Our Community Multi-Academy Trust - OCMAT

25/08/2026

What's Real Online?

AI-generated content, cloned voices, deepfake videos and fabricated screenshots are making it harder for young people to recognise what is genuine online.

Our latest guide supports parents, carers and educators in helping children build the confidence and critical thinking skills needed to question digital content.

The guide explores:
• How AI-generated content and deepfakes can appear convincing
• Why familiar voices, polished presentation and repeated claims should not automatically be trusted
• Risks linked to fake accounts, impersonation and misinformation
• The importance of source-checking and verifying messages through another route
• How adults can respond when harmful or deceptive content targets a child

With clear, practical advice, this resource helps adults strengthen digital literacy and support safer, more informed online experiences.

Access the guide: https://vist.ly/5fbwq

25/08/2026

📚🏆 THE NATIONAL READ ALOUD SUMMER CHALLENGE UPDATE! 🏆📚

There’s been movement on our OCMAT leaderboard since our last update… and with just a few days to go, it’s all to play for! 👀🔥

Our schools are not only battling it out within OCMAT — they’re making their mark nationally too!

🌟 Nationally:
🥳 Dymchurch Primary School are currently sitting in an incredible 27th place!
👏 Bredgar Church of England Primary School aren’t far behind in 36th place!

And our OCMAT leaderboard currently looks like this:

🥇 Bredgar Church of England Primary School – 4,834 points
🥈 Dymchurch Primary School – 2,577 points
🥉 The Oaks Infant School – 3,110 points

There’s still time for those positions to change, so every point really does count! 📖✨

And there’s even more to play for… 🏆

The two winning OCMAT schools will have their school name engraved on the Trust shields, which they’ll get to proudly display for the next year! 🏆

But imagine if we could go one step further… 👀

If OCMAT can earn enough points as a Trust, we could be in with a chance of being invited to the National Awards at Amazon HQ in London in January!✨ And if one of our schools scores highly enough nationally, the five top-reading children from that school, along with their teacher, could also be invited to attend the awards ceremony in London! ⭐📚 Now wouldn’t THAT be amazing?

And we KNOW it’s possible… because last year OCMAT were national runners-up, something we were incredibly proud of! 💙

So, with the challenge ending on 31 August, now is the time to get those books out! 📚

📱 Get on the app
📖 Pick a book you fancy
⏰ Read a little each day
⭐ Earn those points!

It doesn’t have to be hours of reading — a little every day can make a HUGE difference to your school’s score, to our Trust total, and most importantly, to keeping children reading over the summer and getting back into a reading routine ready for the new school year next week. ❤️

Come on OCMAT… let’s see what we can achieve together! 🚀📚🏆

23/08/2026

✨ Back to School... one small step at a time! ✨

The summer holidays seem to fly by, don't they? Before the school gates open again, why not spend the next week easing back into the school routine?

💙 Try a few of these together:
📚 Read a story every day.
⏰ Gradually bring bedtime forward by 10–15 minutes each night.
🎒 Let your child help pack and organise their school bag.
👕 Check uniforms still fit and label everything.
🥣 Practise your morning routine so everyone knows what to expect.
😊 Chat about what they're looking forward to and any worries they might have.

A little preparation now can make those first few mornings feel much calmer.

Here's to a happy, confident start to the new school year! 🌟

18/08/2026

The school run. The packed lunches. The bedtime routines. The endless questions.

Parenting is full of beautiful moments… but alongside the smiles, there can sometimes be worries too.

Why is my child feeling anxious?
How can I support their behaviour?
Am I doing the right thing?

These are questions many parents ask themselves.

That's why we wanted to create something that goes beyond the school gates — a space where families can come together, learn, share experiences and feel supported.

This year, we’re excited to launch our free Parent Courses at Selling CE Primary School, open to OCMAT families.

From understanding anxiety and behaviour, to supporting children with ADHD and learning family first aid skills, these sessions have been created around what parents told us they wanted and needed.

A warm welcome, practical support and a chance to connect with others.

Because raising children really does take a community. 💙💚

Places are available now — we’d love to see you there.
To book your space click here:
https://www.ocmat.org.uk/Our-Parent-Courses/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=trust-facebook&utm_campaign=Parent+Courses+26-27&utm_id=Parent+Courses+26-27

17/08/2026

To every parent whose child is starting Reception this September...

You might be counting down the days with excitement.

Or wondering how your little one suddenly became old enough for school.

Perhaps you're feeling a little bit of both.

Starting school is a huge milestone—not just for children, but for parents too.

Over the next few weeks your child doesn't need to know how to write their name perfectly or count to 100.

They'll benefit far more from chatting with you, sharing stories, putting on their own coat, choosing a book together, practising taking turns and talking about how they're feeling.

Most of all, they just need to know that school is somewhere they'll be loved, encouraged and helped to grow.

We're so excited to welcome our newest members of the OCMAT family this September.

You've got this... and so have they. 💙💚

14/08/2026

The summer always seems so long... until suddenly it isn't.

One minute you're planning days out, picnics and ice creams, and the next you're wondering where the school shoes are and whether that jumper still fits!

As the holidays continue, don't worry too much about getting "back-to-school ready" just yet. There will be plenty of time for uniform shopping and pencil cases.

For now, make memories.

Read an extra bedtime story. Build a den. Bake something together. Visit the park. Let them splash in puddles, collect sticks, ask endless questions and tell you stories about dragons, dinosaurs or dancing unicorns.

These are the moments they'll remember.

When September arrives, we'll be here, ready to welcome every child back with open arms.

Until then... enjoy every little bit of summer. ❤️

10/08/2026

There can be a lot of pressure to make every day of the holidays "special".

But children don't need a packed calendar.

Sometimes the best days are the slow ones.

Pyjamas until lunchtime.
Board games.
Cloud spotting.
A walk to the shops.
An afternoon in the garden.
A cuddle while watching a film.

Those quiet moments build memories too.

However you're spending your summer, we hope it's filled with laughter, rest and time together.

06/08/2026

Because supporting our children starts with supporting each other. 💙💚

Parenting is one of the most rewarding journeys we can experience… but it can also bring questions, challenges and moments where we wonder, “Am I getting this right?”

The truth is, every family needs support sometimes.

Following conversations with our families, we listened to what parents told us they would find helpful and are delighted to be offering a series of free Parent Courses at Selling CE Primary School in partnership with Kent Adult Education.

These welcoming sessions are designed to give parents, carers and grandparents practical advice, helpful strategies and the opportunity to connect with other families who may be experiencing similar things.

Our upcoming courses include:

✨ Supporting Your Child’s Anxiety
✨ Exploring Behaviour Strategies
✨ Supporting ADHD in the Home
✨ Family First Aid

Whether you’re looking for new ideas, reassurance, or simply a chance to chat with others, we’d love to welcome you.

You don’t need to have all the answers. None of us do. ❤️

Find out more and book your place through our website:
https://www.ocmat.org.uk/Our-Parent-Courses/?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=trust-facebook&utm_campaign=Parent+Courses+26-27&utm_id=Parent+Courses+26-27

03/08/2026

Spending time outdoors can play an important role in children’s wellbeing, learning, confidence and development.

However, busy routines, safety concerns and limited access to outdoor space can make it harder for families, schools and carers to prioritise time in nature.

Our latest guide shares simple, practical ideas to help children reconnect with the natural world, including:
• Noticing wildlife during everyday routines
• Taking familiar activities outside
• Creating mini adventures
• Growing plants or building nature at home
• Using technology to identify birdsong, insects and wildlife
• Supporting older children with independence and sensible risk-taking

With realistic ideas for all ages, the guide helps make outdoor time feel accessible, enjoyable and worthwhile.

Read the guide here: https://vist.ly/5ctpa

03/08/2026

📚🏆 Summer Reading Update – OCMAT Leaderboard! 🏆📚

The competition is heating up in the National Read Aloud Challenge, and our OCMAT schools are doing an amazing job of keeping the pages turning this summer! 🌞📖

Here's how our Trust leaderboard looks right now...

🥇 1st - Dymchurch Primary School👏
🥈 2nd – Bredgar Church of England Primary School
🥉 3rd – The Oaks Infant School

A huge well done to everyone who has been taking part – every minute spent reading counts! ⭐ This week its also double points!

There's still plenty of time for the leaderboard to change, so don't forget to encourage your children to read every day. Whether it's a bedtime story, a favourite book, there are hundreds to choose from and every read helps develop confidence, vocabulary and a lifelong love of reading.

The National Read Aloud Challenge is a fantastic way to keep reading over the summer, helping children return to school ready to learn, while joining hundreds of other children and schools across the country in a shared reading adventure.

👀 Will Dymchurch hold onto the top spot, or can another OCMAT school make a late surge to the top before the challenge ends on 31 August?

Keep reading, keep listening, keep climbing the leaderboard... and good luck everyone! 📚💙