Communication

Save the date

Thursdays: Tiny Tiddlers: 9am

Wednesday 31st January – Tea & Talk: Eco – 8.50am

Monday 5th – Sunday 11th February – Child’s Mental Health Week

Tuesday 6th February – Tea & Talk: Safer Internet Day – 8.50am

Tuesday 6th February – Safer Internet Day

Thursday 15th February - Tea & Talk: Developing Positive Relationships – Yr 5 & 6 – 5pm

Friday 16th February – Break up for half term 3.10pm finish

Monday 26th February – Return after half term

Tuesday 5th March - Tea & Talk: Nursery Phonics 8.50am

Wednesday 6th March – Tea & Talk: Connected Curriculum 8.50am

Friday 8th March – World Book Day

Tuesday 19th March – Tea & Talk: ODL and Art 8.50am

Thursday 28th March – Last day of term

Monday 15th April – Return after Easter break

Message from the Principal

Dear parents and carers,

Children’s Mental Health Week is the 5th – 11th February, with Safer Internet Day being recognised on Tuesday 6th February.

Children’s mental health and well-being is always part of our curriculum and approach. We promote and support children in their personal development and growth.

The theme this year is ‘My Voice Matters’.

My Voice Matters is about empowering children and young people by providing them with the tools they need to express themselves.

As parents and carers, you play an important role in your child’s mental health.

This year, we want to empower children of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities to work together to create a positive change for their mental health and wellbeing. Our aim for Children’s Mental Health Week? We want all children and young people to be able to say, and believe, “My Voice Matters.”

Take a look at the website for some great top tips for families and children, along with activities, such as ‘What matters to you?’

On Tuesday 6th February it is also safer Internet Day 2024, with thousands of people across the UK working together to champion youth voice and engage in conversations about how we can all work together to make the internet a great and safe place.

This provides a great opportunity for us to all focus on the importance of healthy relationships and behaviours online, to keep our children safe and aware. Across the day and week, lessons will include focus on this important aspect of the curriculum. E-safety and online relationships are key elements in our RSHE curriculum and Computing lessons. Within the regular sessions we help our children to understand safe and respectful relationships to navigate online and offline situations. This year, the focus on ‘navigating change online’. We remind our children of our Big 3 – Be ready to learn, Be respectful in our relationships and Be safe in our relationships.

We will consider:

• Young people’s perspective on new and emerging technology
• Using the internet to make change for the better
• The changes young people want to see online
• The things that can influence and change the way young people think, feel and act online and offline

Safer Internet Day is a great opportunity to focus on online safety with your child too, whatever their age. The website has a number of pages and activities to do with your child, including some videos.

You can watch the official 2024 Safer Internet Day film for parents and carers.

Help and advice for you as a parent or carer

Visit the parent and carer links

For answers to some key questions

• Things change so fast online, it’s hard to keep up with what my child is doing?
• My child keeps asking to play a game, or download an app that I don’t know about, what can I do?
• My child is asking for a new device and I’m not sure they’re ready for one
• I’m not sure if the content my child is watching is a good influence on them, what can I do?
• What does an influencer do and how can they affect children’s behaviour?
• My child is keen to share content and make a change online. How can I help them achieve this safely?
• How to make a report online
• Find out more about specific issues

We know the importance of being aware and informed. Mrs Grant and Mrs Bermon will be holding a Tea and Talk on Tuesday 6th February at 8.50am. Please email mrsalexander@darlinghurstacademy.org.uk if you would like to attend. Here you can gain an insight into online issues or themes that your child could potentially see online.

Finally, on Sunday 11th February, Miss Arnold and Mrs Powell are revamping spaces in the grounds ready for the Spring. What a great end to the week and an opportunity to come together in the great outdoors for wellness and community spirit.

They would love your help to get some of our outdoor spaces ready for Spring. The day will include: tree planting, weeding, preparing new allotment beds and starting work on revamping the pond area. If you are interested in joining in, please let us know, There are a few families and community groups on board but the more the merrier. It’s from 10am to 2pm but you can help for as long or as little as you can – children are welcome too. Mrs Powell has made it a family event and her husband and children work hard!

As always, enjoy your family time together.

Mrs Nicholls

In The Spotlight

Attendance

From the first day of term to the last, the small moments in a school day make a real difference to your child. #AttendanceCounts

Celebrating attendance together

In the autumn term, whole school attendance was significantly better than the same time last year.

Autumn Term 23/24 05/09/23 - 15/12/23 - 95.4%

Compared to Autumn 22/23 - 93%

Thank you to everyone for improved attendance for the Autumn Term!

During the Autumn Term we had our extended two week break. Half term is also fast approaching. Please continue to adhere to taking holiday during breaks and maintaining attendance to school. Any holidays taken in term time require requests (letters) to the Principal, followed by a meeting. This needs submission in good time.

We would like to continue this improving trend for the spring and summer term. What can we do?

Have a timely start to the day:

Should your child arrive after gates close at 08:40 they are marked as late. Parents/carers are expected to provide an appropriate reason of lateness when they drop their child at the office.

We know that the minutes add up and lateness impacts on learning and also an unsettles start of the day for those involved.

In the autumn term, an average total of 418 minutes of learning was lost due to lateness.

Year Average minutes late for group:

Reception - 137

Year 1 - 70

Year 2 - 83

Year 3 - 22

Year 4 - 25

Year 5 - 21

Year 6 - 60

Total 418

Contact us and talk about absence:

If a child is absent from the academy please follow the procedures below:

• Contact the academy on the first day of absence before 9.00 am on 01702 509205 if you are unable to speak to a member of staff please leave a message.
• If the absence continues for more than 2 days parents should make a further call to the Attendance Team to keep in touch and up to date.
• Supply medical evidence such as a photocopy of the prescribed medication or appointment card. If that has not been possible speak to the Attendance Team.

Please be aware that email correspondence to report absence is not acceptable and the procedures in place support safe and expected communication.

Effort to make appointments outside of school time:

Ideally we ask for appointments to be made outside of academy hours. If it is necessary for a child to be out of school for this reason, the child should attend the academy prior to the appointment and/or be returned to the academy directly after the appointment where possible. We have seen an improved effort in children attending the academy pre and post appointments (should they be taken in school hours). Thank you.

Engage in follow up

Unexplained or persistent absence and persistent lateness is tracked in order to identify areas of need or patterns in absenteeism. This means that support can be given to reduce absence. Should families be at risk of persistent absence contact is made and those who reach levels of persistent absence are contacted within our escalation procedures. Engagement with the attendance team enables staff to support the child and family; understanding the underlying reasons or barriers. Should absence continue this may involve the support of other agencies.

Let’s keep talking attendance!

Attendance

EYFS

Starfish – 97%

KS2

Mayflower – 97.8%

Proud To Be Me