We are trying something new on Wednesday 6th December – an informal Coffee and Chat Drop-In Session where parents can come into school for some coffee and cake and enjoy a chat with other parents. We find that we have conversations with parents on so many themes, where there are issues with sleeping patterns, fussy eating, difficulties with encourage reading, mild behavioural challenges, that we thought it might be useful to provide the opportunity for parents to share – as so many of you have got such great ideas to remedy these issues!

We have also invited Andrea Marshall, who is an experienced child behaviouralist, so that if you have any particular burning questions or concerns she is happy to chat it over and help in anyway she can.

So please share and come along – if it is a success it might be something we can repeat!

Mr Lindsey, who runs our After School Cheerleading Club has asked us to share details of a Halloween Cheerleading Camp that he is running on Thursday 2nd November at Idsall Secondary School. The cost is £22 for a half day or £27 for a full day. Please see the poster below for more details.

Cheerleading

Please spread the word to any prospective parents, that we are having Open Days on Thursday 26th October and Wednesday 22nd November.  Parents and children are welcome to come and have a tour and find out all about Brown Clee School and Little Explorers Pre-School.

Little Explorers will be holding a Halloween disco on Friday 27th October from 5pm to 7pm in the village hall for children aged 2 to 11 years old. Tickets are £5 per child and include snacks and drinks. There will also be a carved pumpkin competition which will cost £1 on the night. Tickets can be purchased from Little Explorers. Please see the poster below for full details.

We are really pleased with the new canopy for the Fireflies outdoor learning area.  Despite the wet weather the building completed on Friday and the area is now fully useable, and will mean that the Reception children have a fully functional outdoor area for learning in all weathers.  It also means that we can resource and prepare the area to a much higher quality as resources will be better protected.

Learning a musical instrument has so many benefits for children!  Not only does it bring pleasure and a skill for life, it means brings opportunities to interact socially and play as ensembles.  We are fortunate to have Karen Kirkland from Shropshire Music Service, who comes into school every Friday to teach children how to play a musical instrument – from guitar to saxophone, keyboard to drums!  Please see below, information on Shropshire Music Service as well as a link to their website where you can register your interest.

My child wants to learn to play a musical instrument…

Little Explorers have arranged for a Bag2School collection on Friday 29th September at 9am. We have some bags here in the Reception at school. If you would like one please come and get one, alternatively your items can be put in black bags. They accept the following GOOD QUALITY items for re-use –

* Men’s, ladies’ and children’s clothing
* Paired shoes (tied together or an elastic band around)
* Handbags and bags
* Hats, scarves and ties
* Jewellery
* Lingerie, socks and belts
* Soft toys
* Household linen, curtains, towels and bedding (bed sheets, pillow cases and duvet covers)

They do not accept –

* Duvets and blankets, pillows and cushions
* Carpets, rugs and mats (including bath, shower and toilet mats)
* Soiled, painted, ripped or wet clothing
* School uniforms with and without logo
* Corporate clothing and workwear
* Textile off cuts, yarns or threaded material

Please drop any bags off at Little Explorers by 9am on Friday 29th September.
Little Explorers Bag2School Collection

The technological world is forever changing and we often find it difficult keeping up with the effect it has on day to day life.   We know the risks that the internet poses in terms of E-Safety and that Online Safety is really important – but do we realise the impact of children spending hours on a screen can have on their development, particularly in the early years – it can actually affect brain development.

Some recent studies have shown the relationship between excessive screen time and autism behavioural symptoms. Excessive screen time can result in:

• deficits in social behaviour
• changes in brain structures
• decrease in parent/child communication quality and quantity
• language delay
• hyperactivity
• social isolation

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under the age of 2 years old have no exposure to screens and that screen time for 2 to 5-year-olds be limited to 1 hour per day. Yet despite this, most young children are exposed to screens more than this. In one study the average daily screen time of preschool children in the United States was found to be as high as 4.1 hours.

Links to the scientific reports and relevant articles below:

Screen Time and Autism

Autism and Screen Time Could be Related

Are Screen Time and Autism in Children Connected

Scientific Report: 2021

Brown Clee School works with The Skills Builder Partnership to ensure every learner has opportunities to build eight essential skills to support them now and in the future.

Research has shown that building these eight essential skills can support the emotional wellbeing and academic success of children and young people, as well as preparing them for life beyond school. Skills Builder has developed a Universal Framework that breaks each of these essential skills down into 16 teachable steps. We use this framework to teach and practise each of the eight skills at the appropriate level throughout school life.

Skills Builder has a resource platform dedicated to helping parents and carers to build their child’s essential skills at home: Skills Builder Homezone: www.skillsbuilder.org/homezone

From Weekly Skill Challenges, to family activities and guidance to share with older children to access independent tools for their own skill development, Skills Builder Homezone can be enjoyed at a time and pace to suit all families.

Watch out for upcoming posts which will share which skills your child is learning this term along with links and ideas to how you can support at home.

Thank you to those parents who completed and returned the parental questionnaire in the summer term.  We have carried out question level analysis and the feedback is here:

Parent Questionnaire Results June 2023

Please see the letter below with useful information ahead of the start of the new academic year.

Welcome Back Letter 2023