Heads up!

I can’t quite believe that as we approach the next school holiday, we are already half way through the school year. When you read the articles and see the photos in this edition of the newsletter you will get a taste of just how busy your children are in school. Our staff work so hard to bring great learning opportunities to the classroom each and every day. The quality of learning activities outside the classroom are also to be celebrated; some of the detail of those activities is included here too. As you can see, the winter weather doesn’t stop us from using the outdoors and our local communities to continue our learning. As families, you also have a huge part to play in supporting the learning and development of your youngsters and this term the newsletter is packed full of opportunities for out of school hours learning, we hope you find something of interest that you can access with your children. Learning though, doesn’t stop when we leave school or college and with that in mind there is information included in the newsletter about a course for adults too on dealing with stress as a parent. One of the core aspects of our work throughout the whole school day is supporting the development of communication skills and reading. Every time you communicate with your child and help them communicate, you are providing opportunities to develop and practise their communication skills. Every time you share a story, every time you look at the labels in the supermarket, each time you read signs when out and about, you are supporting the development of reading skills. So as we head towards the next school holiday, look out for all the times that you are supporting your child to learn to communicate and read – thank you for working with us to develop these core skills, each and every day. Jo

Term Dates & Inset Days Estates & Facilities

Work has been completed to improve our outside facilities with the Kingsweston School Term Dates 2019 to 2020 creation of a music park, stage and amphitheatre, a large roundhouse

with project area, and a new wildlife pond and bog. Term 4 Monday 24 February to Friday 3 April 2020 Term 5 Monday 20 April to Friday 22 May 2020 Term 6 Monday 1 June to Monday 20 July 2020

Remaining Inset Days Thursday 7 May 2020 Monday 11 May 2020 Monday 20 July 2020

School is closed on Friday 8th May (Bank holiday) The Phase 1 building works in the school, which concentrated on our Attendance Post 16 provision, will be complete for the start of the new term. Phase Congratulations to the students who have 68 2, our KEEP provision, will then achieved 100% attendance for Term 3, what a commence through to the end of great achievement! August. (See names on page 6) Simon Penrose, Safeguarding & Pastoral Mentor

Information for Parents/Carers AskAboutGames is a joint venture between the VSC Rating Board and games trade body Ukie, run with input and advice from across the games industry. Games are played by people of all ages, and are now a mainstream daily activity for millions across the world, just like music and films. That is why every game published in the UK has a PEGI age rating clearly displayed on the packaging – to help ensure that the right games are enjoyed by the right players. AskAboutGames is supported by video game publishers and retailers in the UK – who are keen to ensure their products are enjoyed by suitable audiences. If you have a question about age ratings, are looking for tips about safe and beneficial play, or want to discover the best games to play yourself or with your family, AskAboutGames is here to help. More details can be found on their website www.askaboutgames.com

If you’d like your child to take a break from the tech and try something different, here’s the perfect opportunity!

For more information contact Kris Tavender at [email protected]

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Or for other ideas including clubs, community groups, short breaks, a day out etc visit https://www.bristol.gov.uk/web/bristol-local-offer/sports-and- activities-for-children-with-send

Here are some details of activities from Nothin Special.

Boxfit is for 12 years + Disco is for 14-25 years.

Further details can be found on their website http://www.nothinspecial.org.uk/

And finally, some details on inclusive cycling.

Access Sport are running three inclusive cycling sessions over February half term in Lawrence Weston, Hillfields and . These sessions are open to all ages and abilities and are free to attend.

Our Learning Upcoming mindfulness course for parents/ Kingsweston Centre @ Oasis academy Brightstowe carers. Further details on page 5 This year Safer Internet Day was on Tuesday 11th February which was celebrated globally with the theme: Together for a better internet. We discussed whether young people feel free to be themselves online. We explored how young people manage their online identity, and how the internet shapes how they think of themselves and others. Below are some websites that you may find of interest with regards to helping keep your child safe whilst they are online. https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/2020 https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety http://reportharmfulcontent.com/

Our Learning Great Progress Kingsweston Centre @ Taking charge of his future. Shirehampton pupils took part in a Chinese New Year event with dragon dances, food tasting and arts associated with Hugo came to the class with an the festival. We made money ambition to work in the catering envelopes, Chinese lanterns and world. Now, with the help of his watched a news report on the family and KWS, he's been able to go celebrations to learn more facts onto the next step. He is now doing about the festival. work experience at a restaurant. The results have been to his credit; positive feedback from the company and a great example to his class peers in taking personal responsibility for their ambitions. Well done Hugo!

Our Learning Great Progress Post 16 @ Down College Battling the Elements Thursday sessions are split in 5AD, with half the class going to the allotments and the other half cooking. This term is no different, except the weather has been WET.

Despite this, students have continued their volunteering and cleared paths for both allotment users and local residents, regardless of the weather. They donned their wet weather gear and got stuck in, returning to college after their morning's work. Meanwhile the cooking team continue to advance their culinary Lucy has made great achievements this term, we skills and have had to be flexible with some temporary staff have seen her making positive friendships, working changes. hard and showing interest in her work. All in all, the class group continue to mature into young adults as Well done Lucy, we are very proud of the great they prepare for their next steps in life. steps you are making!

Annual review, transition and work experience information WORK EXPERIENCE: Napier Miles/KEEP From 30th March to 3rd April 2020, Comet, Sun, Apollo, Saturn and Post 16 KEEP students will be participating in our ‘Internal Work Experience’ week. This will be an opportunity for all classes to undertake some specific work experience tasks as well as allowing individual students to apply, and be interviewed, for some key job roles such as helping in the office, helping the caretakers and assisting with younger students. Families are welcome to come along and see all they have achieved at 10.00am on Friday 3rd April 2020. Brightstowe: We hope that our Year 10 and Year 11 pupils will all get an opportunity, at some point in the year, to go on a work experience placement. We have had some great placements offered to some of our students which includes Sainsbury’s, WDM, The Big Circle and St Monica’s Trust. We look forward to their placements taking place later in the year. If you have a work place that may be willing to support with a placement please do get in touch with Kat Bradford [email protected]

TRANSITIONS: City of Bristol College Open Days: Centre Open Day: 18th March, 13th May - 10.00am-3.30pm (residential provision alongside City of Bristol courses – available for age 18+) Generic all centres: 2 May, 4th July -10.00am-1.00pm,

Visit to Kingsweston School Post 16 Provision based at College: 12th March 1.30pm – available to Year 9 or Year 10 Brightstowe site pupils. Please contact Kat to book a place on the visit.

If you would like to visit Kingsweston Post 16 provision at Napier Miles Road or would like support to visit another local provision, please do get in touch with Kat Bradford [email protected]

PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE TEAM: A new Bristol City Council team has been established to support young people from Y9+ on their pathway to adulthood. If you would like more information or for your child to be referred to the team, please contact Kat Bradford.

Our Learning Comet Class @Napier Miles

Comet class have been finding out about different celebrations from around the world. We learned about Burns Night and dressed up in tartan clothes, made shortbread and listened to Robert Burns poems. We made a friendship tree to celebrate the Jewish festival Tu B’Shevat and decided on what we think makes a good friend. We are looking forward to doing a Chinese dragon dance and enjoying making and eating some Chinese food for Chinese New Year.

Our Learning Galaxy Class @ Napier Miles In Term 3 pupils enjoyed reading dinosaur stories, e.g. Say hello to dinosaurs! by Ian Whybrow & Tim Warnes and That’s not my dinosaur by Fiona Watt. We explored topic sensory trays; danced along to the Dinosaur Stomp song and used our own words, PECs and VOCA to choose the colours to colour in dinosaurs. We signed dinosaurs names during Makaton Yoga and wrote sentences describing dinosaur scenes using symbols.

Forest School & Horticulture Term 3 bought us some cold and frosty mornings. Perfect for wrapping up and exploring outside followed by a steamy hot chocolate! Pupils from Brightstowe and Shirehampton joined thousands of schools around the country in the RSPB ‘Big Garden Bird Watch 2020’ spotting birds and making bird feeders. Pupils from Napier Miles have learned about animals that hibernate and helped to build animal shelters and homes. They also enjoyed story time in the woods and explored herbs in the garden. Everyone has helped with clearing the garden after the strong winds, weeding the flower beds ready for spring bulbs and keeping our eyes open for The Gruffalo! Please remember to send in hats and gloves with your child for their Forest School session. Thank you. Katy & Kelly

Our Learning Moon Class @ Napier Miles This term Moon Class have been having fun learning through our topic ‘Once Upon a Time’! The class loved hearing familiar and unfamiliar stories, and thrived in working together to create our very own stories; from a King being saved by a hero taking down a giant troll, to a scary wolf tearing down all of the trees in a forest! We also completed a number of challenges, including making boats to save Moana! During this activity, every single pupil reached ‘Purple’ on our class reward chart! Amazing work!

Term 3 —100% attendance

1. Lisa-Marie 24. Isla 47. Tobias B 2. Mohammed 25. Ozi 48. Thomas This term we welcomed; 3. Beatrice 26. Maddie 49. Lee S Jordan Bool who joins the school and Leadership Team as 4. Bobby 27. Christopher 50. Jayden Quality of Education Lead, ASC Strand. 5. Zachariah Z 28. Diaz 51. Makonnen Liliana Varela has joined the Leadership Team and is Quality 6. Kameci 29. Brandon Al 52. Tobias M of Education Lead, SLD Strand. 7. Joshua 30. Morgan 53. Jopaul Lyn Pembry - Teacher in ASC Strand - Brightstowe 8. Sean 31. Lance 54. Georgie Liz Pope - Teacher in ASC Strand - Shirehampton 9. David A 32. Yanis 55. Woody Rachel Scott- Teacher in SLD Strand 10. Troy 33. Csongor 56. Nathanael Jorge Perez Jimenez - Teacher - SLD Strand 11. Emily 34. Brandon Ar 57. Benoit Jessica Harrison - Business Support Administrator 12. Myles 35. Jonah 58. Tyler 13. Marcin 36. Kayzen 59. Edward Kieren Fox - TA in ASC Strand - Brightstowe 14. Melissa 37. Yug 60. Lucas Henry Solomon - TA in The KEEP 15. Pranvera 38. Dylan 61. Ismail Alexandra Fitzgerald - TA in The KEEP 16. Brandon L 39. Kelsey 62. Hassan Helen Denby - TA - SLD Strand 17. Ayden 40. Jaheem 63. Ashley Sana Hammad - TA SLD Strand 18. Yi-jia 41. Autumn 64. Hannah 19. Kyreese 42. Alfred 65. Dexter We say goodbye and thank you to; 20. Richard 43. Ace 66. Vincent Deborah Capel 21. Jamie-Lee 44. Ellis 67. Mayank Marion Britton 22. Burak 45. Johntae 68. Callum PS Joanna Dearson 23. Edith 46. Jessica