communication

Message

Dear parents and carers, This week we have continued our focus on supporting children's understanding of 'bullying' and how we can use our power for good. We started the week by celebrating what makes us special and that everyone has their own Identity and values. We celebrated our differences and the important of inclusion.

During the week, lessons focused on 'What is bullying?' as well as how friendship fallouts impact on our emotional health and well-being. For younger children this included thinking about how we play, how we deal with turn taking and disagreements. For older children this looked deeper into harmful words and the seriousness of using derogatory terms. They explored how direct and indirect actions, including those of a bystander. With a focus on using our power for good, they learned a new term: 'upstander'.

Children joined other schools from around the country in a BBC Anti-bullying Live Lesson, children were inspired to stand up to against bullying.

During singing assembly, year one, two and three have also focused on songs and stories linked to our actions and words.

The Junior Leadership Team, held a meeting to review the Anti-bullying policy for children and to plan communication with their peers and the parental community. They presented the revised policy and their ideas. They shared their worries that 'cyber-bullying' is an area that adults and children need to talk about, especially as children are accessing technology more. They held a very mature view on this and impressed me with their insight, not only for their peers but for other children in the wider community. They will be delivering: 1) Upper and lower school assemblies as they wish to talk about the issues that children face within their age groups. 2) An article in the newsletter to parents to share key messages and their concerns about the growing influence and impact of on-line platforms and behaviours.

The revised policy will be updated on our website. We aim to work closely with all members of our community—children, the PTA, and parents/carers—to use our “Power for Good.” Throughout this half term, we will be sending out surveys to help us understand your views and identify any emerging areas that you feel should be a focus. Your engagement with these surveys is invaluable. It helps us shape our provision and deepen our understanding of what matters most to you. The information gathered will be used to support children and families, and to guide the next steps we can take together. On Tuesday, children and staff wore their Brownie, Scouts, Cubs, Beavers, Rainbows, Squirrels, and St John Ambulance uniforms as a mark of respect for Remembrance Day. The academy fell silent as we joined the nation in reflection and remembrance.