Welcome to the final Friday of the half term. It seems a fast year since last March but also a slow one at the same time !

Enjoy half term and we will see you on the other side as we return to learning online on Monday 22nd February (the same day as the 'roadmap' is announced). 

Well done for this half term and have a 'break' from home learning, screens and everything else that happens in every household. 

Half term and Seesaw

- No work will be set for half term. Work will be set again from Monday February 22nd. 

- Seesaw will not be monitored or checked and we ask that you do not upload anything after 3pm today as we do not want teachers returning to 250 pieces of work to check first thing on Monday February 22nd before they start anything else. 

Addressing mis-conceptions 

• Children will need 'catch up' to get back to where they should be !
• There will be an element of 'catch up' but teachers and school staff are highly skilled and very experienced at their job and know what children need. 
• If children have been following the work set closely and responding to comments then they won't be too far away, if they have done little or nothing then they will be 'out of the correct mindset' for learning. There are very few children who haven't done anything and the vast majority have been engaged and involved in their learning and in communicating with their teachers.  
• Music, art, PE and social interactions are not as important as academic focus
• There is an expression 'filling buckets or lighting fires' which springs to mind. Children need lots of opportunities to play, socialise, have some freedom, rebuild connections as well as be 'fresh' to learn again. 
• Mental health 
• Everyone has a responsibility for ensuring the children have healthy mental health, most important are parents/carers as you are the most important people in children's lives and set their agenda and direction. 

 'Real' tests and exams

There are no formal or externally reports tests for any child at primary school this year. This is a good thing and takes any pressure on children away. 

Year 6 transition to high school - teachers always report to the high schools the academic, social and history of any child who transfers. All high schools have their own systems of assessment at the start of Year 7. Your child will not be missed or 'lose out' in the transfer of information. 

Have a restful and enjoyable half term. May I take this opportunity to thank all of the school staff for their work this half term with teachers online for many hours each day as well as planning etc, in-school staff have been keeping the school running for children in school as well as distributing laptops, food and anything else families may need. Everyone deserves a restful half term. 

Kind regards

Mr Batstone