Old Town Primary School

Urgent message from Calderdale Public Health.

Blackout challenge / choking game

The “blackout challenge”, also referred to as the “choking game” or “pass-out challenge” encourages people to hold their breath until they experience a “high” or pass out due to a lack of oxygen.

It has been around since at least 2008 but has had widespread attention on TikTok since 2021.  Like other dangerous online challenges, it is targeted to a young audience.

Any activity that deprives the brain of oxygen has the potential to have lasting effects on the brain, or to result in death.

We have been made aware that young people in Calderdale may now be taking part in this extremely dangerous activity. 

Please be aware of the signs that might indicate that a young person is trying the blackout challenge, including:

• Bloodshot eyes
• Marks on the neck
• Severe headaches
• Feeling disorientated after spending time alone
• Ropes, scarves, belts etc. found knotted or tied to bedroom door handles

Please speak to the young people in your lives, as you feel appropriate, about the risks associated with this challenge, and ensure they know who to speak to if they are concerned about a friend or classmate.

It is also important that children and young people’s social media usage is monitored.

Thank you for your support.

Naomi Marquis | Public Health Manager (Children & Young People) | Calderdale MBC | 07773 977332 | naomi.marquis@calderdale.gov.uk

School will be closed today due to road conditions and the weather warnings for the day. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.

Hi all,

FOOTS have some very exciting news! We have been chosen as one of the local causes to support in the Co-op Local Community Fund! This is a fantastic way for us to raise funds for school from the wider community and we’re very grateful to Co-op for choosing us as one of their causes.

Whilst it comes with some guaranteed funding just for being chosen, it also gives us the option of raising a lot more. The more Co-op members choose us as their cause to support, the more money we make, and we know how vital that is for school (especially this year). 

So we would love to encourage you all to become a Co-op member if you;re not already, and choose us as your cause. Membership costs just £1, and has a wide range of other benefits including lower prices and money-off vouchers. Plus every time you spend £5 and swipe your membership card between now and December, you will be entered into a prize draw to win £500 for you and a whopping £5000 for your chosen cause. You can have your membership card on Apple Pay etc so you need even need to remember to take it with you, and can also use it if you shop online.

The direct link for our cause is here:

The Wadsworth Walking Market is on Sunday 30th June. This is a fantastic opportunity for us to raise funds for the school from the wider community and not just always us parents. 

If anyone can give us a hand on the day we’d really appreciate it! The sign up sheet can be found here: https://volunteersignup.org/XHLQ3.

We also need donations of cakes and scones to sell at the community centre. The scones can be fruit or plain - we are doing cream teas. If you are able to help with this please can you bring your baked goods to school on Friday 29th June and we will sort them!

Thank you to everyone for your help, especially those who have already signed up  We really appreciate it!

F.O.O.T.S xx

WHERE WILL YOUR BOOK TAKE YOU THIS SUMMER?

Near or far, home or away, books can take us to many amazing places. During the holidays, draw a picture on the front of your postcard to show us where your book has taken you and write a message on the back describing what you have seen. Bring it back after the summer holidays to receive a Matilda bookmark!  

Dear families

I am absolutely delighted to share with you that we have a full cohort of 15 pupils joining us into Reception in September.  This is quite remarkable as there continues to be a drop in school-age children in our locality.  Old Town Primary’s reputation for providing an outstanding experience has filtered into the community and I have all of you to thank for that, as well as our hard-working and dedicated staff, of course.    

From September, we will be re-configuring the classes once again in order to sensibly accommodate the different sized cohorts.  Wainsgate staff will teach pupils in Reception and Year 1, Wadsworth staff will teach pupils in Years 2, 3 and 4 and Chiserley staff will continue to teach Years 5 and 6.  We have already begun work on the curriculum schedule alongside our planned programme of improvement and refinement.

Despite the increased number of children joining the school, our overall numbers on roll remain largely the same due to the large cohort in Year 6 that will leave us at the end of the Summer Term.  It could be some time before we return to having four classes – total numbers on roll will need to increase significantly to secure that.  In the meantime, I would like to reassure you that the standard of education that we provide is in no way limited.  We are experienced and skilled in the curriculum design of mixed age classes and we deploy skilled staff to ensure that all pupils have access to the best possible education.

If you would like to chat with me about any of the changes, or indeed, about any other aspect of your child’s education, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind regards

Jo Buckley

Dear Families,

Thank you as always for your help and support.  

The raffle was a resounding success with £1099 raised though ticket sales.  Thank you to all the local businesses and people who have donated gifts.

Here are the list of prize winners…Many Congratulations!

Many thanks,

From the FOOTS team.

Red Nose Day is back!

Watch out for more information on the newsletter!

Dear families

Having listened to the Covid address yesterday I have decided not to hold the carol service at Wainsgate Chapel. Instead, we will hold the same event in the open air in the school yard.  This way, everyone can take part without fear of having put themselves and their family at an increased risk of Covid directly before Christmas.

Our open air service will begin at 2pm tomorrow so please come along, enjoy your children's performances and join us in singing some of our favourite carols.

We will still have a collection for Wainsgate Chapel at the service.

Kind regards

Jo Buckley

WE HAVE NO ELECTRIC FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL DAY.

Dear families – children in the playground are imitating the TV series Squid Game in  their play.  I know that the vast majority of children will not have seen any of the show but please be aware that they may now be curious due to what they have heard in the school yard and may attempt to watch the show at home.  The series is completely unsuitable for primary aged children due to the nature of the content.  Please note the advice shown below.

Thank you

Jo

Dear Families,

As you may be aware this is the week our wonderful choir would normally be heading off to the National Music For Youth Festival in Birmingham. Although things are rather restricted this year we have actually made it to the festival – all be it in a virtual way! Our lockdown virtual rendition of ‘One Moment, One People’ has been judged by a Music For Youth mentor and is featuring on the  ‘virtual video wall’ at Birmingham Symphony Hall.

This was our feedback from the mentor:-

‘A lovely vibrant ensemble and what a poignant video to accompany this performance.

This was a great choice of song for the year we have all had.

If you record another video, remember to try and look into the camera. Your faces are as important as your voices! Your smiles light up the screen.

The solos and duets were fantastic! And all the ensemble singing really conveyed the mood of this song. Well done!’

Here is the link to the festival. Our video is featured in the ‘Lockdown Lounge’.

https://www.mfy.org.uk/videos/national-festival-2021/

Thank you to everyone who took part. I’m very, (very, very!) much looking forward to when we are performing live once more!

Mrs Pearce

The gas services have informed us there will be no heating in school tomorrow so school will be closed. Apologies for the inconvenience this will cause. Jo

Dear Families

I have met with the Local Authority and with our Governing Body in light of today's Union advice to school staff. 

I am sorry to inform you that there will be operational changes to the education of pupils in classes 2 and 3.  Staffing levels are not sufficient for me to be able to guarantee the required safety measures demanded by the current legal guidance and I have reluctantly taken the decision to undertake a partial closure of the school affecting pupils in classes 2 and 3 (Years 2,3,4 and 5). 

In the first instance, these two classes will be closed to all pupils tomorrow.  It is my intention that the children of key workers from both of these classes will then attend from Tuesday 5th January onwards.  I will contact the families who are registered as key workers with us tomorrow. 

I know that one or two of you may feel relief at this decision but that for the vast majority of families, this news will come as a real blow.  You all know my strong feelings around pupil attendance in school and the very real benefits to pupil attainment and wellbeing so I am sure that you know what an incredibly difficult decision this has been for me to make - particularly so late in the day.  I would like to reassure you that high quality remote education for all pupils in classes 2 and 3 will be available from 9am tomorrow morning plus a remote pupil wellbeing service that you are able to access with an email or telephone referral. 

Pupils from classes 1 and 4 should come to school as normal from tomorrow.

I will be in touch again tomorrow.

Kind regards

Jo Buckley

Dear families

Parents’ Evenings are a really useful opportunity to update parents/carers with important information regarding pupils’ wellbeing and academic progress.  In the Autumn Term, we usually provide information around attainment and progress in the core curriculum areas of English and Maths (including Phonics for younger children), pastoral information and hints and tips as to how families can best support their child/children at home. 

Unfortunately, we will not be able to invite parents in to school for this so we are going to send out a short report card instead.  It will be sent out on either the first or second week after half term for children in all year groups with the exception of Reception pupils.  Mrs Godsman will telephone those parents instead.

Once you have received your report card, if you have any concerns, please contact the school via the admin email: admin@oldtown.calderdale.sch.uk and your child’s class teacher will contact you.

Kind regards

Jo Buckley

As you know we received an update to guidance regarding the amended advice regarding social distancing.  Public Health have since advised us not to increase the number of children in each space before the summer holidays and to continue with our current arrangements.  The Governing Body made a unanimous decision to adhere to that advice.  There will therefore be no change to our current arrangements for the time being.  I would like to apologise for having raised hopes.  Jo

Dear Families

We have just received updated guidance in school regarding the reduction in the 2m rule and the implications for schools.  I do not want to raise expectations too much as there is a limit of 15 children per class and the priority groups of Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 are still in effect.  Governors are meeting tomorrow to discuss a possible increase in provision from 6^th July.  I will let you have further information as soon as we have made a decision.

Jo Buckley

Summer Reading Challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge for Primary aged children will this year, because of Covid-19, be held online instead of in Calderdale Libraries. The Challenge is open from now until September and there are lots of fun activities at https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/ to encourage children in a love of reading. Children can still borrow e books and e audio books from the library for the Challenge. Go to https://www.calderdale.gov.uk/v2/residents/leisure-and-culture/libraries/digital-library/ebooks-and-eaudio-books

Dear families

As you know, the current advice from the Local Authority is not to go ahead with the Wider Opening plans for children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6. We are, however, busy making plans should that advice change and I need your help in order to progress with my planning.

The guidance is clear in that the children of Key Workers should have priority places and once those children have been accommodated, schools should use the remaining resources (space and personnel) to offer a place to Reception children. If there continues to be capacity, Year 1 pupils should be invited and following that, Year 6 pupils. You can see therefore that it is vital that I know which children of Key Workers are likely to take up their eligible place between now and the end of term. Until I have that information, I am unable to say for sure whether places can be offered in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

I understand that you may not know for sure what your requirements will be but I would appreciate a response from all key workers even if you are not 100% sure of your needs. Please note that there is no obligation for you to use the service if you are a Key Worker.

If you are not a Key Worker, please ignore this email. If you are a Keyworker, please will you complete the following table and return it urgently:

Parent’s Name:

Keyworker Role:

Dear families

I am writing to inform you that the Local Authority has advised schools across Calderdale not to go ahead with the wider opening arrangements from the 1st June.  The council has given a detailed explanation of the reasoning behind its decision and the letter is attached to this email *.

The Governing Body called an urgent meeting today in response to the advice and, as Old Town Primary is a Local Authority Maintained School, Governors made a unanimous decision that the school will follow the advice of the Local Authority.  This means that the proposed wider opening phase on 1st June to welcome Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils will not go ahead as planned.

I know that this news will be met with a mix of reactions and emotions - some of you will be extremely disappointed and others will feel enormous relief.  This continues to be a testing time for everyone in our school community and I would like to encourage you all to keep in touch with us and with each other and to continue to support one another as you have for the past weeks.  

We will, of course,  continue with the current home schooling arrangements that are in place until we receive further advice from the Local Authority.

Yours faithfully

Jo Buckley

* attachment can be found under Parents/Whole School Letters/Calderdale Council Covid-19 Letter to Schools

Please click on the link below to listen to the school virtual choir sing our lockdown collaboration song.

https://youtu.be/NBNhqiwurBc

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-on-supporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing