OmeTV

8th June 2023Louise Gatti
As of 2023, hosts a colossal community, with users numbering more than a million on mobile devices alone – and a further hundred thousand via their site. With such a large global community, there’s a reasonable chance that users might be matched with someone who could genuinely be a potential friend.

It’s equally likely, however, that they’ll also encounter some unsavoury individuals who have the potential to endanger any young people they meet online. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide explores the risks of OmeTV, detailing what trusted adults can do to protect any child who ignores or is unaware of the app’s 18+ age rating

Thank you to Asda Ashington

26th May 2023Louise Gatti
The fundraising committee would like to thank Asda Ashington for their generous donation of toiletries for the next Community Catch up on the 28th June.
@amandaasdaashingtoncommunity
@asda  
@asdafoundationcharity 

Summer Assessment Weeks

25th May 2023Louise Gatti

Dear Parent / Carer,

Our summer assessment weeks are taking place from the 19th June for Ks3 and from the 26th June for Year 10. Please see the timetables below which show exactly when each assessment for each year group will take place. 

As with the tests sat previously in January, each will be taken in one of our examination halls and will be sat under full test conditions. For this round of assessments, students will be sitting tests in English, Maths and Science in Y7-8 and in English, Maths, Biology, Chemistry and Physics in Y9-10. Students will be provided with a knowledge organiser for each subject in which they will be sitting a test and these will contain all of the course content that will be covered. Students  are expected to use these knowledge organisers to help them to revise and prepare for each of their tests. There will also be revision material assigned to the students in their subject rooms in Google Classroom. Revision can be a daunting thing to do and to support all of our students there is a link on our website for a series of guides on how to effectively revise for tests and exams (https://dukes.ncea.org.uk/student-hub/revision-tips-and-ideas/). Although some of the resources on the webpage are aimed at Y11, they still contain lots of ideas and tips to ensure that students of all ages develop their skills and effectiveness in this area. There is also some advice on how, as parents, you can support your child with revision.

The main idea behind these assessments is to ensure that students experience as much practice as possible in the sitting of controlled tests so that by the time they come to sit their final exams at the end of Year 11 they are familiar with and confident in the examination and revision process and are in a position to perform to their potential. The results of these assessments will also help to inform the school of the progress of the students in key subjects and will help us to ensure that they are receiving the correct provision and support. Results of the tests will be reported to parents after each of the assessment periods. Please be aware that outcomes may result in some students moving classes for next academic year to ensure that they are receiving the correct levels of support. 

 

Yours sincerely,

Ben Line

Deputy Principal

 

National Online Safety- Influencers

24th May 2023Louise Gatti
Not only is an “influencer” an increasingly powerful role in the digital age, but it’s also become a desirable career goal for many young people – an enjoyable way to gain international fame and a gateway to financial success. A survey of Instagram influencers, for instance, found that those with over a million followers make an average of £12,000 (around $15,000) per month.
 

Celebrity cachet can send engagement stratospheric (Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylie Jenner and Selina Gomez all have hundreds of millions of followers) but previous unknowns like Lele Pons, Charli D’Amelio and Addison Rae have also successfully built their follower count to around the 50 million mark – allowing them to charge (according to some estimates) north of $100,000 per post.


Much of this wealth, of course, is unlocked by entering into partnerships with various brands – which then raises all manner of questions about some influencers’ authenticity. Is their praise for certain products genuine, or simply because they’ve been paid for their endorsement?  

 
This highly visible end of the influencer market may occasionally be materialistic and superficial, but it’s generally frothy, inoffensive fun. There are some hugely popular figures on social media, however, whose views and beliefs aren’t what most parents would prefer their child was exposed to. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide peels back the filters for a closer look at influencers.

Well done Chloe – Winner of British Council Schools – Celebrate Speaking!

12th May 2023Louise Gatti

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Congratulations to Chloe Smith from Year 7 who won a National Online Languages competition!!! Chloe wrote this beautiful song in Gaelic, about the sadness of the Gaelic language disappearing from Scottish culture, and submitted it to the British Council’s ‘Festival of Language’ competition in February. They were so impressed that Chloe was invited to perform the song at an online event, with only 7 other people throughout the world being among the winners! She was amazing!!! Well done Chloe.

National Online Safety -Telegram

11th May 2023Louise Gatti

Controversial changes to WhatsApp’s privacy policy back in 2021 was a major shot in the arm for Telegram, as millions of users began searching for a more secure messaging platform. Indeed, Telegram is so confident in its resistance to hacks that it’s previously set challenges (with a prize of up to $300,000) to any user who’s able to crack its encryption.

Telegram isn’t new, but it’s grown significantly in popularity over recent years, due to its secure nature and speedier performance than many of its competitors, including WhatsApp. Whilst Telegram is an excellent app in terms of actual performance, like any other messaging platform it brings its own challenges for parents and carers when it comes to feeling confident about children being able to handle their own messaging conversations and contact with the outside world in general.

With protected ‘secret chats’ and self-deleting messages, however, Telegram’s security advantage has also been subverted by criminals using the app to trade stolen data, share child sexual exploitation material and arrange drug deals. As Telegram’s popularity continues to grow, our #WakeUpWednesday guide tells trusted adults what they need to be aware of.