During the Spring Term, 2024, Carcroft Change Makers worked collaboratively to develop the ‘Carcroft Pledge’. We can’t wait to share this with whole school during our Summer Term!
Category : Curriculum
Online Safety
Our pupils are growing up in a world of ever-changing technology. While we feel that the use of technology is a largely positive aspect of modern life, we cannot ignore the risks that can be associated.
Throughout school we aim to teach children:
- about the impact of cyber-bullying and what to do if they have been affected.
- to be vigilant when communicating online recognising that people may not always be who they say they are and to be sensible about what they share.
- to tell an adult they trust if something is upsetting them.
- to question the reliability of information given through a web based source.
- to search responsibly for information while using internet browsers.
We understand that much of our pupil’s use of the internet will occur at home, away from the school filters.
Below are a list of useful websites, advice and resources that you may find helpful when navigating the issue of online safety with your child. At the bottom of this page are resources that your child can directly access as well to help them learn about online safety.
Useful resources and links
Thinkuknow http://www.thinkuknow.co.uk
Thinkuknow is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command. Since 2006, it aims to ensure that everyone has access to this practical information – children, young people, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them.
Internet Matters https://www.internetmatters.org/advice/esafety-leaflets-resources/
A comprehensive web resource with a wide array of tips and advice on how to navigate the online world with your child. Some of their guidance we attach below but you can find even more by visiting the link.
National Online Safety https://nationalonlinesafety.com/resources/platform-guides/
National Online Safety’s mission is to make the internet a safer place for children. They aim to do this by equipping school staff, parents and children with the knowledge they need to understand online dangers and how best to react should an incident arise. The link above provides up to date information about a wide variety of social media apps and platforms your child might be using.
NSPCC http://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/
The NSPCC are the first to admit that the internet is amazing. Children can play, learn, create and connect – opening up a whole world of exciting possibilities. But with the digital world changing all the time, how can you make sure your child’s staying safe? That’s where the NSPCC come in. Whether you’re an online expert or you’re not sure where to start, their tools and advice will help you keep your child safe.
Childnet http://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
Childnet International is a registered UK charity that aims to make the internet a safe place for children and young people. Packed with resources it is a great resource for parents.
CEOP http://ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/
Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) is part of the National Crime Agency and their website can be used to report if you are worried about online abuse or the way someone is communicating online.
BBC https://www.bbc.com/ownit
The BBC have a website and app called Own It. The website has a lot of content for children to help them navigate their online lives, and the free smartphone app comes with a special keyboard which can intervene with help and support in the moments that children need it the most.
SafetoNet https://safetonet.com/
SafeToNet is technology that educates children “in-the-moment” as they use their device. It is a safeguarding assistant that helps them become responsible and safe digital citizens. Its power lies in a smart keyboard that detects risks in real-time. It steers children away from trouble by filtering harmful outgoing messages before they can be sent and any damage can be done.
A guide to Apps & Social Media
The number of apps and social media channels your child could be exposed to grow all the time, as does an app’s functionality. We recommend you visit Net Aware to read the latest and most current advice on over 70 apps to ensure you know what they do, how you can limit their features as well as recommended age restrictions.
The apps included are:
- Fortnite
- Snapchat
- YouTube
- Minecraft
- Clash of Clans & Clash Royale
- Kik
- Friv
- Dubsmash
- Wink
- YOLO
- TikTok
- And many, many more
Resources for children to use
Below are some links that children themselves can access for help when navigating the tricky subject of online safety,
Reception – Year 2
Below are a number of links that are tailored for children in the younger year groups.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/5_7/
https://www.netsmartzkids.org/
https://www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin
Year 3 – Year 6
Below are links more suitable for older children.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/
https://www.nsteens.org/
STEM Visit
We LOVED our visit from Dr Caragh Whitehead (aka ‘Erik’s Mum’) today! It was so interesting to learn all about the different types of science and learning that it is not always about big experiments but sometimes simply being interested in the world. We also learned that plants are used to make so many every day items that we may not have previously realised! Did you know plants help to make citronella candles and they’re even used in medicines?! It was great to get hands on and be able to explore the plants more for ourselves, using microscopes and our sense of smell to look at plants in more detail.
STEM in the real world!
Todays theme of the day was STEM in the real world. We discovered that STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. We started the morning by building a bridge. We started by designing our bridge and then we constructed it using straws and tape. We then tested whether our bridge was fit for purpose.
We then tried to construct a building which was at least 15cm high which would withstand an earthquake. We designed our building first and then constructed it using cocktail stick and mini marshmallows. We also designed a boat with only a piece of foil. We had no other materials and it had to float.
Little City visits Carcroft!
Crew McGlone had a visit from ‘Little City’ who turned our school hall into a… well, little city! The children were able to role play different jobs and we absolutely loved all the different props and costumes! Thank you so much to Little City for coming in and letting us have SUCH a lovely afternoon!
Health and care careers in MT
Today the theme of the day was… Health and care careers. To start with, we discussed all the different jobs that come under this theme. We then thought about sub categories- medical and hospital jobs, emotional and mental health jobs and care and community support jobs. From here we thought more about nurses, thinking about if we had ever met a nurse and where. What we thought a school nurse would do every day and why nurses are important for schools. We watched a clip on school nurses, writing down all the jobs the nurse did. We then answered the discussion questions, what was something the nurse did that surprised you? How did the nurse make children feel safe or better? What qualities do you think a good nurse needs? We then finished the sentence… ‘A school nurse helps children by…’ We then assessed our knowledge in a mini quiz!
From here we explored some different scenarios making notes on what we would do as the school nurse. We then got into role, acting out some different scenarios, we played both nurse and patient.
We then moved onto thinking about therapists, exploring what a therapist does and the types of therapists. We then matched different statements to the correct type of therapist. From here we designed our own therapy room, we created a calm space where someone feels safe, calm and listened to. Some children added comfy chairs, coloured walls, plants, a music player, art tables and soft toys! We ended the day listening to some calming music whilst completing some mindfulness colouring.
Crew MT meet the fire service
Crew MT enjoyed listening to a talk from the fire service this morning. They then enjoyed exploring the fire engine, learning about all the different parts!
Careers week starts in MT
Today we started careers week with the theme in KS2 being ‘Find your future’. We will explore different themes all week, todays theme being media and communication. We kick started todays theme thinking about what aspirations are and what we dream of for our futures. We thought about the kind of person we want to be and the things we enjoy doing now that will add to our dreams for the future. Next we watched a video clip that showed us a variety of different jobs. We discussed these jobs at the end in mini crews, some of us changed our job choices for the future after watching! From here we explored the types of jobs… trades, professionals and unskilled. We discussed qualifications needed, experience needed and the skills and personal qualities required.
From here we headed into the hall to hear from a journalist living in Doncaster! We loved learning about what he has to do in his job and some of the personal qualities required. We answered lots of questions at the end 🙂
Listening really set us up for the next part of our learning back in the classroom. We watched newsround and thought about the journalists role. We were then given the headline… ‘Mysterious creature spotted on the playground’. We explored the headline together then became journalists! We interviewed all involved and took part in a hot seating activity! From here we created our own quotes to be part of our own class news article. Here it is…
Breaking News: Mysterious Creature Spotted on the Playground!
Reporter: Crew MT, Year 4 News
Excitement filled the air at Carcroft Primary this morning when pupils claimed to have seen a strange, furry creature running across the playground. It had a long tail, it was approximately 1 metre tall and it had bright blue eyes!
“It was covered in brown fluffy fur and it flew across the field at lightning speed! Also it had crazy rabbit teeth!” said Shania from Year 4.
The mysterious animal was last seen disappearing into the bushes in the forest school. Teachers have checked the area but say they found only a few large footprints, some brown fur and some half eaten bagels with a can of doctor pepper.
Some pupils believe the creature may be a lost pet, while others think it could be something magical.
“I think the creature is very mysterious, it was a cross between a tiger and a bunny,” announced Summer from Year 4. “It was so weird!”
The school has asked pupils to stay calm and not feed any mystery animals. More updates will follow after lunchtime.
From here we looked at presenting! We explored a KS1 video around dance. We unpicked the video thinking about the traits needed in order to be in this line of work. We then had a go ourselves, working in mini crews to do this. We thought about ways to engage the audience and had to work together to create the script. We then presented our video to the rest of the crew.
A fab first day in MT 🙂
Reading buddies
Our confident Year 6 readers teamed up with our curious Year 1s to enjoy stories side by side. The room was full of quiet voices, big smiles and lots of turning pages. The best part? We’re not just building better readers—we’re building social skills, confidence and a real love for books. Stay tuned for more stories from our Reading Buddies because when we read together, we really do put the fun into reading!
Skittle Challenge
Each child got given some skittles and a plate . They were asked to make a pattern on the outer circle of the plate. Ms. White then poured some warm water onto the plates. This is what happened. Amazing patterns!
Times Table Carousel
This week, our crew has taken part in a times table carousel, taking part in four different activities: times table stick, TT Rock Stars Battle, heat map challenge with a friend (testing their friends knowledge on any times tables that are not green) and a times table worksheet. We began in one group and then moved around the room to take part in each challenge.
Food Technology
This week, Year 5 have begun their DT slice in order to learn about healthy, balanced diets, seasonality and how to prepare a savoury meal. They began by looking at example menus and deciding in mini crews whether or not they were healthy, balanced meals. We then ranked the menus in order from most to least healthy. Following this, each person created their own healthy meal, ensuring it had the correct amount of carbohydrates, vegetables, fats etc.
Once we had done this, we then moved on to look at seasonality and we found out where different ingredients are sourced from when it is not the correct time of year in the UK to grow things. We then used our knowledge of this to find seasonal meals for July that we would be able to make. We then used iPads to have a look on Asda’s website to create a list of ingredients and a price list, so Miss knew what ingredients to buy and how much money she would need. Finally, we put our DT skills to the test: chopping, mixing, stirring, boiling and grating. We cannot wait to see how our vegetable crustless quiche turns out!
