if you could change one thing to build a fairer society ... · to find a passion for what they do,...
TRANSCRIPT
Community Bulletin
Monday 22nd June 2020
School Update
This week we will be posting a video message on Show My Homework to our leaving Year 13s. The
young men and women we celebrate in this video, some of whom have been at the School for seven
years, are going onto their next adventure, be it university or a career, with both excitement and
trepidation. We wish them well on this journey and in this video urge them to continue to build and
maintain the relationships with their family, friends and community that are so important to all of us,
to find a passion for what they do, and to help build a better, fairer and more equal society.
Please note that Monday 6th July is an Inset Day and so no home learning will be set that day.
Please also note reposted sections below on career insights, e-safety including parental safety
controls, Show My Homework and national health measures.
A Moment’s Thought
With our appeal to our leaving Year 13s to help build a better, fairer and more equal society, consider
this question:
If you could change one thing to build a fairer society, what would it be?
Send in your thoughts to [email protected].
June In History
On 22nd June 1948 the HMT Empire Windrush arrived in Essex carrying hundreds of passengers from
the Caribbean hoping for a new life in Britain. You can read more about this story here.
The National Archives records show that among the 1,000 people aboard the Windrush about half
were from Jamaica, with significant numbers from Bermuda, Trinidad, and British Guiana. Overall
about 800 were from the Caribbean with the remaining passengers members of the RAF from Britain
and a group of Polish refugees who had taken refuge in Mexico in 1943 from the Nazi occupation of
Poland.
Today, on the 72nd anniversary of this day, marks Windrush Day. You may want to explore some of the
films, podcasts, books, plays and articles shared by Islington Council here, and we will share some
highlights in the sections below.
Send in your thoughts to [email protected].
Poetry Corner
The poet James Berry came to England in 1948, although not on the Windrush. Of this he said:
“When the Windrush came along it was simply a godsend, but I could not get on that boat. I
simply could not meet the expenses … It was some time before I could get myself together
and sell the few pigs and goats I had, to gather up the money … I had to wait for the second
ship to make the journey that year, the SS Orbita.”
He said that after his arrival in England:
“Instantly, my great obsession was to improve my English language so I could begin to write
short stories.”
Berry took up a job as a telephone engineer and began writing alongside this. His collection of poems
Windrush Songs can be heard in part here, along with an interview with Berry. Other poems read by
Berry can be heard here.
Send in your thoughts and contributions to [email protected].
VTalks
As always, please check the VTalks schedule provided for us by Speakers for Schools. This continues
with live talks by industry leaders that would normally take place in schools, streamed on the link
above.
Monday 22nd June, 2pm: Armando Iannucci, Oscar nominated writer and director
Oscar nominated writer, director and producer Armando Iannucci will be speaking to SFS and
young people across the UK about his career in comedy on film, TV and radio and answering
your questions!
Tuesday 23rd June, 10am: Richard Waterworth, General Manager, UK and EU, TikTok
Rich Waterworth will be joining SFS and students across the UK to discuss his own career
journey and to demystify TikTok and the work that takes place within the organisation!
Tuesday 23rd June, 2pm: Tamara Holmgren, Engineer and Project Manager, BP
Join SFS and Tamara Holmgren, Engineer and Project Manager at BP on International
Women in Engineering Day for an interview that will focus on STEM careers and Tamara’s
career journey to date.
Wednesday 24th June, 10am: Maurits Van Tol, Chief Technology Officer, Johnson Matthey
Maurits van Tol will be interviewed by SFS before moving to student Q+A. Tune in to learn
more about Maurits’ career in STEM and life lessons and advice.
Wednesday 24th June, 2pm: Bernadine Brocker Wieder, CEO, Vastari Group Ltd
Interested in how exhibitions are brought together? Join Bernadine Brocker Wieder to
explore how she got to where she is today and more about her role.
To catch-up on old VTalks, they can all be found on their website in the video library. Highlights include
the talks by Robert Peston, Malcolm Gladwell and Natalie Bennett.
Try New Genres
There’s a Black Britain: Windrush Generation playlist on Spotify that includes the sounds made by,
influenced by and inspired by the Windrush generation and their descendants. It includes:
Pressure Drop by The Maytals
She’s Royal by Tarrus Riley
You Don’t Love Me (No, No, No) by Dawn Penn
007 (Shanty Town) by Desmond Dekker
A Message To You Rudy by The Specials
Send in your suggestions to [email protected]
Reading, Watching, Listening
Watching
The BBC has many programmes that explore the issues around both the people who arrived on the
Windrush and their experience in the UK since. These include Windrush: Movement Of The People, a
contemporary dance work that is a lively celebration of multicultural Britain, Sitting In Limbo a drama
inspired by the Windrush scandal about Anthony Bryan who after 50 years in Britain was wrongfully
detained by the Home Office and threatened with deportation, and The Unwanted: The Secret
Windrush Files in which David Olusoga explores that scandal in more detail.
Listening
In this History Extra podcast (or listen on Spotify), Colin Grant tells the stories of post-war immigrants
to Britain from the Caribbean.
Reading
Many books have been written about the experiences of these men, women and children in the 1950s
and since, as well as their families’ experiences. Sam Selvon’s Lonely Londoners is one the most well
known, and other works by authors such as Andrea Levy and Hannah Lowe can be found here.
Well-Being
You might want to use the Joyful June calendar from the Action for Happiness group. This month it
helps us look for the good when things are difficult and times are hard.
The PE Department have shared their latest challenge, asking you to complete as many activities as
possible to accumulate participation tracker points for completing five, eight or 40 challenges! We
have shared this below but you can also see it on their Instagram account.
Career Insights
Next week, from 29th June to 3rd July, is the virtual London Careers Festival. The festival is designed
to connect students with the world of work and skill building opportunities. “Attendees” will be
introduced to the diverse array of opportunities offered across Greater London and beyond, to fuel
their imaginations and help inform and shape their futures. The festival provides a full programme of
webinars, workshops and easily accessible resources to support pupils to explore a wide range of skills
and career related opportunities. You can see the full programme here.
People Friendly Streets
Islington Council is putting in place measures to ensure safe and healthy local transport arrangements
that enable social distancing.
They have set up an easy-to-use mapping tool called 'People Friendly Streets in Islington'. Please use
this to write a quick comment if they can think of a place where we could:
Make it easier and safer to walk and cycle
Be healthier and greener
Allow social distancing now and in the future
This could be around the school, your home, or another place in the borough where you think change
needs to happen. You can also 'like' other people's comments if you see one you agree with. Islington
will review all the ideas suggested and this will help them to make the bold changes we need to make
sure we can all keep enjoying our streets.
Generation Lockdown Writes
We would like to draw your attention to a competition called Generation Lockdown Writes. You can
find out more information here, but this is a writing competition for those aged between seven and
17. It is an opportunity to write about your experience of the “lockdown”. It could be a personal
experience, a poem, or a creative story, but it must be 700 words or under and submitted by 17th July.
Send in your thoughts to [email protected] if you would like help with this project.
100 Great Black Britons
This week we will draw your attention to another competition, this time one for which there is a £300
or £400 prize!
The 100 Great Black Britons competition asks you to use the resources available here to choose one
of the Great Black Britons listed here and create a unique and innovative project to celebrate their
work and legacy. This could be an essay, a biography, presentation, a display, or any kind of project,
and the list of people you could choose cover a range of industries and include poets such as Benjamin
Zephaniah, sportspeople such as Tessa Sanderson and Paul Ince, and composers such as Samuel
Coleridge-Taylor.
Send in your thoughts to [email protected] if you would like help with this project.
Show My Homework
The School has chosen to use Show My Homework as the platform through which it is delivering its
lessons during this period of closure. Parents can find most of their questions answered here but we
have summarised some key points.
1. To login in as a parent to view your child’s account details, including their to-do list and their
gradebook, you will need an email address and a SMHW PIN. To get your SMHW PIN please
contact Mr Mitchard on [email protected].
2. Pupils who are logging into a parent’s account will not be able to submit homework using the
application or website. This can only be done with a pupil account. Again, for help in relation
to this, please contact Mr Mitchard on [email protected].
3. Parents and pupils have access to two types of task list on SMHW: their to-do list and their
gradebook. The to-do list can be crossed off by pupils before work has been completed and
submitted. The gradebook is the record of the work the teacher has received and is the most
accurate account of pupil work submission. Please see here for full information on how to
submit work using SMHW.
A to-do list managed by a pupil
A gradebook with the submission record from the teachers
Internet Safety
It is probable that as a result of home learning we are all spending much more time online. It is
important to remind ourselves that the internet has emerging online spaces and social networks which
allow individuals to publish unchecked content. It is also important to use your better judgement and
in particular be aware of fake news, scams and other forms of exploitation online.
Here is a simple explanation of how to set parental controls on devices.
Here are our 11 tips for being safe online:
1. Only USE devices or apps, sites or games if a trusted adult says so.
2. ASK for help if you are stuck or not sure.
3. TELL a trusted adult if you're upset, worried, scared or confused.
4. If you get a FUNNY FEELING about something online, talk to an adult.
5. Look out for your FRIENDS and tell someone if they need help.
6. REMEMBER people online aren’t always who they say they are.
7. Anything you do online can be shared and might stay online FOREVER.
8. Don’t keep SECRETS or do DARES AND CHALLENGES just because someone tells you that you
have to.
9. BE CAREFUL what you do in front of a camera, even if you think it is not recording.
10. Never SHARE personal information including your real name, address, mobile or landline
phone numbers, school attended, IM and email addresses, bank details, passwords, full names
of friends or family, specific interests and clubs that you belong to.
11. Always be KIND and polite to everyone.
Parents seeking help or information to support their child with online safety can learn more from
the resources provided below:
Childline - for support.
UK Safer Internet Centre - to report and remove harmful online content.
CEOP - for advice on making a report about online abuse.
Internet matters - for support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online.
London Grid for Learning - for support for parents and carers to keep their children safe
online.
Net-aware - for support for parents and careers from the NSPCC.
Parent info - for support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online.
Thinkuknow - for advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online.
UK Safer Internet Centre - advice for parents and carers.
Health Advice For Everyone
Please find full Government guidance here.
1. Handwashing advice
It is essential that everyone washes their hands more often, using soap and water for at least 20
seconds. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from
the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the
virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less
feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that
rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.
2. Symptoms
The Government continue to emphasise the importance of self-isolating if you or someone in your
household has symptoms:
- A new continuous cough, and/or
- A high temperature, and/or
- A loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you've noticed you cannot smell
or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
This means seven days at home for those who develop these symptoms, and 14 days at home for all
others in the household from the first day the member of the household showed symptoms. If those
who develop symptoms still have a fever after seven days, they should continue to self-isolate until
their temperature returns to normal.
The vast majority of our community will be able to treat these symptoms with rest, paracetamol and
drinking plenty of fluids. If you are concerned, you can use the 111 coronavirus services.
3. Staying alert
The Government have urged everyone to stay alert and maintain social distancing, including staying
at home unless necessary to go out for specific reasons set out in law, including:
- For work, where you cannot work from home
- Going to shops that are permitted to be open – to get things like food and medicine, and to
collect goods ordered online or on the phone
- To exercise or spend time outdoors for recreation
- Any medical need, to donate blood, avoid injury or illness, escape risk of harm, or to provide
care or to help a vulnerable person.
Most importantly, this includes the key advice that you should stay two metres apart from anyone
outside of your household. Face coverings can help us protect each other and reduce the spread of
the disease if you are in an enclosed space where social distancing isn’t possible and where you will
come into contact with people you do not normally meet. This is most relevant for short periods
indoors in crowded areas, for example on public transport or in some shops.
It is still not permitted to leave your house to visit friends and family in their home. The government
is looking at how to facilitate greater contact with close family or friends, and will explain how this can
be done safely in the coming weeks.