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/
Let’s STRIKE!
To hook us into our learning, we are going on STRIKE! Today, we have learnt all about the coal mine strikes and the reasonings as to why these took place. We were shocked to find out that 142,000 people actually went on strike when Margaret Thatcher tried to close 20 mines in 1984. Did you know that people who didn’t go on strike were called scabs?! Inspired by what we have learnt, we are planning our own strike! We have decided that the school week should always be a 4 day week and that we shouldn’t have to come to school on Fridays. This afternoon, we have designed and created placards which we are going to use when we go on strike later in the week. Keep your eyes peeled – we may just march past your house!
Poetry Experience Day
To kick start our new writing unit on poetry, Crew Hamill have looked at lots of different examples of poetry, including a video of poet Micheal Rosen reciting his famous poem ‘Chocolate Cake’ (this made us all laugh a lot!) and a video of some Roald Dahl poems that have been turned into songs. We then worked in pairs to identify as many different features of poetry as we could, include rhyme, rhythm, line breaks, stanzas and personification.
Exploring soil in MT
We continued our expeditionary learning by exploring soil and the layer it belongs to. We looked at what makes up soil, the different layers of soil, how it is formed and why it is important. We then tested our knowledge in a matching activity where we worked collaboratively in mini crews. Again our exit ticket allowed us to showcase our knowledge. We wrote a paragraph to describe the layers of soil thinking about what they are made up of and important facts that others should know about each layer. Some great work in Crew MT.
Geography in MI
Hook week has began in MT where we have become geographers! Today we have learnt about the composition of the earth and have loved every minute! We explored new vocabulary including the crust, the mantle, the outer core and the inner core. There was lots of great reading opportunities in todays lesson where we explored the different layers. We played fastest finger first which we all enjoyed. We then applied our knowledge to our exit ticket creating a paragraph of writing to explain all of the layers of the earth.
Practising our map reading skills
To hook into our new expedition we used our map reading skills to complete a task around the school grounds. At each checkpoint there was a word which together formed a sentence. This sentences was a clue about our new Summer Term expedition.
Huge shoutout to Penelope, Aaliyah and Lily-Marie who were the first group to unscramble the sentence. Great work girls!
Investigating Shadows
Crew Hamill spent time today exploring how shadows are formed. Once we’d worked out that shadows are formed by opaque objects blocking a light source, we experimented to see how we could change these shadows. We identified that when an object was closer to the light source, the shadow was larger as more of it was blocked and when the object was further away, the shadow was smaller as there was less of it being blocked.
Exploring Shadows!
Today, in Crew Wilkinson we conducted a science experiment to explore how the size of a showdown changes based on the distance of an object from a light source. We observed that when the object was closer to the light, the shadow appeared larger, and as the light source moved further away the shadow became smaller.WE LOVE SCIENCE!
Presentation of Learning
To bring their current expedition to an end, Crew Hamill and Crew Wilkinson took part in their Presentation of Learning this afternoon.
Over the past term, they have been working hard on a series of case studies, with one of the highlights being the powerful words of Martin Luther King Jr. in his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. As part of this, they have explored the significance of Martin Luther King’s message and its relevance today, not just in the United States but right here in our own community of Doncaster. Inspired by his vision of equality, justice, and hope, each of our students has crafted their own speech, sharing their dreams for a better, brighter future for our city.
Today, they had the opportunity to share these speeches with their families, hopefully inspiring them to also make a difference and support their dreams for Doncaster. Standing proudly on stage, alongside their artwork of inspirational people, inspired by Jonathan Yeo, they gave it their all.
We are so extremely proud of each and every one of them and the effort they have put in to learning their speeches in order to powerfully perform these in front of an audience. The legacy of these speeches will also live on in an article that is being prepared for Doncaster Free Press. Please keep an eye out for this popping up in the near future!
Outdoor fire experience with Scottys Hero’s
The children in Crew Marsh had a brilliant session with Scottys Hero’s, they learnt how to start a fire by using a flint and steel to create sparks, then added cotton wool to start their mini fires. What an exciting experience. We will be toasting marshmallows in no time!
A-m-a-z-i-ng Ph-o-n-i-c-s
I would just like to praise these children for their continued progression when learning their sounds. Some even started Year 1 still learning Set 1 sounds and are now nearly at the end of their Set 3 sounds! Their love for learning really does shine through and we are so proud of you! Keep up the great work. Fred the Frog is so impressed!