Thank you to all those who joined Mrs Toll for one of the after school yoga workshops for Children's Mental Health week!

It was great to see so many pupils and their grown ups having a go at something new and taking on new challenges.

We had great fun playing yoga games, acting out yoga stories and we really enjoyed taking time to relax and unwind after a busy day. 

Look out for more yoga at Fairlands soon

Namaste 

We know it can sometimes be tricky for pupils to leave their grown ups in the morning. To support you in helping them get ready for school, we have created a document of 'curious questions'. 

The purpose of these questions is to help pupils identify what they are feeling, how it is making their body feel and what might be the root cause of their emotion. 
These questions will be on display in your child's classroom to help with transitions but please use them at home too to help you child prepare and re regulate after the school day. 

Nessie is a team we work with who support the positive mental health and wellbeing of young children. They have a great range of short videos on their website including: coping with anger, dealing with anxiety and supporting children with neurodiversity. They also have a section containing 'bite-sized' documents which are fantastic quick reads full of information and ideas. It's definitely worth a visit to their website to have an explore!

 https://nessieined.com/additional-resources

Thank you to all of the pupils and families in years 4, 5 and 6 who visited the relaunch of the Games Library after school today. It was a roaring success! Lots of familes stayed to play with the wonderful selection of (mostly brand new) games and over 40 have been borrowed to take home. If you didn't get a chance to visit today, remember the Games Library will be open every friday straight after school for you to return your games and borrow a new one. 

Any questions about the games library, speak to Miss Pollen or Mrs Toll 

Pleae see attached poster containing details for free online workshops for parents. 

Three 1 hour lone workshops are available to you for free and include advice and strategies to support:

Emotion Based School Avoidance (EBSA) Workshop aims to support parent/carers to understand EBSA, the common triggers and maintenance factors. We will support parent/carers to intervene early to promote prevention of EBSA and equip young people, families and school with the skills to support reintroduction.

Understanding And Improving Your Child's Sleep aims to support parent/carers to understand sleep, common sleep difficulties and tips to improve your child's sleep.

Understanding my Teenager's Brain aims to support parents/carers to understand teenage development and ways to interact and communicate with your teenager more effectively.

Does your child have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep? Would you like to create a peaceful sleep routine? 

Sleep plays a vital role in a child's development and well-being and we know bed time is something many families struggle with.

The National Sleep Helpline is available for you. Call and speak to trained advisors who can give strategies, support and services who can support you with good, evidence based advice. 

03303 530 541

See posters attached for more details and the contact information. 

Please find attached details of the Spring Term 2023 programme of events being run by ANGELS Autism and ADHD Support.

Welcome back, I hope the first week back of school runs and rushed mornings hasn't been too painful for everyone! Our coffee and chat session for parents will be happening next week on Wednesday 18th January 215pm - 315pm. We have a representative from Herts Parents Carers Involvement coming along and she will be able to answer your questions and give advice. It would be super to see many of you there to catch up, share ideas, get advice and generally take the time to have a quick breather from parenting!

If you are interested in more information about Herts Parents Carers Involvement, feel free to browse their website https://www.hertsparentcarers.org.uk/

Have a lovely weekend!

Last year, I discovered a fantastic book by Nicola Davies, called The Dog that saved Christmas. It is all about ‘Jake, who is different from the other children at school. He struggles when routines change and people's emotions are so hard to understand. Christmas can be even worse and often the festivities are just too much to bear.’

It is a fantastic read for seeing Christmas from a different perspective and helping to develop empathy skills in us all. It's also great for children with sensory needs and helping them to understand that they're not alone. Obviously, you could get it from anywhere but here’s an Amazon link for those who are interested in buying a last minute stocking filler:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dog-that-Saved-Christmas/dp/1781127697/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1MB7MA438M826&keywords=the+dog+that+saved+christmas&qid=1671109567&sprefix=dog+that+saved+%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-1

Happy reading!

The Herts Local Offer has released this on their website:

As the cost of living continues to rise, more and more people are finding it hard to heat their homes. Partners across the county have developed a network of Warm Spaces in Hertfordshire, which residents can use to stay safe and warm this winter. They are open to all Hertfordshire residents of all ages. Many of these locations will also be running activities, where you can meet others and take part in events. Click on the link to find your nearest warm space.

https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/services/adult-social-services/news-and-campaigns/warm-spaces.aspx