Dear parents and carers,
I hope you all had a lovely half term - it has been great to welcome you all back to school this week and can you believe we have already crossed the half-way point of the academic year?! We have lots still to squeeze in to this short half term, especially now the sunnier weather and the lighter nights are creeping in, which is when the sporting events really start to kick off here at AFJS! The girls football team had a great first match this week and the cross country team FINALLY got their first race this week too! Year 6 are busy preparing for the rowing competition and the very popular 'pop up swimming pool' is set to arrive on our playground in a couple of weeks too. Please remember that Friday 27th March is a teacher training day so the Easter holidays start a little bit earlier for you all. Mrs Webb :)
Welcome back Mrs Watson-Tate
We are very pleased that Mrs Watson-Tate is now back from maternity leave and is working Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She will be resuming her role as Assistant Head for Behaviour, Welfare and Inclusion, to include the role of SENCO. We have updated the communication flowchart on our website and also copied it below for ease of reference.
Assessment Week
We have assessment week coming up next week and I want to just take a couple of minutes to stress the importance of your child's attendance at school during this week. We know from experience that any child that does not sit their tests during this week really struggles to catch up and never performs to their full potential trying to complete the tests later on. The week is carefully structured with revision sessions, breaks, adult support and other reasonable adjustments that pupils may need and without this, children find it very difficult to catch up. We know that some children can get anxious about these tests but please be reassured that we do not put any pressure on them in school and just remind them to try their best - if they say they are worried, please just reassure them that it is perfectly natural to be worried and that the feeling will pass very quickly and then remind them that they still need to come to school and face their worries rather than hide from them or put them off til another time. Please also remind them that Miss Dolan or the staff in their year group can help them if they are worried.
Our MHST team have also provided some great advice and resources for parents about how to support children when they are anxious:
What can I do to help as a parent?
Giving reassurance is a natural response as parents, however when a child is anxious it often doesn’t work. It means your child will continue to seek that reassurance every time they feel anxious, instead of learning to self-soothe and reassure themselves that they are okay. As parents, we need to remove our attention from the anxious behaviours and provide praise only when the anxious behaviour has stopped. You may need to tell your child it is the anxious behaviour you are ignoring and not them and name the anxious behaviour for them. Understanding your child’s anxiety – some children may not know what anxiety is and may not understand why they are feeling scared and nervous. Talking with your child about the physical symptoms of anxiety (mentioned above) can also help them understand their own body’s reaction and why they feel this way. Be sure to explain to them that anxiety is like a wave and they can surf the wave rather than stop it or be drowned by it. Support your child It is important that children learn to manage their anxiety rather than avoid it. When we allow children to avoid situations that make them anxious, they are missing out on opportunities to build coping skills and to learn that although they may be feeling scared and anxious, they are okay and they will get through it. As parents, we must validate how our child is feeling but also support and encourage them through these feelings. Helpful Videos for children
- The Worry Rap – helpful video for children to understand anxiety https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7g8Atv27Q8
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation – guided video to show children how to use this strategy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihO02wUzgkc
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation – guided video for younger children https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDKyRpW-Yuc
- Bubble Breathing – guided breathing technique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tOJZQhO_Uw
Farmers Forever Moments
It is our aim to fill the children's time at school with as many memorable moments and experiences that will stick with them as possible, so that they leave us after 4 years with hearts and minds full of learning and joy - that's where our motto LEARNERS FOR LIFE, FARMERS FOREVER comes from! Here are a few of the Farmers Forever moments the children have experienced in the past few weeks...
PTFA Disco
A huge thank you to the PTFA for organising the disco before half term - the children had a great time and all showed excellent behaviour. There are lots more exciting events to come from the PTFA this year, including a Spring Ball for the parents and a bingo night, so make sure you scroll down to the PTFA section below for more information!
A message from a sloth!
As part of the development of our English Curriculum this year, we have been trying to find purposeful reasons for the children to complete their writing and make it the very best it can be. Year 5 decided that they would like to send their non-chronological reports about sloths to Dudley Zoo and the staff there shared the work with Reggie the sloth and sent us some photos!
Number Day
Friday 6th of February was NSPCC number day. Thank you to everyone who came into school dressed in their digits. We had some very creative responses and the children looked amazing in their outfits. We did a few additional activities through the school day to promote maths, including watching an online assembly, completing grids called magic squares and having fun with all things number.
Brass Band Performance
We were very lucky to have a visit from Second City Brass yesterday - they were absolutely incredible and played lots of familiar tunes that had both the children AND adults tapping their toes! It was a great opportunity for the children to experience a different kind of live music!
Parking outside school
You may have noticed the new banners on the barriers outside school - they are an important reminder of the expectations and the fact that there are NO EXCUSES. This is being monitored by officers on a regular basis and there have already been 17 penalty notices issued this year. The penalty is £100 and 3 points on your licence, so please help us keep our children safe and save yourself the fine and the points too!
Diary Dates
UPCOMING EVENTS - more information will be shared closer to the time but keep these dates in your diary
- wb 2nd March - assessment week
- Thursday 5th March - World Book Day - an email has been sent with further details
- Monday 9th March at 5:30pm - Y4 parents residentials meeting
- wb 16th and 23rd March - swimming pool on site - all year 3 + year 5 top up lessons TBC
- Monday 16th March - mid year reviews out to parents
- Friday 20th March - Comic Relief - Red themed non-uniform for £1 donation and Decorate a Nose competition for £1 entry
- wb 23rd March - Hunts Book Fair in school
- Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th March - Parents Evenings
- Friday 27th March - training day - SCHOOL CLOSED to all pupils
- wb 30th March and 6th April - EASTER HOLIDAYS
- Monday 13th April - all pupils back to school
- Tuesday 28th April - year 6 parents SATs meeting
- Monday 4th May - BANK HOLIDAY
- wb 11th May - Y6 SATs week
- wb 25th May - HALF TERM
- Monday 1st June - all pupils back to school
CLASS ASSEMBLIES and OPEN AFTERNOONS
This term, open afternoons are planned for wb 16th March. However, we have realised there is a slight clash with Y3 swimming lessons so we have had to move the Y3 open afternoon to accommodate this. The revised dates for open afternoons are as follows:
Year 3: Thursday 12th March Year 4: Tuesday 17th March Year 5: Wednesday 18th March Year 6: Thursday 19th March As always, they will take place between 2pm and 3pm - just turn up at the hall doors to join in the fun and have a chance to look at your child's books. We only have 2 more class assemblies left for this term.....
- Tuesday 3rd March -Mrs Thomas/Macauley's class
- Tuesday 10th March - Miss Neel's class
MESSAGES FROM THE OFFICE
Please remember that all snacks and lunchboxes should include healthy food choices only. To support our school’s wellbeing policy, sweets, chocolates, candies, and sugary snacks are not permitted. We appreciate your cooperation in encouraging nutritious habits that help students stay focused, energized, and ready to learn. Thank you for your support!
HEALTHY BODY & MIND at AFJS
Mental Health week
Just before half term, we marked Children's Mental Health Week in school and Mr Corbett led an assembly about belonging and community and how being a LEARNER FOR LIFE, FARMER FOREVER is an important part of our positive mental health as it gives us the network and sense of belonging and safety. This week in assembly, we also discussed a news story about a group of monks doing a huge peace walk and how this linked to the Children's Mental Health Week theme of belonging as well as our school's NO OUTSIDERS philosophy. Please remember that we are always here to support any mental health concerns you may have (adults or children) - just drop Miss Dolan an email at pastoral2421@welearn365.com and she will be happy to have a chat and see what she can do to help, including referrals, signposting or even just a cuppa and a chat. You can also use an online tool called the Dimensions of Health and Wellbeing tool to find self-care information to support yourself or your child. The Dimensions of Health and Wellbeing is a free online tool which asks you to rate yourself or your child against a number of dimensions related to health and wellbeing. This then generates a personalised profile and relevant signposting and suggestions. Take a look at this short video below for more information.
Online Safety and Safe Screen Time
Screen Time and online safety continues to be a huge worry for us on a daily basis at AFJS! It can have such an impact on how a child behaves at school and focuses on their learning in so many different ways. We understand that it is not all negative, but so many children have not got the balance right and so many parents are just not sure how to help. But why is screen time such an issue? As always, I have taken some infographics from the fabulous THE CONTENTED CHILD Facebook page to start the discussion. Remember that Miss Dolan, our Children and Families Lead is always available for a chat if you need her and can be contacted on pastoral2421@welearn365.com
SOCIAL MEDIA AGE RATINGS: WHY THEY MATTER
The age limits in the image below aren’t about being strict or out of touch; they’re there because younger brains simply aren’t ready for the pressures, demands and risks that come with online spaces and we see this all too often in school with our older pupils! Under 13s are still developing key skills in emotional regulation, social understanding and impulse control. Many platforms also rely on data collection, algorithms, and dopamine-driven reward loops that younger children are particularly vulnerable to. Exposure too early can affect sleep, self-esteem, attention, and mental health — and increases the risk of cyberbullying, comparison fatigue and addictive use. This isn’t about judgement. Many parents feel pressure to allow early access because “everyone else has it”. But understanding the reasoning behind these age ratings gives you the confidence to hold firm, set boundaries, and protect your child’s wellbeing. If you ever feel you need some extra support with this, please do not hesitate to drop Miss Dolan a message on pastoral2421@welearn365.com
Is there anything else you might like to see in this section of the newsletter? Drop us an email at admin2421@welearn365.com to let us know.
SEN information, news and updates
You may have seen in the news this week that the DfE have announced changes to the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, as part of the schools white paper: Every Child Achieving and Thriving. This has been accompanied by a lot of online hype and criticisms which may feel worrying to parents but we urge you not to panic! Firstly, these changes are currently only proposals and are not going to be implemented straight away. Secondly, when they are implemented, we will absolutely do this in the very best way for our children and families. In the meantime, everything will continue as usual and we will continue to strive for the very best for all our Farmers! If you want to find out more, there is some further information you can access on the DfE website below written specifically for parents.
Online Safety and SEN pupils
This month's newsletter focus is all about ONLINE SAFETY and we are continuing this theme in this section, with a focus on SEN pupils and screen usage.
Screens can play a helpful role in a child’s life — especially for many neurodivergent children who genuinely use screens as a regulation tool, a sensory anchor, or a predictable space when the world feels overwhelming. Therefore, it is important to consider how we can support children’s wellbeing by balancing the benefits of screens with what we know about brain development, dopamine, sleep, behaviour and mental health.
Research continues to highlight the impact of heavy screen use on mood, attention, and emotional regulation, and we’re now seeing countries such as Australia moving to restrict social media access for under-16s in response to these concerns.
Healthy boundaries don’t have to be harsh. Small adjustments — like no-screen mealtimes or protecting bedtimes — can make a big difference to a young person’s nervous system, behaviour, and everyday resilience.
Messages from the PTFA
UPCOMING EVENTS
Others ways you can help us to fundraise...
If you shop at Asda, please make sure you sign up to their 'Cashpot for Schools' initiative - they will donate much needed funds to us every time you shop with them. Literally money for nothing! :)
You can also sign up to EasyFundraising and elect to allocate funds to our school - again, this is literally money for nothing! You just need to log in via EasyFundraising to do your online shopping at any of their many retailers they work with and they will donate much needed funds to us every time you shop. If you have joined us from another school that uses this initiative, please log in and swap the cause you are supporting to ABBOTS FARM JUNIOR SCHOOL :)
And finally...you can also play the Rugby Lotto and raise money for our PTA at the same time - we had several wins within our school community last term so it is worth a go! You can just log on and opt for it to automatically charge you to play each month.
Credits:
Created with images by haidamac - "Spring snowdrop flowers in spring forest on blurred bokeh background" • obpia30 - "clock time alarm clock" • Inga - "Paper colorful people, inclusion, community, childhood concept.,Copy space."