SAFER INTERNET DAY - TUESDAY 9 FEBRUARY 2010

'THINK BEFORE YOU POST'

Safer Internet Day is a Europe-wide initiative, and is the one day in the year that provides a focus on internet safety issues.  There is a range of activities taking place across the continent to help protect young people online, and you can get involved too. The theme for Safer Internet Day 2010 is 'Think before you post'.  This will involve a full week of action in the UK , with activities taking place from Monday 8 February to Friday 12 February.

The Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre have launched a website designed to give schools, teachers, youth workers and child protection specialists ideas and suggestions about how to get involved. CEOP will also be launching new resources to teach online safety to Key Stage 1 children.

Safer Internet Day will also see the launch of a public awareness campaign from the UK Council for Child Internet Safety. The Click Clever, Click Safe campaign will highlight a new online 'green cross code': 'Zip it, Block it, Flag it'. The code will outline behaviour that allows young people to enjoy the internet safely. Campaign support materials and further information will be produced for schools to promote the code throughout the year.

Visit the Safer Internet Day website www.thinkuknow.co.uk/saferinternetdayuk for more information

You can find links to a number of websites which help with issues of safer internet and mobile use - and with issues of cyberbullying and what to do about it - on our 'Support for Parents' page (link in blue box to the right) and on our 'Children/Young People' page (link on blue bar at top of page).

NEW INTERIM HEAD FOR ST. EDMUNDS SCHOOL, BUSBRIDGE

The new interim head for St Edmunds, from 1st January 2010, is Ann Ramiz.

LATEST PARENT & CARER NEWSLETTER (DECEMBER 09) ISSUED

Our latest newsletter, keeping parents and carers up to date with what the Confederation and its schools have been doing, has been delivered to schools, to send out to you.  Look out for it! 

You can also see it by clicking here.

These workshops run every Wednesday during the school terms, from 3.30pm to 5.30pm. 

They are OPEN TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY, not just those with children at the school.  So if you would like to learn a little more about how to use a computer, just call Tim Johnson on the number above and go along for a session.

  We hope you found the latest Holiday Activities

  leaflet helpful over the Christmas break.

  You can find copies of our recent holiday activity

  leaflets on our Clubs & Activities page, should you be looking for information about the organisations providing such activities.        

FOLLOWING ANTI BULLYING WEEK 2009 

THE GODALMING CONFEDERATION OF SCHOOLS RAN AN INFORMATIVE WORKSHOP ON CYBERBULLYING FOR PARENTS & CARERS OF

YEAR 4, 5 AND 6 CHILDREN

...at  Loseley Fields Primary School, Binscombe, Godalming, 7pm on Tuesday 24 November 2009.  This workshop was run by Surrey County Council.  Cyberbullying is when someone uses technology, like the internet or a mobile phone, to deliberately hurt, humiliate, harass, intimidate or threaten someone else.

The most important thing to remember is that you should never ignore cyberbullying. 

The workshop focused on:

- what parents & carers can do to support their children

- what cyber bullying is and its effects

-  what your schools can do to support young people in making safe cyber choice

Visit www.beatbullying.org.uk for more help and information

ON SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER CHILDREN ENJOYED A FABULOUS FREE GARDEN THEMED FAMILY DAY AT LOSELEY FIELDS CHILDREN'S CENTRE

Garden themed activities included making food to attract birds to your garden, using collage to design your 'ideal' garden, using computers to plan your garden, making a grass head and helping in the nursery community garden.  It was a fun afternoon with plenty to do for children and adults!

PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

ISSUES 1ST NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS & CARERS

Partnership with Parents (PwP) provides information, advice and support to Surrey parents and carers of children of all ages with special or additional educational needs.  By means of introduction, click here to link to a downloadable copy of PwP's first newsletter - Participation News - about some events and activities Surrey parents and carers have participated in during the past year.  PwP is included on our Swift and Easier Referral to Specialist Services pages, or you can visit their website www.pwpsurrey.org.

       SWINE FLU - GOVERNMENT ADVICE

The old adage 'coughs and sneezes spread diseases' still holds firm today. Research has revealed that even in this modern age many people do not understand what a huge difference good hand and respiratory hygiene makes. Using and disposing of tissues correctly and washing hands can help reduce the spread of germs leading to colds, flu and other illnesses. The messages are simple:

Catch it - germs spread easily. Always carry tissues and use them to catch your cough or sneeze.

Bin it - germs can live for several hours on tissues. Dispose of your tissues as soon as possible.

Kill it - hands can transfer germs to every surface you touch. Clean your hands as soon as possible.

There has been some discussion about the use of alcohol gel. This may be useful if there is no ready access to washing facilities but the HPA advice is that washing with soap and water is better in most circumstances. Clearly very young children will need to be supervised and assisted with good hand washing.