Latest News | Blakenall Heath Junior School

Jubilee Celebrations

Fri 27 May 2022

Getting ready for the celebrations to start.

Year 5 & 6 Bush Tucker Trial

Tue 24 May 2022

Blakenall Heath Junior School

Year 5/6

Primary Careers Event presents

“The Bush Tucker Trial 2022”

Dear Parents and Carers

As part of the Primary Careers programme, we are exploring future careers in the Environmental sector with years 5/6. We will be looking at how lives will have changed by 2030 and what careers are likely to be available that don’t currently exist. As part of the event, the issues around global food supplies and potential alternatives will be discussed. This includes information on edible insects. Previous events at other schools have shown children find this great fun and are keen to engage. As such, the organiser of the event would like to send some samples of the edible insects for our children to try in their very own Bush Tucker trial!

We recognise this is an unusual request and activity and would therefore ask you to complete and return this form by Friday 27^th May 2022 to indicate if you give permission for your child to take part in the insect tasting. The event is to be held on Tuesday 7^th June 2022

Please be aware of the allergy information and let us know if this is unsuitable for your child.

Allergy warning: Whole edible crickets, grasshoppers and meal worms. (Locusts if available).

Contains insects. Not suitable for seafood, crustaceans, molluscs and dust mite allergy sufferers. Insects fed on gluten and soy.

Child’s full name:________________________________________________ Class: _______

Parents / carer details:________________________________________________________

Please indicate: Yes / No

I give permission for my child to take part in the edible insect taster session on the 7^th June.

Please indicate Yes / No

I have read the allergy information and confirm my child is not allergic to the ingredients listed above.

Background information on edible insects.

Each year, around 70 million people are added to the world’s population. If growth continues at this rate, by 2030 the population is expected to reach a whopping 8.6 billion. To feed all of those hungry mouths, we will need to produce almost twice as much food as we currently do. But that is going to be no mean feat—we already use 70% of agricultural land to raise livestock, oceans are overfished, environments are becoming polluted and climate change and disease threaten crop production. With almost 1 billion people already chronically hungry, it’s evident we need to buck up our ideas in order to reduce food waste and make food production more efficient. One possible solution? Insects. You might turn your nose up at the idea, however the consumption of insects is a common practice that’s been taking place for tens of thousands of years. Around 2 billion people regularly eat insects as part of their diet, and over 1,900 species are edible such as beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps and ants. Not all insects are edible – we do not suggest children eat insects they find in their usual environment.

Bugs Are Green.

Consuming insects as opposed to livestock is more environmentally friendly. Insects are cold bloodied and thus require less energy to maintain their internal body temperature. This means they are very efficient at converting feed into edible body mass, unlike cattle. Crickets require around 2 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of meat, and around 80% is edible. Cattle, on the other hand, require 8 kg to produce the same amount of meat, but only 40% of the cow can be consumed. This means that less land needs to be dedicated to growing feed for insects than for livestock, reducing irrigation and pesticide use. Furthermore, the insects could even be used as livestock feed, for example replacing fishmeal. This would have the added advantage of increasing fish supplies available for humans to eat. Insects also require significantly less land and water than traditionally farmed animals and also reproduce much more quickly. They also have shorter life spans and thus can be grown quickly and farmed in large quantities in small areas.

Additionally, insects produce a fraction of greenhouse gases such as methane and ammonia when compared with other livestock, particularly cattle. Furthermore, they can consume animal waste or plants that people and livestock cannot. This means that they don’t compete with the human food supply and can even help reduce environmental contamination. It’s also thought that insects are less likely to transmit zoonotic infections to humans when compared with mammals and birds. Insects might not be for everyone, but they could be a valuable asset to global food security. They’re sustainable, green, and nutritious and could help people out of poverty.

We do not advocate children eating insects they can find in their garden / normal environment. Only certain species are edible and others maybe toxic. When discussing this with your children, please ensure they understand the dangers associated with eating anything they may not know is safe.

Yours sincerely

K. J. Baker

Head Teacher

Year 4 DfE Multiplication Tables Check

Mon 16 May 2022

Dear Year 4 Parents and Carers

Following my letter last term, I am just writing to remind Year 4 parents and carers that the children will be

taking a government Multiplication Tables test in June.

We are permitted to access the test between the 6^th and 24^th June and your child will take it in small groups

during this time. The test is an on-screen check consisting of 25 times table questions. Children will have 6 seconds to answer each question and are tested on tables from 2x2 up to 12x12. School will receive the results to help with identifying which children need more support and we will include your child’s result in their end of term report.

As we get nearer the tests it would be helpful to practise times tables with your child as much as possible.

Here are some on-line resources that could help your child practice.

www.timestables.co.uk
www.topmarks.co.uk/apps/hit-the-button
Purple mash
Time table songs on YouTube

Children can also access the free test samples to see how much progress they are making. https://www.timetables.co.uk/multiplication-tables-check/

If you have any further questions please contact Mrs Schirinzi in 4S or Mrs Owen in 4O.

Yours sincerely,

Ms K J Baker

Head Teacher

Year 3 Road Safety Pedestrian Training

Mon 16 May 2022

Dear Parents/Carers,

Year 3 pupils will be taking part in Road Safety Pedestrian Training on Monday 23^rd May.

The children will have previously completed classroom based sessions before the practical session at the roadside. Road Safety Officers from Walsall Council Road Safety Team carry out the practical session in streets close by the school. Members of school staff will also be present throughout this session.

It is important that you ensure your child has a waterproof jacket or coat and suitable footwear for the practical session. They will still be required to wear school uniform.

If you have any further queries, please contact your child’s class teacher.

Yours sincerely,

Ms K J Baker

Head Teacher

Queen's Jubilee

Fri 13 May 2022

Dear Parents and Carers

Re: Queen’s Jubilee celebrations

In order to mark the occasion of the Queen’s 70^th Platinum Jubilee we are hoping to have a ‘street party’ at school for all the children on Friday 27^th May - weather permitting! If wet we will still celebrate in the hall and classrooms!

We would like to ask the children to dress in any royal jubilee theme or red, white and blue on that day – and if they wish, to design a crown to wear and parade at the party! The crown can be of any design and prizes for each class will be given for the most innovative creation!

We will provide some refreshments at the party but this will not replace their lunch. There is no charge for this activity.

We have also purchased a commemorative coin from the Royal Mint for all the children as a souvenir for this once in a life time occasion. We will present these to the children after the party.

Yours sincerely

Ms K J Baker

Head Teacher

Walsall Holiday Activity & Food (HAF) Programme

Tue 10 May 2022

This is a free and exciting holiday programme for children and young people aged 5-16 years who are eligible for benefit related free school meals.

This is an opportunity for children and young people to take part in activities such as FOOTBALL, COOKING, SWIMMING, DRAMA, GAMING and much more.

All the details for this can be found on our notice boards around school, a leaflet from the school office or you can call the Holiday Activities helpline on 01922 653899.

Walk to School Week 16th - 20th May

Tue 10 May 2022