Special Days and Dates at Summerbank
Each year we celebrate Harvest in school during the Autumn Term. This year we linked Harvest with the value of being ‘thankful’.
We used school assembly to look at different crops that are grown and the work of farmers. We also thought about how food is preserved and how different crops are turned into many of the foods we eat everyday.
We organised a collection for the food bank of The Hubb Foundation (a local charity). The charity were blown away by the generosity of our families in these challenging times. we are very grateful for the support given.
October is Black History Month in the UK and a time to celebrate the contribution Black communities and individuals have made over the centuries in shaping the dynamic and diverse country we have today. It is also about raising awareness of the contribution Black people have made to our freedoms, culture and society.
In collective worship during October we focus on black history and promoting talk about equality and rights. The story of Rosa Parks was used as a focus to explore the concept of segregation and unequal treatment. One child observed ‘she changed the world’. During the month stories are used with children to deepen understanding and make connections. In Nursery a cultural day encouraged children to dress in clothes to reflect their heritage and to share food from different cultures.
Although Black History Month only happens once a year, the teaching of Black history doesn’t begin and end there. The curriculum at Summerbank supports children learning of the contribution of different individuals and groups throughout the year. For example in History Y3 children learn about Rosa Parks and Y6 children learn about Martin Luther King. In Art Y2 children study the Egyptian artist Alaa Awad, in Y5 children study the artist Jean-Michel Basquiat. Throughout the year people and events are selected for collective worship that reflect different cultures. As part of our review of history curriculum, we have identified that from 2023 a whole school day of celebration will support the launch of Black History month.
The following resources can also be used by families to explore further together at home to continue learning:
https://www.bameednetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Books-for-children.pdf
https://www.bameednetwork.com/
BBC offers lots of online resources to promote learning.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/black-history-month-primary-and-secondary-resources/zjwf8xs
In school we raised awareness and understanding of bullying during anti bullying week in November. We started the week with ‘Odd Socks Day’ where children and staff could choose to wear odd socks to show their support for the fact that everyone is different.
On Tuesday Miss Pearson led assembly using the Anti-Bullying Alliance materials and Years One to Six children discussed what bullying means and how we can all ‘reach out’ to stop it. We shared the definition that bullying is the repeated, intentional hurting of one person or group by another person or group. It can happen face to face or online. Children thought about how each member of the school community has a role in making sure bullying is not tolerated. During the week each class took time to discuss bullying at an age appropriate level. The anti-bullying message isn’t just about one week though, it’s something for all of us to watch out for and address all year round.
Parents and carers can access more information about how they can also support the anti-bullying message here
This year Children in Need took place on the last day of Anti-Bullying Week, Friday 18th February. As ever our families showed their amazing support for this cause in a number of ways – wearing something spotty, painting faces, making a donation, buying from our cake sale. A huge thank you to everyone for joining in to help Summerbank raise money (we’re still counting it all at the moment!).