Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Children's Mental Health Week

  Wed 09 Feb 2022

  This week is Children’s Mental Health Week. The week is run by the charity Place2Be, and focuses on the importance of promoting good mental health and wellbeing for children and young people.

   

  Please see that attached parent / carer leaflet for ideas on how you can support your child further at home. 

   

  Place2Be have also produced a short assembly for Key Stage 2 children to watch 👉 Primary Assembly 

• Safer Internet Day 2022

  Tue 08 Feb 2022

  Safer Internet Day 2022 is celebrated, today the 8th February with the theme ‘All fun and games? Exploring respect and relationships online’

   

  From gaming and chat, to streaming and video, young people are shaping the interactive entertainment spaces they are a part of. Safer Internet Day 2022 celebrates young people’s role in creating a safer internet, whether that is whilst gaming and creating content, or interacting with their friends and peers. Safer Internet Day is celebrated globally in February each year to promote the safe and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, and to inspire a national conversation about using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically, and creatively. 

   

  Please visit this website for more information. https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2022

   

  Luton Borough council are also running a Fake News, Extremism and the online space webinar for Parents, Carers and community members on: Tuesday 22nd Feb 1800-1930.   The session aims raise adults awareness on the increasingly complex and sensitive topic, tackling perceptions around fake news, conspiracy theories and extremism on and offline and how to support young people (and each other) to build resilience to these issues and related extremist ideologies.  

   

  For details and to book on, go to:  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1-luton-220222-fake-news-parentscommunities-1800-1930-tickets-208057073307

• E-Cigarettes / Vaping

  Mon 07 Feb 2022

  A small number of children in upper Key Stage 2 have been talking about vaping on the playground over the last week and we want to support all parents / carers to provide their child with the facts.   

   

  An E-cigarette, or Vape, is an electronic device; they heat a liquid (vape-juice) until it produces an aerosol gas, that looks like smoke. Users breathe this into their lungs. The vape ‘juices’ usually contain nicotine, chemicals and ‘flavourings’.

   

  Vaping and e-cigarettes come under the same law as smoking. This law says that it is illegal to sell any tobacco products to someone under 18. It is also illegal for someone else to buy them for you if you are under 18.

   

  The NHS states that:

  • Many vaping ‘juices’ contain nicotine which is addictive and so it can be hard to stop using these products once you start; and 
  • Nicotine is harmful to the important child / teenage brain development.

   

  Young, growing bodies should not to use these products at all; there is not yet much information on what the long term effects of using vapes will be.

   

  Some recharging equipment for vapes have been found to be a fire risk.

   

  If a child (under 16) is caught in public with an e-cigarette, the police can confiscate it from them and, of course, this would also happen at school (here or at secondary school). 

   

  Childline has further information here 👉 Childline Vaping Info

• Mobile Surge Testing Unit (2nd - 4th Feb 2022)

  Tue 01 Feb 2022

  As you are aware, we have been working closely with Public Health England this week due to the high number of cases of Covid-19 in our community. Despite having all of their relevant, enhanced measures in place - our community is not seeing a fall in cases.

   

  Therefore, Public Health England will be setting up a mobile PCR Surge Testing unit at Pirton Hill on Wednesday (2/2), Thursday (3/2) and Friday (4/2) in an attempt to test all staff and children. This will be supervised by a team of medical professionals.

   

  The “pop-up” testing site will be outside the main school office. Please follow our normal one-way system. We are aiming to be able to test from 8.00am - 4.30pm, each day.

   

  A child will not be tested without a parent / carer present.  However, we encourage all parents / carers to get their child tested.  Any child who has tested positive within last 90 days will most likely test positive on the PCR test therefore, Public Health suggest for them not to be tested but LFT home tests are still valid.

   

  For primary-aged children, the test must be carried out by the parent / carer, under supervision from the Public Health Team.

   

  The test can be done when you are dropping off or collecting your child. You can arrive from 8.00am and no child will be marked as late as long as they are in the queue for testing by 8.55am. You can also get your child tested after collecting them at the end of the school day.

   

  Please see WEDUC messages for alternative times for testing for your child's year group. 

   

  Following the test, you will be required to register the test. For this you will need, child's name, date of birth, Postcode, Ethnicity, Contact mobile number and an email address.  This is done online, but a member of Pirton Hill staff will be available to assist.

   

  Thank you for doing all you can to reduce the spread of the virus and the disruption that is causing in our community.

• Healthy Eating: Food Scanner App

  Mon 31 Jan 2022

  The NHS Food Scanner app brings food labels to life and helps you make healthier choices.

   

  Simply scan the barcode to see how much sugar, saturated fat and salt is in your food and drink then choose one of the healthier swap suggestions.

   

  Details on how to download this FREE app are available here 👉 NHS Food Scanner app 

• Year 6 Covid Update - 17Jan22

  Mon 17 Jan 2022

  We continue to experience a number of cases of COVID-19 within Year 6 and are continuing to monitor the situation closely with Luton Public Health.

   

  Our school remains open and your child should continue to attend as normal, if they remain well.

   

  As you know, we already have a number of control measures in place in school, including:

  • year group bubbles not mixing [indoors or outdoors];
  • increased ventilation in classrooms and children encouraged to wash their hands regularly; 
  • the school informing parents / carers when there is a positive case in school; 
  • staff wearing masks when moving around the school and testing at least twice a week;
  • parents / carers one-way system and encouraged to wear masks;
  • limited visitors in school (who must wear a face covering). 

   

  We encourage all Year 6 children to do two things:

   

  1) Take a lateral flow test ASAP, so that we can identify any more cases. 

   

  2) Keep a safe distance from other children on the way to and from school. It is recognised that younger children come to school with a parent / carer who ensures that they keep a safe distance; many of the older children do not have an adult there to remind or regulate them.  

   

  Hopefully, this will find any remaining cases and will stop the spread. 

   

   

  If cases continue to rise in Year 6, we are advised that it might be necessary for Year 6 to: 

  • return to "class" bubbles (which will mean a short-term end to extra-curricular clubs, teams and will impact on Early Birds / Night Owls),
  • have a different start / finish time for a short period, or
  • return to remote learning for a short period (worst case scenario). 

• Homework Expectations

  Wed 05 Jan 2022

  Homework is used to support and embed the knowledge, skills and language children have developed in school and to allow parents / carers to play an active role in their child’s learning.

   

  We expect all children to complete their homework each week. 

   

  In line with the Home School Agreement, we expect all parents / carers to ensure that homework is completed each week, and to support their child (if required).

   

  The parents / carers of every child who completes their homework (and wears the correct uniform, has the correct equipment in school and shows 'good' behaviour all week) receives a "green", well done message each week. This information is also used on children's reports and any transition forms for children applying to another school.  

   

  Please refer to the homework page on the school website for specific information about your child's homework expectations. 

• Christmas Performance

  Thu 16 Dec 2021

  A huge thank you to all those parents / carers who were able to come to support our Christmas performance this morning.

   

  Like with the Christmas Fair last week, we were very lucky with the weather. We really didn't want to cancel (due to covid restrictions) - the children would have been so disappointed - so we are so pleased it went ahead and so many parents / carers came to enjoy it. 

• KS2 Racism Assembly

  Fri 03 Dec 2021

  In our Key Stage 2 assembly today we talked about racism and racist behaviour.

   

  In our assembly, we defined racism as: when you treat someone differently and unfairly because:

  • of the colour of their skin; 
  • they are from a different country; or
  • their culture is different.

   

  We reminded the children that it is unacceptable and illegal.  We also gave some ideas of what to do it they see someone being racist and encouraged anyone to report any racism that they witness (a parent / carer, a teacher or Childline [0800 1111]). 

   

  Please spend some time talking about racism at home with your child(ren) - so that they understand what it is and why it is unacceptable. This applies to all children; racist incidents can and do occur between any ethnic groups.

   

  There are some really good videos published by the Premier League of players talking about racism, they available here -> https://plprimarystars.com/resources/no-room-for-racism-videos   

   

  Incidents of this nature are very rare but we will only be satisfied when they do not occur at all.  Racist incidents are not acceptable and will be sanctioned in line with our Behaviour Policy. 

   

  • As a school we promote the underlying British values of tolerance and mutual respect.
  • One of our school values is "We all believe in ourselves and know that everyone has something special to contribute”.
  • One of our school aims is "create a safe environment where every member of the school community feels safe, valued and grows in confidence."
  • One of our school rules "Be kind and polite to others"

• KS2 Climate Change Poster Winners

  Mon 15 Nov 2021

  Well done to our Key Stage 2 Climate Change Poster competition winners! 

  
  They have given us lots of ways in which we can make small changes to look after our planet!

   

  Which ones will you try?