Hello and welcome to this week’s edition of the Wildern Weekly. I am Miss Cooper and I am one of Wildern’s Pastoral Senior Lead Practitioners. I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Student Services team, explain a little about each of our roles in school and share where we are primarily based. From left to right: 

Miss S Cooper: Senior Lead Practitioner for the Pastoral team. Deputy DSL, Teacher of Science and Maths. Based in 

SLPP office in block 3. Mrs Chandler: Inclusion Officer, Behaviour Support Officer, Deputy DSL. Based in the Inclusion room in block 2. Ms Duck: Mental Health First Aider, Behaviour Support Officer, Deputy DSL. Based in Student Services in block 3. Miss B Cooper: Behaviour Support Officer, Deputy DSL. Based in Student Services in block 3. Miss Langdown: Attendance Officer. Based in Student services in block 3. Miss Budden: First Aider, Behaviour Support Officer. Based in First Aid.

 

We have varied roles and areas of responsibility and here is an outline of what they mean:

Senior Lead Practitioner (Pastoral) - liaise with all stakeholders to support behaviour and wellbeing for students. 

Deputy DSL - provide safeguarding support for students and their families. Please direct any concerns of this nature directly to one of us or email safeguarding@wildern.org

Inclusion Officer - supporting students in the inclusion room to complete work set by subject staff. Working restoratively with students looking at ways to improve behaviour and support wellbeing.

Behaviour Support Officer - linking with stakeholders to support day to day behaviour and emotional wellbeing. Being a visible presence around the school site at all times to positively reinforce the behaviour policy. Running punctuality detentions and completion of restorative educational work. Weekly catch-ups and in house interventions with identified students.

Mental Health First Aider - Providing small group and one-to-one intervention focusing on mental health and wellbeing. 

Attendance Officer - Providing a home-school link and a point of contact regarding all aspects of punctuality and absence. 

 

Between us we offer support, education and advice to students on all aspects of social and emotional wellbeing. I absolutely love being a member of such a brilliant group of people and feel very privileged to work closely with so many Wildern students and their families. Below are just some examples of the assistance and interventions that we provide.

• Informal drop in
• One to one weekly catch ups
• Small group interventions 
• Mental health first aid
• Attendance support
• Referral to outside agencies
• Behaviour support

Student Services is located at the top of block 3. We are always open between 8:45am and 3:30pm. All students are welcome to pop in for a chat at any time. Not just when they want to report an incident. The best times to drop in are Break (11:10-11:25am), Lunch (1:30-1:55pm) and after school (3:00-3:15pm).

As well as seeking support from our teachers and the pastoral team, students can access the Wildern Wellbeing Hub on our website. Here there are signposts to lots of external support as well as our #ineedsupport form where students can tell us they need support easily without having to find an adult. 

  In this issue...        **see new quick links**

Anti-Bullying Week

This week has been Anti-Bullying Week and we have set our students many challenges to raise awareness of this important topic. On Monday we had ‘Odd Socks Day’ where students and staff alike wore odd socks to school to celebrate all of our differences and what makes us unique. 

As part of this we set them a challenge of seeing who could send in photos of their pets in odd socks with the winner of that competition announced on Thursday - even our school dog Rufus got in on the action! One of the major themes of the week is the importance of reaching out and on Tuesday students were encouraged to complete ‘Reach Out’ postcards, to say thank you to those who have supported them, as well as offering an opportunity to let us know that they needed some support. For you, our parents and carers there was the chance to join a Q+A session on bullying behaviours to help provide some guidance and tips on what to do should you be concerned that your child was experiencing this. Wednesday saw children and staff complete their anti-bullying pledges and for some the chance to be part of a live lesson exploring the topic of online bullying. Friday provided us with an opportunity to reflect  and celebrate what we have learnt this week and unveil our anti-bullying artwork in the piazza.

Assemblies have concentrated on the message to reach out and challenge bullying behaviours and have reinforced how to report things if seen. We have had a really great response so far this year in terms of reporting any incidents that occur and the use of our online reporting tools have enabled us to support students for a whole host of things they are worried about.

 

Whilst it is so important to have a week to focus on such an important topic, this is something that is on-going and we are continually looking to support our students with. We have newly appointed Anti-Bullying Ambassadors who applied for the role because they feel passionately about preventing bullying behaviours at Wildern School. Our initial meeting was wonderful and they are determined to work with students, staff and parents to make our school a positive experience for all. Next week they will embark on their anti-bullying training provided by the Diana Award and they will then begin their roles in full. It is amazing to see our students taking responsibility for their community and another example of this is our Diversity Focus Group.

The Diversity Focus Group meets weekly in the CPD room each Monday during break 2. We always welcome new faces. If your child would like to be involved in raising awareness and being involved in making change please encourage them to come along and join us.

 

As parents you can support us by talking to your child about Diversity and Inclusion and being mindful of any implicit biases you may have. Talking openly and positively about differences can help children better understand themselves and those around them. If they see you embrace diversity and inclusion it will empower them to engage in their world with curiosity, confidence and kindness..

There are many ways that you can promote diversity and inclusion at home. You can take active steps to ensure your child is immersed in communities and opportunities that embrace and celebrate differences. Acknowledge differences as children notice them so there is no need to pretend they do not exist. Emphasise the differences and be honest about the ways people are mistreated for their differences. Ask your child open-ended questions and listen to them without judgement. It is okay to take your time if you need it. If you’re unsure how to answer your child's questions, tell them you’ll think about it and set a time to talk when you are more prepared. Speak up when bias happens. Whenever your child or someone else does or says something prejudiced, address it in the moment. 

 

Working together as a community by openly talking about any worries or curiosities our young people have and encouraging them to seek knowledge by either joining the groups mentioned above or by asking staff the things they need to know will really continue to make our school a kind and safe place to be.

ENOUGH. Help stop it 

Many of us have seen some form of abusive and harmful behaviour against women and girls, but it can be difficult to know whether to intervene. Some people worry they’ve maybe misread the situation and could make things worse. Some worry about putting themselves at risk. If you’re unsure about whether to intervene, here are some key signs to look out for. 

• Does the person look uncomfortable or upset?
• Are they trying to escape or move away?
• Do they seem frightened?
• When you make eye contact, do they respond in a way that makes you think they want help?

How to intervene safely

Intervening doesn’t have to be dramatic or confrontational. Even small acts of recognition and support can help stop abuse. Here are four simple ways to help you step in safely – just think STOP.

 

Say something

You can show your disapproval at what is going on for example, by not laughing and saying, 'I don’t think that’s funny'. Or you could be more direct, if you feel it’s safe to do so, by saying it’s unacceptable and tell them to stop.

 

Tell someone

You could tell someone in charge, like the bar staff if you’re in a pub or club, Human Resources (HR) if you’re at work, or the train guard or bus driver if you’re on public transport. You could also tell another member of the public or a passer-by and see if they’re willing to help – working together can be a safer, more effective way to intervene. It is important to check in with the victim on who they want to tell, or if they want to call the police.

 

Offer support

You can ask the victim if they’re OK. You could capture what’s happening on your phone and ask if they want the footage to report the incident, and you could offer to help report it. You could also help others already giving support. If it’s someone you know, check in with them when they are alone and offer to help or support them to report it if they want. If you think they might be in an abusive relationship, there is expert advice on what you can do and support available online or on the National Domestic Abuse Helpline.

 

Provide a diversion

Sometimes what's best in the moment is creating a distraction, giving the person being targeted a chance to move away or giving others the opportunity to get help. You could strike up conversation with the victim, e.g. ask for directions, or where the next stop is on the bus, or pretend you know them. If you’re at work, you could make up an excuse to speak to them about an unrelated task. You could also try dropping something nearby or creating some other minor commotion.

Depending on the situation, where you are and who’s involved, you can use just one or a combination of these tactics. By standing against all forms of abuse, and holding perpetrators accountable, we can create a society where women and girls are safe.

If you think somebody is in immediate danger, call 999.

 

For more information including recognising signs and where to get help see  https://enough.campaign.gov.uk/

Proudly in Partnership
Parents of Wildern, when you sell your home with White & Guard, in order to support children of the community, they will make a donation to the school. We would also like to thank White & Guard for their continued support with with our careers related events in school. 

Dan and his catering team are able to adapt the majority of meals to any dietary needs including gluten free, halal and dairy free if they know in advance (your child can speak to them by visiting the kitchen before 8:30am that day). Please talk to Dan or the catering team about any dietary needs as they are happy to help.

Please see our updated clubs for the second half of the Autumn term. Focus groups are also running as well.  More details can be found on our website using the button below. The library is always available to students after school as well. 

What Parents Need to Know about How to Combat Online Bullying

 

Defined as “ongoing hurtful behaviour towards someone online”, cyber-bullying makes its victims feel upset, uncomfortable and unsafe. In the digital world, it has numerous forms – such as hurtful comments on a person’s posts or profile; deliberately leaving them out of group chats; sharing embarrassing images or videos of someone; or spreading gossip about them. Cyber-bullying can severely impact a young person’s mental health … so, in support of Anti-Bullying Week, we’ve provided a list of tips to help trusted adults know what to look for and how to respond to it. 

In the guide, you'll find tips such as playing online games with your child, talking about your child’s online life and being prepared to listen without showing any judgement or criticism.