Dear Parents/Carers, It was wonderful to welcome you and the children back to school this week. The children settled back…
22 January 2021
It is hard to believe that we have finished the third week of the spring term. Despite the challenges of storm ‘Christoph’ and the pandemic, we have successfully made it through this week.
Children continue to positively engage with remote learning. I am delighted to announce the superstar classes of the week are, 2O and 5C. They have been awarded the star trophy for having the highest attendance rate at zoom sessions and the most children consistently turning in work. Congratulations to both classes.
Do take time to look at the range of pictures and work sent in by pupils across the school. This week’s art work from year 3 is outstanding, as is a lot of the work being completed at home. Thank you for your support; it is key to successful remote learning.
Parent teacher contact meetings
We are currently looking at setting up zoom sessions to give you a chance to meet with your child’s class teacher for a ten minute individual meeting. We are hoping to organise these meetings over the last week before half-term. Class teachers will be released from remote teaching, while they are conducting these sessions and your chid will be set activities to complete off line. Further details will be shared next week.
Computer devices
We continue to strive to provide as many devices as possible to families in need of support. Unfortunately, we do not have an unlimited supply and so need to prioritise based on various factors. If you have contacted the school, Mrs Gallagher will be in touch with you shortly.
Thanks to the generosity of several individuals and companies, we have made good use of devices donated to the school. I would like to thank in particular, Mr James Pearce, Mr John Scrooby, Mr Ray Plommer, Dr Aron and Dr Morgan for donating multiple devices.
Please do contact the school if you know of any friends, relatives or businesses who may have computers, tablets or iPads they no longer require. For safeguarding purposes, before any device is lent to families, all the data is removed from it and it is reset back to factory settings. Any family who then borrows the device must sign up to and abide by the school’s Acceptable Use Policy.
Discounted devices through LGFL
Please contact Mrs Gallagher on [email protected] if you would like to purchase a computer via the LGFL scheme. You will need to make the full payment, prior to an order being placed. Expected delivery time varies, depending on the device you wish to purchase.
Support
We are here to support you so do contact us. Please do email me on [email protected]. Information is shared in confidence. We have received donations of food items, so please do email if you would like to collect a food parcel.
Uniform
The PTA have organised second-hand uniform to be made available at no charge for anyone who would like some. We have a range of sizes and items for both boys and girls. Further information will be sent out next week with a google form link to order uniform. If you are not able to access the link, please contact the office.
Writing
We continually evaluate our practice and are currently discussing ways to further improve remote learning and our school curriculum . Improving writing is a school focus and we believe children of all ages should be writing daily across all curriculum subjects. Teachers support children by developing use of key punctuation and grammar. Remote teaching helps to embed key skills and address gaps in learning as a result of lockdown. Children have the opportunity to write during online sessions, but we need your help to extend your child’s writing skills beyond these sessions.
Please support your child by encouraging them to write for different purposes. These can include keeping a diary, writing letters to friends. Older children could keep a journal about current events. We are living through historical times and how amazing would it be for our children to record their memories for posterity. They are living history.
Votes 4 Schools and BBC Newsround are fantastic resources. Staff use it to set tasks related to current affairs. Helping children to understand significant national and global events is an important part of developing their general knowledge and awareness of the wider world. Our children are enthusiastic learners, keen to share their ideas and discuss current affairs. So please do talk to them about the news and encourage discussion. No matter how young they are, this is an important life skill. Their voice is important and does matter.
Photos and work
Thank you to all the children who have sent photos of their home learning.
Click here to see examples of this week’s home learning
The ‘hill we climb’
Children never cease to amaze me with their capacity to understand complex issues and sometimes their simple insight, logic and wisdom is an example to adults.
Many of you will have watched the inauguration of Joseph ‘Joe’ Biden as 46th President of the United States of America. One of the most memorable moments for me, was the presentation given by a young lady called Amanda Gorman, ‘The hill we climb’. What a wonderful role model to us and all our children; someone we can all look up to.
Click here for her poem, “The Hill We Climb”
If we empower our children with self-belief, confidence and resilience, they can achieve anything. They need to dream big and aim high!
“Let the globe, if nothing else, say this is true:
That even as we grieved, we grew.
That even as we hurt, we hoped.
That even as we tired, we tried.
That we’ll forever be tied together, victorious.
Not because we will never again know defeat, but because we will never again sow division.…
When day comes, we step out of the shade, aflame and unafraid.
The new dawn blooms as we free it.
For there is always light,
if only we’re brave enough to see it.
If only we’re brave enough to be it.”Amanda Gorman (Poet)
I wish you all a happy and safe week and look forward to the future to the day school opens to everyone.
Mrs L Fernandes
Headteacher
Merit awards for the week
- Nursery – Arthur & Sophie
- Reception – Bethel, Ethan, Ezekiel & Oscar
- Year 1 – Arsema, Roberto, Indi and Leorah
- Year 2 – Jael, Neah-Rose, Mezana, China and Gianluca
- Year 3 – Amanuel, Haseeb, Mickaela, Sweetie, Noor and Sophia
- Year 4 – Mary, Brian, Serene & Joshua
- Year 5 – Gabriella, Frank, Michelle and Noah
- Year 6 – Celina, Ziah, Ines and Daniele
- Star class of the week – Class 2O and 5C
