Fairfields Primary School

Dear parents and carers,

The weather has nearly beaten us this week but we have still managed to find time to be outside as much as possible.  We are so pleased that finally we are able to move closer to a glimpse of normality!  School visits are now being booked and we are in the process of putting together plans which include reducing the staggers in the morning and afterschool to 8:40 and 8:50 and 3:10 and 3:20. I will confirm these on Friday this week once we have worked out the logistics of moving children in and out of the building; whilst still maintaining a year group bubble.

You may have heard from your children about a school PE kit being introduced.  This is as a result of a number of factors:

• The new guidance released in April 2021 by Hampshire Outdoors. It outlines the need for all children to be wearing correct clothing, include removal of jewelry and for children to wear correct footwear for safe participation in sporting activities.
• The increasing tension behind safeguarding of children’s’ dignity when being asked to change in front of their peers.
• The need to reduce lost time for unchanging and re-changing for PE sessions. For example, it takes approximately 15 minutes to change and unchanged younger children for a 30 minute PE session. 
• The current PE kit rules are too vague and allow pupils to come to school wearing cloths which are not suitable for PE sessions. For example, an older child came to school wearing fashion trainers with wedge heels, dark leggings and a white crop top!

For that reason, I have sought a PE uniform which can be worn to and from school on the days when pupils have PE.  This could be up to two or three days per week. 

The PE kit will be introduced over the next few weeks to be launched from September 2021 and compulsory from September 2022.  This will be available online and will be delivered to the school to save on postage.  More details will be available over the next few weeks. 

In other news, we have become increasingly more aware of the need for children to have time when they are not on screens.  This does seem like a contrasting message after we have launched an online reading portal and also continue to advocate mathematics programs.  Our main concern is around the use of unmonitored online gaming, Utube, Instagram, Tik Tok or other social media.

After the last lockdown we know that our children are often more advanced than us at using phones, tablets and APPs.  The tension is that although they have the skills to use the technology, they still need to be taught how to use these responsibly and know what to do when things start to go wrong.  I know that we have sent out messages to parents from time to time about the use of social media and I know that great efforts have been made by most parents.  However, we are still finding that some children have access to material which contains inappropriate content.   

The most recent incident has involved children in Year 6 forming groups that encourage their peers to behave badly, think negatively and also reward them for getting into trouble at school.  This has resulted in a type of rebellion in the classroom and a complete lack of respect towards staff who have tried to deal with the behaviour.  Pupils have told us that they have tried to leave the group but keep being added.  Messages were also being sent in the early hours of the morning when they have unrestricted access to their phones or computers.  This has been addressed and the situation is now under control albeit it leaving both staff and pupils upset. 

I would like to strongly encourage you to please check your child’s phone alongside them if you can:

- Check which groups they are in and why they are in those groups. 

- Discuss what is happen in the ‘chat’ and what effect the conversations are having on their mood. 

- Check that they are not logging on in the evening when you are asleep.

- Discuss why ‘downtime’ with their family is important, where they can relax and be away from the effects of peer pressure.

I will be supporting you as parents; encouraging children to report to me if someone in the school is becoming a nuisance in their use of social media or messaging.  This is a different message to the one given in the past where we have not got involved in outside online activity. 

I will contact parents of children who are behaving unsafely online and/or on their phones.  I will also be using our electronic record system to monitor those children who we know are being allowed unrestricted access to the internet.  This will be to offer support and give advice on what APPs they can use to protect their children. 

I know first-hand as a parent, the guilt of not allowing your child to have access to things like Tik Tok, Instagram or even the latest Iphone.  They will complain that everyone else has it and that they feel left out.  This could make you feel like you are disadvantaging/neglecting your child and that they are being left out.  Please stay strong and know that you have the full support of every adult in the school!  You can even blame ‘Miss Dillon’ having read this email.  We are here to support you and to help protect your child from harm.  We acknowledge that the world our children are growing up in is different to the world we grew up in.  When I was young, my only worry was about having 20p in my pocket just in case I needed to call home from a pay phone!

Please take this is the manner in which it is meant.  In no way am I trying to patronise you as parents. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Miss Kelly Dillon

Headteacher