To mark ‘International Friendship Day 2020’, our Headteacher, Mrs Webster, discusses why friendship is so important for the children here at Pilgrims.

Friendship plays a crucial role in leading a happy and healthy life for people of all ages, but it is especially important for children as it helps them to learn and develop new life skills.

Being kind to each other and making friends here at Pilgrims is just as important as education, which is why we encourage considerate and compassionate behaviour both in and out of the classroom. Friendships develop trust and create a world where everyone can be united and supportive of each other.

Building friendships requires empathy and concern for other people. By valuing friendship, children adopt these characteristics and embrace a more selfless and grateful approach to life. After all, friends are there to offer encouragement and support in tough times and share life experiences in the fun times too.

Friendship can also improve emotional and social development, increase self-confidence, improve communication skills and reduce anxieties and stress.

Did your children miss their friends during lockdown?

I certainly missed all of the children and it was great to have all of the year groups back before the summer break, even if it was only for a short period. I think we can all agree that being away from our friends during lockdown has made us realise just how important friendship is and why we all love being at school and seeing our friends every day!

Although it is not possible for the children to hug each other or share toys right now, it is still possible to have fun and play safely together. This lovely video explains to children how they can still show each other that they care and cherish each other’s friendships while social distancing:

What can your children do to nurture their friendships?

Children can nurture friendships by spending quality time together, both in person and virtually. Children tend to form friendships with others that have similar interests to them, so if they can, try and help them to participate in activities they enjoy together during the holidays. These can include going for socially distanced walks, visits to the park or even a back-yard BBQ!

If it is not possible for your children to see their friends, then you can encourage them to keep in touch online, over the phone or by video calls. This is a great way for children to improve communication skills and express their excitement while they share with each other what they have been doing in the summer holidays.

Other ways for your children to show friends that they care include making a card or some artwork to send to them, making a friendship bracelet or other keepsake or writing a list of everything that they love about their friends and sharing it with them. These activities show friends that your child is thinking of them and values their friendship, even when they are not physically there.

So, this International Friendship Day, help your children use this opportunity to celebrate the important people in our lives and consider how they make our own lives better.

As thousands of children return to the classroom this week after a long spell in lockdown, Mrs Webster, Headteacher at Pilgrims School explains how the youngsters – and their teachers – have taken it all in their stride.

There has been much made of the Government’s decision to reopen schools this week to certain age groups – attending alongside those Key Worker children who have been in school since the start of the lockdown period.

But despite the debate, and once we were given the go-ahead to reopen, there has been no doubt in the minds of our staff that we could – and would – provide children with a happy and welcoming reception when they walked back into the school playground for the first time.

Colourful bunting was erected to create zones where the children could play, gazebos provided shelter on the field so classes could be taught outside and decking areas were extended out from each classroom to give the children additional space.

One of the main concerns about school’s reopening has been how to implement socially distancing, with such young children.

Obviously, staying two metres away from everyone else is a lot to ask of our very little people.  However, our staff have been extremely creative with ways to encourage the children to play at increased distances from each other.

Each classroom has a reduced number of children and they remain in their set “bubble” throughout the day which restricts who they mix with. They also have set play areas to stay within during break times – one for each bubble.

Snacks and meals are brought to the classroom so the children do not have to flow around school as much as they used to. And, if they do, they follow arrows which have been added to the floor.

You might imagine that such new additions to daily life would increase the potential for anxiety among the children but we have found the opposite to be true. It just feels like a new ‘game’ to them.

What’s more, we had totally under-estimated just how excited the children would be to see friends again and their happy smiles and energetic waving lifted us all after such a long period of separation.

Since our return on Monday the main focus in lessons has been making sure the children are happy and feel safe.

This started with ensuring their parents were aware of what was expected and how the school would operate so they could discuss this with their family and make informed decisions.

Mrs Webster and Mrs Quince then put together a ‘Welcome Back’ video which parents and the children could view before returning so that everyone could take on board the new arrangements.

Our Pastoral & SEND Co-Ordinator is in school and always available to those children who may need additional encouragement or support.  However, so far, the children are just so happy to be back learning alongside their friends.

Feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive and staff have been praised for the welcoming and smooth start to what has become a “new normal”.

This feedback has been really important to the staff who have worked so hard throughout the lockdown – and who continue to do so – and we are extremely grateful to all of you who have taken the time to send words of encouragement.

The entire school staff have pulled together during this period (whether from home or in school) to keep Pilgrims open for key worker families, provide home learning to children remaining at home and prepare to reopen safely.

And we are thrilled to see that, even with restrictions in place, Pilgrims still feels like Pilgrims.

At Pilgrims School, the mental health and wellbeing of our pupils is just as important as their education. Here, Headteacher Mrs Webster explains why they’re working alongside The Mind Map charity to provide support for children and parents during this difficult time.

Coronavirus is something that didn’t exist a year ago. And we, as adults, don’t fully understand it – so how can we expect children to?  A few months ago, the children’s usual routine completely changed and we are very mindful of the effects that this dramatic change can have on young children.

We have worked closely with The Mind Map over the last two years to introduce a Well-Being and Resilience programme within the school.  We had already introduced new initiatives to encourage children to talk about their feelings, we keep parents up-to-date by running assemblies and workshops and work alongside teachers and staff to ensure we are providing the correct support to those children who need it, where necessary.

During this period of uncertainty, they have now provided parents with lots of tips and advice on how to manage anxiety and worry which we share via our weekly newsletters.  Our Pastoral & SEND Co-Ordinator, Mrs Morales, has her own ‘Well-Being Blog’ within these newsletters and they are proving extremely popular with both parents and their children.

Some of the suggestions so far have included making a ‘Worry Box’ to store children’s worries and allocating a certain time each day to discuss these, as well as reading books and articles like Molly Watts’ ‘Dave the Dog is worried about Coronavirus’ to help them to better understand what’s going on.

It’s also important to spend as much quality time as possible as a family, and enjoy doing activities together in the evenings and at weekends.

One of the best ways to help with mental health is going for regular walks – as the fresh air is great for taking your mind off things and lifting your mood. Why not take your child’s learning into the garden, if the weather is nice?

We miss you!

The lockdown has meant that virtual learning has replaced our normal school curriculum over the last few months and although this means we are spending extra time with our families, we are missing all our friends and teachers.

Following the Government’s recent announcement about re-opening schools, we are working hard to ensure we can deliver a safe and secure environment to do this, in line with the guidance provided.  We hope it won’t be long before we can welcome our families back to Pilgrims, albeit in a slightly different way.

In the meantime, if you have any questions or need any advice about how to talk to your children about coronavirus, please visit the coronavirus page on our website. This contains useful downloads, advice and tips as well as some activity ideas to enjoy in your free time while in lockdown.

The ongoing coronavirus pandemic means that Easter weekend will be spent at home this year, but there’s still lots of family fun to be had. Here our Headteacher, Mrs Webster, shares some activities to enjoy during the Easter break.

We know that explaining to children that they can’t leave the house can be very difficult so it’s important to keep them entertained with fun activities to enjoy at home.

Learning through play

At Pilgrims, we believe that every day is a learning day and learning through Easter play is a great way to keep pupils’ knowledge expanding, while having fun.

Baking is a great way to incorporate maths into a family activity while you weigh out the ingredients together. The best part is that you can enjoy eating it together when you’ve finished! Why not try making our pear and chocolate crumble for after your Easter lunch?

While your crumble is in the oven, you could take some time to read a book together or head over to David Walliams’ website to listen to his audio stories.

You could also do some arts and crafts such as creating your own Easter egg design, making bunny ears using recycled cereal boxes or Easter baskets using recycled yogurt pots and ribbon. Don’t forget to decorate them with paint, stickers and materials you can glue on. Don’t be afraid to get messy!

If the weather permits, why not use your daily exercise to head out for a walk to spot the signs of spring? Look out for daffodils and butterflies while listening for the buzz of the bumblebees. Or if you are looking for exercises to do in the house or garden, Joe Wicks is holding live PE lessons every weekday at 9am on YouTube, although you can catch up with them any time.

Remember, an Easter egg hunt proves that your children can find anything if they really want to! A fun idea could be to make some clues to get your kids puzzling over where to find the next pointer around the house and in the garden, eventually leading to their Easter treats.

Share the fun

We’d love to see what you are up to over Easter, so why not share your pictures into the closed Facebook group? Or if you are happy to have your photos shared, send them to our public Facebook and Twitter pages.

It’s so important to keep yourselves and your loved ones safe right now, so please make sure you are only spending time with the people you live with during this time. For more information on how to talk to children about the virus and details about our remote learning, go to the coronavirus page on our website.

We hope you all have a lovely Easter and we can’t wait to see how much fun you are having at home!

As this week is Nutrition and Hydration Week, we asked our catering manager, Mrs Bhogal, about her role in ensuring the children eat healthily and drink plenty while they’re at school. She also shares her top tips on how to make healthy meals at home.

What are your top tips to making your meals as nutritious and tasty as possible?

Adding pureed vegetables to sauces is a great way to make meals more nutritious. I would recommend using seasoning and herbs to add flavour instead of adding salt. We also reduce the amount of sugar in our cakes wherever possible. By offering fresh fruit for snacks and prepared fruit and natural yogurt for dessert, the children always have a healthy option on offer.

What’s your favourite vegetable to cook with?

Courgettes! Courgettes are an excellent nutritious vegetable to use in sauces and they make a gorgeous cake too! You can find the recipe for our courgette and lemon cupcakes on our website.

What’s your favourite meal to make and what is the most popular meal with the children?

I love making a traditional chicken curry at home. The most popular meal with the children is bolognaise!

How do you encourage children to eat their five a day?

We always encourage them to at least try different pieces of fruit and our reward tokens help.

What’s the best way to encourage pupils to stay hydrated?

Water is always available to the children. Main school children have their own water bottle in class so they can drink and replenish them throughout the day. There is also a popular water fountain! Even the younger children in Little Pilgrims and Pre School have their own named beakers so they can help themselves to a drink whenever they need one.

What’s the best thing about your job?

The children! I particularly love to see their eating habits change as they move on through the school. It’s lovely to see how keen they are to try new flavours and they get excited when they see their favourite dishes on the menu. They’re not shy to ask for extra portions either!

Remember to look out for our ‘recipe of the month’ which is shared on our Twitter and Facebook pages. You can also download Mrs Bhogal’s recipes from the ‘What’s for lunch page’ on our website.

To mark ‘Safer Internet Day’, our Headteacher, Mrs Webster explains how to keep our children safe online.

Our children are experiencing unprecedented access to information, entertainment and social interaction – more than any generation before them. Young people are also more technically minded, meaning that many children know how to access the internet before the age of eight.

Although it’s important to learn about the online world from a young age, there are also many dangers that parents need to be wary of.

Firstly, we need to be aware of age restrictions – which are there for a reason.

Facebook’s minimum age is 13 and so is Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. However, we would urge parents to take a good look at platforms before allowing children to use them.

After all, there are many other social media accounts that are becoming popular among children, that we may not know much about.

TikTok is one platform that has taken the online world by storm. TikTok is a social media network where users can share videos in exchange for likes and comments. If you have older children, you may be familiar with the music and the trending dances.

And, like other social media sites, the minimum age to use TikTok is 13. But it’s so important that we are vigilant. Lots of younger children are finding their way on to them by simply changing their date of birth. Sharing videos online can be incredibly dangerous, particularly if the children are young and unaware of how to use the platform safely.

Not all internet use is dangerous, however. It’s worth noting that there are various other apps and platforms for younger children to enjoy, many of which are educational. These include blackboard madness, Elmo loves 123s and pocket phonics. There are also a wide range of games to enjoy.

By downloading apps on your mobile device or tablet, you are able to control the content they consume. It’s a lot safer than using their own gadgets.

YouTube is another popular platform. This is because it contains some great videos for children to enjoy and you can also access series of your child’s favourite TV show. So, when you’re on a long car journey or waiting for an appointment, you can find endless episodes of Peppa Pig to keep your little ones occupied.

But like social media, YouTube can pose some risks. Continuously monitoring your children while using platforms like YouTube is vital, especially if they know how to search for videos themselves.

One example of a hoax that hit the headlines in July 2018 was the Momo Challenge. Most prominent on YouTube, people were posing as the fictional character ‘Momo’ to target teenagers to entice them to do as she said, which reportedly involved performing violent acts. This was extremely distressing and meant that all children were at risk of being exposed to this character as she was appearing in a wide range of videos across the platform – including Peppa Pig.

Here at Pilgrims we understand the importance of keeping our children safe and our parents informed. This is why we implement a number of policies and training activities for children, parents and staff alike. We want to make sure that we can all work together to be able to enjoy all the opportunities online offers, while remaining  aware of the potential risks children might be exposed to.

If you would like to research this topic further, the Childnet website has more information. There are also downloadable resources for parents and carers.

With children around the country busy writing their present list for Father Christmas, Mrs Webster, Pilgrims’ Headteacher explains why the school takes time to remind the children about the importance of giving.

December is here and with it comes all the joys of Christmas; decorations, festive lights, carols, nativity performances and, of course, writing to Father Christmas.  At Pilgrims, however, we also understand the importance of teaching the children that Christmas is not just about the presents they may receive.  It’s about much more.

During a recent assembly we asked the children to share their thoughts on what makes Christmas special to them.  We heard lots about family traditions such as digging up the tree from last Christmas which has spent all year at the bottom on the garden, to watching Elf the movie every evening for a week, to making edible tree decorations to deliver to the neighbours.  All demonstrating how most of the children’s precious memories at Christmas time are far from being materialistic.

Many of the children’s stories also mentioned other people; whether it’s carol singing outside a neighbour’s house, to relatives arriving from “a place called London which is really, really far away” to the excitement of calling their friends on the telephone to wish them “Merry Christmas”.

Our children consistently amaze us with their generosity of spirit and an empathy for others – something which fits the Christmas spirit whether you are religious or not.  The choir were delighted to visit the local residential home to not only sing Christmas carols to the residents but also invite them to watch a Nativity performance at school, followed by a delicious afternoon tea.  The children were excited to be able to sit with the residents and to hear about how Christmas gifts have changed over the years.  They were amazed to find out that Christmas stockings used to be filled with apples, oranges and nuts – not toys, books and computer games!  It was lovely to see the expressions on all the faces around the table; both young and old.

So, no matter what you receive for Christmas this year, please also remember the joy of giving; your gift doesn’t have to be wrapped up in paper, it can arrive in the form of a surprise telephone call, a warm hug or even a Christmas sing-song.

Merry Christmas everyone!

To mark Sugar Awareness Week, our catering manager Pam discusses how to be more aware of our sugar intake and shares her tips to reduce the amount we use in our cooking.

Children in the UK are consuming double their daily intake of sugar each day, according to a 2018 study by Public Health England.

This means that children aged between four and ten years old are consuming an average of 13 cubes of sugar each day, even though the recommended amount is no more than five to six cubes.

In Britain, we are consuming too much sugar and we need to be more aware of what we are putting into our bodies, particularly where our children are concerned.

According to the NHS, up to 27% of our daily sugar intake comes from chocolate, sweets and jams. Chocolate spread is one of the worst offenders as it contains 57.1g of total sugar per 100g.

At Pilgrims we have recently introduced popcorn as a morning snack. The popcorn is popped in our kitchen and no sugar or salt is added so it’s a healthy and nutritious snack for the children to enjoy.

Many drinks also contain lots of sugar, with fizzy drinks such as cola containing 39 grams of sugar in a 12oz can. Although fruit juice is seen as a healthy alternative to other sugary soft drinks, it’s important to limit the amount you consume because of the amount of sugar it contains. It is recommended that children should only have 150ml of fruit juice or smoothies per day. It’s also important to make sure the fruit juice is fresh and contains no added sugar, because this can boost sugar levels significantly.

Sugar can also be found in a wide variety of savoury foods, including many sauces. Many supermarkets offer a ‘reduced sugar and salt’ alternative to help you reduce your sugar and salt intake, so it’s always worth looking out for these. All of our tomato sauces are made using carrots and courgettes which are blended in for extra goodness. You can download the recipe for our Meatballs in fresh tomato sauce here.

When cooking, many recipes also tell you to add a significant amount of sugar, particularly when you are baking cakes or sweet treats. I always recommend reducing the amount of sugar used when cooking. All the cakes and tray bakes we make in our kitchen at Pilgrims have had their recipe sugar intake quartered, but they still taste great. We have also added gojo berries into our flapjacks and chia seeds to our biscuits as hidden health boosters.

Instead of sweetened yoghurt we serve natural, unsweetened yoghurt and use a range of fresh fruit purees so the children can create their own flavours.

Although sugar in large quantities can be bad for you, it is also important as part of a balanced diet. Natural sugars in foods such as fruit contain the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that we need to stay healthy. This is why we have fresh fruit available all day so our pupils can choose it for breakfast, lunch or snack.

For more information about sugar and how to enjoy it as part of a balance diet, visit the NHS website.

The new school year may have only just started, but there has been lots going on in Year One at Pilgrims already. Here, Mrs Collins, teacher of class 1JC discusses what the pupils have been up to over the last few months.

The topic for the autumn term in Year One is ‘I’m an explorer, get me out of here!’. Pupils are learning all about different types of transport and how it has evolved over the years.

First of all we received an ‘SOS’ video call from Kirsty the explorer who is stranded in the jungle. She has found some objects from different modes of transport and has been sending them to us so we can investigate which mode of transport we think would be best to help her escape.

On Tuesday 10 September we took a school trip to Shuttleworth where the children learned all about the aircraft, the history of flight and have a look at the different types of aircraft held in the collection. We even got to watch some aeroplanes and gliders land which was really exciting!

Back at school we have been creating huge timelines to measure the passing of time as we formed a train timeline, writing fact files and poems and using bicycle wheels to create large-scale woven art.

Our creative curriculum has let us explore transport from every angle. We have been measuring our paper aeroplane flights, building bridges for trains and underground tracks, turning cogs to see how bicycle chains work and exploring the shapes we can see on a bicycle in art. After half term we will be heading off on our sponsored bike ride around Bedford Park to raise money for our school charity.

The pupils have been taking part in regular outdoor learning sessions and we were the first year group to use the fantastic new outdoor classroom at Pilgrims. The pupils have enjoyed den building in the woods and exploring mathematical language linked to the ‘pebble people’ we found hiding on the school field.

After half term we are looking forward to a visit from a mechanic who will be showing us how the wheels on cars are fitted and also finding out about floating and sinking as we learn about boats. But most importantly, we will find out if Kirsty has managed to escape from the jungle to join us for Christmas lunch!

At the beginning of the year we introduced a new Year One class to the school. We have asked new Year One teacher, Mr Orr about his time so far and asked what he’s looking forward to this year.

What’s your favourite thing about teaching?

My favourite thing about being a teacher is being able to see children achieving their best and helping them to reach their potential.

What has been your favourite moment from this term so far?

The school trip to Shuttleworth has been my favourite moment so far. The children had a great day and it was a perfect way to launch our new topic about transport.

What are you most looking forward to this term?

I’m really looking forward to the Christmas production. In fact, I can’t wait for all of the Christmas activities we have planned at school.

Describe Pilgrims in three words:

Welcoming, fun, innovative