The Great Swapathon is a new initiative from Change4Life and aims to give families tips, help and advice to encourage healthier lifestyles in an effort to deliver one million swaps across England.

Whether you swap fizzy drinks for pure fruit juice, swap snacking on a bag of crisps for a handful of fresh or dried fruit or swap four wheels for two feet there are simple swaps that everyone could try.

Today all children have received information about the campaign and will complete Talk Time homework to show how they can make a healthy swap.  We do have some spare voucher books if you would like more or to pass them on to others.  Please ask at the office.

 The Change4Life website includes a useful new tool to help people find more personalised swaps and also recipes for meals and healthier alternatives to favourite snacks.

 Our Packed Lunch guidance, launched last term, also includes lots of ideas for healthy swaps including:

• swapping white bread for wholegrain and other carbohydrates such as pasta
• swapping sweetened drinks for water provided at lunchtime
• swapping unhealthy snacks every day to once a week. 

We would encourage children who bring a packed lunch to school to consider a swap they could make to their packed lunch.  The Packed Lunch guidance is available from the office or in the Find Out section (meal).

 It would be great to hear about your swaps and more importantly if you have managed to stick to them!

Birthday 'treats'

We are currently reviewing our Food in School policy and would welcome parents’ / carers’ views on ‘treats’ brought in for birthdays.

Within school we recognise that providing treats can create pressure amongst parents / carers, reduce teaching time, create problems with allergies and create litter.

A number of parents /carers have given their views to Mrs Taylor before school today in the playground.  However, if you have any views on this and whether we should ban or discourage birthday treats please contact Mrs Taylor via the office.

SEAL statement 24 Jan

Being resourceful is the next of our 7 Rs for learning.  ‘I can be resourceful’ is this week’s statement.

Resourcefulness includes managing your time, resources and ultimately your learning. 

This week, take some time to look at the all the resources available in the classroom to help with your learning.

Do adverts put too much pressure on young people?

Farhan is one of two Advisors to the Children’s Comissioner from Moortown Primary.  To all children and young people, he writes:

Do you feel that you have to buy certain things and look a certain way just to be cool?

The goverment has promised to help and protect young children from bad advertising, so the Children’s Commisioner for England would like to hear your views. She would like as many children and young people to fill out this survey so that your opinions can be put into action.

The survey will only take about 10 minutes and there are no right or wrong answers – this is all about your views and feelings. Nobody will ever know who gave what answers – it is totally anonymous, so please be honest!

The closing date is Friday 28th January 2011.

Thank you.

Farhan

SEAL statement 17 Jan

As we continue our 7 Rs for learning, our new statement for the week is  ‘I can be resilient.’

Research shows that resilient children have high expectations, goals and inter-personal problem-solving skills.

Resilience in school may be observed as how a child bounces back from a set back.

Demand for primary school places

The following information could directly affect friends or family who have children starting school in September 2012 or later.  Please do alert them of the need to find out more.

In Leeds, demand for places at primary schools is increasing rapidly.  The local authority is proposing that various primary schools around Leeds expand (despite the authority closing primary school a few years ago).

In this area, the proposals are more unusual: to increase primary school places by changing the age range of three local secondary schools – Allerton Grange, Roundhay and Carr Manor – so that they accept children from 4 – 18 years. As one school, there would only be one headteacher managing provision for 4 year olds as well as 18 year olds.

Whilst there is a primary school already close to all three of the schools (Moor Allerton Hall, Kerr Mackie and Carr Manor Primaries), these schools are not subject to any expansion proposals.  There is scope for Moortown Primary to expand using the land at the rear of the school and the authority has registered interest in this; however, there are no immediate plans to do so and previous proposals to use the land have not gone ahead.

You can read more about the proposals online or call in to school for paper copies of the consultation booklet. There is a series of public meetings in the week beginning 24 January where you can ask questions and express your views about the proposals:

Regarding Allerton Grange High School expansion:

Tuesday 25 January 2011, 6.30pm at Allerton Grange School, Talbot Avenue, LS17 6SF

Thursday 27 January 2011, 6.00pm at Moor Allerton Hall Primary School, Lidgett Lane, LS17 6QP

Regarding Roundhay High School expansion:

Monday 24 January 2011, 6.15pm at Roundhay School, Gledhow Lane, LS8 1ND

Regarding Carr Manor High School expansion:

Wednesday 26 January 2011, 6pm at Carr Manor High School, Carr Manor Road, LS17 5DJ

Tuesday 25 January, 9am and Thursday 27 January, 2pm at Carr Manor Children’s Centre, Carr Manor Road, LS17 5DJ

Written responses can also be made:

• using the form in this booklet, which includes details of where to send it;

• by letter, to School Organisation Team, 10th Floor West, Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8DT; or

• by email to: educ.school.organisation@educationleeds.co.uk.

How can we do Talk Time homework?

Homework at Moortown Primary can be based on Creative Homework, Practice Makes Perfect and Talk Time.

This week, many classes have Talk Time homework.  In the Year 5 Homework page, Mr Owen has helpfully added some extra detail and top tips which are also noted below for all children, parents and carers to benefit from:

Research shows direct links between the spoken language children use and are exposed to and their written language.

So, please, for this discussion:

• Turn the TV off!
• Get a few adults together if possible to join in.
• Ask the adults to go first – “I think it would be a good idea to ban all advertising of junk food ______ because _____.” and then “I totally disagree! It’s OK to advertise burgers etc because ______ although _____.” This gives children a chance to see some connectives (because and although) in action and how adults disagree politely.
• Use some words you don’t think your child uses / knows and explain their meanings.
• Put a comment in their homework book.

SEAL statement 10 Jan

This week we are focussing on our second ‘R of learning’, risk-taking, and our weekly statement is “I can take a safe risk.”

As part of our 7 Rs topic we will be looking at how taking a ‘safe risk’ can have an impact on learning.  This may include ‘having a go’ in class, for example:

• asking a question
• putting  your hand up to answer a question
• working with someone different in class
• making suggestions in group work

Happy children, happy staff

At Moortown, we listen to the views of everyone in our school community.

We regularly ask our children for their opinions.  Recently, children have expressed their views on topics, their learning and how safe the school feels.  Each year, we also ask parents / carers for their views in the Annual Survey.

It’s important to also listen to the views of staff in school, whether teachers, teaching assistants or support staff.

I’m delighted that, once again, we’ve had a very positive response to the Annual Staff Survey; for example:

• 100% enjoy working at Moortown Primary
• 100% feel valued and supported and feel they are treated fairly and with respect
• 100% feel they have access to training when they need it

This all confirms that Moortown Primary is a happy and healthy place to work as well as to learn!