Newsletters

4th November 2011

Welcome back for the Christmas term!

Dates for your diary

7th November – Year 4 children to Snibston Discovery Park, Leicestershire
8th November – Half of our Reception children will be taken on an Autumn Walk
8th November – Year 3 will be performing a show for Diwali at 9.15 a.m. to 6.15 p.m.
9th November – The other half of our Reception children will be taken on an Autumn Walk.
10th November – Photo catchup.  If your child missed the first date or if you are unhappy with their photograph there will be an opportunity for them to be photographed.
10th November – Year 5 will take part in a workshop at the Herbert Art Gallery.
14th 17th – November – We will be having a Scholastic Book Fair.  A brilliant chance for Christmas shopping.  Please support us as the more books that we sell, the more commission we receive which gives us a chance to purchase new books for the children.
18th November – Children in Need
25th November – PTA Quiz Night – tickets available from the School Office
29th November – Choir out to perform at the Young Voices Concert, Birmingham
2nd December – Non-Uniform Day NSPCC “World’s Biggest Maths Week
12th December – Reception/Year 1 and Year 2 to Warwick Arts Centre to watch a performance of
“The Tiger Who Came To Tea”
16th December – School’s Out For Christmas – Return on Wednesday, 4th January 2011

Uniform and PE kits

Children need to have PE kits in school, everything should be named.
School uniform colours are royal or navy blue with black or grey skirts or trousers.

Remembrance Day – 11th November, 2011

Poppies are on sale in the School Office for a donation.
Please encourage your child to donate and wear their poppy with pride not just for
the heroes of yesterday but for the soldiers who are still fighting to ensure a better world for us all.

The Big Conversation

Worried about your child having relationships and learning about sex education?
Will you know when the right time to have The Big Conversation has arrived.
A “Question Time” hosted by the Director of CLYP (Children, Learning and Young People’s Directorate)
will be held at the Belgrade Theatre on Saturday, 12th November, 2011.
For further details please visit the website www.besavvy.org.uk

Maths and Reading

Free parent support with Maths – ages 3 – 7 and English – ages 3 -11
is available from Oxford University Press
visit www.oxfordowl.co.uk for support and activities

Post Box

`To avoid queuing just to hand in some money or a letter to the office – there is a red post box attached to wall in the Reception Area, this is emptied daily.

Top Health Tips from School Nursing - November 2011

Road Safety

The risk of a child pedestrian being involved in a road accident rises when they start school  and peaks again at the start of secondary school.
 Explain road safety rules and make sure your child knows to 'stop, look and listen' and follows the ‘Green Cross Code’

• Always hold your child's hand while they're young, don’t let them run ahead.
• Always use the pedestrian or zebra crossing if there is one.
• Set a good example, for example at pedestrian crossings wait for the green man rather than crossing on red.
• Let your child help you decide where and when it's safe to cross.
• Look out for hidden entrances or driveways across the pavement.
• Explain why they should never cross the road between parked cars.
• Make sure your child can be seen and put reflective strips on their clothing in winter.
• Help older children plan the safest route if walking without an adult.

If your child cycles there are lots of cycle safety courses in your area and they are often run in schools. Make sure that your child’s bike is well maintained and has reflective strips; that they wear a helmet which fits properly and are encouraged  to use cycle paths.

www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Roadsafety

Bonfire night

FACTS:

• Sparklers get five times hotter than cooking oil.
• A rocket can reach speeds of 150mph.
• A firework shell can reach as high as 200 metres.
• Three sparklers burning together generate the same heat as a blowtorch.
• The majority of firework-related injuries happen at family or private parties.
• Around half of all injuries are to children under the age of 17.
• The most common injuries are to hands, followed by the eyes and face.

A few basis firework safety rules:

• Only adults should light fireworks and deal with firework displays.
• Follow the instructions on each firework and be sure they're suitable for home use.

• Light fireworks at arm's length using a taper.
• Never go near a firework that has been lit. Even if it hasn’t gone off, it could still explode..
• Always supervise children around fireworks. Have a marker, like a rope, for the children to stand behind at a safe distance from the display
• Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves. Have a bucket of water handy to put them in so that no-one can pick up a hot one off the ground.
• Don't give sparklers to children under five.

 Reminders in an emergency

• Cool any burns immediately with cold water. Keep the burn under the running water for at least 10 minutes.
• Don’t touch the burn or pull at any clothing that might be stuck to it.
• Cling film is an ideal cover for the burn to stop any infection getting into it. If you don’t have cling film then any clean, non-fluffy material will help.
• If someone’s clothing catches on fire, get them to stop and drop to the ground and roll them any heavy material (like a curtain).
• Get advice from your GP, Accident and Emergency Department, or NHS Direct. 0845 4647
• Get medical advice for any burn on a child larger than a postage stamp.
• If the burn involves a child’s face, hands, feet, joints or genitals, it should be seen by a doctor.

Anti-bullying week has changed to anti-bullying month!

If a child tells you they’re being bullied, the first thing to do is to listen!

Talking to the school
To stop the bullying, it's essential for you or your child, or both of you, to talk to the school. Think about who would be the best person to approach first. Discuss this with your child because there may be a particular teacher your child feels more at ease with.
Your school nurse is available to talk to on 02476 246211
All the organisations listed below provide support and information to parents.

Family lives 
Family Lives is a charity that runs a free, confidential 24-hour helpline for parents. Call 0808 800 2222 to speak about any parenting issue, including bullying.

Bullying UK
The Bullying UK website, which is part of Family Lives, has a dedicated area for parents.

Kidscape
Kidscape is an anti-bullying charity that runs a telephone advice line for parents and carers (0845 120 5204), and assertiveness training courses for young people who've been bullied. There's extensive information for parents and carers on its website.

NSPCC
The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has an information sheet for parents called Bullying: What can parents do?

Childnet International
Childnet is a charity that promotes safe use of the internet by children. Its website has detailed information about bullying online, including a section for parents.