Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.
This week is National Hate Crime Awareness Week. Being you is not a crime, but targeting you for who you are is and you don’t have to put up with it. Hate crime is underreported by victims, often because they are unaware that they have experienced a hate crime or because they are unaware of their rights and the support available to them. If you have been a victim of a hate crime, help and support is out there.
If you don't want to report a hate crime directly to the police, there are now more than 70 third party hate crime reporting centres across Hampshire. Don't suffer in silence. Find your nearest third-party reporting service. The Victim Care Service can provide tailored help and support and you don't need to have reported it to the police to get help. Call them on 0808 178 1641 or email hub.hiow@victimsupport.org.uk .
Basingstoke Hate Crime Awareness Group: the overall purpose of the Hate Crime Working Group is to:
· To raise awareness of hate crime and hate incidents.
· To increase confidence amongst victims to report hate crimes or hate incidents.
· To Increase reporting of Hate Crime.
· To work with young people to educate and challenge attitudes and prejudices.
For more information or to join the group please email BHCAG@bvaction.org.uk
On Thursday the teachers and students took part in sports day 2023. What a great afternoon the students and teachers had. A big game of rounders followed by tug or war, the water bucket game and man hunt. It was fantastic to see the students participate, work together but most of all enjoying themselves.
Dear Parent/Guardian,
Following recent national coverage about the underage use of vapes (also known as e-cigarettes), I am writing to you about the harmful effects they can have for our children and young people. I would like to take this opportunity to provide some information about vaping and how you can protect and support your child. Whilst it is important to understand the risk of vaping, I also need to remind you that about 80% of children have not tried vaping and, vapes are a good quit aid for adults trying to give up smoking.
What are vapes?
There are many varieties of vapes, which are battery powered devices that heat a liquid to create vapours to be inhaled. The liquids often contain nicotine flavourings and other chemicals. The vapes may be brightly coloured, with many flavours, increasing their appeal to young people.
Risks of vaping in children and young people
Vapes should not be used by children and young people, and non-smokers should not start vaping. The health effects of vaping can include headaches, coughing, insomnia, worsening of asthma symptoms, and throat and mouth irritation. As vapes are a relatively new product, the long-term health effects are still not known as there is not enough research into long-term use. Exposing children and young people to nicotine, which is highly addictive, could have negative impacts on developing brains.
The law and vaping
It is against the law to sell nicotine products to anyone under the age of 18. It is also illegal to buy vapes on behalf of anyone under 18. Unsafe, illegal vapes have been on the rise with reports showing that they can contain dangerous chemicals like lead and nickel. Some products contain nicotine when claiming they do not, or contain harmful cannabis chemicals.
What is the council doing?
We recognise that this is an issue that needs to be addressed to protect children and young people. We are therefore:
- setting up smoking and vaping prevention programmes to support schools and teachers.
- working to stop underaged sales of vapes and tackling illegal vapes. You can report illegal vapes and underage vape sales to Hampshire Trading Standards.
- continuing to support people to stop smoking through our Stop Smoking Service, Smokefree Hampshire.
- working to raise awareness and encourage behaviour change to stop smoking and prevent vaping uptake by children and young people.
What can you do?
You can support your children by understanding the risks of vaping in children and young people and talking openly about vaping. There are tips for discussion at the end of this letter.
You can find more useful information on the Smokefreeme Hampshire or NHS website. Quit smoking advice on Smokefree Hampshire and Chathealth a confidential text support service for parents, carers, families and young people in Hampshire manned by health visitors and school nurses.
Yours sincerely
Simon Bryant FFPH
Director of Public Health
Hampshire County Council
Tips for a discussion with your family:
- Know the facts: get credible information about vapes (some resources are included in the links below).
- Choose the right time and place: A more natural discussion will increase the likelihood that your child will listen, for example, if you see someone vaping or find out someone they know vapes.
- Ask questions, listen, and learn from what they tell you and answer their questions.
- Set your clear expectations with them: explain that children and young people should not vape and share why you don’t want them to vape.
- Role model healthy behaviours to your children, for example not vaping in the house or car.
- If your child is vaping, you can help them quit by seeking professional support through our Hampshire Stop Smoking Service
– Smokefree Hampshire - It might also be helpful to explore the reasons why they are vaping in case further support is needed, such as anxiety and stress, or low mood
Dear all,
Anti-knife crime charity, The Ben Kinsella Trust has launched a FREE online course for ALL parents and carers.
Exploitation, Gangs and Knife Crime Awareness sessions are a two-part course delivered over two evening sessions (June 20th and 27th 7-9pm)
These sessions are delivered by an ex- Police Officer and come highly recommended.
Please share with your network, any parents and carers, schools or youth provisions. These are a valuable resource and signposting tool in preventing serious youth violence and exploitation. Colleagues and staff are also welcome to book on.
The link to secure your space is here-
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These are available nationally, so please book soon to avoid missing out!
Thank you.
On Wednesday 22nd March students visited the residents of Hampton Court in Winklebury as part of our Intergenerational project to help build relationships between young and old and reduce the typical stereotypes in todays society.
Students made cakes prior to the visit and then made tea/coffee for the residents as they discussed interests and life experiences. Students and residents also discussed hobbies that could be shared in future sessions
Sarah:
‘It was lovely to meet the residents and to give our students the opportunity to get to know people in the community. Students worked hard making cakes and these were well received from the residents.’
Independent Living Activities Officer:
‘Thank you so much to you and the students for a lovely session yesterday. The residents were all so full of excitement!’
Shirley:
‘It was great to see our students interacting with the residents, they really learned so much about the past
Biscuits and cakes made by the students went down a treat!!!
Future plan - Games, Baking, Knitting, History and students teaching residents how to use their mobile phones’
Taylor - 'It was good! I learnt a lot from it.’
Harvey - 'It was very good. I want to go back and play chess with one of them'
Dear Parent/ Carer,
Please see JCQ and Exam Board announcement below regarding contingency exam dates for the summer 2023 exams.
The awarding bodies have collectively agreed a contingency day for several years now which is always scheduled at the end of the GCSE, GCE AS and A level exam timetables.
The contingency day is in the event of national or significant local disruption to exams in the United Kingdom, being part of the awarding bodies’ standard contingency planning for exams.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, further resilience was needed within the exam timetables. A single contingency day was not felt to be sufficient if a national event or incident had a significant effect on the exam timetable. For example, summer exams could be affected by extremely high temperatures.
For the June 2023 exams, the awarding bodies have therefore introduced two additional half-day contingency sessions. These are on Thursday 8 June 2023 and Thursday 15 June 2023. The standard contingency day remains at the end of the timetable being scheduled on Wednesday 28 June 2023.
Schools and colleges should ensure candidates and parents are aware of the contingency arrangements on these three days. They should consider the contingency day of Wednesday 28 June 2023 when making their plans for the summer. Candidates should be encouraged to remain available until Wednesday 28 June 2023 should examinations need to be rescheduled.
Yours Faithfully,
Mr Steve Griffiths
Headteacher
Due to current pressures on the NHS, we have been asked that schools promote the Healthier Together resource for parents to get advice and guidance about their child's health and well-being.
Dear Parents and Carers,
‘Strep A’ infections You may be aware of news in the media regarding group A streptococcus (GAS) bacterial infections, ‘Strep A’, among children. There is a higher number of these infections than is normally seen at this time of year. We are sending out this communication to provide further information on this national situation and guidance on the actions you can take to help reduce the spread of this infection. Group A streptococcus is a bacterium that can be found in the throat and on the skin and survives for long enough to allow easy spread between people through sneezing and skin contact. People who are currently carrying the bacteria may have symptoms of illness or they may have no symptoms and feel fine. In both cases, these bacteria can be passed on to others. What to look out for Most GAS illnesses are relatively mild, with symptoms including a sore throat ("strep throat"), scarlet fever or a skin infection, such as impetigo. The symptoms of scarlet fever include a sore throat, headache, fever, nausea and vomiting. This is followed by a fine red rash which typically first appears on the chest and stomach, rapidly spreading to other parts of the body. On more darkly-pigmented skin, the scarlet rash may be harder to spot, but it will still feel like 'sandpaper'. The face can be flushed red but pale around the mouth. Although scarlet fever is usually a mild illness, it should be treated with antibiotics to minimise the risk of complications and reduce the spread to others. Though uncommon, GAS can cause other severe and sometimes life-threatening diseases, including invasive Group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infection. This can occur if the bacteria get into parts of the body where bacteria are not usually found. As a parent, if you feel that your child seems seriously unwell, you should trust your own judgement: What to do Contact NHS 111 or your GP if: • your child is getting worse • your child is feeding or eating much less than normal • your child has had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more or shows other signs of dehydration • your baby is under 3 months and has a temperature of 38C, or is older than 3 months and has a temperature of 39C or higher • your baby feels hotter than usual when you touch their back or chest, or feels sweaty • your child is very tired or irritable Call 999 or go to A&E if: • your child is having difficulty breathing – you may notice grunting noises or their tummy sucking under their ribs • there are pauses when your child breathes • your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue • your child is floppy and will not wake up or stay awake Further information on GAS infections is provided in the following blog that is being updated by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the lead agency responding to this national situation: Group A Strep - What you need to know - UK Health Security Agency (blog.gov.uk). We urge all parents and carers to: • remind children of the importance of good respiratory and hand hygiene – by this we mean teaching your child how to wash their hands properly with soap for 20 seconds, and how to use a tissue to catch coughs and sneezes, disposing of the tissue after use, and washing hands thereafter • keep children off school should they feel unwell • ensure that any child diagnosed with a GAS infection stays off school for the recommended period after starting antibiotics, that is, at least 24hrs after starting antibiotics for strep throat or 48hrs for impetigo, and is well enough to attend an early years or school setting thereafter • remain vigilant to the signs and symptoms of GAS infection and any deterioration in your child's condition, seeking early medical help as necessary • ensure your child is up to date with their immunisations, especially the seasonal flu vaccine as we know that flu can predispose children to more severe illness with GAS. The higher number of GAS infections is country-wide. Nevertheless, instances of iGAS are uncommon and most infections can be managed with antibiotics. Please be assured that we continue to liaise with the Council’s Public Health team and will provide any further important updates to parents and carers as these become available. Should we suspect an outbreak of GAS infection in our setting, we will follow national guidance and work with the UKHSA health protection team to manage the situation. Where necessary, we will provide information to carers and parents to advise on any specific actions to take around any outbreaks. Thank you for your continued support in this matter.