What is Identity and Expression?
Everyone has an identity formed by their friends, family, environment and interests. When children and young people make their way online, how they express themselves and their identity may change. This could be because of how they see influencers promoting themselves or it might be for a purpose such as more likes or views.
Children with SEND or who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community may also be affected by online or offline bullying that could affect how they act.
Learn how to help children express themselves authentically online to feel happy and safe.
Internet Matters Ambassador Dr. Linda Papadopoulos shares advice for parents and carers to help children and young people be more authentic online and build an online identity that reflects them positively as they become more active online:
It can be difficult for children to authentically express themselves online, especially if they worry how they might be perceived. Online safety expert, Lauren Seager-Smith from Kidscape, explores what parents can do to help children love and embrace themselves for a positive self-image:
Helping Children with Positive Self-Image and Identity
If your child has identified or thinks they identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, there are hundreds of online communities and resources that can support you and your child on their journey of self-discovery:
Help LGBTQ+ children find safe online communities and resources
Blueberries class have been taking part in surfing lessons at South Shields surf school. All the boyS really enjoyed the first session and can’t wait to 
continue over the next four weeks!
It has been a short half term, but Apples class have managed to pack in loads of learning and fun! Our topic is ‘Swing into Spring’ and we have been exploring nature and the world around us. From arts and crafts to baking and creating, we have expressed our learning through creative outlets. We learned to plant seeds and take care of them until they grow into flowers. We learned how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly. We learned how to make and decorate different kinds of cakes and biscuits in creative ways. We learned about our culture through Jubilee celebrations and activities. And most importantly, we learned how to take good care of ourselves and even look after our friends too. Well done to all of the Apples children for a brilliant half term!
In the Animal Safari project, the children in Lemons have learnt about incredible animals that live worldwide. They will learn how to care for pets and what all animals need to grow, survive and stay happy and healthy. They will explore animal features and find out how they survive in the wild. They will compare the ways that animals are similar and different.
The children have been working very hard with their handwriting practice. In phonics the children have continued to learn phase 2 and phase 3 sounds, blending sounds to read words.
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In maths the children have been deepening their understanding of numbers and have explored lots of number bond to 5, added and subtracted groups of objects to 10 and played games together practicing recording our scores and taking turns.
For the Queen’s Jubilee we had a tea party on the field with our friends in Acorns. To celebrate the Queens Jubilee we research the decade of the 1970s and listened to the song ‘ All Kinds of Everything’ by Dana Scallon who won Eurovision in 1970. We also research games that children played on the school yard in the 1970s. To decorate the classroom we created buntings as we printed the Union Jack’s flag colour with our handprints. We also created a stained glass picture of the Queen.
We have been doing daily mindfulness sessions in Blueberries this term. We do a mix of yoga, guided meditation or relaxation. It really helps with our ability to regulate ourselves and relax.
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This half term Cherries started our topic of Magnificent Monarchs. We have been learning lots about the Queen. We have read lots of books about the Queen including The Queen’s Hat and The Queen’s Handbag. We have retold the stories and looked at naming and matching London landmarks from the story.
In Science we have been learning about growth, we planted sunflowers in class and have been measuring and observing their growth over the weeks.
We celebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with lots of great activities, including decorated biscuits red, white and blue, joining Willows class for some games and enjoyed a picnic on the main school field.
In the Ready, Steady, Grow project we have taken part in lots of practical activities and have planted a variety of seeds and plants. The children have learnt what seeds and plants need to grow. The children have also explored the different types of fruits and vegetables that grow. The children have explored farms. The children have also learned about animals on a farm and their young. This term the children have explored the following books; The Gigantic Turnip, Jack and the Beanstalk, Jasper’s Beanstalk, Handa’s Surprise, Rosie’s Walk and The Little Red Hen. We have had lots of fun reading the different stories!
The children have been using colourful semantics to explore stories and they have used colourful semantics to help read sentences to describe a picture.
The children have continued with their learning of phonics, handwriting and reading activities.
In maths the children have been working super hard at consolidating their understanding of numbers. The children have used place value counters and base 10 equipment to demonstrate an understanding of place value of 10s and 1s in a 2 -digit number to 20. The children have also worked very hard at adding and subtracting numbers to 10 using objects.
The children have sorted mathematical objects by colour and created AB patterns using fruit. 
In art and design the children have created mosaic flowers using seeds and clay. The results are amazing and we used the flowers to create Mother’s Day cards. 
The children have completed lots of planting experiments and activities. The children have investigated what seed need to grow. They have also completed a vegetable scraps experiment to see if they will grow.
In science the children have been learning all about farm yard animals and their young.
Blueberries have really enjoyed our topic this term and have learned lots about volcanoes, earthquakes and fossils. We ended our topic with a fun STEM activity where we designed a building and tested if it would hold together in different Earthquake Zones around the classroom.
