Our children are experiencing unprecedented access to information, entertainment and social interaction, more than any generation before them. At Pilgrims, we understand and share our parents’ concerns about the potential impact, for good and for ill, which this access may have on our children. We implement a number of policies and training activities for children, parents and staff alike, to make sure that we can all work together to be able to enjoy all the opportunities online offers, while remaining keenly aware of the potential risks they might be exposed to.

At one of our recent staff training events on e-safety, our course leader noted that for all the parental controls, filters, encryption and sensible use of passwords, the ‘most effective filter is an educated child’. This can seem daunting for parents looking to official channels for support and advice, especially when it is possible that in the same family, there might be children who are pre-school, pre-prep and prep school age. Setting appropriate controls, boundaries and rules for each age group can seem like a minefield. Equally children are wonderful at requesting apps and online experiences that ‘their other friends are all playing’. Pragmatically, online activities are not going to disappear and in fact, as we were reminded during our training session, for many children and young people, their online world is as important as their offline world because the two have converged.

It is worth taking a moment to remind ourselves of the recommended age limits for each of the main social media sites currently. Facebook’s minimum age is 13, with Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and Musical.ly all following suit. There are many other apps and platforms aimed at children, such as Minecraft, Roblox, Club Penguin, Kuddle and Yoursphere. All of these sites require users to create a profile and set up privacy settings. They can also facilitate a message or live-based chat function which users can use to talk to friends or strangers. Children may also have access to Skype or to Face Time and it’s really important that parents have control over their child’s access to any and every online activity. Other ways children use the internet and technology include invitations to game online via their Playstation, Xbox and Wii, which is always something to consider when evaluating which platform to buy. When your children move schools at the end of their time at Pilgrims, many homework projects will include researching topics online or accessing a school-based maths or English program online.

The NSPCC is one of our training partners and they have an excellent site called Net Aware on which you can enter any site, game or app to discover its suitability for your family. You can review apps and social media platforms very easily and it gives you a quick snapshot of how other parents and how children themselves rate and view the safety and risk of each app. Supervised access is the key for children of our age, especially when you consider that most apps have a minimum age of seven and older. We are happy to discuss these issues with all our parents and we take it extremely seriously in school. Our children are well-versed in our rules and are also gently empowered to begin to use emails by Year 2, with permission from their teacher.

Educating ourselves as parents and teachers alike has to be a continuous journey, as technology, apps and social platforms evolve. It remains our responsibility and, as Mad Eye Moody in the Harry Potter books would remind us, we should exercise ‘constant vigilance’ in our endeavours to keep e-safety at the front of all our minds.

There are a number of useful websites on this subject including:

• https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk for children, parents, carers and teachers
• https://www.nspcc.org.uk
• https://www.net-aware.org.uk

A child’s education is a journey which begins with learning through play, closely followed by the building blocks of reading and handwriting. In this digital age where everything is typed, it would be easy to forget the importance of good handwriting as a skill for communication. At Pilgrims we understand the importance of developing these skills from an early age, building the children’s gross and fine motor skills whether through ‘tummy time’ in baby room, to mark-making in Pre School; we equip our children with the necessary skills to develop fluid, cursive handwriting.

The National Handwriting Association believes that time devoted to the teaching and learning of letter formation in the early years will pay off, as confident handwriting skills will free a child up to consider the content aspects of what they’re producing rather than how they’re producing it. Even beyond education, the National Handwriting Association reminds us that most employment situations will involve at least some handwriting and it continues to play a critical role well into adult life.

At Pilgrims, we have invested in our process for teaching a high standard of handwriting from an early age. In fact, one of our pupils, Rivka Jutla, won the Age 4 category in this year’s National Schools’ Handwriting Competition organised by Campaign University Press and SATIPS (Support and Training in Preparatory and Primary Schools).

After a tough judging process, the winners were announced and Rivka was chosen as the winner in her category after being entered by her Reception class teacher Mrs Jerram. Children were asked to copy out their poem in their best and neatest handwriting on a piece of A4 paper using a pencil. Rivka put a great deal of hard work into her submission and it paid off for her!

Jo Webster, our Head Teacher said: “We are so proud of Rivka and she really deserved to win this award. It’s also wonderful for us, as a school, to gain recognition in this area as we have invested a great deal of time in developing our handwriting process.”

We wanted to share a few good reasons why we believe that good handwriting skills are important:

1. There’s a positive correlation between better handwriting and increased academic performance in reading and writing.
2. Using a pen and paper can boost memory – writing something down cements it into our brains more effectively than using a keyboard.
3. There’s nothing more meaningful than a handwritten letter or card. Parents and grandparents appreciate the time and thought that goes into something more personal. Who doesn’t love getting something handwritten in the post?
4. Writing is part of our day to day lives whether it’s taking notes in meetings or writing reminders for ourselves, handwriting is something we need at any age.
5. It’s important to remember that handwriting can help with the development of fine motor skills and helps children learn to focus.

You can read more here

At Pilgrims School our aim is to inspire children to love learning.  And to learn, we know it is important to read.  The joy that books of all kinds can bring us is something we want to instil in our children.  So during the long summer holidays keep your children’s interest in books alive by role-modelling just how exciting it is to read.  Whether it’s a copy of the local newspaper or glossy magazine, or a more substantial tome from your bookshelf, pick it up, sit down, relax and enjoy.

One of the most exciting motivators for summer reading in recent years has been the Summer Reading Challenge.  This year the theme is ‘Animal Agents’ and there’s a short trailer on the website to launch the scheme.  Children, under supervision, can create a profile, and as they read more books, they will collect rewards along the way.  Children can sign up at their local library and they will need to read six library books to complete the challenge.  Children who have participated love it.  The challenge and fun can be further enhanced by creating a low level of healthy competition between siblings and friends.  It will also provide several outings to the library over the holidays to select and swap books.

Another idea is to have a family book club where you share your thoughts about the book you are reading.  Even the youngest children can join in, sharing the pictures they like or a funny or sad piece of their story.  Perhaps you could find out if there is a theatre production of your child’s favourite book – this will help bring the book to life for them.

Reading bedtime stories for as long as your children want them will extend that special time with your child, and also continue to help them experience stories in different ways.  Whether it’s Harry Potter, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe or Room on a Broom, hearing a story being read to you is one of the most relaxing and enjoyable things you can experience, at any age.  Listening to audio books while on a journey or to help have some quiet time at home is another useful way of accessing a love of stories with your children.

Many studies have shown that children’s reading habits during school holidays play a significant role in how successfully they resume their learning once they return to school in September.  Perhaps you could encourage them to pick up one of their favourite books from when they were younger.  This may rekindle memories of learning to read for the first time.  It will also show them just how far they have progressed and maybe how their taste in books has changed.

So, whether you’re reading to your children, hearing them read or sharing a book together, the world of imagination it opens up, and the information you can learn, means that reading should certainly be included on your summer to-do list!

We all love a sunny day but what we have to remember is that while the sun can promote good health through the generation of vitamin D, it can also be harmful if we don’t take enough care of ourselves.

The three main things we should be mindful of are: sunburn, sunstroke and dehydration.

Using sun screen to protect from sun burn

Until a few years ago, little was known about skin cancer in the UK.  Unfortunately however, it is becoming a lot more prevalent.  At Pilgrims we’re always careful to help protect our little ones and engender a sense of caution when we’re outside on a hot day.  Melanoma skin cancer is now the 5th most common cancer overall in the UK and skin cancer rates are more than 4 times higher than they were in the late 1970’s in this country.  Some of the increase in melanoma may be because doctors are better at noticing the first signs of melanoma, and detecting it at an early stage. But it also may be to do with a change in how much time we spend in the sun, in particular many more of us taking holidays abroad.

We found this little film by Cancer Research UK to help children understand what sunburn is.

There are so many sunscreens on the market and the one you choose will depend on a) how long you’re going to be out in the sun and b) how fair or dark your skin is.  But don’t forget that even dark skin needs protection from the sun, and also our children’s skin can sometimes be more sensitive to the sun than we realise.

How to protect from sunstroke

Also known as heat exhaustion or heatstroke, this is basically when your body overheats and leads to flushed skin, a racing heart rate, headache, rapid breathing and nausea/vomiting, but a high temperature (104F or 40C or higher) is the main sign of sunstroke.

Luckily children love to play in water when it’s hot so get the garden hose or sprinkler out or fill up the paddling pool for a sunny splash about.

Avoid dehydration

We all know what it’s like to feel thirsty when it’s hot but perhaps we’re not aware of how dangerous dehydration can be.  Symptoms of dehydration apart from the obvious one of thirst, also include: feeling dizzy, lightheaded or tired, dark yellow or strong-smelling pee and peeing less than 4 times a day.  You can often get dehydrated because you’re suffering other illnesses such as running a fever or being sick.  Encouraging children to drink little and often when they’re playing in the sun can really help to avoid dehydration and don’t hesitate if you think they need medical attention.  You can find more information here.

We all know that children love to play outside so, although this blog may sound a little alarming, we felt it important to share some tips with you on how to keep you and your children safe over the summer weeks.  Remember these five handy tips:

• Apply sun screen regularly
• Wear a hat
• Drink plenty of fluids
• Find shade during the hottest time of day (from about 11am until about 3pm)
• Above all have fun!

Aerobics every morning in the playground before school begins – that’s how we will be starting each day during our Healthy Heart Week.  Children, staff and their parents will try to keep up with Mrs Taylor, our energetic Pre School Manager; star jumps, skipping, running on the spot – all helping to get the day started in a fun and healthy way.

Some of the other planned activities will include the ‘Daily Mile’ session on Monday 26 June.

The Daily Mile is an initiative to improve the physical, emotional and social health and wellbeing of our children – regardless of age.  It is a simple but effective concept, which any primary school can implement and which many already have. It takes about 15 minutes and its impact can be transformational, improving not only children’s’ fitness, but also their concentration levels, mood, behaviour and general wellbeing.  Some schools have reported better sleep amongst children who undertake the daily mile as part of their school day. The week of activities will also end with a Daily Mile for all staff and children.

The children will also be encouraged to walk to school, if possible, or to ride their bike/scooter.  We are located next to Bedford Park and have our very own access gate so it’s a perfect reason to leave the car at home and enjoy a stroll/ride/run through the park.

At the end of our Healthy Heart Week, we will be holding our annual Sports Day.  It’s always an event that children get really enthusiastic about and we shared some views on the competitive spirit of sports day in our blog last June.  We encourage parents to stay for the afternoon to cheer the children on and enjoy their picnics in the Pilgrims garden.

Learning how to stay healthy doesn’t need to be boring and our Healthy Heart Week will demonstrate that to our littlest children.  Mrs Bhogal and her catering team will also have special menus throughout the week, tempting the children to try some healthier snacks and foods they may not have tasted before.  It’s going to be all about forming habits at an early age to encourage healthy living and a healthy heart.

Some facts from the British Heart Foundation:

• Groundbreaking studies by British Heart Foundation researchers have greatly advanced our understanding of how maternal nutrition and lifestyle during pregnancy can affect a child’s long-term health.
• It’s estimated that nearly 30 per cent of children in the UK are overweight or obese.
• Only a quarter of UK adults and one in five children consume the recommended minimum five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
• Cardiovascular (heart and circulatory) disease causes more than a quarter (26 per cent) of all deaths in the UK; that’s nearly 160,000 deaths each year – an average of 435 people each day or one death every three minutes
• There are around 7 million people living with cardiovascular disease in the UK: 3.5 million men and 3.5 million women.

Nature and the great outdoors play an integral part in a child’s education at Pilgrims.  The summer term’s topics, in particular, ensure that every year group has the opportunity to learn about the environment and life in the natural world.

the topics we are covering this term:

Pre-School: Down on the Farm (to include a visit from a local farm, finding out about farm vehicles, animal babies, food from the farm and bees)

Reception: Wild and Wonderful (to include learning about reptiles, spiders, bees and making a habitat for a mini beast)

Year 1: Let’s Stick Together Whatever the Weather (to include a wild wood adventure, pond life, plants, Forest School and a visit to local shops)

Year 2: A Walk in the Woods (Forest School, pond-dipping, a residential trip to Hindleap Warren with lots of outdoor activities and a look at food chains and life cycles)

Countless studies support the theory that children are more receptive to learning when you take them out of the classroom and into the great outdoors – we embrace this approach wholeheartedly!

In keeping with our love of nature, our nesting box is currently playing host to a blue-tit who laid six eggs and whose recently hatched, hungry chicks are keeping their mother and father very busy.  There is also a nesting box outside one of our Kindergarten rooms, and the children in Little Pilgrims have all the excitement of watching, first-hand the arrival of baby birds.

In addition to the summer term of planned topics, we will also be dusting off our May pole and limbering up for some frolicking around it in the playground.  Our children will be able to learn some traditional May pole dances as well as making up their own.  We will be sharing photos as soon as we can.

What’s planned for later in the year?

Later on this summer, in early August, and for the third year in a row, our choir will be joining the star-studded line-up at the Bedford Park Proms in the Park event. Last year our choir’s participation led to them being invited to record a number of carols which then became part of a very successful CD called Olga Thomas: Jubilation.

Before that though there will be gardening, growing vegetables, outdoor play and of course the usual summer term activities such as Sports Day.  While the weather might not be predictable, the joy our children get from enjoying all these activities is, and we can’t wait!  Roll on long days, freshly mown grass and the sound of children’s laughter in the air!