Make Your Mark 2022 has now launched, giving every 11-18 year old in the UK one vote for the issue they care about most, from climate change to jobs, with the results deciding the issues the UK Youth Parliament prioritise and campaign on.

Please see the presentation below for more details:

Voting is open throughout February 2022 and students can find out more about the issues and place their vote here: Survery Monkey

Students are also able to put themselves forward for the next Isle of Wight Youth MP and Youth Council Elections. Anyone interested should complete the survey on the Youth Council webpage.

The Isle of Wight Education Federation has always aimed for a partnership with parents which undoubtedly brings great benefits to the children. One of the most significant ways you can help in promoting this aim is to volunteer to be a Parent Governor.

This week, we have sent a letter out inviting nominations from parents who would like to join the Governing Board. Long serving parent governor Teresa Harris came to the end of her term of office in December, leaving a vacancy for a parent governor.

If you feel you can help in this capacity, please contact the clerk on 01983 526523 or emma.shambrook@iwef.org.uk for an application form, which will need to be completed and returned to the clerk by 12.00 noon on 16 February 2022. If there are more applications than vacancies a ballot will be held.

A copy of the Federation’s governor recruitment information can be found here: Governor Recruitment. This includes more information about the work of the Governing Board, who can be a governor and what to expect. If you would like to talk to a governor before applying please contact the clerk.

Please note, that for the protection of children, all governor appointments are subject to an identity check.

Five months of hard work certainly paid off for our wonderful Dance Live Team. They competed with their heads held high and full of energy. We couldn’t have asked any more from any of the team, from our run-throughs to the real thing, they gave our performance absolutely everything. Every move, lift and somersault was executed with the most electrifying energy.

Our team was made up of students from Carisbrooke College, Medina College and The Island VI Form. They have come together and shown fantastic teamwork from the start. We couldn’t be any more proud of them. 

I can’t thank our dancers and wonderful families enough, as well as Mrs McCarthy, Mrs Lythgoe, Mrs Hookey and Mr Wililams for their enthusiasm, support and genuine desire to provide our students with the most wonderful of opportunities.

Our entry won the technical award and an incredible second place! We await to hear if we qualify as the highest scoring second place entry which would put us through to the grand final in May!

Mrs Tuck

7 – 13 February is Children’s Mental Health Week. The week is run by the charity Place2Be, and focuses on the importance of promoting good mental health and wellbeing for children and young people.

You will find lots of helpful resources for families on their website: https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/parents-and-carers/

Here we share some of their top tips for parents/carers to support your child’s emotional growth.

⦁ Talk about when your child was younger

Most children enjoy hearing their parents tell stories about when they were younger. Recall stories that highlight how your child has developed and changed over the years. For example, how you enjoyed teaching them to learn to ride a bike, or swim. Or how proud you were when they took part in a school assembly – even though they were nervous. If you are an adoptive parent, foster or kinship carer, you will still have lots of memories to share from when you first came together as a family.

⦁ Notice when your child has developed and grown

You may have made marks on the walls to recognise how tall your child has grown over the years, or looked at old photos together. It is important to also recognise and praise emotional growth. This could be letting them know how proud you are when they have learnt to walk away rather than fight with a sibling, or how they have learnt to ask others to play when they used to be too shy to do so.

⦁ Encourage your child to try new things

This could be new foods, a new activity or a new experience. Praise their willingness to ‘give things a go’ rather than whether they were ‘good’ at it. This will give them confidence to continue to develop and grow.

⦁ Listen to your child’s hopes and dreams for the future

Encourage your child to see that everything they are doing right now is a tiny step towards who they might want to become in the future. For example, your child staying away from home for a night is a step towards them being able to leave home for study or work in the future. Your child helping another child is an important step towards them becoming a counsellor, a doctor, a nurse or a teacher etc.

⦁ Support your child to learn from tough situations

It can be really hard when your child is not getting on with friends or having a problem with a teacher, or is disappointed with how something has worked out. Acknowledge the difficult feelings, but help your child to see that these situations help us to grow and develop so that we are better able to cope with life’s ups and downs.

Let your child know that if they are worried about something, they should always talk to an adult they trust. It could be you, someone in your family, a teacher or someone else in their school.