Dear Parents and Carers,

 

Home Learning

 

Since the schools closed in March, we have implemented a remote learning approach across our two schools. This has included daily ‘Learning Menus’ uploaded to a new ‘Home Learning’ page of our website and correspondence on Microsoft Teams between children and teachers. We have also kept in regular contact with our most vulnerable children through days in school, phone conversations and emails (please note that phone calls from staff will be from withheld/ private numbers so please try and answer the phone to these numbers if possible). 

 

We are always interested to hear the views of children and parents and are constantly reflecting on what we are doing and how we can make it better for children and families.

 

Everyone’s home situation is different during this unprecedented time. Some families want more work and some families want less. We also need to ensure that the workload for our teachers and staff is manageable as they also face home schooling their own children, days in school to support key worker children and the wider effects of the COVID19 crisis. 

 

We want to take this chance to reiterate and clarify some messages, expectations and changes we have made as we have reflected and developed home learning and heard about different experiences our families and staff have been having: 

 

1. There is absolutely no expectation as to the level of work the children complete at home. Please do not put pressure on yourself or your children to complete lots of work. Build a timetable that works for you and your family. It will be different to other families and that is fine.
2. If home learning set by school is too much, children are getting upset, or you are getting frustrated, please STOP and do something different. Go for a walk, bake a cake, read a book, or just have some fun. The home schooling menu does not have to all be fully completed each day.
3. If you feel that the work set is not enough, we have created several additional pages on the Home Learning webpage for you to dip in and out of. Please access these resources and choose something additional that your children will enjoy.
4. If learning is building throughout the week and you have missed some days, please just start with Monday's daily plan and do them sequentially, or just start midweek. For example, it does not matter if only two out of the five days are completed.
5. Sometimes things will not go well, and you just need to scrap the planned home learning day and do something totally different – that is ok, everyone will experience days like this.
6. There is no expectation to submit any work or photos on Teams. Please allow children to share photos and work if they wish to, but we are not expecting children or families to do this.
7. When we return to school, all the children are going to have had very different experiences of lockdown, for many different reasons, and we will not be expecting the children to be continuing with the curriculum as if they had been in school. The most important thing for us is that the children feel relaxed and happy in this strange time and, yes, reading, writing and maths is important, but they will be continuing to learn in their everyday play and experiences.
8. If you have some quiet time or spare minutes and you want some school activities to do with your children, regular reading and basic maths (e.g. timetables, number bonds, basic calculations) are the activities to do. Regular reading and basic maths is really good for your child’s progress and learning!

 

We hope these key messages help as you continue to plan your activities with your children. We are still working and at the end of an email, Teams message or a phone line if you need us or have questions. ‘Home Learning’ will continue until we have further updates from the Government. This Friday (8^th May) is a Bank Holiday so ‘Home Learning Menus’ will not be set by the teachers on this day.  
 

Take care and stay safe.

Best wishes,

Mr Beament

 

Executive Headteacher

St Saviour’s Infant Church School and St Saviour’s Junior Church School