Year: 2018

9th March 18

26th February 18

Did you know that more than 8 million tons of plastic are dumped in our oceans every year?

Upper School pupils at Finton House listened to a thought-provoking assembly about the environmental impact of plastic waste in our oceans. Jo Ruxton, who is a founder of the Plastic Oceans Foundation, stressed the importance of spreading awareness of the issues amongst our youngest generation.

“We should never underestimate the harmful impact waste can have on the oceans and its habitants.”  Miss Jo went on to tell the children that plastic pieces can be found broken up in tiny pieces in the ocean which are then consumed by marine animals and release toxic chemicals in their bodies. As an example she highlighted that a shocking 90% of all seabirds are found to have plastic in their stomachs, since mother birds think the shining small pieces of plastic are squid and feed it to their babies.

Not only does this harm the marine animals but it is very much a concern for human health as well. For example, we eat fish without realising that those toxic plastic pieces also enter our bodies.

Jo made sure that the children are aware that it is never too late to make a difference by changing our daily habits to protect our environment. Avoiding the purchase of packaged vegetables at the supermarkets, drinking tap water instead of bottled water and recycling plastic are only some of the things every single one of us can do to live responsibly.

At the end of the presentation, the children were not only deeply touched by the fate of many sea animals who have sustained injuries because of plastic pieces in the ocean, but also realised how much our daily actions can impact the planet’s environment.

5th February 18

After a very busy week of practising ‘Friends Forever’ in Sign Language, our pupils finally got the chance to perform it in the playground and at Trinity Road Chapel to an excited audience which included Sign2Sing Chief Executive James Watson-O’Neill and members of the Sign2Sing fundraising team.

Sign2sing is in its 8th year, helping fund projects that improve the lives of vulnerable deaf children and adults by helping them access help and advice on the things that matter to them in Sign Language. Imagine living in a world where you cannot communicate with the people around you, from your doctor to someone in a shop. That’s what the world is like for many deaf people. Deaf people can often feel isolated, unable to access information and advice that can help them live happy and healthy lives. Something hearing people take for granted.

23rd January 18

Year 3 pupils discovered one of the oldest surviving cultures in the world.

Guided by local indigenous guides, Year 3 pupils were transported in seconds to Australia in an exciting Virtual Reality Workshop. Not only was the workshop a lot of fun, but the children also learnt a lot about Dreamtime stories, Aboriginal dances and Australian scenery in a full 360 degrees view. One child commented that it felt like she was actually in Australia experiencing everything for herself.

The workshop leader encouraged interesting discussions about the aboriginal life pre 1788, which showed just how much our pupils already knew about the topic. But the workshop definitely expanded their knowledge even further and deepened their learning through incorporating historical facts in 3D experiences.

The workshop definitely also made a few of the staff interested who dropped in to have a go themselves!

Miss Bridget, Deputy Head at Finton, commented: “While it was a cold and wet morning here in London, our children were transported to hot Australia in seconds which was an exciting experience for them all!”

18th January 18

What started with a rather long and complicated French introduction and lots of puzzled faces; ended up being one of the most entertaining shows the children have ever seen. Not only did they burst out in laughter on a number of occasions, but they also were impressed by how many French words they recognised. The play was performed by two actors, one Native English and one Native French. The children were perfectly able to follow the story in both languages, which certainly boosted their confidence about their language skills.

Lyra (Year 4) wrote a lovely review about the performance:

10th January 18

Childnet International conducted E-safety and digital resilience workshops with Upper School pupils, parents and staff. In light of the recent Children’s Commissioner’s report highlighting the effects of social media on 8 to 12-year-olds and its influence on children’s wellbeing, Channel 5 News came into school to film the workshop with Year 6.

Research suggests that children as young as 8 years old use social media like Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Although age restrictions of social media platforms are set to 13 years and older, here at Finton we therefore strongly believe that it is never too early to start with E-safety training. As part of a wider initiative to address online safety, we hosted E-safety training, in partnership with Childnet International. Somewhat a coincidence, the Children’s Commissioner’s Life in ‘Likes’ report, published on the same day as the training took place on 4th January 2018, stressed that Year 6 and 7 (11-12 years old) is a crucial age for internet awareness training.

It is important to acknowledge that our children are exposed to an unprecedented amount of technology from birth, and that even parents’ own usage of social media may affect their children significantly. Therefore, what previously only seemed to have been a commonly discussed issue in secondary schools, has now gained a lot of attention in primary schools and from parents of young children alike.

At Finton we teach Upper School children how to handle digital friendships online and be aware of the dangers involving online predators and cyber-bullying from an early age. For example children may not be aware that they are putting themselves at risk when posting an image with their school uniform in front of their home; but not only does this show where the child lives but also which school she/he attends. Therefore, a lack of awareness of the dangers, may lead to children revealing personal information on social media, without knowing that this may land in the wrong hands.

To read the Commissioner’s report please use the link below:

Children’s Commissioner’s Report