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Larwood School

Part of Larwood Academy Trust

School News

January 2020

Archive

  • TIK TOK - Larwood children are NOT old enough to use this platform!

    Published 30/01/20

    TikTok is a video-sharing social media app available on iOS and Android which lets users create, share, and view user created videos much in a similar manner to Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. It’s main draw, however, is that users can record and upload bite-sized looping videos of themselves lip-syncing and dancing to popular music or soundbites, often for comedic effect, which can then be further enhanced with filters, emojis and stickers. TikTok has been designed with the young user in mind and has a very addictive appeal. At the beginning of 2019 it skyrocketed in popularity to become the iOS store’s most downloaded app with over 33 million downloads. Estimates suggest that it now has anything between 500 million and over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide.

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  • 'WhatsApp' Issue

    Published 21/01/20

    Dear all,

    It has come to my attention that some of our children are part of a 'WhatsApp' group with other pupils in school. Whilst I am a huge fan of using technology to aid and assist learning/life in general, I am very dubious about the benefits of such groups and I am worried about its potential negative effects, alongside the law in relation to this matter.

    I appreciate that my advice in this matter can be thought of as interference. However, it is not constructed in that way, and based on previous cases that I have seen the consequences of such a social media group can lead to:

    • Huge friendship issues and fall outs between children
    • Unwanted sharing of information leading to challenging, different and unnecessary behaviours/issues
    • Lack of sleep due to many hours devoted to keeping up with messages etc. This then has negative effects on relationships, progress at school and overall health and well-being.

    Therefore, my advice about this issue and use of mobile phones and this 'WhatsApp' group is as follows:

    1. If your child is using a mobile phone on a day-to-day basis, remove it at bedtime and return it when it is a suitable time for use. They are used to this as we remove all electrical items on the door when they enter and they are returned when they go home.
    2. If your child is part of a 'WhatsApp' group then please comply with the law, and remove the app from their phone. Since May 2018, you must be 16 years old to use the app. Therefore using it whilst younger is breaking the law.
    3. If you do allow your child to use a mobile phone, please consider the fact than as soon as they linked to a Wi-Fi network they can access anything and everything on the internet. Just as my advice would to monitor laptops, and games consoles, it is equally essential to monitor a mobile phone in the same way.

    If we can be of assistance supporting you with this matter, please do contact us. Please also contact

    me directly if you would like to discuss this matter in greater detail or one of my colleagues.

     

    Yours sincerely

    S D Trimble
    Headteacher

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  • LARWOOD LOWDOWN VOLUME 8 ISSUE 2

    Published 21/01/20

    What an amazing term with your sons and daughters, as we head rapidly to the Christmas break. I am very proud of how much great progress we have seen in so many ways during this term. It has included:

    • Some excellent work in a variety of areas
    • Great behaviour from so many. Recently I presented over 30 Bronze medals in one assembly. This is a record!
    • Being very honest, open and helpful when Ofsted visited
    • Many acts of kindness to each and to staff- a key part of our school’s  ethos
    • Other comments on how great our children have been when they attend trips, including the trip to Mountfitchett Castle, frequent trips to Partyman in Stevenage, and singing for elderly people at Tewin Bury Farm Estate.

     Just like our staff, who have worked so hard this term , they all deserve a well-earned break. 

    Other news! Please note that we continue to make progress with Brandles School joining our Academy Trust. As previously communicated, this will mean some changes with staff roles but as we near the official formation, I will communicate these changes with you. I hope that this will all be taken care of by Feb 2020. This will certainly help our transition process for pupils moving to Brandles, but we will also be responsible for ensuring that good progress is made at Brandles for all pupils, no matter where they come from. I have been conducting weekly meetings with Mr Pearce for the past 12 months or so and we will continue to work very closely together. This may also take the form of joint training and buying services that will serve all pupils not matter what their age.

    You have already been sent the recently published Ofsted report. Just in case you missed it there were some wonderful comments written by the inspectors which included:

    •  Pupils thrive in this school
    • Staff organise learning to get the very best from pupils
    • Pupils flourish at Larwood and  are 'wired for learning.'
    • Leaders have organised an exciting and innovative curriculum that sparks pupil interest in learning
    • Leaders set high standards for pupil behaviour
    • Pupils are proud of their school and attend well.

    As always your children were a great source of information during the inspection process. Again, I am very proud of them and all the staff for their hard work.

    I wish you and your families the very best for the Christmas period and a wonderful new year, when it arrives.

    Please note that Monday Jan 6th is an INSET day, with pupils returning on Tuesday 7th Jan at the usual time.

    S D Trimble
    Headteacher

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