The use of mobile and internet connected technologies are now a part of everyday life. Young people and adults are online, exchanging information, sharing links, and creating and uploading their own content. Technology can be a powerful, positive tool, in all areas of life, including education and learning and enables us to do many things that would not otherwise be possible.

However, as wonderful as the internet can be for helping our children to learn new things, and connect with relatives throughout the globe, it can also open up a range of new potential threats that we need to protect them from.

Thanks to the popularity of social media and communication-based websites, cyber bullying has grown increasingly common over the recent years and many children in the UK are affected.

At Grange Park Primary School, we recognise that technology does not cause people to behave badly – however, some people use technology to carry out harmful actions, including cyberbullying. It is important for school communities to understand what cyberbullying is – in order to effectively prevent and address harmful behaviour, and promote positive and constructive uses of technology.

Cyberbullying, or online bullying, can be defined as the use of technologies by an individual, or by a group of people, to deliberately and repeatedly upset someone else. Cyberbullying is a method of bullying and should be viewed and treated the same as "real world" bullying and can happen to any member of the school community.

Key Advice for Parents 

• Communication with your child is essential. Talk to them and reassure them that they can always come to you if something upsets or worries them online. 

• Supervise where you can. 

• Use safety tools and parental controls - if you're not sure how, contact your service provider but please note that these tools are not always 100% effective.

• Be alert to your child being upset after using the internet/phones.

• Model positive online behaviour for your child. It's important that they know how to act safely and responsibly online and are aware of what content is acceptable and unacceptable to post or share.

If your child is being bullied online:

• If your child is a victim of cyberbullying, remember, it's not their fault so removing the technology or banning them from websites could make them less likely to speak to you in the future if they experience a problem.

• Remind your child not to retaliate to any cyberbullying.

• Save the evidence wherever possible. You may be able to report what has happened to the online service being used when the incident occurred. Evidence may include screenshots taken on a laptop or mobile device, emails, texts or online conversation histories. If you do need to make a report, evidence gathered will make it easier to show exactly what has taken place.

• Report cyberbullying immediately:

  • Contact the service provider (e.g. the website, gaming site or mobile phone company) to report the user and if possible to remove the content.

  • If the bullying is being perpetrated by other pupils then contact the school so they can take action in accordance with their anti-bullying and behaviour policies.

• • If the bullying is serious and a potential criminal offence has been committed then consider contacting the police.

Key Advice for Children

When using the internet:

• Always respect others on and offline - think about what you say online and what images you send/post; be aware that online messages can easily be misunderstood.

• Remember that anything you publish online can be made public very quickly and you will never be sure who may have seen it.

• Treat your password like a toothbrush; never share it with anyone and only give your personal information like mobile phone number or email address to trusted friends.

• Be careful to log out of sites and apps if you share your device with others.

If you are being bullied online:

• Learn how to block or report online bullies or anyone behaving badly and don't retaliate or reply to nasty messages! Remember that if you reply with a nasty or unkind comment then it could get you into trouble too.

• Always make sure that you save evidence of cyberbullying by saving or printing out text messages, online conversation and pictures. Try to include as much information as possible, such as web addresses (URLs), contact numbers, user names, times, dates, locations.

• Always make sure you tell someone if you are being bullied online:

  • A trusted adult

  • The website, app or mobile phone provider  where the bullying is taking place

  • If a crime has been committed or someone is at risk of harm, contact the police

• Also remember that if you see cyberbullying going on, then support the person and REPORT it to the website or to us. Don't be a bystander and say nothing, otherwise you can become part of the problem.

Useful Websites

Helping children deal with bullying and cyber bullying - NSPCC

Family lives UK - Cyber bullying

E Safety support

Everything you need to know about cyber bullying - anti-bullying pro

In constructing our curriculum, it is important to consider whether what we teach represents and reflects the diversity children see in both their community and the wider world. Inclusion and belonging matter and all children need to feel represented in every aspect of their learning.

By offering a broad and balanced curriculum that is tailored to the demographics of the

school population, children will feel seen, valued and understood for who they are, not just as individuals, but as a part of their communities.

We are continuing to diversify the range of books in our Reading Hub, class book corners and chosen teaching texts so they represent authors and characters from different backgrounds with different protected characteristics, are inclusive and challenge stereotypes. 

Our whole class reading includes texts that cover for instance American Civil Rights (Year 6), Holocaust Memorial Day (Year 5), ADHD (Year 4), Chinese New Year (Year 3) and Autism (Year 5). Our Reading Spine (books read for pleasure each half term) include female authors such as Julia Donaldson, Maz Evans, Anne Fine and Judith Kerr and BAME authors such as B.B. Alston, Malorie Blackman, Onjali Q. Rauf and S.F. Said. 

Pupils are also exposed to a reading material that reflects their local community for example Year 5 pupils read about Nikki Lilly, a local Enfield baker who appeared on Junior Bake Off, while Year 2 look at the local area through texts such as The Street Beneath My Feet. 

Across many subjects we have a focus on how the knowledge, skills, resilience and determination of significant individuals from different cultural backgrounds have positively impacted on society. This includes the many contributions made by women.

In Early Years, this starts with visits from inspirational people in our community working as doctors and nurses, dentists, fire fighters, police officers, ministers and train drivers. Reception children also look at the impact of fossil hunter Mary Anning on the early development of paleontology and engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel on the development of railways and bridges. 

In Year 1 children learn about incredible inventors such as Thomas Edison, Karl Benz and Steve Jobs, as well as astronauts Helen Sharman, Mae Jemison and Tim Peake. As part of a history unit on the Crimean War, Year 2 learn about the lives of Florence Nightingale, Mary Seacole and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson. 

When learning about Early Islamic Civilisations, Year 5 children look at the work of Al-Zahrawi ‘the father of surgery’ and Al-Khwarizmi who invented algebra and Arabic numerals (the numbers we use today). 

We are continuing to weave inspirational people into all aspects of our curriculum as it evolves including artists and sculptors, product designers and architects, chefs, athletes, composers and musicians.

Through studying significant aspects of the history of the world from ancient civilisations, the expansion and dissolution of empires to the changing powers of monarchs, children begin to understand the complexity of people’s lives, the process of change, the diversity of societies and relationships between different groups, as well as their own identity and the challenges of their time.

Our Geography curriculum also inspires a curiosity and fascination about the world and its people by developing children’s knowledge and understanding of their local area, the United Kingdom, Europe, North and South America. This includes the location and characteristics of a range of the world’s most significant human and physical features.

In Religious Education, we ensure our children acquire and develop knowledge and understanding of the world faiths and principal religions represented in Great Britain. The curriculum is further enhanced by educational visits to places of worship within our local community.

All our staff have training around equality, equity, diversity, unconscious bias and how we can make our children’s learning experiences inclusive and age appropriate.

Our goal, therefore, is to build a curriculum that embraces cultural diversity and a well-rounded view of the world.

On Monday 23 May, the year 4/5/6 choir took part in ‘The Big Sing’ for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at St James Church Muswell Hill.

 Ours was a South African song called ‘Ukhahlamba’ all about a mountain range there. We sang some words in Zulu and had great dance moves to go with it! Everyone sang their hearts out and performed the best they had ever sung.

There were 4 schools taking part and they all performed a song from the front. We also sang a song called ‘Rise up and Serve’ all about how the Queen has served our country for 70 years. Then we finished by singing the National Anthem. Well done everyone! 

This week, the Year 1 children have been enjoying taking part in Outdoor Classroom Day which is a global movement to inspire and celebrate outdoor play and learning, at home and at school. 

In our PSHE lessons, we talked about how spending more time outdoors is good for health, wellbeing and development.

"I feel happy when I am learning outside." 

Elara - Dragonfly class

For our outdoor class activity we were observing and identifying creatures dipped from the pond using an identification guide. 

"It was so fun at the pond, we saw pond snails and pond skaters." Vinnie - Dragonfly class

The hard work continues in Year 3, focusing particularly in our STEM subjects of Computing and Design and Technology.

The children have been exploring using the app iMovie on the iPads to create some amazing picture book trailers.  The children began by simply editing a built-in template before now having full creative control of their work using a range of technical features and editing tools.  

They have been adding soundtracks, incorporating videos and images into their work, transitioning slides and animations and even layering text onto their trailers to produce some really effective work.