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Our School

ACE Anti-Bullying Week 15th -19th November

Screenshot 2021-11-11 at 15-51-42 Anti-Bullying Week 2021 One Kind Word

HARROLD EmmaMiss Harrold is Astley's current Foundation Stage teacher and is Subject Lead for RE and Life Skills.

As part of her Subject Lead role in Life Skills, we put Miss Harrold and Anti-Bullying Week under the ACE Spotlight!


Miss Harrold, tell us how long you have been a teacher at Astley Primary School and which year groups do you have experience teaching?

I started at Astley fresh from University and have been teaching here for 12 years!


What was your route into teaching and what other Subject Lead roles have you had at Astley?

I completed my teacher training at Edge Hill University and hold a BA(Hons) in Primary Early Years Eduction with QTS. I began the role of subject leader for R.E and Life Skills (previously known as PSHCE) in my second year of teaching at Astley.


Do you have particular skills and training to bring to your Life Skills role?

Fortunately, I have taught other year groups across the school in both KS1 and 2 which has helped me to design a progressive and sequenced curriculum. My School Council role has helped me to engage with children across the school and even helped me to rename PSHCE to the updated and exciting name of Life Skills! My experience of being a parent helps me to understand the importance of family life. In Life Skills we learn a lot about family dynamics, relationships and friendships.


Tell us about why Life Skills is an important curriculum subject and what pupils can expect to learn as they move through the Astley year groups?

Life Skills stands for 'Learning Incredible things For Everyday Life!'

It's a fundamental subject in terms of developing the whole child- it isn’t just about the academic elements. In Life Skills we equip pupils with knowledge and confidence so they will be able to make the correct life choices. A range of topics and issues are covered,  carefully chosen to meet the objectives of compulsory health education and RSE as well as covering additional objectives and learning opportunities such as road and fire safety and healthy eating. Each class has a weekly lesson and as the children move up the school the basic concepts such as calling for help in an emergency are developed into basic first aid skills. Healthy lifestyle choices are developed in older year groups by learning about the effects of alcohol and smoking, for example.


How does learning within Life Skills help compliment other curriculum subjects?

The basic learning behaviours and social skills which are taught lay the foundation for all curriculum learning! In addition there are strong links with Computing in terms of online safety and, of course, P.E. links well in relation to leading a healthy lifestyle.


Are there particular links between Life Skills and the work of the Pastoral Support Team?

Miss Harrold: Definitely. The Pastoral Support Team do much to support the work of teaching children fundamental learning behaviours and life lessons, such as developing their perseverance, tolerance and independence.

Pastoral Support Team:  Yes, we would agree that most of our work involves helping children with life skills; taking turns, listening, being polite, sharing, winning and losing gracefully. We also try to help pupils make good choices, particularly in keeping themselves safe. We talk a lot about different rules in different settings, for example, home versus school and the reasons for this. We learn about voting and the fact that not everybody will be happy with the result, but we help children understand the notion of a majority decision. We work with Astley pupils a lot in terms of understanding friendships and diversity.


shutterstock_116071720As the week of 15th – 19th November is Anti-bullying Week, what different types of behaviour would we call bullying and how can bullying make people feel?

Miss Harrold:  Some of the main types of bullying are verbal, such as a name calling and physical bullying, which includes physical harm caused to other people and damaging their property. Social bullying, sometimes referred to as covert bullying, can often be harder to recognise and can be carried out behind the bullied person’s back. It is designed to harm someone’s social relationships and can involve embarrassing or ignoring someone, excluding them from a group or telling others to behave this way, telling tales or spreading rumours. Social bullying also includes cyber-bullying, which can take the form of abusive messages, imitating others online and using their log-in.

Pastoral Support Team: Bullying can make children feel isolated, sad, worthless and afraid. At Astley we try to get pupils to empathise with other children as often they don’t realise that their behaviour would be classed as bullying.


What help can Astley pupils get if they feel they are being bullied?

Miss Harrold:  Astley children are taught to always TELL and speak to someone so things can be dealt with swiftly. At school we also have worry boxes for pupils to leave messages about concerns that they have. And, of course, the Pastoral Support Team are available if children would like to talk to someone other than their normal teaching staff.


What activities will take place at Astley to raise awareness during Anti-Bullying Week?

Every year we hold an Anti-Bullying Week to help raise awareness and to build children’s confidence to speak up. This year’s theme is One Kind Word and we will be doing lots of activities about being kind and promoting healthy friendships. Odd Socks Day on Monday 15th November celebrates uniqueness!


How can parents / carers support children, promote positive behaviour and help prevent bullying at Astley?

Miss Harrold:  Families can support pupils by being good role models. They can help children to develop positive relationships through mixing with others in different social contexts. We have lots of great after school clubs!

Pastoral Support Team:  Bringing up the subject of bullying on more than one ocassion can help children to open up. Parents and Carers can listen to their children and make sure than school is aware of any issues so that we can help. Pupils can practise 'STOP. I don’t like this' and move away from a situation.


Thank you for telling us about Life Skills at Astley and all your ACE advice about Anti-Bullying Week and for respectfully joining us under the ACE Spotlight!, Miss Harrold and the Pastoral Support Team.

Our Schools

Synergy Multi-Academy Trust comprises fifteen Norfolk schools serving children between the ages of 2 and 18. Our schools work collaboratively together to raise standards and provide education of the highest possible standard, offering the best of opportunities for pupils. The Trust was initially established in 2015. We believe that all of our schools have strengths and areas to develop, and that all can improve through sharing expertise and wisdom. The Trust understands that there will be excellent practice in each school, and that every school will be able to contribute to the development of the Trust as a whole.

Our Schools

Synergy Multi-Academy Trust comprises fifteen Norfolk schools serving children between the ages of 2 and 18. Our schools work collaboratively together to raise standards and provide education of the highest possible standard, offering the best of opportunities for pupils. The Trust was initially established in 2015. We believe that all of our schools have strengths and areas to develop, and that all can improve through sharing expertise and wisdom. The Trust understands that there will be excellent practice in each school, and that every school will be able to contribute to the development of the Trust as a whole.