www.arundelchurchofenglandschool.org.uk, 01903 883149, reception@arundel.w-sussex.sch.uk

Dear Parents and Guardians

“It amazes me sometimes that even intelligent people will analyze a situation or make a judgement after only recognizing the standard or traditional structure of a piece.”

David Bowie

Working together – a thought

I believe schools can only be successful if we all work together. Sometimes things will be challenging but if we work together, we can achieve anything. It is worth reflecting on this…

1 Corinthians 12:20-25

Volume 1, Issue 1

www.arundelchurchofenglandschool.org.uk, 01903 883149, reception@arundel.w-sussex.sch.uk

Volume 2, Issue 5

‘As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it...’

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Indoor Athletics Success

I think sometimes it is important to highlight when our ACE pupils perform amazingly. To be honest, I could probably do this nearly every day with some of our lovely ACE pupils. On this occasion, our fabulous indoor athletics team’s performance last Wednesday was outstanding. We won lots of our races and every single member of the team tried their very best. Another feature was our sportsmanship and the fact that we were the only school to actually make the effort to go over to all the officials and thank them for their hard work. Manners may be old fashioned but I believe they are essential if we want to live in a society which values the word respect.

We came 5th overall and - considering this is out of 75 schools - I do not feel this is a terrible result. We were the smallest school in the competition by some 200+ pupils and the biggest school in the finals has 8 classes (280 children) in one-year group!

I would to take this opportunity to thank Mr Heather for picking up and driving, Mr Cox, Mr Tillyer and Mrs Tipton for organising and all the parents who were fabulous supporting our ACE team.

Holocaust Memorial Service

On Monday 27th January, Year 6 were invited to attend a Holocaust Memorial Service to mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Aushwitz at Arundel Baptist Church. We did some research prior to the service so that we understood more about the Holocaust.

We found out that the Holocaust was a period in history at the time of World War Two (1939-1945), when millions of Jews were murdered because of who they were.

The killings were organised by Germany's Nazi party, led by Adolf Hitler.

Jews were the main target of the Nazis, and the greatest number of victims were Jewish. Nearly seven out of every 10 Jews in Europe were murdered because of their identity.

The Nazis also killed other groups of people, including Roma ('gypsies') and disabled people. They also arrested and took away the rights of other groups, like gay people and political opponents. Many of them died as a result of their treatment.

The Holocaust was an example of genocide. Genocide is deliberately killing a large group of people, usually because they are a certain nationality, race or religion.

The Holocaust was a process that started with discrimination against Jewish people, and ended with millions of people being killed because of who they were. It was a process that became increasingly brutal over time.

They also began to set up concentration camps where they could send people they believed to be "enemies of the state" to be imprisoned and forced to work. This included Jewish people and anybody who did not support them.

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The first camp called Dachau was opened in March 1933 just outside of Munich.

Between 1933 and 1945, the Nazis created more than 40,000 camps in areas they controlled.

Some were work camps, some were transit camps to process prisoners, and others - the first of which would open in 1941 - would be extermination camps, where the Nazis could kill people in great numbers.

Many people were murdered by camp guards for no reason and many more died as a result of the terrible conditions in them.

We were horrified to discover what happened to 6 million people during the Holocaust. At the Memorial service, we each placed a stone by the altar to make a monument for the people who died.

Thank you to Pastor Steve for inviting us.

So, why are times tables important?

A parent asked me this question last week, so here is my answer:

Arithmetic as one of its central aims of the National Curriculum in England and there has never been a better time to focus on core skills in mathematics such as multiplication skills.

Multiplication and division can be introduced in their most basic form at the earliest opportunity so that children can begin to familiarise themselves with these key operations.

According to a study conducted by the Australian Catholic University, successive research has shown that: “children as young as reception age solve a variety of problems (multiplication and division) by combining direct modelling with counting and grouping skills and with strategies based on addition and subtraction.”

Multiplication forms the building block for other mathematical concepts Once children are confident in the use of their times tables, they can begin to apply this knowledge to a variety of calculations. As an example, knowing that 2 x 2 = 4 will help children understand that 20 x 20 = 400, and 200 x 200 = 4000. In addition, children can check their calculations using the inverse so that they know that 20 ÷ 4 = 5 is correct because 5 x 4 = 20.

There are a number of ways to introduce children to the concept of multiplication at a young age. Games to help children with maths include multiplication bingo and multiplication snap. I would also encourage you as an ACE parent to go to https://www.purplemash.com/sch/arundel-bn18 . We have a school account which you can use at home and this special page looks at times tables in particular https://www.purplemash.com/#tab/home/tabletoons

Division and multiplication skills can be applied to real-life concepts As children handle money, share items between friends and cut food into portions they are beginning to build up their division and multiplication skills as part of their everyday life. Being introduced to these ideas at an early age will mean that, as well as gaining confidence in the subject, they will be able to utilise these skills in the wider world.

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Why we need to be careful

“Teaching is a great job. It’s something I’m good at, and at times can excel at. I’ve even had those once-a-decade moments of a child telling you something you’ve done has changed them or inspired them permanently. But “being a teacher” (the whole job and everything it entails) ground me down so much over the course of 10 years that I felt I never wanted to go near students or schools again. I genuinely believed I had no place in the teaching profession and that I had made a lucky escape.

I’m not the only one. This week figures were released by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers which showed that in 2011 only 62% of newly qualified teachers were still teaching a year later – a sharp drop from 2005, when 80% were still teaching after a year.

“Why are we losing the next generation of teachers?” asked Mary Bousted, the ATL general secretary. “Is it, I wonder, because trainee and newly qualified teachers see very early on just what teaching has become and decide that they do not want to be a part of it? Is it that they learn as they work with exhausted and stressed colleagues that teaching has become a profession which is incompatible with a normal life?”

By unknown author.

“I've never responded well to entrenched negative thinking.”

David Bowie

Super Jack and Luca

Jack and Luca played a football match against a team from Worthing and won 7-3 and Jack got Man if the match and was told he was the best goal keeper in the league by a passer-by. Sadly, the other team’s behaviour was not as good as one would hope but throughout the game Jack and Luca displayed superb ACE values, they kept morale up with their team players, checked on them when they were knocked down and at the end of the match and did not hesitate in shaking the opposition’s hands and offering them commiserations. Well done, boys. I am very proud of your behaviour.

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Date Event

12th February Parents’ Evening

13th February Parents’ Evening

28th February Butterfly Class visit Preston Manor and The Apple Store

16th March Year 6 to Blackland Farm

2nd April Whole School Palm Sunday Service at St Nicholas’ Church

The impact of Worship – fabulous work by Thomas in Year 1

It is lovely when you hear stories about the impact of some of the things we do in school on children. Master Thomas in Year 1 wasn’t feeling great last week but still managed to make a difference to others. Often, we do not realise the difference we can make to the people around us, including those we do not know. Thomas decided, after hearing a story in Worship about looking after our environment, that he would make a difference to his local area by clearing up some of the mess left by others. Great work, Thomas, and just imagine if everyone did this…

The Three Trees by Kyle

If you read the HT blog last week, you would have heard about the wonderful Worship that Paul Sanderson led. He truly inspired our boys and girls and as a result Kyle produced a stunning story map of the story. He had learnt how to do this through our school’s approach to literacy, which is based on Talk for Writing. It is a great strategy to record and remember things, and I would always encourage you to talk to your child about story maps.

Great work, Kyle, and thank you for sharing it with me.

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Ottilie and her wonderful animals

Children are amazing and often as adults we underestimate their potential as learners. Ottilie in Year 1 produced a series of wonderful images with some associated text. She presented her work beautifully and I think it would compare favourably with any child who is a similar age to her. Well done, Ottilie. Well done for taking time and pride in your work. I am so impressed with the quality of your work.

Some awesome work by children in Year 2

Some of the boys and girls in Butterfly Class have been working really hard completing extra work at home too!

Marvellous Matilda

Matilda has been reading the book ‘The Snail and the Whale’ and it is lovely when you get the chance to see a child love a book that has been found for them. All of us have different tastes and it is important to recognise this. Matilda has clearly found the book she loves and she produced this amazing image of one of the pages in the book. I was blown away by the standard of art work and lovely writing she has also included in it too.

Well done, Matilda, for a beautiful piece of work.

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Dog Man, a book and Jacob

I do love it when children keep on trying to improve themselves. I feel this is such an important quality, especially when you consider we live in a society which is often quick to take and where some only want to achieve the easier things in life. Jacob has been working very hard on his reading and it has been lovely to see him develop so much as the year has gone on. He is currently reading a book called Dog Man by Dav Pikey, which seems a really good book and it is lovely seeing him having fun with a text.

Keep up the great reading, Jacob, and I hope you inspire us all to do a little bit more reading each day.

Spaceman Tom

Lego is a brilliant tool. Tom in Butterfly Class has been using Lego to explore and develop his knowledge of space. He has been able to build some lovely models, which you can see in the photos. Thank you, Tom, for sharing this wonderful model and I was very impressed with the way you were able to explain how each model worked. I am already looking forward to your next Lego model.

Tom has been working hard and this was illustrated really well with the piece of writing he completed earlier in the week.

Skills Children Learn from LEGO

1. Fine Motor Skills

Using LEGO bricks is the perfect opportunity for building fine motor skills! LEGO bricks are a great manipulative to work the fingers as children build and even pick up LEGO pieces. Children love the thrill of building and they can do this for hours, building up strong little muscles in their hands that will help them do other skills, such as learn to write.

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2. Cooperative Play

It’s so easy for LEGO building to turn to a time of imaginary bliss with adventures, heros, villians, animals, and even family members. Using LEGO minifigures and bricks with other peers gives children the same skills they would learn in dramatic play or from using a dollhouse.

LEGO creations become a form of storytelling. It’s the little lost horse who is trying to find her stable, and her friends help her along the way. Or a mother is taking care of her son who is headed to school for the day.

3. A Sense of Accomplishment

When my children have finished their amazing work of art, they are beaming to show me their creations. They have made something they are incredibly proud of, which is good for their hands as well as good for their heart! Most of the time they come up with an idea in their heads, then they begin to piece it together.

They are so excited for the houses they build for the minifigure families to play in or for the cars that the minifigures will drive around in their LEGO community. As they develop self-confidence, their excitement leads to making items with more and more complex purposes!

4. Persistence

Building with LEGO bricks sometimes leads to heartbreak. A beautiful tower comes crumbling down with one wrong move.

Initially, this is frustrating. I’ve learned though that children who use LEGO bricks regularly are not defeated by this. Instead, they make it again. I’ve even accidentally wrecked a masterpiece. And I am always surprised when I hear “It’s OK, I can build it again!”

Tom has been working hard all week and this was illustrated really well with the piece of writing he

Florence and her lovely writing and her rainbow blanket

I do really love hearing about children and their successes outside of school. I would always be delighted to hear about any good news from our lovely ACE boys and girls. Florence has been working really hard to improve her work and completed some lovely homework. She has also, with the help of her nanny, made a lovely blanket with all her Rainbow badges on. Great work, Florence.

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Gold, Silver and Bronze Housepoints Badges

Well done to all the boys and girls who achieved their housepoints badges this week. It is good to see the children achieving great things.

Ellie, her trip to Disney on Ice, and her magical maths

Ellie has been working very hard on her mathematics and it has been lovely to see her complete extra work at home on this subject. I cannot underestimate the importance nowadays of parents doing extra work at home with their children. The expectations and quality of work children are now expected to complete has continued to increase each year I have been in teaching and we really need your help to ensure your child reaches their true potential.

Ellie also wrote a lovely diary entry of her trip to see Disney on Ice. I think it is so important children keep diaries and we as parents encourage them to do so. Oscar Wilde wrote: "I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read on the train." World leaders, great thinkers and film stars have always kept journals, usually with the knowledge that one day they will be read by a shocked, amused and adoring public.

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But a growing body of research is suggesting that we could all benefit from keeping a journal, if not for -posterity, then for sanity and good health. Studies show that writing about your day, your feelings and your worries may not only clear your head - helping you to sleep, feel more relaxed and solve problems - it could even improve your physical health.

Obviously for children it is a brilliant way also to improve their writing skills and get them into good habits of writing for pleasure.

Meanwhile, well done to Ellie for working so hard on a number of areas of her school life. I am very impressed to see just how much work you have completed.

Value for the term is Hope

The Christian understanding of hope illustrates how trivial our everyday use of the word can be. We hope that it will not rain for the picnic, or that the car will start or that the plumber will come tomorrow.

At a deeper level, hope is a universal human phenomenon. People hope for peace in time of war; food in time of famine; justice in time of oppression. Where hope is lost there is despair and disintegration. Hope generates energy and sustains people through difficult times. For some people, hope is so strong that it inspires self-sacrifice to turn hope into reality.

True hope is much more than a general idea that things will get better. It is more than a belief in progress, which sees the world and people as getting better all the time, growing away from violence, ignorance and confusion. There has, of course, been genuine progress: in technology, in communications, in medical care and in the protection of people’s rights through the law. Nevertheless, terror and oppression, death and disease, greed and self-serving still govern the lives of millions. In the light of all this, belief in human progress looks facile and deluding.

Christian hope is grounded in the character of God. Often, in the Psalms, the writer says to God: ‘My hope is in you’. It is a hope rooted in the love and faithfulness of God. Hope is not wishful thinking but a firm assurance that God can be relied upon. It does not remove the need for ‘waiting upon the Lord’ but there is underlying confidence that God is a ‘strong rock’ and one whose promises can be trusted. The writer to the Hebrews describes the Christian hope as ‘an anchor for the soul, firm and secure’. Even when experiencing exile, persecution, doubt or darkness, the Biblical writers trust in God’s ‘unfailing love’ and know that he will be true to his covenant promises. That is the basis of their hope.

Hope is not always spontaneous or easy. There is work to be done. As well as trusting God, we have to develop qualities of steadfastness in our own character.

Paul says: ‘We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.’ (Romans 5:3-4)

Hope is coupled with faith and love as one of the three most enduring gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 13:13).

The Bell Magazine and Sussex Local

I hope you get the chance to read these two fabulous magazines and it is really nice to see that we have features in both. Well worth a read and it is really nice to see some familiar faces in the magazines.

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Attendance

Every week we publish weekly attendance data for each of the classes. The class that has the best attendance will be awarded the Attendance Cup during Sharing. Please do join us to celebrate the children’s achievement!

Dove 98.47% Butterfly 97.62% Ichthus 97.38% Phoenix 97.32% Unicorn 96.06% Rainbow 92.54% Eagle 91.01%

Kyle – What does it mean to be ACE?

Kyle made this lovely poster to illustrate his ideas. He talked about us all working together, learning to forgive one another when we have done wrong, never giving up and always showing love to all those we meet. He also talked about learning and the importance of all us recognising that learning is a unique individual thing and too often we try and compare our learning with others (or in the case of parents their child with another child). I am pleased you appreciate the ACE values of Faith, Hope and Love.

Some awesome work in Rainbow Class from Harry, Isla and Isla

Well done to these guys who have been working very hard to improve their skills in a number of areas of school life. All three have been working hard on their handwriting, and other such things linked to their fine motor skills. Harry has made some significant improvements in his work and, like the girls, it was lovely seeing his mother help him through modelling our ACE handwriting style. Isla and Isla also kindly drew some lovely pictures for me personally. I found this very kind and it was lovely that these girls thought of me.

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Meet Albie the dog

I wanted to share with you the lovely images of a new member of the ACE family – Albie the dog. WOW he is a beautiful boy and, if you get a chance to meet him, I would encourage you to!

Year 5 and Structures

Year 5 have been looking at various structures and considering how to make a structure which will support heavy items. The children explored the use of triangles and squares to reinforce their structures. As you can see from the photos, the children had lots of fun, as well as learning about such ideas as spreading the load equally.

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Lola and her marvellous writing

Year 6 have been set a challenge to write a voiceover which could take the place of David Attenborough on one of his nature documentaries. Lola has done some research about Chinstrap Penguins, who form the largest penguin colony in the world on a volcanic island in the South Sandwich Islands. She then used the facts she had found to create a natural sounding voiceover that fitted with the timings of a video clip. What a great piece of writing, Lola!

How do geese fly?

Scientists have determined that the V-shaped formation that geese use when migrating serves two important purposes:

First, it conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way, the geese can fly for a long time before they must stop for rest. The authors of a 2001 Nature article stated that pelicans that fly alone beat their wings more frequently and have higher heart rates than those that fly in formation. It follows that birds that fly in formation glide more often and reduce energy expenditure (Weimerskirch, 2001).

The second benefit to the V formation is that it is easy to keep track of every bird in the group. Flying in formation may assist with the communication and coordination within the group. Fighter pilots often use this formation for the same reason.

Roman Emperor Nero and Julius Caesar by Charlotte and Jemima

Well done to Charlotte and Jemima who have been working hard to complete some of their Roman homework. The girls completed very different homework but it was great to see how the theme of the Romans had inspired them to find out some of the things this great civilization left for us. Legacy is always an important aspect to anyone’s history and it was lovely to see some of the things the girls have found about the Roman Emperors. Well done, both of you.

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The girls inspired me to find a little bit of information about Nero myself.

Perhaps the most infamous of Rome’s emperors, Nero Claudius Caesar (37-68 A.D.), ruled Rome from 54 A.D. until his death by suicide 14 years later. He is best known for his debaucheries, political murders, persecution of Christians and a passion for music that led to the probably apocryphal rumour that Nero “fiddled” while Rome burned during the great fire of 64 A.D.

Did you know? Although it’s unknown whether Nero sang and strummed his lyre while Rome burned in 64 A.D., he certainly didn't play a fiddle: bowed string instruments wouldn't appear in Europe for another 800 years.

A bit of theory for a parent who raised the question, “What is this growth mindset stuff?”

Carol Dweck on Praising for Effort, Not Intelligence (Originally titled “The Perils and Promises of Praise”) and a paper I think all people who are connected with children should read (and this includes teachers, parents and grandparents).

“Many believe that (1) praising students’ intelligence builds their confidence and motivation to learn, and (2) students’ inherent intelligence is the major cause of their achievement in school. Our research has shown that the first belief is false and the second can be harmful – even for the most competent students.” Dweck says that the impact of praise is closely linked to how students view intellectual ability, and they tend to hold one of two beliefs:

• Intelligence is a fixed trait – “Students with this fixed mind-set become excessively concerned with how smart they are,” says Dweck, “seeking tasks that will prove their intelligence and avoiding ones that might not. The desire to learn takes a back seat.” Students who think this way tend to:

- Care a lot about whether people think they are smart or not smart; - Avoid learning challenges where they might make mistakes;

- Try to hide mistakes rather than trying to correct them;

- Believe that if they have the ability, they shouldn’t have to try hard;

- Believe that needing to apply a lot of effort means they’re dumb; - Not deal well with frustration and setbacks, sometimes giving up or cheating.

• Intelligence can be improved – “When students believe they can develop their intelligence, they focus on doing just that,” writes Dweck. “Not worrying about how smart they will appear, they take on challenges and stick to them… They don’t necessarily believe that anyone can become an Einstein or a Mozart, but they do understand that even Einstein and Mozart had to put in years of effort to become who they were.” Students with the growth belief system tend to:

Care about and invest themselves in learning; - Believe that effort is a positive thing, causing their intelligence to grow; - Try hard in the face of frustration and failure; - Look for new learning strategies. “More and more research in psychology and neuroscience supports the growth mind-set,” says Dweck. “We are discovering that the brain has more plasticity over time than we ever imagined; that fundamental aspects of intelligence can be enhanced through learning; and that dedication and persistence in the face of obstacles are key ingredients in outstanding achievement.” It turns out that the way adults praise children’s successes and failures has a direct impact on the mind-set children develop. Dweck and her colleagues have conducted a series of fascinating experiments in recent years and found the following:

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• Praising for intelligence – Many educators and parents believe that commending children for being smart will increase their self-confidence and help them enjoy learning. Not true! “Praising students’ intelligence gives them a short burst of pride,” says Dweck, “followed by a long string of negative consequences.” This kind of praise pushes the child into the innate-intelligence mind-set, which makes them more fearful of messing up, less willing to work hard to learn new skills, less adventurous with difficult challenges, more prone to cheat or give up, and less confident in their ability to be successful. “Praising students for their intelligence, then, hands them not motivation and resilience but a fixed mind-set with all its vulnerability,” concludes Dweck.

• Praising for effort – By contrast, commending students for the processes they use – engagement, perseverance, strategies, improvement – fosters motivation, increased effort, willingness to take on new challenges, greater self-confidence, and a higher level of success. “Process praise keeps students focused, not on something called ability that they may or may not have and that magically creates success or failure, but on processes they can all engage in to learn,” writes Dweck. Here’s what this kind of adult praise sounds like: “You really studied for your English test, and your improvement shows it. You read the material over several times, outlined it, and tested yourself on it. That really worked!” and “It was a long, hard assignment, but you stuck to it and got it done. You stayed at your desk, kept up your concentration, and kept working. That’s great!” What about a student who works hard and does poorly? Dweck suggests saying, “I liked the effort you put in. Let’s work together some more and figure out what you don’t understand.” How about a student who gets an A without trying very hard? Dweck suggests saying, “All right, that was too easy for you. Let’s do something more challenging that you can learn from.” To test this theory, Dweck and her colleagues worked with a group of New York City seventh graders whose math grades had been plummeting in the opening months of school. The researchers gave two groups of students, the intervention group and the control group, a series of workshops on study skills, time management, and memory strategies. In addition, the students in the intervention group were presented with information about how intelligence develops. “They learned that the brain is like a muscle,” says Dweck, “the more they exercise it, the stronger it becomes. They learned that every time they try hard and learn something new, their brain forms new connections that, over time, make them smarter. They learned that intellectual development is not the natural unfolding of intelligence, but rather the formation of new connections brought about through effort and learning.”

Tennis anyone?

Please remember we have a tennis coach who is really trying to get the children to focus on specific things to improve their ability to play tennis. Tennis is now on Tuesday mornings and I there are still spaces available if your child is interested in joining.

If you’re looking to introduce your child to a sport, tennis is a great option on many levels. It’s equally mental as it is physical, therefore promoting both strong psychological and physiological development.

The primary school and early-secondary school years are a crucial time during which children acquire coordination and complex technical skills. If they play several games or sports during this period they enjoy significant physical advantages over kids who don’t experience or engage with sport.

Tennis in particular provides countless physical benefits for children of this age. It develops their hand-eye coordination, gross motor control (through court movement and ball striking), fine motor control (through finessed drop shots and angled volleys), balance and body coordination, all the while building acceleration, speed, leg strength, agility and flexibility. Tennis also promotes overall good health in children – improved bone strength and density, and a robust immune system.

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Year 5 visit TLA for an Art Workshop

The boys and girls in Unicorn Class were very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with clay specialists and artists to create pieces of artwork linked to the book that they are currently reading. The staff at TLA were fabulous and they picked us up and brought us home too! I would like to thank them for their hard work and effort on making it such a fabulous workshop.

The children had to design their own model Skellig and then use clay, paper, paint and wire to create their very own special model of this character. It was lovely seeing children enjoy the opportunity to be creative and develop their ideas in a systematic way.

Our children were praised by the staff at TLA and were told their behaviour and manners were exemplary and they wished other children and other schools were equally as good.

Mr Servant and Young Voices

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff who attended Young Voices this week. So special thanks to Mrs Meyer, Mrs Ward, Mr Servant and Miss Parry. It shows true commitment. A special thanks to Mr Servant who also gave up some early mornings to help our children prepare for the big event.

“Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” ― Nelson Mandela

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Frank visits Year 5

Frank came to see us in Unicorn Class this week. It was such fun and he taught us a few things about Christianity, including the following words:

Omnipotent Omniscient Omnipresent Omnibenevolent

Do you know what they mean? Christians believe that:

1. God is omnipotent (which means God is all powerful). 2. God is omniscient (which means God knows everything). 3. God is omnipresent (which means God is everywhere at the same time). 4. God is omnibenevolent (which means God is good all the time).

We are lucky having Frank come to our school - you can see him in the photo.

Jessica and her writing

Well done to Jessica who is our first entrant in the writing competition. We would like as many children as possible to enter this so please do try and encourage your child to take part. The information about the competition can be seen below.

WRITING COMPETITION

A Special Competition worth 30 house points for the three winners!

The Chichester Natural History Society is offering an opportunity for primary schools including ACE to participate in a writing competition with nature at its heart.

The History Society is offering £200 to the wining school for the best single entry and further prices of £100 to three other outstanding entries. It would be lovely if one of the winners was a child from ACE!

I am writing to you therefore to encourage your child to take part and for you to support them with this. With an emphasis on originality, the themes for the essays (300 words max.), or up to five verses of poetry (which need not rhyme) are:

How can we make the planet safer and healthier? My favourite countryside place in West Sussex. My top British animal.

The closing date for submissions is the 1st May 2020. We are only allowed to submit three entries per category but we will have a number of separate winners as a school. The winning entries from our school will be in the headteacher blog and various other social media sites we use and, if the entry goes on to win the overall prize, they will appear in the Chichester Observer in July 2020.

I am personally very excited about this project and do hope you are able to make the time to work with your child on this excellent and worthwhile competition.

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Our Deepest Fear�By Marianne Williamson

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness That most frightens us. We ask ourselves Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small Does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking So that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, As children do. We were born to make manifest The glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; It's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, We unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.

Yours sincerely,

ASimpson

Congratulations! Arundel CofE Primary School

Are Fantastic Flu Fighters!

The national target for 2019/2020 uptake of the flu nasal spray at school in West Sussex was 65%.

Your school achieved 65%

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News from around the country

School introduces red cards for children ’s absence record Parents of children at Riverside Community Primary School in Plymouth, have criticised a new "shaming" tactic of giving pupils red cards if their attendance is poor. The school introduced A4-sized notices to help parents "understand their child's attendance level" and "encourage good habits". The notices are colour-coded with red symbolising bad, amber for satisfactory while green equals good. The school's head teacher, Brian Jones, however said the school's overall absence record needed to be addressed after it managed a one-star rating in a report on the best schools in the city. Mr Jones added: "The slips of paper are routinely given out to support parents of our foundation stage pupils only, to ensure parents have an understanding of their child's current attendance level, and we can encourage good attendance habits and routines when they first start school.”

Headmaster welcomes Oxbridge’s drive for diversity In a letter to The Times, Richard Cairns, Headmaster of Brighton College, welcomed Oxford and Cambridge's ambition to increase the proportion of students they admit from the poorest postcodes to 7% of their intake, adding that it is surely right that pupils from the most disadvantaged homes, many of whom are on free places at independent schools, are given every opportunity to study at our top universities. He claims the main loser will actually be “those from affluent middle-class families with sufficient wealth to buy expensive properties near the best state schools or those who have consciously sought to play the system by moving their children from an independent school to a state sixth-form college in a vain attempt to bamboozle admissions officers into treating them as disadvantaged.”

Praise could keep pupils focused A study, published in Educational Psychology, reveals how teachers should focus on praising children for good behaviour rather than telling them off for being disruptive. Researchers in the US, who observed 2,536 pupils between the ages of five, found that if teachers praised more and scolded less, children were more likely to attend to the teacher or work on assigned tasks. They found that children focused on tasks up to 20-30% in classes where the "praise to reprimands ratio" (PRR) was highest. The study also found that although some teachers struggled with this change in tactic, if they could reach an equal balance of praise and remand, then children's attention would be on their task 60% of the time. The authors said: "This knowledge can be helpful for teachers, as some find it difficult to continually maintain high rates of praise. If teachers can simply praise more and reprimand less, student behaviour is likely to improve. This ap proach is simpler than trying to keep track of a specific target."

New maths GCSE would focus on ‘everyday life’ Mathematics in Education and Industry claims that a new maths GCSE should be introduced for those students in England stuck in a cycle of resitting maths to achieve a grade 4 or above, a charity says. The charity says a proposed new curriculum should focus on "the maths needed for everyday life and work", and should be provided for post-16 students only and carry the same status as the current maths GCSE. MEI says the new course would be the same level as the foundation tier of the current maths GCSE, giving students the chance to achieve a grade 4 or 5. The MEI report, funded by the Nuffield Foundation, said: "Much effort and money is being spent on a system that gives many young people a negative experience of mathematics education that is detrimental to them as individuals and to our society as a whole." MEI chief executive Charlie Stripp, said their suggested maths GCSE curriculum "paved the way" for policy to be changed.

Screen time damaging children New research reveals that parents could be causing long-tern harm to their children by allowing them to stare at a screen for long periods could be doing long-term harm, experts fear. The study, involving more than 500 children, found two and three-year-olds who had three hours or more of screen time every day were less active by the time they hit age five. They spent on average 40 minutes more sitting down each day by then compared to those who sat in front of a screen for less than an hour a day. Author Bozhi Chen, of the National University of Singapore, said: "This analysis strengthens existing evidence linking screen viewing time with later child health." Currently, over half of three to four-year-olds in the UK use the internet every week - and one in five have their own tablet.”

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Schools told to support Chinese students amid coronavirus outbreak The Boarding Schools' Association, which represents 550 independent and state boarding schools, has urged its members to be alert to "signs of xenophobia" towards its Chinese pupils as global concerns about the coronavirus increase. Members were also urged to support pupils from affected areas who may be worried about friends and families and to warn families against travelling back to China and Hong Kong in the February half-term, suggesting schools could be kept open to accommodate pupils instead. The BSA said some schools had already cancelled visits from prospective parents, recruitment agents and pupils from China as a precaution, adding: "It is obviously prudent to minimise any unnecessary risk." According to the latest figures, the number of Chinese pupils studying at schools represented by the Independent Schools Council is 10,000.

Teachers increasingly suffering long-lasting mental health problems According to research from the University College London, one in 20 teachers in England now reports a mental health problem that has lasted for more than a year, up from 1% in the 1990s. The study also shows that there has been an increase in the percentage of school staff who have been prescribed antidepressant medication, from 1% in the early 2000s to 5%. Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: "The fact that more teachers are reporting mental health problems is a huge concern. Regardless of whether it is a result of people being more willing to talk about such issues, as the study suggests may be the case, it is clear that something must be done." Mr Barton called for school performance tables and inspections to be made fairer to reduce high levels of anxiety and workload in the profession. The study follows the news that the government missed its teacher training targets in most secondary school subjects last year, with fewer than half (47%) of the trainees required recruited in physics.

Increase in boys self-harming Research by World Health Organisation shows that number of boys self-harming has increased by almost half in just four years, leading to warnings that social media is "normalising" the practice. The study found almost one in six 15-year-old boys (16%) in England said they had self-harmed, up from 11% in 2014. Although girls are more than twice as likely as boys to self-harm, the proportion increased at a slower rate than boys, up from 32% in 2014 to 35% in 2018.

New technology could help SEND pupils The Government has confirmed plans to fund pilot schemes in up to 100 schools which will test the benefits of assistive technology when it comes to supporting pupils with special educational needs and disabilities. The funding will help trial innovations including 'text-to-speech' and 'speech recognition' software, which can help pupils with dyslexia improve their reading and proof-reading, and eye-gaze technology, which can help pupils with severe motor impairments to communicate. The pilots, which are being supported by Sheffield Hallam University's Institute of Education, will run from this April until the end of the academic year and will inform a long-term plan to determine which technology works best in a classroom environment.

Postcode lottery art access for young people A report by Arts Council England reveals that access to high-quality creative and cultural opportunities outside of the home for young people is too dependent on their social background and their postcode. Arts Council criticised "a persistent and widespread lack of diversity across the creative industries and in publicly-funded cultural organisations" and called for a "stronger focus on teaching for creativity and critical thinking across the curriculum".

Over half of 7-year-olds own phone According to research specialists Childwise, 53% of children own mobile phones by the age of seven, while the figure rises to 90% among 11-year-olds. The report says mobile ownership is "almost universal" by the time children go to high school, with many admitting they sleep beside their devices and are terrified of losing them. The report also revealed that overall, children spend around three hours and 20 minutes a day messaging, playing games and being otherwise online.

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28 SEPTEMBER 2017 /28 SEPTEMBER 2017 / News

Supporting children worried aboutterrorism

Our tips and advice can help parents

Police have issued new guidance to young people about what to do in the event of aterror attack. If you're concerned about how a child is feeling following recent attacksor would like advice on how to talk to your children about terrorism, you can call theNSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.

Talking about terrorism: tips forparents

Children are exposed to news in many ways, and what theysee can worry them. Our advice can help you have aconversation with your child:

listen carefully to a child’s fears and worries

offer reassurance and comfort

avoid complicated and worrying explanationsthat could be frightening and confusing

help them find advice and support tounderstand distressing events and feelings

children can always contact Childline free andconfidentially on the phone and online.

It’s also important to address bullying and abuse followingthe terrorist attacks.

Some children may feel targeted because of

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their faith or appearanceLook for signs of bullying, and make sure that theyknow they can talk with you about it. Often childrenmight feel scared or embarrassed, so reassurethem it's not their fault that this is happening, andthat they can always talk to you or another adultthey trust. Alert your child’s school so that they canbe aware of the issue.

Dealing with offensive or unkind commentsabout a child’s faith or backgroundIf you think this is happening, it’s important tointervene. Calmly explain that comments like thisare not acceptable. Your child should alsounderstand that someone’s beliefs do not makethem a terrorist. Explain that most people are asscared and hurt by the attacks as your child is. Youcould ask them how they think the other child felt,or ask them how they felt when someone saidsomething unkind to them. Explain what you will donext, such as telling your child's school, and whatyou expect them to do.

Talking to your children aboutterrorism

Watch our video to see how three parents answer their children'squestions based on footage from Paris. You can find more adviceon The Times.

How to report suspicious activity

Counter Terrorism Police want us to all play our part intackling the terrorist threat facing the UK. Action CountersTerrorism has advice on how to report suspicious activityand tips on staying safe in the rare event of a firearms orweapons attack.

NSPCC press office

Contact our national and regional press offices

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What is Snapchat? Snapchat is one of the image-based social media platforms which is incredibly popular with children. One of the key features of Snapchat is that, by default, messages sent through Snapchat disappear seconds after they are viewed by the recipient. The minimum age to use Snapchat is 13 but it is a popular and widely used platform among children younger than this.

Reasons for concern

Safety Tips

Abuse and bullying As messages disappear shortly after being read, Snapchat has become a popular tool for abuse such as online bullying as abusers feel they will not be held to account for messages posted once they are deleted. This is supported by the fact that if somebody takes a screenshot of a message posted on Snapchat then the person who posted it is informed that this has happened, making it more uncomfortable for people to take evidence of abuse they have suffered or witnessed.

Risk of secondary apps Snapchat allows users to link to secondary apps that can be used inside Snapchat. A recent concerning example is YOLO which allows users to offer people the opportunity to anonymously ask them questions. Such apps have led to online bullying and hate crime.

As with all Internet activity, talk to your child about how they use Snapchat, the importance of not ‘oversharing, and any issues they have faced.

The default privacy setting of ‘My Friends’ prevents children from sharing ‘snaps’ with users unknown to them. However, children may change this setting and make their posts public. Ensure your child is aware of the importance of maintaining strong privacy settings and check the settings your child has selected.

www.onlinesafetyalliance.org

Snapchat Parent / Carer Advice

Online safety education for school staff, pupils and parents

© Online Safety Alliance, 2020

In the settings options, ensure your child has Snapmap set to ‘ghost mode’. This will ensure that nobody can see their current location.

Ask your child if they know how to report or block a user who sends them anything that upsets them. This can be done by going to the friends list, selecting the person creating the issue and then selecting the gear icon.

The Snap Map The Snap Map allows users to see the live location of their friends on a map. Cartoon-style avatars are used to represent people in a move that was clearly designed to be popular with younger users. This feature can result in children sharing their location (including effectively their home address) with individuals.

Addiction-inducing features Children are naturally more prone to addictive behaviour than adults. As such, the inclusion of features such as ‘Snap Streaks’, where two users share pictures with each other on consecutive days. Snapchat rewards longer streaks with special emojis. This can result in children increasing their daily usage of the app.

Remind your child that although Snapchat automatically deletes images once seen, somebody can copy the image and share it with others.

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What is WhatsApp? WhatsApp is a free messaging app. It allows you to send text and multimedia messages (video, images and voice recordings) to people in the contact list on your phone. It also allows users to set up group chats where the administrators can invite up to 256 people to share messages and images publicly within the group. Although the age limit for WhatsApp was recently raised to 16 it is popular with primary age children and above. So what are the risks?

Reasons for concern

Safety Tips

Some WhatsApp groups can contain images and messages which can cause distress to children. These might include violent images or videos, abusive messages and sexual content.

Chain messages are often shared through WhatsApp. These pressure children to post them on to their contacts, e.g. by claiming that failure to do so can

Group administrators can invite people your child does not know into group chats. Some of these people may not have innocent intentions or may be older and post age-inappropriate messages.

WhatsApp does not allow users to decide whether to join a group. Your child will be automatically added to any groups that their contacts add them to. If your child leaves the group the administrator can add them straight back in.

result in the child or a family member dying. Many children find such messages distressing but also feel they must share them with others due to fear of the threat.

Your child may be in WhatsApp groups in which huge numbers of posts are made. The alerts this generates can be an unnecessary distraction and can disrupt sleep.

WhatsApp‘s default privacy settings are that anybody can see your child’s profile photo and when they were last online.

WhatsApp ‘dare games’ have become popular with children. These involve the child making a quiz about themselves to share with others and this can lead to oversharing of personal information which can be publicly available.

Children can add and then remove other children from groups as a form of exclusion and bullying.

As with all Internet activity, talk to your child about how they use WhatsApp and any issues they have encountered.

With your child, look through the groups they are members of and discuss any areas of concern you have. You may agree that it would be best to leave the group.

To leave a group: Open the group in WhatsApp. Press the three dots in the top right of the screen and select ‘Group Info’. Scroll down to ‘Exit group’.

If an admin adds your child back into a group they have left, your child can ask them not to do this. If they keep adding them then you can prevent it by blocking the admin. To do this, WhatsApp provide the following guidance:

Go to the settings (by pressing the three dots in the top right of the screen) and ensure your child’s profile is set to ‘contacts only’.

www.onlinesafetyalliance.org Online safety education for school staff, pupils and parents

© Online Safety Alliance, 2020

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What is TikTok? TikTok is a social media app where users share short video clips of 15 seconds duration. It started out as an app named ‘Musically’ and was used to share videos of dancing and lip-syncing to music. Much of the content on TikTok still reflects these origins, but popular videos now also include pets, makeup, magic tricks, fashion, art, people reacting to situations, etc. According to OSA research, TikTok is now as widely used by 11-14 year olds as SnapChat and Instagram.

Reasons for concern

Safety Tips

New users will be shown a range of video clips the app feels may be of interest. Many of these will quickly expose users to offensive language which will be inappropriate for children.

TikTok has a minimum age rating of 13 and anybody under 18 should have parental permission to use the app. However, new users simply enter a date of birth to indicate their age and there are no verification steps. As such, children of any age can create an account by using a false date of birth.

The clothing worn and the type of dancing in some videos could be deemed sexualised and therefore something that might be inappropriate for younger users to be exposed to.

The default privacy settings in the app are concerning. Although only friends can send users direct messages, the videos posted by users can be seen by anybody and anybody can like / comment on the videos. New users are also available for anybody to perform a musical duet with. Such default settings can leave children vulnerable to unwanted communication from others.

Many children in the UK are posting videos to TikTok where they are wearing their school uniform, making it possible for strangers to identify their location.

The nature of videos children are posting to TikTok (singing, dancing, etc) can leave them vulnerable to receiving negative comments which can have an impact on mental health.

The company that owns TikTok is facing legal issues and stands accused of illegally collecting data on children (when it was Musically) and the app has been deemed a ‘potential security risk by the FBI’.

As with all Internet activity, talk to your child about how they use TikTok and any issues they have encountered.

Discuss whether it would be best to change your child’s account to private to avoid interactions with non-friends. If you agree to keep the account public you should discuss strategies for coping with negative feedback and for blocking users.

www.onlinesafetyalliance.org

TikTok Parent / Carer Advice

Online safety education for school staff, pupils and parents

© Online Safety Alliance, 2020

Help your child to spring clean their account from time to time by removing videos you agree to be inappropriate.

Ensure your child knows not to post videos in their school uniform. Also discuss how recording videos at school might break school rules and what the consequences could be.

The TikTok settings allow you to set a time limit for how long each day you want your child to be able to use the app. This can be password protected to ensure they stick to the limit.

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Coronavirus – Advice for all early years providers, schools and further education providers

The government is closely monitoring the spread of the Coronavirus and is taking action at home and abroad. The overall risk of Coronavirus to the UK remains moderate. However we understand that people may be concerned where there are children, students or staff returning from or visiting China.

Public Health England and the Foreign Office have issued advice for anyone travelling to the area. This can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china

https:www.gov.uk/government/news/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-and-avian-flu-advice-for-travel-to-china

Latest information and advice can also be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Advice for parents/guardians

You should not be unduly worried about the possibility of your children catching the Coronavirus.

There is no reason why your children should not continue to attend their early years, school or further education setting as normal.

We recognise that some families or children may be planning to travel to China during the forthcoming half term period. If so, please refer to the FCO’s latest travel advice via the link above.

What action you can take

A UK wide campaign has been launched to provide clear advice on how to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

Please help to support the campaign which promotes basic hygiene practices, such as regularly washing hands and always sneezing into a tissue, to stem the spread of viruses.

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Notices

NEW YEAR NEW COMPETITION

A Special Competition worth 30 house points for the three winners!

The Chichester Natural History Society is offering an opportunity for primary schools including ACE to participate in a writing competition with nature at its heart.

The History Society is offering £200 to the wining school for the best single entry and further prices of £100 to three other outstanding entries. It would be lovely if one of the winners was a child from ACE!

I am writing to you therefore to encourage your child to take part and for you to support them with this. With an emphasis on originality, the themes for the essays (300 words max.), or up to five verses of poetry (which need not rhyme) are:

How can we make the planet safer and healthier? My favourite countryside place in West Sussex. My top British animal.

The closing date for submissions is the 1st May 2020. We are only allowed to submit three entries per category but we will have a number of separate winners as a school. The winning entries from our school will be in the headteacher blog and various other social media sites we use and, if the entry goes on to win the overall prize, they will appear in the Chichester Observer in July 2020.

I am personally very excited about this project and do hope you are able to make the time to work with your child on this excellent and worthwhile competition.

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childrens’activities

Six Villages Half Term Sports Camp

5 days of activity, sports included - Football, Basketball, Cricket, Athletics and much more! Bring a packed lunch, water bottle and appropriate clothing for the weather. Where: Six Villages Sports Centre, Lime Avenue, PO20 3UE When: Monday 17th February – Friday 21st February (5 days)

Time: 9am – 3pm Ages: School years 1 to year 6 Cost: £15 per individual day or £60 for the full 5 days To book please contact 01243 546830

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£100 for your school when you sell or rent with usAt Sims Williams estate agents, we are committed to supporting local schools and young people.

As the area’s leading independent estate agents, many of our fantastic team of prop-erty consultants went to school locally, as do many of their children!

That’s why we want to use our success to help raise funds for your school.

Instruct Sims Williams to sell or rent your property and we’ll give your school £100 to spend on sports and educational equipment.

www.SimsWilliams.co.uk

WEEK 1 Monday - Wednesday

April 6, 7, 8

WEEK 2 Tuesday - Thursday

April 14, 15, 16

MINI CAMP 3-Day Camp: £35.00

Day Rate: £15.00

JUNIOR CAMP 3-Day Camp: £55.00

Day Rate: £22.50

Email: colin.piper@fieldplace.co.uk

MINI CAMP Ages: 4 - 8

Time: 10 - 1 pm

JUNIOR CAMP Ages: 9 +

Time: 10 - 4 pm

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Did you know? We should be eating 5 fruits and 

vegetables every day... 

Yet, according to the most recent Health Survey for England, the average number of fruits and vegetable portions eaten by 

children aged 5‐15 were 3.2 a day! 

Fortunately, Chartwells meals offer a variety of fruits, vegetables and fruit based desserts‐ which all count (and 

taste great)! 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have something food related you want Chartwells to shout about, tell us!:  Ellie Townend –West Sussex Nutritionist and Engagement Lead: 

El t d@ k

West Sussex

WANT TO FEATURE IN THE NEXT NEWSLETTER? 

Chartwells Newsletter January/ February 2020

If you have something food related you want Chartwells to shout about, tell us!:  Ellie Townend –West Sussex Nutritionist and Engagement Lead: 

 Eleanor.townend@compass‐group.co.uk    

Reception and Year 1 in these schools got stuck into the story ‘The Very Hungry Caterpillar’ where they 

learnt how to work out what ‘1 of their 5‐a‐day’ is, why we need fruit and veg, and tasted new things! We had a 

plate full of fun.

Do you try new, colourful fruits and vegetables?St Nicolas and St Marys, and London Meed do! 

Look out for our Food Superhero banners by Nyewood Infants and St 

Margaret’s in Littlehampton! 

 If you’d like to have these on your school gates, give us a shout on the email below! 

 

‘We liked it didn’t we guys?’ – Year 1 

‘We ate it aaaaall up!’ - Year 1 

‘I liked making caterpillars’ – Reception 

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HALF TERM ACTIVITY CLUBS AT LODGE HILL

We are unable to store or administer medication We can only secure your booking once we have received payment AND the completed consent form

No half day bookings Please make us aware of any dietary requirements

Please wear outdoor appropriate clothing Lodge Hill Centre, Watersfield, Nr Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 1LZ

EMAIL ADMIN@LODGEHILL.ORG.UK TO BOOK

Drop your child off at 8:30am for a full day of exciting outdoor activities!

Pick up at 5pm

These days are for 8-14 year olds and will include lunch and refreshments

NEW PRICE £25 per child per day

Spaces are limited

Booking closes Wednesday 12th February

TUESDAY 18TH FEBRUARY

THURSDAY 20TH FEBRUARY

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STARGAZING SOUTH DOWNS

Celebrate our Dark Skies during our 10th Anniversary year

SATURDAY 8 FEBRUARYMIDHURST ROTHER COLLEGE, 4–8PM • Indoor planetarium shows • Talks on the night sky • Giant planet themed colouring wall • Advice on how to set up your telescope • Virtual Reality Experience of our dark night skies

• Meet and learn about our native owls

• Astronaut selfie stands

• Outdoor stargazing if the night is clear • Free ‘Stargazing South Downs’ booklets to take home

• Refreshments available to purchase

To find out more about this and the many other events happeningduring the South Downs Dark Skies festival

SOUTHDOWNS.GOV.UK/DARKSKIESFESTIVAL