Dear Parents,

I hope you are all okay. I was grateful that we had some lovely weather last weekend, particularly as this week has been a bit of a wash out! As you know, we remain open for the children of our key workers, so my thanks go to our teachers, LSAs, midday assistants, cleaners and Mr. Turner for keeping the school running. I was so touched by the way the children in school observed the silence for the fallen key workers on Tuesday, it was very moving.

Our teachers have continued to stay in touch with you this week and set the home learning for the children. If staff call, please be mindful that it will come up on your phone as number withheld. The office staff are ensuring that the admin side and website run smoothly, including Mrs Pluck’s amazing galleries. We love the messages and feedback that you have been sending, particularly the pictures of the children’s activities.

Thank you for continuing to persevere with home learning, we know how difficult it is to suddenly find yourself in the position of being your child’s teacher. We are sending out some top tips from our conversations with you and I would suggest finding a routine that works for your family. If you find yourself baking because that is something that makes everybody happy, then please just enjoy doing that! Our children need predictability as much as possible, so we would recommend that you don’t wake up every day and then figure out a schedule for the day. We appreciate that the challenge is to plan your time in a way which not only allows your children to learn, but also have some fun in these very difficult times, particularly when many of you are working from home.

National Home Learning Support Helpline for Parents
A national parent helpline has been set up, known as StarLine, and backed by the new virtual Oak Academy, as well as Star Academies, the Confederation of School Trusts, Triple P UK and a number of academy trusts. It is also staffed by Ofsted inspectors who have been redeployed alongside teachers to provide advice about home learning to parents. The helpline is designed to help parents and carers create regular routines and study habits, offering practical steps to take and access to resources, such as support with a specific topic or advice on how to structure the day, deal with difficult behaviour or manage the learning of several children.
StarLine is open six days a week and covers all areas of the curriculum across all phases of education. The number to call is 0330 313 9162 (calls charged at local rate).

We end with some uplifting news. We have received our first payment from the Co-op Community Fund, in support of our Health and Happiness Hub. The money is raised by local residents who have opted to support the school through their Co-op membership card. We are delighted to have received £729 and we can’t wait to pursue this project when the school re-opens.

Wishing you all a restful weekend. Stay safe.

Kind regards
Helen Castell

Community News