Just to give you all the heads up that our heating system has a fault that developed this afternoon.

The engineers are due to arrive first thing Monday morning with the part that they need. Please can you ensure that your children are wrapped up well with extra layers as it will be cold in the morning. 

Many thanks 

With the Christmas holidays approaching and the prospect of children perhaps receiving digital media as a gift in some shape or form – tablets and gaming consoles, for example – we thought it would be an appropriate time to remind you about the responsible use of such devices.
 
Following, the recent news stories relating to the Police’s increasing concerns about child exploitation through social media ( http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42224148 ), please do take the time to set up robust parental controls on devices and ensure that you set the passwords and codes so that only you know them.  
 
There is some helpful advice relating to this on Hampshire County Council’s website: https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/childrenandfamilies/safeguardingchildren/onlinesafety
 
If your children are likely to be using the internet, you may find it helpful for them to be aware and to have viewed this website: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/
 
Helpful advice is also available from the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) website:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
 
Aside from the risk of exploitation and cyber bullying, it is unfortunate in this day and age that content exists on social media that would be inappropriate, and potentially harmful, for young children to view.
 
If you receive images or videos on Snapchat, Instagram, Whatsapp or via any other social media featuring people that are naked or are sexual in nature, these should be deleted immediately and reported to the Police on the non-emergency 101 telephone number. Many people are still unaware that showing or sharing such images or videos with others could mean they are committing a crime. However, if a genuine mistake is made, it would be treated as such by the Police.  

Our EYFS Children have certainly made us all beam with pride yesterday and today as they performed their Nativity play in front of their families. The children all acted, danced and sang beautifully and our narrators did very well too, reading out the story so clearly!

It has been lovely seeing the children blossom over the last couple of days when on stage. It is clear to say they have really grown in confidence.

Groovy Greek Day!

Year 4 had a super Greek day today. They all looked amazing in their outfits! The children had a challenge of writing their names in Greek first thing which was tricky as the Greek alphabet is quite different to ours and some of us had letters missing! After break we had a Greek cuisine tasting session that everyone enjoyed even if we didn’t like all of the different foods. We tried feta, olives, Greek yoghurt, pitta, houmous, tzatziki and baklava. In the afternoon, we had the option to create a Greek temple (thank you for all the toilet/kitchen rolls!), a victory olive wreath or a Medusa mask. We will be putting up the photos soon for you to have a look at.

With Christmas fast approaching it may be that technological devices are on some children's Christmas lists. UK Safer Internet Centre have put together some really useful resources and advice for parents who are considering buying such equipment, from tablets to phones, to smart tv's and gaming devices. There are even top tips for how to set up parental controls on such devices encouraging parents to be aware of what their child has access to.

You may have also seen news reports about inappropriate children's videos on YouTube. These may start off as harmless videos such as Peppa Pig or Minecraft tutoring however they then become violent or disturbing. By clicking on the link below you will find information about how to be aware of such situations and what to do if this occurs.

This information is not here to scare but to raise awareness of security measures that parents may want to consider, ensuring that children are watching and accessing content appropriate to their age.

http://www.greatbinfields.co.uk/e-safety/