Good morning everyone

I have just received an urgent Safeguarding update from Calderdale, which I will share with you. Please see the information below:

This weekend, a Year 5 and 6 group set up by pupils at a local primary school has been hacked through one child’s account, and its name changed to ‘Add your contacts.’

Sadly around 250 children over this weekend have indeed added their contacts, with the hacked account now displaying abusive material including child pornography, which is likely to have originated outside of the UK.

This group account has been reported to both WhatsApp and the Police.

It goes without saying that this is of great concern. The recommended minimum age to hold a WhatsApp account in the UK is currently+16 years. All other popular social media accounts are +13 years. Responsible safeguarding of KS2 children would discourage access to social media until +13. 

If you have considered the risks of your child joining social media and are still happy to take those risks, then please make sure you are extremely pro-active around monitoring your child’s mobile device and any use of social media, ensuring the deletion of any harmful content you find, and deleting any links to accounts, groups, or persons you do not know or have any concerns about. 

Many thanks.

Please note that after Easter, we will be reverting to children getting changed for PE. Children will need to have a PE kit, in a bag, throughout the week, as PE may be taken on different days. We have made this decision due to the number of children attending school in incorrect PE kit—many in their own sports clothes—and this is having a detrimental effect on smartness each day.

Please remember, PE kits are either white or house colour t shirts (school  jumpers if cold), and navy shorts, legging or joggers. We will be purchasing spare PE kits for each class, so if children are wearing incorrect PE kits, they will be able to change into correct kit for the lesson. Let’s get back to being super smart every day!

Please send your child to school with their PE kit in a bag on Tuesday 8th April.

We are having continued problems with our phone lines being down. Please email admin@christchurch-sowerby.calderdale.sch.uk with any urgent and necessary communication.

Many thanks

Snow is starting to stick on the side roads and pavements around school. If you would like to come to pick up, please do so.

Many thanks

Good morning everyone.

As it stands, we are open, although this may change very early into the day.

With a change on the Met Office forecast now showing heavy snow from 8am, and with advice from Calderdale suggesting that we take great care if closing when the amber warning is in place, it may be that we may take a decision to close early through the morning.

We will understand if you make the decision to keep your children safe at home, to limit travel in tricky conditions. 

If children do attend, please make sure they are suitably dressed and that you monitor the app regularly for further updates.

Many thanks