The third #OnlineSafetyAtHome pack is now available with new activities for parents and carers to use at home! Access them here.
We’re delighted that many of our pupils have been enjoying Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress during this extended time away from school. I’ve included a link on the Covid-19 page of our website with an overview sheet they have published that signposts parents to many of the ‘forgotten’ features within the program, e.g. the library of reading books at each child’s unique level, spelling lessons and story writing sections.
To support different forms of learning, ineqe, Safeguarding have prepared a short animation, a story book and an activity that supports parents to tackle misinformation and help children understand Coronavirus. The aim of these resources is to be informative and reduce heightened levels of anxieties about the ongoing pandemic.
Childline has created a new webpage with information for children and young people about coronavirus. The page includes information about: what coronavirus is; where children and young people can find help if they are worried; coping if they are staying at home; and what to do if they are feeling unwell.
The NSPCC has created an online hub providing advice and support for parents and carers during the coronavirus outbreak. Content includes: information on keeping children safe from abuse; tips and advice to help parents working from home; and ways to talk to a child who is anxious or worried about coronavirus.
ThinkUKnow have produced a page intended to provide parents and carers with support and resources to help them learn about online safety at home with their child. Each fortnight, they will be releasing new home activity packs with simple 15 minute activities parents can do with their child to support their online safety at a time when they will spending more time online at home.
To help support students and parents to keep reading there are thousands of enhanced digital books through myON and articles from myON News now available here for free. These books are linked to the Accelerated Reading scheme. When you have found the book you are interested in, if you click the ‘I’ or ‘Details’ tab at the top you can see the ATOS level. This is the book level your child will have been familiar with for choosing books in school. This also gives you how many points each book is worth.
NI4kids have asked us to share the link to their online magazine and the information below.
It's an Easter like no other but despite the dramatic changes to our lives, happy family life must go on. That's why we've created a new digital version of Ni4kids Magazine.
Inside, catch up with the thoughts of dads Alex Kane and Alan Meban, Dr Sharon Jones has helpful advice for learning together at home, Dr Marie Hilldiscusses how to maintain positive mental health during isolation, we have a special focus on Autism plus lots of family food suggestions, activities, games, craft ideas, science experiments, books, movies and more!
Hope for Youth Ministries, a children’s ministry in Northern Ireland has previously been to our school for lunchtime bible clubs.
He is presently doing online assemblies for primary school children. The assemblies are 11am, Monday, Wednesday & Friday. These are screened from the Hope for Youth Ministries YouTube Channel.
This list of suggested apps to support children who may be feeling anxious or worried at this time has been produced for all schools, therefore some apps are more suitable for older children.
BookTrust have launched a new digital hub, www.booktrust.org.uk/hometime which is packed with reading advice, ideas, activities and resources.
On Monday 6 April they launched a Northern Ireland page, where they feature local authors, illustrators and initiatives. The BookTrust NI facebook page allows them to connect with families and share the work that authors and illustrators post on Facebook. www.facebook.com/booktrustni
Sentinus are going to send out challenges three times per week. Please see information below on the first challenge. If you are interested in doing more of these check out their social media on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Welcome to Day 1 of our Sentinus Challenges! We hope you are as excited as we are 😊
Your first challenge is attached here in a PowerPoint document explaining what the challenge is in a few steps. Once you have completed the challenge you can post the outcome onto social media or you can email your photos/videos to us at info@sentinus.co.uk
When you email your response, can you please let us know if it is okay to post the pictures and your name onto our social media sites, as we would like to share your work.
All challenges will be posted at 11am every Monday, Wednesday and Friday so keep an eye out on social media to complete the challenges. We can’t wait to see what you come up with!
Good Luck!!
Sentinus
Please see below for information on two Road Safety competitions for when the children are off school.
We have compiled a list of useful websites which you can use with your children while they are not in school. The document is under ‘FOR PARENTS' LINKS: SUGGESTED WEBSITES FOR HOME LEARNING.
Today, Judith from Cancer Focus Northern Ireland came to speak to our children about ways that they can keep their bodies healthy.
Many thanks to everyone who donated money for Cancer Focus. A cheque of £100 will be sent to Cancer Focus NI, who were most grateful for our support.
P1 and P2 heard the story of Genevieve the Goat. The main focus was on making healthy food choices. Eat five portions of fruit and vegetables per day, choose to drink milk or water and take lots of exercise.
P3 and P4 focused on the importance of taking daily exercise. They were encouraged to look for easy ways to become active.
P5 were food detectives. They looked at the amount of fat, salt and sugar in different foods. Choosing healthier foods and living healthier lifestyles are good ways of preventing cancer.
P6 and P7 were taught about the harmful effects smoking can have on the body.
As this situation changes rapidly please continue to check the Public Health Agency website for the most current recommendations.
P4 - P7 have been enjoying Archery in their after school sports sessions.
We were delighted to receive a grant from British Science Association which enabled us to bring staff from the Armagh Planetarium with their Space Dome. The visit happened yesterday 12th March. Each class got the opportunity to enter the Space Dome and go on a journey through the cosmos. Images were projected onto the roof of the dome and the Education Team guided the children to planets such as Saturn and Mars. As space travellers, they got to land on the moon and the children got lots of information about the first lunar landing in 1969. They also saw how the different star formations are in the shapes of animals. Some parents visited the dome after school. A huge thanks to the two girls from Armagh Planetarium for bringing the dome to school.
As the final part of their topic work on ‘Fairtrade’, P6 and P7 took assembly on Wednesday 11th March.
The children told the rest of the school how and why Fairtrade was started. They also encouraged us to buy Fairtrade products. When we buy Fairtrade products, we are supporting the communities producing goods like coffee, chocolate and bananas. This means that workers are getting a fair wage, children are not being used as child labour and the communities have more money for food, health care, medicines and schools etc.
Earlier in the week Mrs Laura Calderwood helped the P6 and 7 children to make Krispie buns, using Fairtrade chocolate and Krispies. As a special treat, the children were able to buy Krispie buns or Fairtrade bananas for their break yesterday.
P6 and P7 have been learning all about Fairtrade in their World Around us Topic. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, as part of ‘Fairtrade Fortnight’, are hosting a Fairtrade Bake-Off for P6 pupils, to be held on Friday 6th March. All the bakes have to be made using Fairtrade ingredients. Mrs Wright decided to have a Bake-Off for any P6 and P7 pupils who wanted to have a go. As you can see from the pictures, we had some delicious cakes and buns, which were enjoyed by both pupils and staff.
The final of the competition is for P6 pupils. Susanna and Demi were chosen to represent our school at the final.
Today, 6th March, Susanna and Demi, who were the winners of the P6 class Fairtrade Bake-Off, went to the Bake-Off final, which was held in the Council Headquarters in Coleraine. The children had to use Fairtrade ingredients in their ‘bakes’. There were lots of really lovely entries. Susanna had baked Chocolate Brownies and Demi had Krispies buns, both of which were delicious. Although they did not win, the judges were really impressed by their bakes and their knowledge of Fairtrade products.
At the final, Luis who is a Fairtrade representative from a Colombian Fairtrade Coffee Cooperative, spoke to the children about Fairtrade and the benefits to their local community.
On Thursday 5th March, we had a special World Book Day celebration. The children all came to school wearing their pyjamas, and some of the younger children brought their teddy bears to school. The P6 and P7 children brought bedtime story books, and they read these to P1 and P2 children and also the children from playgroup. Throughout the day, P1 and P2 had activities based on books, with special emphasis on the book ‘Hairy Maclary’. P3 and P4 had a book swap and a team book quiz as well as making Pictograms of their favourite books. They also told the rest of the class about their favourite book. P5 had various class activities and they did their ‘Daily Mile’ wearing their pyjamas.
A special thanks to Mrs Laura Calderwood who helped the children to decorate Fairy cakes, which were kindly donated by Tesco Ballymoney.
