Our wonderful 26 place Nursery offers children aged 3 to 4 the perfect start to their learning journey and a place where they can flourish under the guidance of our experienced and nurturing Nursery staff. We work in partnership with parents and carers to encourage children to develop into happy, independent, resilient, life-long learners.
We recognise that every child is unique at Bosco Bears Nursery and we aim to foster their love of learning by building on their individual interests as well as their existing knowledge and skills. Our curriculum offers experiences that foster natural curiosity, enthusiasm and motivation for learning and challenge.
We have an engaging and enabling indoor and outdoor environment that is safe and secure for your child to explore their learning. Please come and visit us at any time.
We offer 15 hours of provision; Monday to Friday from 8.45 – 11.45am or from 12:15pm – 3:15pm.
We also offer 30 hours of provision for families who meet the eligibility criteria. Please email the School Office if you would like further information about this.
Other Key Information:
Computing @SJBSunderland
Wellbeing – How much screen time is too much?
There are a range of tools available to help you manage screen time:
Remember to model taking regular breaks from your screens.
Where can I go to get support to help keep my child safe online?
There is a lot of support available to keep your child safe online. Below are some useful links to help parents and carers:
- Thinkyouknow (advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online)
- Internet matters (support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online)
- Parent info (support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online)
- LGfL (support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online)
- Net-aware (support for parents and careers from the NSPCC)
Online Safety, the new term used by the government for e-safety, is an integral part of the school curriculum in all schools. From Reception to Year 6, this is vital to help children enjoy the wonderful opportunities that our increasingly technological world can offer. Through our curriculum and other aspects of school life, we encourage children to celebrate what technology can offer us in a safe and responsible manner. In addition to the curriculum (lessons), we take the opportunity to raise awareness of On-line Safety through assemblies and it is high profile during National awareness events such as Anti-Bullying Week and Safer Internet Day. We also intervene swiftly if we are made aware of any On-line Safety issues within our school community.
However, this is not a task we can manage single-handedly! Our curriculum lessons are planned with the support of the Local Authority Advisors and incorporate resources from a range of key providers, including CEOP. We also work closely with the local police support team who share any local issues across schools and provide advice in classes and assemblies. We aim to work in partnership with parents to provide a support network for children as they explore, communicate, play and learn on-line. We endeavour to provide as much information as possible for parents, through newsletters and our school website.
It is important to keep reviewing our practice, as a school, as a family and as a pupil – in response to the way technology changes – almost daily. We regularly seek advice from the Local Authority support team and use some key websites to keep us updated. We also listen carefully to what the children have to say.
If you have any worries or concerns then please contact the School Office.
Key Responsibilities for Parents and Carers
- Reading the school’s Acceptable Use Policies, encouraging your child to adhere to them and adhering to them yourself where appropriate.
- Discussing online safety issues with your child, supporting the school in the online safety approaches and reinforcing safe online behaviours at home.
- Role modelling safe and appropriate uses of technology and social media.
- Identifying changes in behaviour that could indicate that your child is at risk of harm online.
- Seek help and support from the school, or other appropriate agencies if your child encounters online problems or concerns.
- Contributing to the development of the school online safety policies.
- Using school systems, such as learning platforms, and other network resources, safely and appropriately.
- Taking responsibility for your own awareness and learning in relation to the opportunities and risks posed by new and emerging technologies.
Useful Websites
Scratch – Imagine, Program, Share
KS1 Computing – England – BBC Bitesize
Storyboard Creator | Comic Strip Maker | Storyboard Maker
Computer science unplugged videos
Relationships and Health Education (RHE)
Catholic schools, like all other schools in England, are required to produce a written policy following the guidance issued by the Department for Education on Relationships and Health Education(RHE) in primary schools and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in secondary schools. The DfE guidance can be found here. Catholic schools are also required to deliver RHE in accordance with the teaching of the Church. This approach is compatible with the guidance issued by the DfE.
Why is RHE in Catholic Schools important?
RHE is part of the mission of Catholic schools to educate the whole person. It should be carried out as part of the holistic education which seeks to form as well as inform young people in preparation for adult life.
What does outstanding RHE in a Catholic school look like?
In order for Catholic RHE to be fully effective it needs to:
- Be faithful to the Church’s vision of human wholeness whilst recognising the contemporary context in which we live today;
- Involve parents as they are primary educators of their child;
- Provide a positive view of human sexuality and dignity of the human person;
- Equip young people with the ability to make practical judgments about the right thing to do in particular circumstances;
- Explore and promote virtues which are essential to promoting respect and dignity;
- Be delivered in an age appropriate way which reflects the development of the child;
- Be part of the cross-curricular work in both primary and secondary schools;
- Be sensitive to the needs of the individual pupil and recognise the mix of pupils with different sexual orientations, genders and family backgrounds in each class;
- Be taken seriously by governors and teachers as an integrated part of the broad and balanced curriculum that Catholic schools offer;
- Be delivered by competent professionals who understand the Church’s teaching.
Life To The Full
We use the Diocesan recommended ‘Life to the Full’ materials for RHE. Please see the leaflet below or contact the school for a parent login to have a closer look at the materials.
Protected Characteristics
We work hard to ensure that our children understand that:
There are no outsiders at St John Bosco
Everyone is different
We celebrate our differences
We are all equal in our differences
The Equality Act became law in 2010. It covers everyone in Britain and protects people from discrimination, harassment and victimisation. Everyone in Britain is protected. This is because the Equality Act protects people against discrimination because of the protected characteristics that we all have. The document below outlines how we embed them in our school.
Careers Education
Religious Education in the curriculum:
10% of our teaching timetable is dedicated to Religious Education. Please refer to the curriculum map and termly leaflets for more information on what the children are learning and how you can support them. The content of Religious Education at St. John Bosco Catholic School offers a systematic programme of study which comprehensively covers all the strands and requirements of The Religious Education Curriculum Directory (3-19). This ensures that the teaching and learning of Religious Education at our school reflects the vision and breadth of the teaching of the Church outlined in the Catechism.
How you can help:
As the first educators of your children, it is important that they see you taking part in religious life. By attending Mass regularly and supporting them in their school work, we can work together to provide a spiritually rich environment which enables them to grow in the light and love of God.
Family RE display
Come and See:
At St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School, we follow the ‘Come and See’ programme to deliver high-quality Religious Education lessons from EYFS through to Key Stages 1 and 2. It encompasses three themes which are gradually explored at greater depths as the children get older. The three themes are: Church, Sacrament and Christian Living.
The process for delivering the topics in ‘Come and See’ has three stages:
1) Explore
‘Explore’ is the introduction to the topic where the children’s life experience is explored. The questions it raises are wondered at, shared, investigated and their significance is reflected upon.
2) Reveal
‘Reveal’ is the heart of the programme where knowledge and understanding of the Catholic faith is revealed through the Word, in Scripture, Tradition, doctrine, prayers, rites and Christian living.
3) Respond
‘Respond’ is where the learning is assimilated, celebrated and responded to in daily life. At the end of each topic, children will be given an opportunity to apply what they have learnt by responding to a ‘Big Question’ assessment question.
Other Faiths
At St. John Bosco Catholic School, the children also learn about other world religions such as Islam and Judaism. Each year group has a particular area to focus on within world religions which are outlined in Come and See at various times throughout the year (taking into account when festivals and celebrations fall).
Bosco Bear’s RE Journey through school
