๐ Summer Holidays
Mr J Sharp
Dear Parents/Carers
Iโm not really sure how we all feel at the moment but it is certainly different from the last week we usually have in school. There are many things that we are all missing and it is understandable to feel sad and uncertain. As I have said previously, we are determined to give our leavers, both staff and children, recognition of their achievements together as a school in the future. We are so proud of them and will miss them all.
Understandably thoughts turn to September and perhaps concern about what it will be like. We feel well prepared in school to welcome the children back safely and also to support them with any worries and nerves they may have. More information from class teachers will be shared to help prepare the children for their next class.
I know many of you expressed concerns in the feedback comments from annual reports that your childโs learning has stalled or fallen back. This is something we are also very mindful of but we donโt want the children to feel any fault or worry about this. It has happened, we will welcome them back with a smiley face, find out where they are in their learning and move them forward. Thank you so much for trying to support your children as best as you could at home under very difficult circumstances. I know from personal experience how challenging it was.
Some parents have asked if we can provide work to be completed in the holidays. Well we wonโt be delivering tasks like we have in term time through paper resources and Google Classroom. The staff have given absolutely everything over the past 5 months, they deserve a well earned rest and to spend more time with their families. Therefore, the class email accounts will not be monitored during the summer holidays. However, we have lots of fantastic resources on our website to help your child practise important skills and knowledge as well as learn new things. Visit the Learning Zone to complete tasks from all across the curriculum and Mrs. Casey has organised for all the children to have access to thousands of ebooks (she will be contacting parents soon). All the online platforms we use will still be available and the links are in the Learning Zone.
If I had to give my priorities for learning over the summer for the children it would be:
Be active with others
Play and talk with others
Try something new with others
READ, READ, READ, READ, READ, READโฆ (with others)
I would like every child to turn off the tablets and screens every now and again, go to the Hobby Zone of the website, and find something new to try over the summer holidays ready to share in September. Remember there are plenty of ways to share things with us through email, Twitter and the website if you have some good photos and videos etc. It is so important that the children have as many experiences and conversations with good role models about as many different things as they can. It will help them so much in school and when they grow up.
I know many of you will have suffered hard times and unfortunately so have members of the school staff. It has been fantastic how all members of the school community have supported each other and I know this will continue in the future. Even though it has been an extremely tough time, there are things that we have all improved, as well as positives to look forward to. It has shown us all the things we may take for granted, and this year more than ever we are so excited to see the children return after the holidays.
I hope everyone keeps safe over the summer and you are looking forward to returning (if a little anxious).
Thank you to everyone for all your support and best wishes. It means a lot to us all.
