Ingoldsby Update February 2025

Welcome to the February newsletter. This term we have attended a trust Bocha competition with pupils from Ingoldsby coming 2nd! Today pupils in year 4 and 5 have taken part in gaining a Play Leaders qualification. We hope this will empower our pupils to further develop meaningful and supportive play at breaktimes.

Times tables

Well done to year 4 who are making a huge effort to learn their times tables!

The Magic Flute

Years 3-5 will be taking part again, in the performance of the Magic Flute in Northampton. This year we have been chosen to open the show!

Spotlight on SEND

Lumi Nova is a free digital therapy app for anxiety. A therapy for children (aged 7-12) to complete with parents.

Lumi Nova is for 7-12 year olds facing difficulties with anxiety, for example:

  • May lack confidence to try new things
  • Seem unable to face simple everyday challenges
  • Find it hard to concentrate
  • Have problems with sleeping or eating
  • Have angry outbursts
  • Have negative thoughts about what’s going to happen
  • Avoiding everyday activities, eg. going to school, seeing friends
  • Become irritable, tearful or clingy

Lumi Nova is not suitable for:

  • Young people who do not have parent, carer, guardian or trusted adult supervision
  • Young people who are currently experiencing suicidal thoughts or are at risk of self harm
  • Young people that have severe anxiety or are in crisis
  • Young people with severe mental health symptoms or diagnoses, who are not supported by a healthcare professional.
  • Young people with disabilities preventing them from using a mobile device

Training opportunities for parents

By sensory processing difficulties we mean:

  • Sensitivity to certain sensations such as loud noises, smells, the feel of their clothes or another person’s touch. Common sounds may be painful or overwhelming; the light touch of a shirt may chafe the skin, and these experiences interfere with the child’s ability to engage in daily activities.
  • Avoiding these sensations through certain behaviours.
  • Lacking awareness of/not being sensitive enough to certain sensations such as food around their mouth, movement, and body position. Being unable to tell where limbs are in space or not being able to engage in conversation or play.
  • Actively seeking sensations through behaviours such as chewing non-food items, fidgeting or being generally on the go.

Sleep

Around 4 in 10 children will experience a sleep problem at some point and this rises to 8 out of 10 children where there is a diagnosis of Special Educational Need or Disability (SEND). These problems are typically persistent and do not resolve themselves without intervention.

The Children’s Sleep eBook is part of our ‘Tired of Being Alone’ campaign to support parents and carers who have a child or children that struggle to get good quality sleep. It’s a helpful guide that shows how common sleep issues are, that parents are not alone and that help and support is available.

National sleep helpline: 03303 530 541

Sleepy Foods

Below is a list of foods that may aid sleep, there still needs to be much more research in this area but many families share that they find this list helpful:

Almonds contain magnesium promotes both sleep and muscle relaxation. They also help to keep blood sugar levels stable overnight.

Bananas are an excellent source of magnesium and potassium. They also contain tryptophan an amino acid that helps us to sleep but don’t forget fruit contains sugar too. Blend one banana with one cup of milk or soya milk to make an ideal bedtime drink.

Dairy, yogurt, milk and cheese contain tryptophan helping us to nod off more easily. Calcium is effective in stress reduction and it’s not true . . cheese doesn’t give you nightmares!

Cherries particularly tart cherries have been found in one small study to naturally boost melatonin production. You could try drinking a glass of cherry juice (available at most natural foods stores) or a serving of fresh, frozen or dried cherries before bedtime.

Cereal not only is it a healthy snack, but it may also help you snooze. Complex carbohydrate-rich foods increase the availability of tryptophan in the bloodstream. Avoid sugar-coated cereals though, these will give your child a sugar rush and wake them up

Source- The Sleep Charity

Breakfasts

Starting the day off well is essential. Nobody functions well at work or school without the basics of food and sleep.

Here are some suggestions for breakfasts from the ADDITUDE website:

  • Top waffles with melted cheese or ham and cheese, instead of syrup or fruit.
  • Spread peanut butter on apple slices, a halved banana, or celery sticks.
  • Fill a breakfast burrito with scrambled eggs, black beans, and cheese.
  • Spread a toasted, whole-grain bagel or toast with natural peanut butter or another nut butter, such as almond or hazelnut. Adding a dab of all-fruit jam is just fine.
  • Wrap a slice of turkey bacon around a firm-ripe banana; broil or grill until the bacon is thoroughly cooked.
  • Sauté lean, breakfast sausage patties with pieces of diced apples.
  • Swirl crushed fruit or all-fruit jam into plain yogurt and top with dry, whole-grain cereal or chopped nuts.
  • Fill an omelette with chopped or sliced fresh fruit or spreadable fruit.
  • Serve tuna or chicken salad, sloppy joes, chili, or baked beans over toast.
  • Offer eggs and a smoothie. To save time, make hard-boiled or devilled eggs the night before.
  • Toast a slice of whole-grain bread and add a little whipped butter or margarine and a dab of all-fruit jam; milk.
  • Serve whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk, lean meat from last night’s dinner (pork chop, chicken), and orange sections.
  • Top plain yogurt with fresh fruit or mix in oatmeal.
  • Offer a grilled-cheese sandwich made with whole-grain bread and two-percent cheese.
  • Blend up a homemade instant breakfast shake or make sausage patties (see recipes, left sidebar).
  • Serve a veggie omelette with a bran muffin.
  • Offer mixed nuts, fresh fruit, and a glass of milk — a great breakfast for kids that graze.

WhatsApp/ Facebook parents groups

It's lovely to have informal spaces to share information and ask questions. While we do not run these groups, they have our school name attached to them. So, please can I ask that they are maintained as safe and kind spaces.

WhatsApp/ social media spaces used by pupils

We do not tolerate bullying in or out of school (and will sanction and support all involved if this occurs) but the responsibility for protecting pupils online while at home lies with parents. Social media use should be monitored/ supervised. It is strongly recommended that children at primary age shouldn't have their technology accessible in their bedrooms at night. There are age restrictions on most of these apps.

The Lincolnshire safeguarding partnership have shared information relating to malicious communication. If your child spends time online communicating with friends, please read.

Attendance

There are few reasons where planned time out of school could be authorised. Examples could include visiting seriously ill family, attending a close family member's funeral or if a family member's in the Armed Forces and returning from operations.

Family holidays are not exceptional circumstances.

Head teachers have to report absences (authorised and unauthorised) to the LEA (the council responsible for education in their area).

It's the LEA that can fine parents for taking their child on holiday without permission. The fine's per child, per absence (and in theory each parent can be fined, though it varies). The school does not receive this money.

Dates for the diary

Number Day on Friday

Non uniform day for PTFA on the last day of term (14th)

Credits:

Created with images by kovop58 - "Hearts and snowy nature - valentine photo with copy space" • netrun78 - "Snoring classic alarm clock on blue pastel trendy background. Flat lay, top view mock up" • Milan - "yogurt with forest fruits in white porcelain bowl. Yogurt with raspberries and blueberries." • Eakrin - "The top view blank calendar on desk office for copy space composition"