St Patrick's Catholic Primary School News

  In a bid to keep up with everyone else, Snapchat introduced their AI chatbot a few months ago  by default  into users accounts. No choice was given and it can't be turned off unless you pay. Children use Snap MyAI (and other AI chatbots) for a variety of reasons such as boredom and loneliness. And of course, as with all technology, there can be positives. But, on the flip side there are always negatives, such as inappropriate content, misinformation (AI is only as good as the data it's trained on), privacy and much more. Even Snapchat admits that the AI can be tricked into saying pretty much anything. Please follow the link  here   for a really good article explaining Snap MyAI. It has information about how it works, its features, the issues and tips for parents and is definitely worth the read.

  Community Nurse Visit: Our Community Nurse from GP Care Group have been allocated to carry out the school drop-ins. Please see the dates below for this term.   Autumn Term:   Friday October 20th - 9:30am to 10:30am                                                            Friday November 24th - 9:30am to 10:30am                                                          Friday December 8th - 9:30am to 10:30am  

  Parent-Teacher Meetings will take place on Monday 9 th and Tuesday 10 th October from 3.30-6pm.  The appointment sheet for your child’s class will be available from Monday for you to sign up to a meeting time.  

  T he Rosary: During the month of October, we will be saying a decade of the Rosary every Thursday morning at 8:30am in the Library. This year, it will start on 5 th October and every Thursday morning thereafter until the 19 th October.  Anyone wishing to attend needs to come through the Stoneydown Park playground entrance at 8.25am where they will be collected by an adult.  Please be prompt as parents/children arriving after this time will not be able to join in and will need to wait for their school start time outside with an adult. If you are a parent and wish to come, you can join us.  

  From managing screen time, the fear of missing out (FOMO) and body image. All these and much more can affect the wellbeing of children and so   Internet Matters   have put together a great series of articles for parents. Although it is aimed at 9-10 year old girls, it is also worthwhile for all older and younger children, boys and girls. You can browse and read the advice page   HERE .

The world’s most popular instant messaging service,  WhatsApp  has been appearing in the headlines even more often than usual recently over its opposition to aspects of the UK government’s Online Safety Bill. Encrypting messages to protect users’ privacy has undeniable merit, but it  also  poses obvious risks – especially to young people. Updated to reflect the newest version of WhatsApp, this Parent’s Guide brings trusted adults the latest essential info. Click Here to find out more