Dear Parents and Carers,
We start this week's blog with a request from all staff about children's online activities out of school. Learning digital skills is important for all our children. However, pupils of primary school age can suffer harm as a result of accessing social media platforms and games. These can include harm to wellbeing, friendships and emotional health. It can also include child protection and safeguarding issues.
It's important to remind all parents and carers that Fortnite has a legal age of 12, and WhatsApp a legal age of 16. These ages are set because children need to develop understanding and skills to safely access and manage these platforms. Sadly we are regularly seeing the negative effects of online activity on our Llanrhidian pupils. These include children quarrelling, feeling left out, feeling anxious, not wanting to come to school, feeling bullied and not being able to concentrate on learning.
We do a lot of work with children to support their online safety and to enable them to develop their skills as digital citizens. We are asking you to work with us on this. If every parent adheres to the legal limit for these games, there would simply be no peer pressure. Children will be better able to enjoy playing and learning and will have the time they need to develop skills to use these platforms when they are old enough. Come on Llanrhidian, we can do this together! Here are this week's headlines:
Parents' Evening - We are still hopeful to hold a parent meeting during the week of March 28th. (Monday to Thursday) The meetings will need to be run with caution, and there will be Covid safety measures put in place to protect both you and our staff. Each pod will send you an appointment and further details, however here are some of the safety controls we are currently asking you to conform to.
1. Please arrive no more than 5 minutes before your time slot.
2. Wait outside the internal classroom door until invited in by the pod staff
3. Exit from the external classroom door
4. Respect the 10 minute time slot so that all parents can be seen and staff can spray down the table and chair between sessions.
5. Maintain social distancing at all times.
6. Wear a mask at all times.
Easter Eggtravaganza Week - We are planning a whole week of traditional Easter events to lift everyone's spirits and celebrate this special time of year. There will be arts and crafts, easter linked literacy and numeracy, cross curricular work, and of course an "Easter Egg Hunt" and a "Traditional Easter Bonnet Parade". Weather and covid permitting we hope to end the term with a small scale parade that you can attend to watch your child parade their easter bonnet. More news on this nearer the time, but the plan is for you to watch the parade and take your child home for their well deserved Easter Holiday. If you have any ideas that could help make this week a success, or you can help in anyway - please let us know.
Easter Raffle - Please return your raffle tickets help to raise much needed funds for pod resources and Easter treats for the pupils. Please support us by selling as many raffle tickets as you can. We are also collecting easter eggs, chocolates, wine, easter toys etc to create pod hampers as prizes. As always, if you know any businesses who would be willing to donate, please ask them for us.
Comic Relief - Friday 18th March 2022 - This year we will be celebrating Comic Relief by wearing something red to school. We will be supporting our friends at Matthew's House by asking you to donate a non - perishable food item and/or toiletries. If you would also like to donate a small money donation to Comic Relief we will also be collecting this on your behalf.
Have a fabulous weekend
Mrs Caswell