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Contents
Contents
Welcome to our new readers, perhaps you are year 7 pupils or parents/carers of our (now not so) new starters. We really hope everyone: parents, pupils and staff have had a great first half term, albeit very busy we are sure.
Get ready to immerse yourself into the pumpkin season, go and pick your own or enjoy something autumnal this half term. We offer evidence-based advice on how to manage tech use and we hear from all of our fabulous groups at Swanmore including the Anti-Bullying Committee, Eco-Champions, Young Carers, LGBTQ+ and many more.
Celebrating Swanmore’s Enrichment programme
Celebrating Swanmore’s Enrichment programme
Sharing our enrichment success so far:
Sharing our enrichment success so far:
Dance Live! have got off to a great start this year creating almost a 7-minute dance piece in just the 7 weeks of rehearsals they have had so far. Mr Coleman, Miss Evans, Mrs Bailey, Miss Primmer, Miss Smith and Mrs Barnes have helped coordinate over 70 pupils involved in the competition, which will take place on Wednesday 29th January 2025. Dances have been choreographed, soundtracks recorded, the journey video which introduces the dance piece is well underway with help from two incredible Year 11 pupils and costumes have been ordered. This year’s theme is Men in Black and Mr Coleman and his team are hoping to top the previous year’s second-place position in the first heat of the competition. We wish them all the best and look forward to hearing how they get on.
ICC Opportunity!
ICC Opportunity!
We would love to hear from you, our readers, about the enrichment programmes you have enjoyed or the choices your children have made this year. Send us one line to sum up your enrichment experience in the 2024 year so far. We want to hear about successes, new skills learnt, new hobbies taken on as a result of the enrichment you enrolled in. For every piece of feedback shared, you will earn 10 ICC points. We would love to share your stories in our next edition. Please email wellbeing@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk
Reading Well
Reading Well
"Shelf Help"
"Shelf Help"
Reading Well helps you to understand and manage your health and wellbeing, using helpful reading. The books are chosen by health experts and people living with the conditions covered. People can be recommended a title by a health professional, or they can visit their local library and take a book out for free. Visit the Reading Well website: reading-well.org.uk
Our recommendation: The Healthy Selfie by Dr Susie Davies
Our recommendation: The Healthy Selfie by Dr Susie Davies
Dr Davies is a leading voice in the movement to protect children from the harms of smartphones and social media. Full of tightly practical exercises and wisdom, this book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the risks associated with social media and protect their mental wellbeing.
Clare Fernyhough, Co-founder, Smartphone Free Childhood
This is the book I'm going to hand my kids as soon as they become teenagers. It's the print equivalent of a cool, kind and wise big sister, guiding young people through the complexities of growing up in the smartphone era.
Daisy Greenwell, Co-founder, Smartphone Free Childhood
What are you currently reading?
Look out for teachers' "What I am reading" posters around school.
What are you currently reading?
Look out for teachers' "What I am reading" posters around school.
Get outside, be at one with nature
Get outside, be at one with nature
Have you decorated your front door with pumpkins and spider webs yet?
‘Tis the spooky season! Why not spend a day in half term at a pumpkin farm, picking your own pumpkins. So many places offer much more than pumpkin picking now too: there are games, rides, competitions for all to get involved in and usually great food stalls and hot chocolates to enjoy. Don’t forget your wellies though! One of these is very local, Droxford Pumpkin Patch said: “Step into a world of wonder and excitement at our newly unveiled pumpkin patch in the heart of rural Hampshire. Purchase your tickets now for this awesome autumn destination for all things pumpkin!”
Pick your own... pumpkin!
Pick your own... pumpkin!
There are lots of local farms where you can do this - here are some we recommend:
Are you scrolling yourself to sleep?
Are you scrolling yourself to sleep?
Papaya is a charity, founded 6 years ago by Dr Susanna Davies.
Papaya is a charity, founded 6 years ago by Dr Susanna Davies.
In case you missed the webinar on Wednesday 18th September, Papaya is an organisation which does not set unrealistic goals. They know that smartphones are here to stay but they help parents manage the use of technology because there is such a close link between technology and poor mental health. The practising doctor works with many young people and started Papaya after noticing an incline in anxiety and depression amongst youths, initially, she could not find the root cause. She then discovered, through talking to these children that they were spending hours per day on their phones or they were online gaming. Many young people were even being diagnosed with ADHD but they in fact just had a tech addiction. She believes we have to make access to smartphones safer. King's College, London, found that children with problematic smartphone usage (PSU) were twice as likely to experience anxiety and three times as likely to experience depression compared to those without PSU. It is so empowering to think about screen time and there are ways to reduce this immediately.
Lots of movement has already taken place, more and more are seeing the damage of tech use.
The average child in UK, spends 3 hours and 48 minutes per day, 26.6 hours a week, which is 58 days per year and 13 years over a lifetime. (Ofcom)
THINK… what access do you want the internet to have to your child?
Top tips for smartphones
Top tips for smartphones
Delay the smartphone for as long as you can, consider a basic phone first.
If your child already has a smartphone there are lots of things you can do:
Put healthy boundaries in place: ensure children are safe online with private accounts, set screen time limits, use the parental controls
Reduce distractions by deleting or hiding apps, turn the phone off when not using, keep the phone out of sight, try a flip cover so the screen is not always on show
Create screen-free spaces in your home- no phones at mealtimes, no phones at bedtime, no multi-screening (ie. whilst watching the tv)
Talk to your child and other parents, find like-minded people
Model good habits yourself- think about where you leave your phone overnight
Join Smartphone Free Childhood
“There has been a 70% reduction of outdoor play accidents in the past decade, and a 93% increase in self-harm.” NHS
Safeguarding at Swanmore
Safeguarding at Swanmore
What parents and educators need to know about Instagram
What parents and educators need to know about Instagram
Instagram is a highly popular social media platform with over 2 billion active monthly users. The app is continuously updating and adding new features to meet the wishes of its audience, allowing them to upload images and videos to the Instagram feed, create interactive 'stories', go live, exchange private messages or explore and follow other accounts that catch their eye.
Follow National College to learn more on addiction (to Instagram), unrealistic ideals, going live, influencer culture, product tagging, exclusion and ostracism:
X: @natonlinesafety | Facebook: /NationalOnlineSafety | Instagram: @nationalonlinesafety | Tik Tok: @national_online_safety
Class Charts
Class Charts
We hope that you feel communication has improved through using Class Charts this half term and that you are enjoying our new app for teachers, staff, parents/ carers and pupils.
You are able to see positive recognitions, negative behaviours and patterns, as well as keep track of homework being set and also any detentions.
Here are the stats:
Top Tutor Groups:
Year 7 - 7R2 - 7,917
Year 8 - 8R7 - 7,627
Year 9 - 9R6 - 6,316
Year 10 - 10R8 - 6,731
Year 11 - 11R2 - 7,592
Year group totals:
Year 7 - 65,911
Year 8 - 61, 673
Year 9 - 60, 102
Year 10 - 55, 333
Year 11 - 54, 861
Over 140 pupils have already achieved the Bronze award for gaining over 300 ICC points!
93% of pupils and 84% of parents/carers have logged in over the last month.
PSHE
PSHE
These are the upcoming topics for pupils’ PSHE lessons in the Autumn term two.
Year 7
Year 7
Careers around us
First Aid - bleeding
Health relationships, friendships
Periods
Caffeine drinks
Summary writing planning
Summary writing
Year 8
Year 8
Climate change
Careers- equality of opportunity
Careers- different types and patterns of work
First Aid- Asthma and allergies
Understanding drugs (legal) and safe use
Summary writing
Careers SACU
Year 9
Year 9
Careers- my strengths and links to jobs
CAT tests- No PSHE
Online presence
Introduction to British law and digital footprint
Understanding drugs: over-the-counter medication
Sustainability and the environment
Summary writing
Year 10
Year 10
Managing revision and revision strategies
Finance and debt
Gambling
Exams- No PSHE
Exams- No PSHE
Drugs
Careers- introduction to work experience
Year 11
Year 11
Careers: future opportunities
Sexual Health
Careers/ College applications
Changing relationships, relationships and abuse
Summary review
Stress management
Active revision
Year 7 STEM morning
Year 7 STEM morning
A huge thank you to Mr Thornton for arranging a morning of STEM activities for 95 of our enthusiastic year 7 pupils. They were first tasked with creating a marble run with very few materials (some card, cellotape and some paper straws). The marble had to successfully follow the trail and the winner was the group with the longest time trial. Pupils had to think of ways to delay the marble along the journey.
Secondly, pupils had to create a new invention. They watched a video call with an engineer and were introduced to his pet robot, which they loved! He inspired them to get creative and some fantastic ideas were born. The winning group wanted to make a clear toaster- so you can see how toasted the bread is whilst it cooks. It then had a device to apply your chosen spread for you - genius!
Pupils had to pitch their ideas in front of all the other groups. Trophies were awarded to the winners.
What a fantastic day!
Swanmore College Anti-Bullying
Swanmore College Anti-Bullying
Last term, the Anti-Bullying Committee worked alongside our SwanPride members to plan and deliver a whole school Connect session on how to support bullying within the LGBTQ+ context. Our Anti-Bullying Ambassadors received online training earlier in the year on how bullying can specifically affect members of our LGBTQ+ community and how we can support these pupils. Our ambassadors used this training to plan an activity for all pupils in the Summer Term. As part of this activity, all tutor groups took part in a Connect activity which disseminated the information on how we can all support our LGBTQ+ community with bullying issues as well as where help can be sought. Our Ambassadors ran a quiz/competition for all year groups. The winners in each year group of the competition were:
Year 7: 7R9 now 8R9
Year 8: 8R7 now 9R7
Year 9: 9R1 now 10R1
Year 10: 10R2 now 11R2
20 ICCs per pupil were awarded to these groups at the start of this school year.
In addition to the quiz, the Ambassadors also challenged every pupil to write a positive message celebrating our LGBTQ+ community. During the recent Open Evening, representatives of the Anti-Bullying Committee put together our Whole School Rainbow of post-it notes in The Pupil Centre. It is a colourful display of positive thoughts from our pupils. Thank you to everyone who took part!
Upcoming:
Upcoming:
Year 7 Anti-Bullying T-shirt Competition results
Odd Socks Day – Tuesday 12th November 2024
Anti-Bullying Week – 11-15 November 2024
Neurodiversity Ambassadors
Neurodiversity Ambassadors
We are relaunching in the New Year!
Our first meeting will be Tuesday the 14th of January in RO2.
We have a regular space every day, in the Pupil Centre and are looking to arrange a buddy Rota! 😊
We are always looking for more people who would like to join us!!
Please see Miss Garaty, Miss Herring, and Mrs Howson Baggott for more information.
Swanpride
Swanpride
Swanpride members now meet in the pupil centre during tutor time on a Monday. Please check the daily bulletin to find out when the next meeting is and speak to Mrs Hinson if you are interested in attending.
For extra support and advice:
Young Carers
Young Carers
Join us on a Friday morning, for a free breakfast and a chat!
Miss Primmer and Miss Davies run the Young Carers’ group every Friday during tutor time. Pupils from across all year groups are welcome.
Pupils - If you believe you are a Young Carer, please come to the Pupil Centre and speak to Miss Primmer or Miss Davies.
Parents/carers - If you believe your child is a Young Carer, please email the enquiries address enquiries@swanmore-sec.hants.sch.uk for the attention of Miss Primmer and Miss Davies and we will be more than happy to get in contact with you.
Please visit the wellbeing section on the Swanmore College website where you will find further support for Young Carers.
We have a large group of young carers who attend. If you are a young carer you are very welcome too.
Eco-Champs
Eco-Champs
This academic year, the Eco Champions’ group have once again received international accreditation for their exceptional work in promoting sustainability and raising environmental awareness amongst their peers. This year they managed to achieve the Green Flag at merit level!
The Eco-Schools’ programme, established in 1994, is now implemented in over 70 countries worldwide. In 2023-24, more than 1.4 million pupils attended an Eco-School in England. The programme follows a tried-and-trusted seven-step framework, that encourages young people to explore a variety of environmental issues before spearheading environmental action in their school and local community.
This year pupils impressively built on previous achievements by focusing on 3 key issues: Litter, Global Citizenship and Biodiversity. The Eco-Committee then successfully delivered a diverse range of activities including planting to encourage bees and butterflies (delivered by site hero Mr Bull), the building of a bug hotel on site, participation with the RSPB schools birdwatch, the year 7 UNICEF Climate Action day and the tutor group litter pick rota that is starting imminently.
To learn more about Eco-Schools head to www.eco-schools.org.uk
Recycling and Litter
Recycling and Litter
Poor levels of recycling and littering appear to be ongoing issues at Swanmore College so the Eco Champions helped Miss Massey put together an assembly for the UK's Recycle week 14-20 October. They filmed themselves spot-checking one of the recycling bins to see its contents, but unfortunately, 80% of it was contaminated (covered in food or liquid) or the wrong materials. So the assembly highlighted exactly what could or couldn’t be recycled from both the Hampshire home collections as well as our school collection. If you are unsure of what can be recycled in your home collection use the search engine on the https://www.recyclenow.com/ site and pop in your postcode. If the item can’t be collected from your home it suggests nearby places to take those items such as supermarkets, shops or your nearest household waste recycling centre.
When it comes to the Swanmore College ‘mixed recycling’ bins they can take the following:
YES: Paper / Cardboard / Plastic bottles / Tins
NO: Tissues / soft plastics (bags, wrappers) / plastic food trays or yoghurt pots / anything covered in liquid or food Maybe in the future we will be able to collect soft plastic recyclables on-site, but in the meantime it will be a good idea to take these items home, collate them into one large bag and recycle them when you next go to the supermarket.
Recommended Mental Health Apps
Recommended Mental Health Apps
SAM - self-help anxiety management (Apple & Android)
Worry Box - anxiety self-help (Android)
What's Up (Android)
MindShift (Apple & Android)
Fear Tools - Anxiety Aid (Apple & Android)
ThinkNinja (Apple & Android)– designed for 10 – 18 years old
R;pple
R;pple
Discretely intercepting harmful searches and providing signposting to 24/7, free mental health support at a time when you are most vulnerable. To find out more: https://www.ripplesuicideprevention.com/
Helplines:
Helplines:
Anxiety UK: support@anxietyuk.org.uk 08444775774
MIND: info@mind.org.uk 03001233393
No Panic: admin@nopanic.org.uk 08449674848
Nightline: Nightline.ac.uk
Samaritans: jo@samaritans.org 116123 (freephone)
Domestic abuse: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-abuse-how-to-get-help
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