Old Ford Newsletter

Principal’s Message

You will have seen news that the government is consulting on whether to ban all social media for children under 16.

Every week we have important messages in our newsletter about social media and the fact that all social media has a minimum age of 13. This includes apps such as Snapchat, Facebook and TikTok.

Despite all of our efforts, we are still hearing complaints from parents that their children are having issues online. Please ensure that you are monitoring your child’s use on the internet and you know who they are speaking to and what they are doing.

As you know, an important part of our curriculum is teaching pupils about esafety. We know that a lot of our pupils spend a lot of their time online, either through online gaming or on social media apps. This can sometimes lead to contact with inappropriate people
and/or exposure to inappropriate language. We strongly recommend that you monitor your children’s usage of the internet and that you are aware of what they are doing online.

Most social media apps have an age limit of 13+. If you are allowing your children to access these apps you are putting them at risk!

Read more about e-safety for you and your child.

Children’s Mental Health Week

Next week is Children’s Mental Health Week.

There will be a parent workshop on Tuesday 10th Feb at 2:30pm with Docklands Outreach in the ground floor hall. The workshop will promote positive mental health for young people by helping parents and carers support their children.

On Thursday 12th Feb, there will be a special coffee morning with the school nurse. She will discuss low level illnesses and when it’s appropriate to send a child to school. The aim is to work with pupils with low attendance.

1. Children can wear their own clothes on Friday 13th February for a £1 donation.
2. There will be a workshop with Dockland’s Outreach to help parents support their children’s mental health – Tuesday 10th February at 2:20pm
3. A coffee morning with the school nurse to help parents support their children with minor illnesses on Thursday 12th February at 9am.

Fire Safety

Community Resources for Families

• The government has launched their Best Start in Life supporting the Plan for Change target of 75% of children being school-ready by 2028. Visit the Best Start in Life website and sign up for personalised weekly emails.
• Have you ever considered volunteering? The Early Help service allows parents to come together, learn new skills and prepare for work. 
• The new expanded funded early education entitlements are available now – discover more about the 2-year-old childcare extension.

Start and end of the day

Please remember that there are no staff on duty in the playgrounds before and after school so parents/carers should supervise their own children. Children should not be playing with balls or on the climbing frames.

To keep children safe please do not park on the double yellow or zig-zag lines when you are collecting or dropping off. Tower Hamlets parking enforcement officers are conducting regular patrols in the area.

When collecting your child at the end of the day please wait until all pupils are in their lines before speaking to the teacher and collecting your child. We need to make sure that all of our pupils go home with the right adult!

Bow Foodbank