Parent Guide
The best and most up to date source of information for parents and carers our welcome book, but here are some bits of information that you may find helpful.
Click the boxes below to see details on each section.
Learning at Home
Home Learning Websites and Resources
Please find below a list of some of the websites offering free or trial periods of their resources. They have been broken down into different subjects, but often websites do in fact cover the whole curriculum. None of these websites require payment to access, so some of the obvious platforms haven’t been included. Some do, however, require you to log in or create a free account to access.
General
https://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/ – interactive activities covering a whole range of subjects and year groups
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/ – huge treasure trove of activities that cover a whole range of subjects. Also holds links to games etc that are hosted by other sites.
http://www.pobble365.com/ – a new picture is shared each day to provoke discussion, debate or writing ideas.
https://www.twinkl.co.uk/ – a huge range of different subjects and focuses, arguably the best host of any resource you could need. Have offered a free account in the result of school closures.
https://www.weareteachers.com/free-online-learning-resources/ – lots of specific links to different sites that offer free resources or learning platforms.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize – huge range of different resources and information broken down into Key Stages and year groups.
https://tpet.co.uk/ – free online resource packs.
English
https://spellingframe.co.uk/ – spelling activities with specialist resources for each year group.
https://subscribe.firstnews.co.uk/free-downloadable-issue/ – free online digital download of a specialist children’s newspaper.
http://myths.e2bn.org/mythsandlegends/ – vast online store of animated comic strips tracking legends and myths from across the world.
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/find-a-book/library-page/ – free online books – brilliant if you can’t get to the library
Maths
https://mathsticks.com/my/ – online resources and print offs with specifically broken down key stage focuses.
https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button – times tables and number bond practise
https://ttrockstars.com/ – our children have their own log in for this
https://login.mathletics.com/ – our children have their own log in for this
https://play.numbots.com/#/intro – our children have their own log in for this
https://www.mathswithparents.com/KWeb?startTime=1584546769622#menu467767 – our children have their own log in for this
https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/ – White Rose is the foundation of our maths curriculum and they are giving free access to their premium content
Science
https://www.childrensuniversity.manchester.ac.uk/learning-activities/science/ – lots of science (and other subject areas) covered with resources specifically designed for primary age children.
https://groweatgift.com/2017/06/14/30-ways-to-go-wild-with-science/ – lots of different and fun science activities you can do in the house or garden
Foundation Subjects.
https://www.gonoodle.com/ – lots of online videos that help keep children active inside and also teach mindfulness and meditation
https://www.typingclub.com/ – online programme for teaching and developing touch typing
https://groweatgift.com/2017/06/12/30-ways-to-get-creative-for-30-days-wild/ – different activity ideas that involve creating or engaging with different things in your house or garden
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LPrhI0v-w&safe=active – Joe Wicks has recorded various 5 minute fitness activities aimed at primary school children
Coding
There are a wide range of apps available from both Apple – https://www.apple.com/uk/ios/app-store/ – and/or Google – https://play.google.com/store?hl=en including the following:
– Bee-Bot
– Scratch Jnr
– Sketch Nation
– A.L.E.X.
– Hopscotch
– Swift Playgrounds
The Pupil Premium provides additional funding on top of the main funding a school receives. It is targeted at students from less advantaged backgrounds to help them benefit from the same opportunities as other students.
Curriculum enrichmentThe school receives £1320 per pupil (2017/2018) and uses this money to fund staff and resources targeted towards the children receiving the funding. You will find information on how we use the pupil premium on our school website.
WHO IS ELIGIBLE?
You can apply for Pupil Premium if you receive one of the following:
- Income Support
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
- Income Related Employment and Support Allowance benefit
- Support under part 6 of the Immigration & Asylum Act 1999
- The ‘guaranteed element’ of State Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided that you’re not also entitle to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on –paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit – if you apply after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7400 (after tax and not including any benefits you get).
If you think you may be eligible, please apply so the school will receive the pupil premium grant to use to provide extra support for your child.
HOW DO I APPLY
Children in Reception, Year 1 and 2
Please provide a parent/carer national insurance number on the School Admission Form so that the school can check and claim pupil premium on your behalf. We will write to you separately if you are eligible which may entitle you to free school meals in later school years.
Children in Year 3 and above
Applying online at www.bristol.gov.uk/fsm is the easiest way to register. The details in your application will be checked against the database maintained by the Department for Education. If we are able to confirm your eligibility through this system you will not need to provide any further information. In addition to the school receiving the pupil premium grant you will also be eligible for free school meals, a saving of £420 a year.
If you do not have a computer at home, or need help completing the application process, you can come and see us any time during the school day. We can also provide you with access to a computer in the school so that you can apply online.
We believe in the development of the individual and are focused on ensuring that our children leave with not only an understanding of academic subjects, but also with a strong set of life skills.
Keeping SafeOne aspect of these ‘life skills’ that we develop is that of the importance of an active and healthy lifestyle. Throughout the curriculum, we ensure that we cover not only the theory but provide children with lots of practical experience and a love of physical activities too. There are also occasional school day trips to places such as Bristol Zoo, the SS Great Britain and our Summer Camp for Year 6 pupils. Each class will be notified about these during the school year.
In addition to physical education and personal, social and health education lessons we provide a range of sporting activities and clubs throughout the school year that extend the school day and further promote an active and healthy lifestyle. Popular clubs include the football, netball and gardening clubs. We will write to you when clubs are available for each year group.
Music lessons also form part of day to day life at the school, with choir clubs after school and ukulele lessons. We also have music lessons provided by the Bristol Music Service, who also provide many of the musical instruments, we will let you know when lessons start and what they may cost in advance.
Your child’s wellbeing and health and safety are very important to us. You can help keep us informed about your child’s needs by making sure that the school always has up to date contact numbers for parents or carers, in case we need to get in touch with you.
We ask that you inform the school of changes to your address as well as changes to your home and mobile phone numbers. Please also provide a number of an alternative adult for contacting in an emergency.
Qualified first aiders in school will treat any minor accidents. In more serious cases, we will call an ambulance and a member of staff will accompany your child to the hospital. In such situations, we will inform you immediately.
If your child needs to take medication during the day, please contact the school reception to ensure we are able to accept this responsibility.
If you would like us to give your child their medication you will need to complete and return an indemnity form, available from the school office. We are only able to administer named, prescribed medication, such as antibiotics.
Children who use an asthma inhaler are expected to be able to administer it themselves, with supervision. Inhalers will be kept in class and need to be clearly labelled with the child’s name. Parents should make sure that inhalers are in date and still have medication left in them. Please check your child’s inhaler regularly.
If your child has any allergies, please make sure that you let the school know. You can discuss your child’s needs by contacting the school office to make an appointment with one of our First Aid Leaders.
Safeguarding Information Filton Avenue Primary School is committed to the safety and welfare of your children and expect all staff, volunteers and members of the school community share this commitment when safeguarding, always with the Childs best interests at heart. Meet the Team: Dan Rodeck, Headteacher, Designated Safeguarding Lead Komilla Datta, Deputy Headteacher , Designated Safeguarding Lead Sam Crane, Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead If you have any concerns about the welfare of a child at our school you are expected to immediately contact the Headteacher or Deputy Head, being Dan Rodeck and Komilla Datta. In their absence this is to be passed onto Sam Crane. You can also contact Bristol City Councils First response Team about the welfare of any child on 0117 903 6444. If it is out of office hours you can contact the Emergency Duty Team on 01454 615 165. Here we have provided some useful website links of organisations for parents to visit in order to further support your Childs welfare. Online Safety: General advice and support: For advice on apps: Advice on Sexting: Help getting images taken down: Support for cyber bullying: Reporting suspicious users: Parental Controls: Talk to someone for advice: NSPCC Helpline: 0808 800 5002 Talking to your child about online safety: NSPCC – Talking about online safety 5 Things a parent should know about screen time Follow this link to read more about your Childs screen time. Not all online activities are equal: doing something creative or learning new skills are very different from mindless scrolling on social media. Being online might be allowing them to socialise in a positive way – or maybe they’re just doing something that they really, really enjoy. If there are real benefits, then the amount of time they spend doing it becomes important. Younger children, aged 4-7 years old, should probably spend no more than an hour a day online – this can go up to around an hour and a half as they get older. Around 1 to 2 hours daily during the week and a bit longer at the weekends is considered ‘just right’ for teens – after that the benefits gradually taper off, and the negative effects increase. The important thing is to get your child involved in the process so that they understand why you’re setting limits. Be very clear about your reasons and ask them what they think – getting buy-in at this stage will really help to avoid arguments later on. Remember that teens might need to spend longer online to complete their homework. Keep an eye on how your child’s screen time may be affecting other areas of their life. If they’re spending time with friends and getting enough sleep and exercise, then it’s likely that they already have a healthy balance. Although it is good to set aside time when the family is not using screens this doesn’t mean that you can’t also get involved in using screens together. If you know that your child enjoys playing games online, organise a family gaming night or let them plan something for the whole family to get stuck into. If you take a real interest in what they like to do online, they’re more likely to come to you if something goes wrong, or they make a mistake along the way. FGM: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is the partial or total removal of external female genitalia for non-medical reasons. It’s also known as female circumcision or cutting. FGM has been a criminal offence in the UK since 1985. In 2003 it also became a criminal offence for UK nationals or permanent UK residents to take their child abroad to have female genital mutilation. Anyone found guilty of the offence faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison. If yourself or anyone around you knows of a child who has undergone or may be at risk of FGM please report it to our safeguarding leads at the school and they can assist you further. If you know of someone who is at immediate risk please call 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-emergencies. You should also contact the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if she’s already been taken abroad. You can also contact the NSPCC anonymously if you are worried that someone is at risk of FGM or a victim of FGM. Child Sexual Exploitation: Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a type of sexual abuse. Children in exploitative situations and relationships receive something such as gifts, money or affection as a result of performing sexual activities or others performing sexual activities on them. Child sexual exploitation is a hidden crime. Young people often trust their abuser and don’t understand that they’re being abused. They may depend on their abuser or be too scared to tell anyone what’s happening. If yourself or anyone around you knows of a child who has undergone or may be at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation lease report it to our safeguarding leads at the school and they can assist you further. If you know of someone who is at immediate risk please call 999 in an emergency or 101 for non-emergencies. You can also contact the NSPCC anonymously if you are worried that someone is at risk of or a victim of Child Sexual Exploitation on: Bereavement Support: If your family and children are dealing with a bereavement you can contact Winstons Wish for free advice and support for your child. There is a free national helpline you can call on: Alternatively you can email at: Visit their website for more information on how to get in contact and for general enquiries at: If your child is dealing with the death of a pet you can also look for help and support here: Bristol Foodbank Information: list of outlets and times are as follows: Monday: Lockleaze, 10am – 12pm, St Mary’s Church, Gainsborough Square, Bristol BS7 9XA (New Location) Tuesday: Yate, 2pm – 4pm, The Candle, 88 Station Road, Yate, South Gloucestershire. BS37 4PH Wednesday: Filton, 1pm-3pm, Revive Charity Shop, 555/557 Filton Avenue, BS7 0QH Thursday: Patchway, 10am-12pm, St Chad’s Church, 172 Rodway Road, BS34 5ED Horfield, 1pm-3pm, Ebenezer Church, 286 Filton Avenue, BS7 0BA Southmead, 3pm-5pm, Greenway Centre, Doncaster Road, BS10 5PY Friday: Yate, 10am – 12pm, The Candle, 88 Station Road, Yate, South Gloucestershire. BS37 4PH Resound Foodbank, 10am – 12pm, Resound Church in Mangotsfield, Blackhorse Road, Mangotsfield, Bristol, BS16 9BP Thornbury, 2pm-4pm, Thornbury Baptist Church, Gillingstool, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, BS35 2EG School Health Nurse: Follow this link for more information about the school health nurse and useful information at home.
1. Remember that not all screen time is the same
2. How long should kids spend online per day?
3. Boundaries really do work if you stick to them
4. Look out for signs that screen time is having a negative effect
5. Have quality family screen time together
Universal Credit guide for the homeless and Rough Sleepers
This guide will help you to support a claimant make and manage a claim to Universal Credit. It also provides information on the support they can expect to receive from DWP and other organisations.
Bristol Based wellbeing sessions
The Bristol Wellbeing College has been running since 2014 offering wellbeing sessions designed for those who have had mental health difficulties and would like to improve their wellbeing. This brochure offers a selection of wellbeing sessions for groups that are already established around their own areas of need.
Unlocked – A guide to avoiding food poverty in Lockleaze
If you, or someone you know, is struggling to buy food, this guide shows you where to go for help. It includes information on emergency payments, foodbanks, where to get money advice and more.
Copies are available in community venues around Lockleaze. Or click this link : http://bit.ly/2IFG4Su
Unlocked was produced by North Bristol Advice Centre on behalf of the Lockleaze Food Alliance. This is a partnership of local organisations that aims to positively impact food culture in our community and tackle local food poverty.
We are a Red box project school! See poster below for more details:
Community Learning March Update
Community Learning West Courses March 21
As a part of your child’s educational experience at Filton Avenue Primary School, we aim to promote personal wellbeing and development through a comprehensive taught programme of Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education that gives children and young people the knowledge, under-standing, attitudes and practical skills to live healthy, safe, productive and fulfilled lives, both now and in the future.
Please follow the links below for more information.
RSE Consultation letter February 2021
RSE Frequently Asked Questions
DFE-RSE Primary schools guide for parents carers
Filton-Avenue-Primary-School-Policy_Relationships_and_Sex_Education_2021
RSE Jigsaw leaflet for parents
Supporting children to be mentally healthy and to look after their emotional wellbeing is a priority here at Filton Avenue Primary School. We do this in a range of ways, including,
- In our PSHE learning, we deliver the Jigsaw curriculum. More information about how children do this, as ‘Philosophers’, can be found here:
Philosopher – Filton Avenue Primary School
- We have trained staff who are Mental Health Champions who support and signpost children and staff who may be experiencing issues. This means that both children and staff feel that they can always be heard and that someone is always there to support them.
- We deliver a range of interventions that support Mental Health and Wellbeing, such as Thrive and Drawing and Talking.
- We ensure children have an opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings using worry boxes, whole class circle times or requesting time with Mental Health Champions.
- We work with collaboratively with Mental Health services such as CAMHS.
