Week 17 27.1.23
Challenge
Contents of the Newsweb and Website
School Content:
Challenge - Community Voice
Challenge - Staff Enquiry
Challenge - Competition
Parent Workshops
Kindness Week
FOLG News- pending events
Key dates and messages
Community Messages
Community Messages:
NEW: Game On Development Squads
NEW: Hip Hop Hooray
WSM Junior Singing Day
NEW: Public Health Nurse Newsletter
Southwest Herts Partnership Coffee Mornings
The Elms Holiday Camps
January/February edition of Families magazine
Neighbourhood Watch: Stay safe – the dangers of frozen waters
Just Talk: mental health top tips for parents/carers
Monthly Film Shows at Cafe O
Watford & Three Rivers Fire Safety Newsletter Winter
With YOUth - Children and Young People's Wellbeing Service
School Blog:
Watford FC EFL Kids Cup
Tomb Raiding In Year 5
Earth and Space in Year 5
Mini Rabbit Not Lost in Year 3
Music taught by Rickmansworth School Specialist in Year 5
Drawing Planets to scale
Year 3 and 4 Chinese New Year
Community Challenge:
We need a Community's voices to help us identify and challenge bad ideas....
I was very grateful for the feedback to last week's monologue on unity and diversity. I allow myself the occasional space to share quite philosophical ideas justifying this approach with the following idea captured in this article heading 'Not sparing others the trouble of thinking'. I also take on board feedback questioning the virtue of complex, unconnected or wordy monologues failing to have any impact on busy people. So, thank you if you tried to read it and apologies if this was not a priority for you.
The idea I hoped to share was the importance of evidencing our beliefs so that we can effectively challenge or justify ideas and approaches. As some of you realised, there was a reason behind all the words: I have become increasingly concerned with the impact of social media personalities shaping the thinking of our students. I am even more concerned with some of the strategies I see employed to try and stop this influence. Recently, I have seen News items, BBC articles, Questions in Parliament and even debates on Radio 2 about the personality Andrew Tate. He has also cropped up in conversation from two children at Little Green (this is not a Secondary School issue alone.) One approach to this influence has been to cancel and ban and attack the individual Andrew Tate. I think this is doomed to fail: if you can remember your youth, it was these very personalities' 'counter culture' punk, goth, grunge etc. that appealed to a new generation. In cancelling, we make him more appealing whilst avoiding any effective challenge, discussion or debate about the ideas he shares. We need to help our children think for themselves. How can we do this if we don't know what they are talking about?
Andrew Tate is "Intelligent, articulate and disciplined - that's how secondary school teacher Charlotte Carson describes Andrew Tate, the online influencer who is a role model to many of the boys at her school in Belfast." See BBC article
I felt a professional responsibility to find out about this influence and have spent time watching a range of Youtube clips to understand his appeal. The truth is there are many things he says that can appear logical. It is when he weaves in wider prejudiced, over-simplified or sweeping generalisations that the potentially darker influence on young minds arises: the best place to hide a lie is within a truth.
It appears to me that the best way to challenge bad ideas is with good ideas. It appears to me that our community of adults is intelligent enough to do this - to challenge the bad ideas.
So, if you are up for a challenge...
Parents take a little time to watch some of the clips of Andrew Tate online.
Parents identify the good ideas and the bad ideas.
Parents identify the counter argument or 'good ideas' to challenge any of the worrying ideas identified. PLEASE ensure comments are professional and respectful as I plan to share these ideas next week. The aim is for us to create a logical bank of responses to help us, should we ever need to discuss this with a child or anyone negatively influenced.
As I say, these conversations are happening across Secondary Schools; in playgrounds; across social media. The cat is out of the bag! So, putting our fingers in our ears will not prepare us for effective conversations with our children. We need to identify the good ideas to deal with the bad ones...
Anyway, that's my good/bad idea - a Community Digital Debate leading to a resource to support all of us with this specific challenge. Take a risk, I dare you!
If you are up for it - here is the Google Form with a link to one Andrew Tate clip and three simple questions to complete.
To more traditional Headteacher information
It was a pleasure to begin our role out of regular weekly training sessions for our Teaching Assistants. This builds on a model we have been developing for teachers and pupils. We began with considering the question of who is responsible for behaviour in a school? Something to discuss over dinner perhaps. We do look forward to exploring these ideas with you as part of a wider behaviour and culture review this academic year.
All our staff are taking on their own Learning Journal approach to support and drive their CPD and their own enquiries into a range of important and interesting educational areas - I look forward to sharing the list of enquiries when they have all been agreed.
Parent Workshops for Years 4, 5 and 6. We were also pleased to be finalising plans for our Parent Workshops next week, for Years 4, 5 and 6.
Kindness Week In assembly, it was a pleasure to share the huge number of child-imagined competitions that have been driving some opportunities for children to challenge themselves and benefit their peers and community. Watch this space for the arrival of the winning flags from the flag competition and for a range of Kindness themed competitions to be launched for Kindness Week - the last week before half term!
Grass Roots:
We are really excited to announce that FOLG is setting up it’s own online marketplace for parents to donate and buy second-hand sportswear and equipment on a new community based app called "Grassboots". With most donations priced between £1.00 to £5.00 it provides a fantastic opportunity to buy preloved kit for amazing value, especially during these difficult times. So, to join up, please go to your App store and download the “Grassboots.Club" app. When registering, link to Little Green School (FOLG) and you’re then good to go. Once an item is bought, contact the donater via the in-app messenger to arrange a collection time at the school gates...easy! This community focussed initiative gives the school and parents a great opportunity to recycle more, reduce waste and the majority of every sale goes towards fundraising targets for FOLG... so please join up and start donating and buying!
For more information please go to: www.grassboots.club or Facebook / Instagram @grassboots.club
Stationery sets
If you missed out on ordering stationery sets we have received new stock and will be opening the opportunity to order on PTA events again - the introductory price has unfortunately finished so packs will now be priced at a very competitive £8 (still far cheaper than you can source on the high street!) and can be ordered via: www.pta-events.co.uk/folg. Information of what is contained in the packs can be found at this link.
Second hand uniform
Good quality second hand uniform can be ordered from Faye via folg-uniform@littlegreen.herts.sch.uk - most items are just 50p. Send an email outlining the items you wish to order - remember to include sizes and your child's class - you will then receive an email to let you know when your items are ready to collect from the school office.
Upcoming events:
Sponsored Fun Run: Friday 31st March - details coming
Break the Rules Day: Thursday 9th February - details to follow
Finally, does anyone has a hamper basket they no longer want we would love it for summer event?
Key Dates:
Mon 30/01 - Fri 03/02: Year 6 Mock SATs week
Tue 31/01: Year 5 Play Leader training
Tue 31/01: Year 4 Indoor Athletics competition at Rickmansworth School
Wed 01/02: Teacher Strike (no Year 6 Swimming this week)
Fri 03/02: Years 4, 5 and 6 Reading Workshop
NOTES:
Please do show kindness to everyone when using all of the paths to and from school. The end of the day is always a busy time and, as requested by parents, we do have a 2-way system. Many thanks for supporting the community.
CAR PARK REMINDER
Just a polite reminder that parents should not be driving into the car park for any reason. Only Blue Badge holders should be accessing the car park. Thank you.
Drop Box at the office
Please clearly label your child's belongings with their NAME and CLASS and items will be delivered at break time or lunchtime.
Community Partners Messages Board
This February half term Game On is running a free football session for all children in Years 1 to 6 along with a free goalkeeper taster session for Years 3 to 6 children.
The sessions are for our Development Centres and for those children who want to receive more advanced coaching from FA Level 2 and 3 coaches.
The sessions are in Tring and Watford but we currently have children from all over Herts and Bucks attending.
Take a look at the flyer and get in touch to book a place!
The Elms Holiday Camps
Early Bird Deadline for Holiday Camps
Please note, the reduced Early Bird Prices expire on Friday, 27th Jan 2023
The Elms have been providing holiday sport camps for children for over 20 years.
They are extremely popular and can be particularly helpful to working parents.
Our camps include a range of sports:
tennis, football, basketball, kwik cricket, hockey, multi-sports etc., and are open to ALL children from the local area aged 4-12 years.
Stay safe – the dangers of frozen waters
Dear Watch Member,
Over the last few days Hertfordshire Fire & Rescue have attended water and ice incidents where people have been at risk of falling through frozen lakes and rivers due to rescuing a pet or not seeing the dangers of such activities.
Children and pets are particularly at risk when tempted to play on the ice formed on open water, and adults can find themselves at risk in attempting to save them.
Taking a nice walk in cold weather with your family, friends or dogs in tow can be really refreshing, just make sure you know some simple tips on how to stay safe in winter.
Areas with frozen lakes, ponds, canals and reservoirs can be beautiful places to visit during the winter months but all too often many people risk their lives by venturing onto frozen water.
Here are some useful tips to help you know what to do in an emergency.
Teach children not to go on the ice
Teach children not to go onto the ice under any circumstances.
Don’t go on the ice to rescue a dog
Don’t go onto ice or into the water to rescue a dog, move to somewhere that the dog will be able to climb out and call them towards you.
Keep dogs on their leads
Keep dogs on their leads when near ice and don’t throw sticks or toys onto the ice.
Only use well-lit areas
Time your walks to make the most of the daylight; if you need to walk in the evening only use well-lit areas or take a route not alongside water.
Keep back from the edge
When walking alongside water keep back from the edge.
Please visit the RLSS website on this link, to see useful tools on how to get your children talking about winter water safety: Winter Water Safety | Royal Life Saving Society UK ( RLSS UK )
Please only reply if you have information that the sender has asked for by tapping on this email address: wlo@herts.police.uk. If you want to discuss anything else or report a crime, please refer to the Police Contact Advice below.
Regards,
Daniel McManus
Watch Liaison Officer
Email: wlo@herts.police.uk
Cafe O Monthly Film Shows
Each month on a Sunday afternoon in the Church Hall,
we show a feature film (U or PG) suitable for accompanied children
and also enjoyed by older members of the community.
Shows are free but donations are welcome.
Drinks and snacks provided.
Details from officeoswald2@gmail.com.