Headteacher’s Blog

It has been a really purposeful first week back in school, and so many things have been achieved.  Some might say it has been ‘brilliant’ in fact!   We have done extensive work towards supporting our children’s emotions this year – supporting pupil wellbeing and fostering good levels of resilience. This has been achieved via a range of means: through the set-up of the new Nurture Group, our employment of Mrs Kiteley – as our Pastoral Care and Inclusion Manager, our PSHE Matters curriculum, and through the Brilliant Schools lessons that we’ve been teaching. And that’s where I wish to start this week’s blog – Brilliant Schools.

On the back of the pandemic, and in light of the fact that ‘life’ is so busy and less predictable as we grow, developing the capacity in all members of our school community to reflect, adapt and uphold a positive mindset in the face of challenges has never been more important. We purchased the Brilliant Schools’ curriculum this time last year and it has been implemented in school since the start of this academic year.  Much of this charge has been led by Miss Knowles this year – as our Brilliant Schools’ ‘Commander in Chief’ – and last week she set our teachers and children the challenge of completing a few more ‘Brilliant Me’ activities. I witnessed a few of these first hand as I visited your classrooms.  Miners –  they all attended Special Mentions with their Positivity Glasses, aimed at getting them to see the good in all situations and supporting the children to be more optimistic – as the Y6 Miners continue their transition to secondary school, this kind of outlook will support them all through the change of leaving Coton and moving on!  Miss Dennis has worked really hard too, to display lots of examples of the key messages from Brilliant Schools around her classroom. For instance – HUGGS! Huge, Unbelievably Great Goals.  Over the next few weeks, we have HUGGS of our own.  One of these being, to become an ‘Outstandingly Happy School.’  Andy Cope will be coming into school in the coming days, as I mentioned last week, and he will see all of the work that we have been completing. In the coming days also, all children will be asked to fill in an online Brilliant Schools survey, ranking their overall happiness. The first one of these was done earlier on in the school year – some of the children did it at home whilst others filled it in during their computing lessons in school.  It will be really interesting to compare the survey results from pre and post.

Continuing our Brilliant School focus – on this coming Thursday, 17th June, all classes are going to be taking part in a ‘Random Act of Kindness’ hour.   There are some activities planned, aimed at teaching the children about doing something to help others. Or Global Citizenship, as I like to call it.  The Y5/6 children will be washing the cars of all class teachers, our Coopers and Potters will be going on a great litter pick around the village – either in surrounding roads and lanes or around Coton Woods, and our children in Farmers or Foresters will be spreading the word of Brilliant Schools – posting positive messages on the doorsteps of nearby residents.  It’s all about getting our children to think beyond themselves and supporting them to do something nice – spreading a wave of happiness.

I mentioned our Nurture Group above, and this week Mrs Brace and Mrs Kiteley had 7 new inductees. The impact data from the previous group was really encouraging and we will continue to monitor what impact it has had on these children as it can take a few months for the full impact to show.  The new group will run until to the end of the school year and then into the new one.  The children decorated their very own snack plates this past Wednesday. Snack time is an essential part of each nurture session – learning those social etiquettes at the dinner table; talking in turn, listening to others, using manners, taking responsibility for some of the jobs, developing independence etc.  I hope to get an invitation to attend snack time in the coming weeks!

You will have received a reminder about our Sex & Relationships Education curriculum last week.  We sent out a letter on the day that we broke up for school, asking for your feedback on the content planned to be taught.  The reason for gauging your feedback is so we can tailor the delivery of these lessons sensitively, and we can work with you if you have any reservations about the content.  Much of the Sex & Relationships curriculum is statutory and new content has been added for all schools in recent years.  Much of this new content is about acknowledging the modern Britain in which we live and recognising that some children develop much sooner than others.  It is very much up to individual schools to work with all parents on how they approach these sensitive themes and we intend to do just that.  Thank you to those families who have already returned their Parent Voice slip – we will collate all of the feedback and then decide upon our next steps.  These may include an opportunity for parents to come into school (when they are permitted due to the pandemic) and see the resources that we intend to use.  It could mean that we organise the lessons in a particular way or that we speak with families direct. In the meantime, please refer to the school RSE policy on our website – it is a statutory policy and it clearly states the approach that we aim to take.

Mrs Weston has had a busy week, working with staff members on further developing our teaching of Power Maths.  We have focused quite a bit on Maths over the last couple of years – that’s because our performance data told us that many children found it tricky.  Whilst our improvement focus has been interrupted due to COVID-19,  all families have been given a chance to see just how we teach maths – through the remote lessons that we delivered during lockdown.  We will continue to enhance our maths teaching and do all that we can to tackle any generational barriers which may exist – “I was never good at maths – he takes after me!”  Or “I can’t do Maths – I’m alright with English!” Miss Dennis and I were chatting this Friday, about how some children are still focused on getting the answer and, when they do, they stop thinking! Our most proficient mathematicians are prone to this way of thinking!  It is really important that we hear children using mathematical vocabulary and that they explain their reasoning rather than just saying – “I did it in my head”.  This reasoning skill will further support their Maths as the curriculum gets more difficult.

As I said last week, our improvement focus for next year will be reading and this week, I ordered our new library furniture.  Our library has been re-designed and we are making it bigger -partly because we have lots and lots of  additional books!  Also this week, I ordered a new signing in and out system, meaning all children will be able to scan books in and out of the library in the new school year.  We do intend to have a big, grand opening of our library at some point in September but the new facility (and the signing in and out system) is all designed to motivate, encourage and ‘kick-start’ our children into good reading habits.  With the new signing in and out system, Libresoft, all children will be able to go online at home, browse our catalogue of books and then reserve them. They’ll be able to leave a book review for others too.  It is our intention that we will open our library for parents and children afterschool in the future – we’ll let you know more about this when we have everything in place.

There are some really lovely pictures of our children, which were taken last Tuesday as part of our prospectus renewal.  So much so, Mrs Cresswell and I had a real job trying to select which ones we wished to use.  I want to say a big thank you for the extra effort put in, in making sure that your child had their hair just right and that they all had the correct school uniform.  We will soon be uploading the updated prospectus onto the website – you’ll receive an announcement when we do!

On the subject of school uniform – I will be writing to all parents in time for the start of next year, but I wish to point you all in the direction of our expectations.  Generally speaking, most children have an impeccable school uniform and they look very smart but we do happen to see a few notable additions as the year draws to a close and I wish to mention these, with a view to getting it right come September.  ‘Excellence’ is not just about striving to be better, it is about looking the part as well.  Since the return from lockdown, we’ve seen a few hairstyles which could be deemed ‘extreme’ or ‘unusual’ and jewelry continues to be something that we have to remind some children about.  Finally, as we approach the end of the school year, children begin to ‘out grow’ their existing uniform and we see items which appear too short for them.  Most notably skirts for our older pupils.  We don’t want to cause any unnecessary expense for families at this time of year but it is worth remembering that skirts should be at knee-length and this expectation is no different to many other schools, including secondary schools – even at this time of year.

Last Friday, our rewards assembly was focused on ‘excellence’ and there was a range of reasons why children were chosen for an award;

• Lily (Farmers) – For showing many excellent learning behaviours and coming back to school ‘Year 1 Ready’
• Mikey (Foresters) – For excellent concentration in lessons and trying really hard with his writing
• Alarna (Potters) – For an excellent learning attitude in every lesson
• Oban (Coopers) – For excellence in Reading
• Rocco (Coopers) – For a massive improvement in his handwriting & presentation and for gaining his pen licence
• Ryley (Miners) – Excellent quality of research about Maya gods and religion
• Jessica (Miners) Excellent skills using a protractor, accurate drawing of a shape

There was other ‘Brilliance’ too, last week.  The following children were awarded for their kindness to others; Jacob (Farmers), Joseph (Foresters), Lily (Potters), Saffie (Coopers), Hollie (Miners).  Being kind to others doesn’t cost anything at all!  It is important, after everything that we have all been through in the past 15 months, to help others and spread a bit of compassion!

Moving into this week:

• Please keep a look out for a letter from myself that will be coming home on the back of the Prime Minister’s expected announcement surrounding the pausing of his ‘roadmap.’ This will give you information about what this means in school.
• New arrangements for our Breakfast Club, and an improved service will be announced in the coming days.  We have been working to secure an improved facility for parents which is more affordable and, one that is more widely used
• There’ll be information forthcoming about a Summer Holiday Club – led by Progressive Sports (our PE Provider)
• Please continue to send in your Parent Voice forms for our SRE curriculum, and also the Parent Voice on our Brilliant School’s work.
• Key Stage 2 parents should have received a letter about our end of term production last week – more information will follow about tickets in the coming days, and children with minor roles will receive the words for the songs they are in.

Finally, before I leave you, another date for your diary.  I will be hosting my final Cuppa & Cake meeting of the year – or a ‘Share a Brew’ meeting via Teams on Friday 2nd July @ 9:30 am.  All parents will receive an email invitation into their school inbox.  At the meeting, I will be sharing our school improvement plans for the new school year and be joined by Mrs Kiteley (our Pastoral Care & Inclusion Manager) and Adam from Progressive Sports.  Adam will be doing a presentation on the wraparound offer and the deals that we have in place for September.

Well done to Elias (Farmers), who won this week’s blog box challenge.  This week’s question is:

What is the name of our new library software – that will allow all children the chance to reserve the books from our library that they wish to read?

 

Welcome back after what has been a very sunny and much needed week away from school.  I do hope that you all made the most of the loosened restrictions and you enjoyed meeting up with friends and family in the sunshine!  We are about to embark on a very busy term, and we’ll need all the energy that we’ve stored up from the last week to see us through to the finish line.  Before we reach the finish line however, there are lots of big decisions to make.

I am, of course, referring to the pivotal question of whether we move away from key stage bubbles and staggered start times before the children break up for the summer holidays.  This is still very much our ambition – as we are keen to make sure that we are all reintroduced to ‘normal’ before we get to September.  During September, we won’t have any time to waste and we’ll need an urgent start to the school year from everybody connected within our school – especially after the interruptions of the last two academic years. However, we really need to make sure that things continue to be safe, and especially after the spread of the Delta variant.  We will, as always, take a considered view in reaching a final decision, and we will continue to pay close attention to the guidance issued to schools.  At present, there has been no new guidance for schools on the loosening of restrictions but we have to balance this with our aims for enhanced transition.

Transition Week is very firmly affixed on our school calendar and we look forward to ensuring that every child is supported in the run up to next year.  Over the last few years, we have ‘inched’ our way to better arrangements for transition and this year we are keen to go one step further.  Irrespective of the COVID restrictions.  All children will be given a significant amount of time with their new class teacher before September – not just the new EYFS children.  Teachers also, may find themselves in a different part of school from September. Please don’t presume that the structure will remain the same as this year – one of our strengths is the regular reflection that goes on behind the scenes. We never stand still, ‘age’ or get ‘out of date’.  Every decision about where each teacher is placed is carefully considered surrounding the needs of each individual cohort. And the impact of COVID-19 has played a part in our decisions for who is teaching your child next year.   We are putting the final touches to our staffing structure and we’ll be announcing who is teaching your child at the end of June.  A thorough handover process will take place between your child’s current teacher and their next.

Like the title of this week’s blog suggests, I have a foot in two camps at the moment: finishing this academic year (and ensuring that school remains focused with no let up until July – making the most of every minute of time possible) and planning for next year.  Aside from making changes to our staffing structure – we are currently working on our curriculum design from September.  There is much focus on identifying which elements of learning our children have yet to catch up thus far (in every curriculum subject), and also planning those experiences that our children need to be presented with in the new school year.

I can confirm that one focus for next year will be reading.  We have worked incredibly hard on maths for the last two years and we now need to do more work with children further up the school on inference, deduction, summarising and word understanding in Key Stage 2.  We are also making plans to support all parents in the ways that we would’ve done had school been open as normal for all visitors – Back to School Weeks and Fly on the Wall sessions for reading.  How do we assess reading?  How do we select books for the children to take home?  How many times should your child be given the same reading books?  How can you best support them once they can decode independently and ready with expression?  How often do we listen to the children read in school?  These are all the things that we are going to be considering, in addition to the many ways of motivating children to read for pleasure and to tear themselves away from their games console! Watch out for the diary dates when they are released, much of our School Improvement Plan will be focused on reading next year.

Also, with respect to improving reading, we are planning to refurbish and redesign our school library.  For those parents who have yet to come into school because of the pandemic, we have a lovely little space in the centre of the school but it has become ‘wallpaper’ to some children over the years.  We have purchased SO many new books that we don’t have enough space to store them in an attractive way.  We also don’t have an electronic signing out system/catalogue system.   The pandemic has meant that we have been unable to allow classes to visit the library too.  This week, I was in touch with a company about ordering new furniture and re-designing how we utilise the space.  I have also been looking into how we can get the books catalogued effectively.  It is our ambition to make sure that all children can visit the library once a week next year, and take a book home in addition to their reading book.  I am also keen to make the library open to children and parents next year, also. We’ll be getting our heads together for how we might do this!

One of the areas of school where we are particularly strong, is supporting the personal development of every child and I know that this will be a massive interest to all families. Whether it is School Parliament, wellbeing and Brilliant Schools, taking part in sporting competitions against other schools, our new Nurture Group, the appointment of our Pastoral Care & Inclusion Manager – Mrs Kiteley, mock job interviews in Year 5 & 6, the Morning Mile or Healthier Tuck Shop (and Freedom Fridays) – we are keen to take an interest in supporting the ‘whole child’ and encouraging them to make their own independent choices. We are by no means the advocates of a ‘nanny state’ approach! We believe that children have to be supported to make their own decisions and to hold a secure and informed rationale for their decisions. Sadly, some of the aforementioned things like School Parliament have proved impossible this year due to restrictions – but in the last remaining weeks, I am keen to involve class MPs in a few things to get us ready for September.  In addition to the above though,   I was in school this past week, meeting the company who are due to install a new cycle rack in our school grounds.  This will be a really good addition to our rounded curriculum and it will mean that children should be able to ride to school every morning – subject to them getting written consent from parents and the children following our safety & security rules. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the rack will be available in time for the end of term but it will be a great way to promote healthy lifestyles next year.

Another area of the curriculum that we are developing at present is our teachings of RSE (or relationship education).  There have been many compulsory changes over the last year and all schools have been given new content to cover, which sets up our children for life in modern Britain.  On the Friday of breaking up, your child will have come home with a Parent Voice Sheet and a letter, informing you of the content being taught in your child’s part of school.  Please have a read of this letter, alongside the PSHE and RSE policies on the school website, and return the Parent Voice Sheet.  We are keen to know your thoughts on what your children will be learning so we can work with you, and especially if you are anxious about it.  We do understand that Relationships Education is a very sensitive subject and we want to make sure that we have considered your views and adapted our delivery accordingly.  Much of the content for RSE is compulsory but we can adapt how we teach it,  tailor the resources we use, and design how lessons are structured and organised.  We can also keep you informed about what the children are learning – prior to certain lessons taking place. Vocabulary is another useful thing to share with you – we don’t want you surprised or taken aback at the dinner table!!!!

This week, Joseph rehearsals begin and the Key Stage 2 children will embark on a focused period of enjoyment and awe and wonder.  I want to be quite clear – our focus on this production will in no way compromise or dilute our approach to the ‘Catch-Up’ or COVID-Recovery.  If anything, it should supplement it! A letter will be coming home to you this week – outlining the arrangements/costume requirements and overall aims of this project. Doing any kind of performance – whether it is a sporting competition to judges or spectators, learning a musical instrument and performing a recital or whether it involves explaining how a rocket works – helps children to develop their confidence, supports their linguistic development, enhances their emotional intelligence and it supports their wellbeing overall.  It is not about turning children into the next Michael Ball, the next Rebecca Adlington or the next Stephen Hawking, and nor is it about steering our children in one particular direction. For any type of success, there has to be firm foundations laid and essential skills have to be developed.

One essential skill that I am keen for all of our children in our school to develop, is their ability to talk freely and lucidly about what they have been learning in school.  Whilst my son isn’t old enough to tell me what he has done at nursery, after a long day – I can only imagine that some of our children may find it incredibly hard to explain what they have had for dinner, never mind what they have been learning in Science, or more specifically – the date of the Great Fire of London!  Our Wider Curriculum Governor has been working with me on conducting Learning Conversations across the school and we have been trying to measure the impact of what we have been teaching. In addition, Mrs Weston’s class have been trailing a concept called; ‘Sticky Learning.’  As you know, we have lots of raw assessment data at our disposal in school (more than we’ve ever had), in terms of what has been achieved in assessments or how the children have responded in individual lessons.  However, in order for our curriculum to be really useful – we need learning to ‘stick’ and every child needs to be able to talk about the content of their lessons. And this isn’t just about what they have been DOING!  It is about what skills and knowledge the children have been acquiring.  Over the coming weeks, we’re going to be asking for all of your help on this.  All of us – parents, staff and governors – need to be asking the same type of questions.

Miss Knowles is going to be working hard in preparation for our Brilliant Schools’ accreditation over the next fortnight.  We have a very special visitor coming into school in 2 weeks time.  None other than the man behind all the videos that the children have been watching in school, or that some of our parents have been watching at home – throughout lockdown and beyond.  I am, of course, talking about the one and only, Andy Cope!  Over the next few weeks, we are going to be revising all of the language, the vocabulary and the positive mindset coaching & psychology so that it is fresh in the minds of all children and staff.  We’ve had a massive focus on wellbeing and mental health this year and we really want to be named’ An Outstandingly Happy School.’ Please keep up the focus over the next few weeks!

Miss Knowles and I are also going to be looking at PE and school sport this week.  I want to reassure those parents who may have experienced a few challenges – through the eyes of their own child/children – with regards to the back to back PE lesson delivery this year.  Whilst the change of provider has really enhanced our school sporting ethos and the quality of teaching, we do understand that back to back PE lessons aren’t quite effective for every child.  Next year, we are planning for half of the PE delivery to be taught by the child’s class teacher and then a subsequent PE lesson to be taught at another time, from our external Sports Coaches.  In the meantime however, we are keen to make sure that our children are enjoying their sessions and that they see the lesson as a purposeful learning opportunity – not just a chance for a bit of recreation!!  Miss Knowles and I will be finalising our plans for Sports Day as well – and again, our plans will very much depend on the guidance being offered to schools at the time.

Don’t forget to look at this term’s after-school clubs and sign up for our wraparound offer. It is very easy to forget that we have a wraparound service, after so much disruption with lockdowns and bubble closures etc. In fact, the school did not have any wraparound – be it Breakfast Club or After-School Extra Time until 6pm, a few years back!  Both of these services can be purchased for odd sessions, as and when. And there are a number of discounts which are on offer for multiple booking or multiple siblings.  Simply look at the flyer that was sent home in the last week of term – there are lots of opportunities for your child to take part in activities at breakfast club or after-school.  Activities include; the old favourite – Glow in the Dark Dodgeball, Athletics, Basketball and Zorbing!!!

Finally, just a heads-up!  On Tuesday this week, we have a photographer in school to take some snaps for our updated school prospectus.  We have a list of permissions and so we won’t be including photos of children if you haven’t given your consent.  However, if you have given your consent in the past – please ensure that your child is looking really smart and ready to be captured!  Group photos of individual year groups and a whole school photo will be taken later on in the term.

Have a good first week back! P.E.A.C.E be with you!

This Week’s Blog Box Question: Which special visitor is coming into school in a fortnight’s time?

This past week, I have had my eye of the small things that make such a big difference!  I know I have already chatted about this concept to many of you before but, as we move out of the pandemic and get back to our ‘normal’, we need to spend a little time going back to basics, establishing our core purpose and reacquainting ourselves with those habits that were so well drilled before Coronavirus even hit our shores!

When looking at setting the perfect example – all Headteachers don’t look much further than their Year 5/6 pupils. On Wednesday last week, I chatted at length to the Miners – about how they must be the best version of themselves at all times – not only in class but also outside on the yard, around school, and in the wider community.  I gave them all a little ‘pep talk’ about how they must all strive for their own version of ‘excellence’ at all times. ‘Excellence’ has never been about perfection – and this is the trap that many schools, organisations and persons fall into.  There is no such thing as ‘the finished article’ and when one falls into this trap, that is when complacency sets in and there is a tendency to rest on one’s laurels.  ‘Excellence’ is about continually improving, constantly reflecting and not being afraid to make changes day to day, week on week and year on year.  There are so many wonderful examples of excellence in our current year 5/6 group – both myself and Mrs Weston are exceptionally proud of them: Ava – what impeccable manners you have!  Catherine – what care and consideration you show for the feelings of others, and Archie – what an true embodiment of hard graft and perseverance you are! You are our School Prime Minister after all!  I could go on; Esmai – politeness a-plenty, Anton – what improvements you have made in your time at our school, Edward – a studious young man who applies himself at all times,  Seb – a resilient and tenacious learner who always gives 100%, Jeffrey – such a sensible and decent young man!  Everybody makes mistakes from time to time but I know that ALL our Year 5/6 pupils have it in them to do their best and be their best! I will be continuing my search for examples of excellence in the coming weeks.

Carrying on my theme of going back to basics – this week, I have been talking to your teachers about the feedback they are providing to you.  As I put it last week – no matter how many COVID catch-up interventions we have in place – it is really important that we see high standards in your written work – in all the other lessons – and irrespective of who is teaching you.  And that includes if our support staff are leading your learning.  Many of your teachers use a model of LIVE feedback and this means that they will make sure that they quickly diagnose any potential misconceptions and they also respond in timely fashion when the quality of your work is not at your best.  I checked in on a few individuals this past week, who sadly hadn’t shown the best version of themselves in Science the week before last. I wish to congratulate these 3 boys this week – I could see that they had taken on board the feedback I gave them from the week before and their work was set out much more in keeping with the standards that we expect;  Date and titles DUMTUM’d,  a ruler had been used, handwriting was much more akin to the pen license standards that we uphold in school. There was a better quantity of work too. In respect of feedback, I also wish to give a notable mention to some of our younger children.  It can be quite challenging for younger children to do their work and then be asked to develop it further or to improve it. A big shout out to  Darcy (Foresters) and Caleb (Farmers) – what progress you have both made since September!

As I touched on above, quantity of work is another ‘basic’ that leads to improved rates of progress for all children.  Mrs Weston kept a really close eye on this when she had a nosey into your Maths lessons this past week.  You will all know by now, the timings and structure of a typical Power Maths lesson mean that you should all have ample time in the class to ‘work through’ the exercises in your workbooks, and to develop your understanding of what is being taught.  Mrs Weston did notice that, in some parts of our school, not enough of you are getting through the activities quick enough and we need to make sure that time is used effectively. I must congratulate some of our Year 1 pupils however, it is quite tricky in this year group as there is a lot of reading to do in your Maths workbooks but you are all doing a decent job.  We will continue to keep an eye on how many of you complete the workbook activities and maximise your time for practice in Power Maths lessons – Power Maths lessons have continued right the way through the pandemic after all. Next year, Mrs Weston and I are going to be introducing the ‘pre-teach’ model to further move our teaching of Power Maths forward – more on this next term!

I was also able to take heart from this week’s auditions for Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.  Every year – we do an audition process because we believe that is it the fairest way of distributing parts, but more importantly, it teaches the children about the notion of healthy competition.  Competition is a fact of live and there is no getting away from it – whatever our utopian model one wishes to draw upon.  Competition teaches children to have a go, to cope with disappointments, to be modest in their successes and to show respect and compassion toward other children who are taking part.   Every year – there are always children who ‘come to the fore’ and surprise us at our auditions. Every year – there are always those children who excel at something different to what is happening in the classroom – embracing the opportunity to show their talents in a different way.  We have yet to finish the casting for the show but I wish to highlight a few notable auditionees; Rocco, Harriet, Jessica, Leah, Austin, Mason and Charlie in the Coopers, and Henry in Miners.  It is amazing as a Headteacher, to see individual children ‘grow’ with every passing year – I won’t say who but one of the aforementioned had a real barrier to performing in our Key Stage 2 show a few years ago and I am immensely proud of the way how they got up there in the audition and gave 100% this time around! And with no fear!  A real turnaround! Whilst I cannot be certain as to which parts the children mentioned will be awarded – I think it is important to pay tribute to their amazing attitude and their bravery!  Again, going back to basics – attitude is everything!

Mrs Kiteley has had a really interesting first few days in school and has done a great job in getting to know some of you, already.  Mrs Kiteley’s experience means that she can support any children who are reluctant to attend school, or any who struggle with saying goodbye to home adults at the gate – whether that is because of a worry, a bad experience, a bereavement, an incident that has happened the previous day or whether the child suffers from low confidence and self-esteem.   She is also experienced with strategies to support all parents and families in the home environment – supporting them to manage routines, home behaviours and any challenges which may arise from time to time. Over time, we are keen to extend the support that we already offer to many of our families, and working together, with consistency, is pivotal.  Mrs Kiteley will monitor attendance in our school and liaise with our Early Help Service.  She will also liaise with a range of other outside professionals so that we can speed up the accessing of external support for many of our vulnerable pupils. Since this time last year, despite the lengthy time process that it takes, we have successfully secured additional funding for many of our SEND pupils in school – and this against a national climate where it is incredibly challenging to do so. This additional funding has increased the adult support available to some individuals, or it has bought in external help in the form of SSSEN. Over time, our school profile for supporting many of our vulnerable learners and children on the SEND register has shown improvement and Mrs Kiteley has been appointed to further enhance this endeavour on the back of the pandemic.  Finally, Mrs Kiteley will be around to help any children who are struggling with their work – but in a way that supports them to be independent over time. Should you have any worries – aside from contacting Mrs Smith (SENCO), your child’s class teacher or myself, Mrs Kiteley is on hand to help in any way she can. Catch her on the school gate or give her a call via the school office.

Miss Knowles and myself will be taking a closer look at your learning in PE lessons in the coming days.  I am so pleased with the improvement in the quality of teaching since Luke joined us, but there are still a few children who have yet to get used to those high expectations that we hold dear.  Again – being the best version of yourself is pivotal here.  Miss Knowles and myself are going to be keeping an eye out for this.  In terms of PE, one area where it all starts is with having the correct kit in school, and having hair tied back.  Again, such a basic thing but one which demonstrates a good attitude for you all. There were three names that cropped up this week in Special Mentions – well done to Eleanor (Potters), Lucas (Coopers) and to Violet (Farmer) for your exceptional effort and concentration in this past week’s PE lessons.

Speaking of Special Mentions – here are this week’s deserving recipients, showing their own version of ‘excellence’:

• Jack (Farmers) – Excellent effort in your phonics sessions, and brilliant focus with your reading this week
• Scarlett (Foresters) – For always being an excellent role model, friend to all and an all round fantastic member of the class
• Sophie (Potters) – For improving the quality of your writing in ALL subjects and making sure that she has included all the features on the success criteria
• Amber (Coopers) – For excellence in our science investigation
• Max (Coopers) – Excellent Power Maths when working with decimals
• Jeffrey (Miners) – An amazing attitude to learning in ALL subjects
• Jessica (Miners) – For excellence in science when learning about adaptive traits for living things

This week, we said a fond farewell to Mrs Maskell from Derbyshire Nurture Team, who has supported us to set out a new nurture facility over the last 10 weeks.  ‘Nurture’ is a concept that I know too well, having set up the exact same facility in my previous school  many moons ago! It has been an integral addition to our school most recently.  I am so proud that we now have our own facility to support groups of children moving forward – to compliment what we offer through Positive Play intervention also.  Mrs Maskell will be leaving the nurture group in safe hands as Mrs Brace and Mrs Kiteley will take the baton moving forward.  In normal times – we would invite the parents of children attending, to observe a session in person – unfortunately, this is not possible at the minute.  If you are unsure as to what it involves then please speak with Mrs Smith or Mrs Kiteley.  Having a nurture facility is one of the many things we are doing to support some of our most vulnerable children and families.

This coming week – our Safeguarding Governor will be coming into school to talk to some of the children.  She will be really interested to see if they all know what to do if they feel they are being bullied or if they have any concerns or worries that are bothering them.  In every classroom – children should be aware of the ‘Speak Up’ poster and the various ways how they can report something that is causing them to worry.  Remember children – ‘bullying’ is about the intention to cause harm and it happens several times on purpose!  I am really pleased to report that we have only had 1 STOP button request this academic year so hopefully this means that all children feel happy and safe in school.

I will be continuing to look at how we can improve our EYFS Outdoor Area this week, getting lots of designs for the space, and looking into additional funding.

This week also, I will be concentrating on how we can enhance our school library into next year. Given the pandemic and the safety measures in place, this area has not been used for a while now and we want to add new furniture into this area and improve the functionality of the space – making room for break-out groups and little areas where our children can read a book to themselves, quietly. We have purchased a range of new books and we wish to ‘house’ them in an appealing way so that we can promote a love of reading.  We have already identified that reading will be a huge focus on our school improvement plan next year – in the same way that Maths has been the core focus over the last 2 years.  We’ll be looking at individual reading, group reading, guided reading, reopening the school library and creating a reading culture across the school.  A number of parents have queried why their children have been asked to attend morning interventions for reading this term too, when they appear to be able to decode words fluently and they are a ‘free reader.’  Understandable concerns such as these are exactly the reason why we need to do more work with families – so they know how we assess reading and they know what we look for.

On Tuesday, Year 1 and 2 have a very exciting African themed afternoon planned – our Curriculum Governor, Claire Scott, will be in school to see this and many of the other things that we are doing to reshape our curriculum on the back of the pandemic.  On Wednesday, Science takes its turn as Mrs Hodgson Walker and Miss Bains will be looking at the work produced over the last few months – to see if you are getting those basics right!  We are looking for good scientific standards, and effective presentation and completion of work.

On Friday – don’t forget to wear yellow!  We are having another Wear Yellow day in promotion of positive mental health.  We are asking children and families to donate no more than £1 for the Young Minds Mental Health charity, and there will be lots of activities taking place in school – to educate the children about how they keep themselves in good shape, mentally.  Our staff all received Mental Health Champions training in the Autumn and Miss Knowles will be doing the Mental Health First Aid Award very shortly.

Before I leave you, I have a few messages:

• Cycling to School – I can now confirm that both myself and Miss Knowles got everything sorted for our ordering of cycling equipment last week. We are just waiting for everything to arrive. Moving forward, when everything arrives, we will be allowing children to cycle to school.  A few parents have asked me about this on the gate over the last few days – a letter will be going out about this in the coming weeks but we are really keen to use this as another way in promoting healthy lifestyles.
• Courtesy to Nearby Residents – Please can I ask all parents to show due care and attention when waiting with their children for the gates to open early in a morning.  We have received a complaint about younger children running onto front driveways and gardens, and in some cases, looking through windows.  We understand how frustrating the COVID safety measures are at present, but we must make sure that our school continues to have good relations with its local residents.
• Courtesy to our Coton Families
  Lining up along the pavement at the start and end of the school day, is one of the many changes embraced in order to reduce risk due to the COVID pandemic.  It has been noted that during this time of lining up, people have been sat in cars with their engines running.  Whilst we understand the practicalities of this, please can we kindly ask you to turn off your engines.  This will help pedestrians to ascertain whether vehicles are stationary for a prolonged period or are about to move off – it is also better for our environment.
• Parents’ Evening – I can confirm that we do intend to hold a face-to-face Parents’ Evening in the final weeks of the school year, should restrictions continue to ease.  This in lieu of the fact that many parents haven’t been able to have that in-person contact with their child’s teacher over the last 12 months or so.  It is worth mentioning that we did hold virtual appointments in the Autumn Term, and we sent home the Termly Report Card – these proved very popular. Please be assured, we are going to be sending home another Termly Report Card prior to this summer’s Parents’ Evening – indeed this will be a regular practice moving forward as so many of you were positive about this change.  I am currently working with the staff team on what information we can present to all parents – information that is relevant, meaningful and easy to digest.
• Diary Dates – Our school calendar of diary dates is still very much in place on our school website – so you have plenty of notice about what lies ahead for you and your child.  On the back of the pandemic, I will be sending out a new announcement of dates – confirming which ones are going ahead in light of where we are with the restrictions. This list of dates will include a potential date for Parents’ Evening and a date for the issuing of report cards.  Many of the existing dates were planned in September- before our 2nd and 3rd lockdown were enforced on us.
• Forest School Donations – Thank you to the parents who have donated a range of items to support our Forest School Curriculum moving forward.  We are incredibly grateful for your support and it is making a huge difference to the development of our children outdoors.

Have a good week – P.E.A.C.E be with you!

Blog Box Question – What is the maximum donation for this Friday’s Wear Yellow Day?

This past week, much of my attention has been centred around next year, and how we may be able to return to something which resembles ‘normal’. This time of year is always busy for any Headteacher – with a foot in each camp (one in the current year, and one immersed in plans for the new academic year).  It is my hope and aim, providing that we all keep up the good work with the virus safety measures, that we can have a period of ‘normal’ before all children break up for the summer, in July.  This will certainly serve as a good transition into September!  The only problem is – we’ve been ‘scaled back’ in the face of the virus for so long – it is quite easy to forget all the things that we have introduced over the years, all of the events and experiences that we have provided the children – and all of the wonderful things that we have done year on year. Our parents and children could be forgiven for forgetting all of these things too, although many – like our Reception and Year 1 parents and children – don’t know what ‘normal’ looks like!

Click here to continue reading… “Slowly Returning to Normal”

A very warm welcome back into school, after an extended Easter break.  I hope you had some time with your family over the holiday period and you are all feeling re-charged and raring to go.  For me personally, this week has been a joy to be back around the children again and they have continued to attain to the same high standards of work ethic that we saw in the four weeks prior.  Having a strong work ethic is incredibly important – it is through hard work that one can achieve all that they wish, all that they hope for and all that they dream – and having the motivation and drive to work hard comes from within.  When looking for the perfect role model – there really is no better person who springs to mind than HRH Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip.

Click here to continue reading… “The Power of the Individual”

Not a day goes by when I fail to reflect upon just how far we’ve come as a school, and the impact of all that we do and all that we promote around school has on our children.  The truth is, it’s been a testing term – full of manoeuvres, and full of ‘tweeks’ to our safety measures.  To repeat a phrase from our Chair of Governors, Mr Evans, we have needed to be agile and respond to the ever-changing situation.  However, we have done it!  We have continued to ensure that our school is a safe environment for everybody and I personally thank all of you for the co-operation and patience you have shown.  I also wish to pay tribute to our hardworking staff team, for the way how they have ably supported all children back into normal school routines over the past 8 weeks – they have really worked their socks off!

There was much anxiety about coming back to school from children and parents; along with the usual dose of excitement too.  I know that for many children, getting back into the habit of normal lessons was a tall order to begin with.  Mrs Smith noted that the Key Stage 1 children had shorter concentration spans in lessons last term and the extra breaktimes that we put in certainly helped them to settle in better. Re-forming previous relationships with others was a key challenge for some children too – after such a long time away from the classroom environment, where attention needs to be equally apportioned to all pupils.  Our timetable changes, ensuring that circle time and daily PSHE happened, has really helped some children in this area over the last 8 weeks!  Finally, a substantial amount of time has been invested into communicating with families and signposting them for external support this term.  Communication is always important and it is one of those things that always impacts on anxiety levels – for the good and the bad. As a school, we always pride ourselves on just how much interaction that we have with our families – how we know every parent and their individual circumstances, how we know the names of younger siblings and how we have an open dialogue at all times. Every morning and evening spent on the school gate for me, Mrs Weston and Mrs Cresswell is time well spent; to interact with you and understand how things are going, to offer reassurance and put your mind at rest, and to answer any questions or queries you may have.   Aside from the cheerful ‘good morning’ face to face conversations that we had with you all last term,  I have some interesting facts for you below and this just underlines our commitment to families in spades:

• Last term alone, a total of 267 individual phone call conversations were had with individual parents about their children – whether it was from a class teacher, Mrs Cresswell, Mrs Smith (Our SENCO) or from myself. The calls were about remote learning, well-being checks to children at home, support in accessing a COVID-19 test, queries about learning in the classroom or ‘struggles’ that children had, or how additional support could be accessed for their child or family.
• We successfully managed to acquire some additional funding for 2 pupils on our SEND register so they could receive some extra help in school.
• We made 5 new referrals to our Early Help Service, ranging from supporting behaviour at home, mental health support, counselling for home adults, support for separation anxiety and supporting the health of pupils.
• We took part in one Attendance Panel Support Meeting, liaised with Social Services in the form of one PEP meeting and held one Child In Need Meeting.

We really are a school that puts families first, and I am passionate about this area of work. It has been this element of our school ethos and vision that has improved so dramatically over the last few years.  At this time, more than ever, there is a pressing need for a safe, close-knit and caring environment so that children have the right diet to flourish.  Having the word, ‘compassion; as part of our school vision really does mean something!

Compassion doesn’t just exist within our own school community however, we also try to look outwardly and support people who are not part of the ‘Coton Cause.’  Our Wear Yellow Day, in support of the Young Minds Mental Health Charity was a roaring success a few weeks ago!  Indeed we managed to raise a total of well over £100 for such a worthy cause.  Well done to everybody for taking part!

Aside from ‘compassion’, we also talk a great deal about ‘enjoyment’ around school.  I was thrilled with just how well our Welcome Week went at the start of last term and Miss Gibbons has been busy collating all of your feedback.  Thank you for the comments you made, they will go a long way to help shape what we do next year.  A few parents remarked upon just how effortless if was, to get their children to school in those crucial few first days back – because we weren’t doing formal lessons.  The class shields that were completed as part of the week are now proudly displayed in our school hall, alongside lots of really excellent writing.  Miss Bains’ children had great fun making their own beer barrels and pretending to be Coopers for the day.  Mrs Weston’s Miners learned just how hard life was down the pits in the 1970s also.  In Key Stage 1, the Farmers went fruit picking as there were quite a few apples growing on the trees near the playground.  Welcome Week was a huge success and we are already planning how we may replicate this next year, and also how we may extend the learning that took place into our World of Work Week, later this year.

I challenged many of your teachers this term, by introducing them to the concept of a virtual collective worship. A few staff members have ‘persevered’ with this – Mrs Mailer in particular – and I am really proud of them for not giving up, despite the technical challenges.  Every Friday, I have completed our Special Mentions Assembly live on Microsoft Teams.  It has really developed as the term has progressed and all classes are now used to seeing my face on the big screen in their classroom.  We successfully managed the Golden Dove Awards on TEAMS at the end of term also, some parents joined us for this and it seemed to go well.  As we move into next term, I will be raising the expectation a little and trying to ensure that more of our collective worship is done online. It also means that any children who are isolating at home can still join us!

As regards our Remote Learning Strategy – thank you also!  This went out at the end of term and I cannot tell you just how much thought and how much time and discussion has gone into getting this right.  Hopefully, your child will never need to use the Remote Learning Packs that we have put together but they are all there and ready for the worst case scenario. Next term, we will be hosting a few more remote learning trial events after school, where the teachers will teach a very short 10-15 minute session using Microsoft TEAMS.  This serves two purposes – firstly, it enables all parents to try and log on for the first time and to report any potential technical challenges, and secondly, it supports the children and teachers to know how the remote lessons will actually work. Keep an eye on the ‘General Announcements’ for dates. As I mentioned at the virtual parent session last Friday, our Remote Learning Pack is part of our ‘Catch-Up’ initiative also.  The children can use it to complete additional work from home – extra pracitce at the end of each week based on what they’ve been doing in school (provided that it is only doing activities from weeks preceding the week commencing that we are on!!!! They must not do the work that is planned for any future weeks as this will be needed in the event of an isolation from school)

Next term, aside from managing the ever-changing COVID-19 situation, we will be focusing on our school improvement agenda much more.  I will be visiting classrooms and checking in on the attainment of the children more frequently, now that they are settled.  Last term, Mrs Weston produced some really interesting data for me, using the baseline testing that took place throughout September and comparing it to the attainment levels of the children pre-lockdown.  When I am visiting classrooms, I will be keeping a close eye on those children who, from the data, appear to have ‘fallen back’ a little after such a while out of school last year. Myself and the team will be thinking about which children require some additional support to catch-up.  It has been very well documented that schools have been assigned some funding to mitigate for lost learning time and also for the emotional impact that the lockdown period has had on the children. We are looking at a raft of measures such as; a school nurture group, small group extra tuition and specialist pastoral support for children. The teachers and I have been closely monitoring all children behind the scenes for the last 8 weeks – names for extra support have been put forward by the teachers themselves and we will be triangulating this with the attainment data that we have captured.

On the subject of attainment – I wish to congratulate all of our Year 6 pupils!  Mrs Weston and I are thrilled with just how well you performed in your Mock SATS Week before the holidays.  Since September, you have all been working hard in class, and at home on our new SATS Companion software! Again, we purchased this on the back of COVID-19 and many of you used it over the summer holidays in order to get a head start on the Y6 curriculum.  I am told that Henry, Ruby and Archie have really shone whilst using SATS Companion at home and it really shows!  Let’s keep up this hard work – we are all incredibly proud of you!

On the subject of learning at home (NOT to be confused with Remote Learning), I wish to clarify our plans for the recommencement of formal home learning in a few weeks time.  I know that for some families, there was a little confusion as to why we had temporarily suspended the setting of formal homework in September – with the exception of TT Rockstars, reading, work on phonics for Y2 and Y6 SATS Companion activities. I am aware that this harboured a perception that we were not robustly supporting the COVID-19 recovery effort enough.  As we mentioned then, we have been focusing all of our efforts on getting the children back into school safely and making sure that we carry out thorough assessments of where the children are at in terms of their attainment before making any decision on this year’s plan for homework.  We also wanted to prioritise the well-being of pupils in the first instance – a long day at school was enough for many children to begin with!  We believe that this was a sensible approach as many of our decisions regarding homework are taken based upon the needs of our children each year and what we need to focus on as a whole school.  I can confirm that we will issue an updated Home Learning Booklet and Policy midway through the next half-term and this will outline our expectations for homework moving forward.  There will very much be, a graduated increase in expectation through to the end of the next half-term regarding homework, with the aim that full home learning expectations be enforced from January.  This includes signposting children to our lunchtime homework club if work is not completed.  We’ll be in touch in the coming days and weeks about this when we have everything all set up for you.

Also next term, both Miss Knowles and Miss Bains are going to be really busy driving two key improvement activities for us in school – alongside two very important weeks on the school calendar – Well Being Week & Multi Faith Week. Miss Bains will be working with the staff team (and children) to improve the effectiveness of collective worship and Christian Life in school. Miss Bains has a fabulous reflection space in her classroom and we want to make sure that we build in similar approaches throughout the whole school.  We also want to consider how we can continue to make our collective worship successful, despite the restrictions placed on us with social distancing and health and safety. Miss Knowles is going to be our Mental Health Champion in school and lead our Brilliant School’s initiative.  I mentioned Brilliant Schools at my ‘Share a Brew Meeting’ with parents in September, it will support all of our children, our parents and also our staff with their levels of resilience.  As COVID-19 has proven, you can’t control what life will throw at you but you can control how you respond to it!  Brilliant Schools will give a toolbox of strategies to help children cope, and in turn flourish with their learning!

Mrs Smith is going to be focusing on two key elements for our school next half term.  Firstly, reading books!  I am aware that there has been a few ‘wobbles’ concerning the reading level that children are demonstrating post lockdown and this has meant that lower reading bands have been issued to children, compared to what had been issued to them before. The staff have chatted long and hard about this.  We MUST keep the children interested in reading, it is such an important skill and one that they need to practise continually.  I have allocated some additional funding for Mrs Smith to spend on new books in school and suggested that we buy some high interest, lower band books. One scheme which I know to be incredibly popular for reluctant readers is the Project X series!   This will mean that children don’t get bored if they are needing to be held at a different level, albeit temporarily, and we can move away from some of the standard titles found in most schools.  Also on reading, Mrs Smith and I have chatted about putting on another reading workshop for parents – so we can reaffirm the skills involved with reading.  This is a common area of focus for children in lower – mid Key Stage 2, where the emphasis shifts from decoding words accurately, using expression and ‘barking at print’ to actually answering questions about what has been read and understanding it much more without prompting.  I think that all teachers will lament a disconnect between how a child’s reading is sometimes measured in the home environment and how we measure it in school – it is such a complex area with many hidden parts to it.  We will endeavour to issue more guidance to you in the future.

The second thing that I have asked Mrs Smith to look into this term, is our communication with and support for parents of children on our SEND register.  If you are a parent who has a child on the SEND register, it can be quite an anxious period for you at the minute.  All children are clearly getting back into the school routines and familiarising themselves with the curriculum once again but if you have a child who struggles with aspects of their learning normally, this is especially difficult.  We are liaising with outside agencies daily and trying to access additional support where we can.  Obviously, given the pandemic, outside agencies are incredibly stretched at present and additional support can take a bit longer in arriving than normal. This is incredibly frustrating for everybody concerned and it involves quite a bit of ‘chasing’. We want all parents to be fully reassured that we are doing everything that we can behind the scenes and we are here for them if they need to off-load any concerns or if they need a bit of guidance for outside of school.  We care passionately and we will do all that we can to build on the good work that was started by Mrs Butler, before she went on Maternity Leave. Mrs Smith will keep in touch with you.

Mrs Weston will be having another look our the class PSHE scrapbooks next term too.  With so much being taught in PSHE, it is really important that we look at the impact this is having on the children around school and how this is helping them to cope with the current situation.  One area of focus for this term will be reaffirming the work we have done on Anti-Bullying.  Anti-Bullying Day is coming up soon and we will put together a few interesting things to mark the event.  Please remember the Anti-Bullying Charter that is displayed in all classrooms.  In school, we regard bullying as ‘several times on purpose’ and it is not to be mistaken for the occasional rough game of footie or being overly competitive in a game.  ‘Bullying’ is simply unacceptable but it can sometimes be a term that is banded it about quite freely, causing much anxiety and worry.  We’ll keep you posted on our plans for this work next term.

Before I leave you for the rest of your half-term, I have a few messages for you all below.

• Keep an eye on your personal email  inboxes next week as we issue your child with an initial report, prior to the first parents’ evening of the new school year.  The initial report will feature a series of grades linked to your child’s general demeanour in class and how they have settled.  We will be offering telephone appointments to parents from the week after next, to those who request them. These will take place over the next 2/3 weeks and you will have an opportunity to request one upon receipt of your child’s report.
• Half Term Pumpkin Competition – Please remember that the FTPA are holding a competition for the best pumpkin carving over the holidays and also into next week. I believe that there are a shortage of pumpkins at present, so if you want to draw a design that will suffice also.  It costs £1 to enter and entries should we brought into school (with £1 in an envelope) on Friday 6th November. There will be a winner announced in each year group
• Social Distanced Prospective Parent Tours (2021 INTAKE) – It is that time of the year when we look to welcome interested parents and carers who wish their children to join us next year.  Our EYFS 2021 Intake tours will take place on the following dates – 24th November and 26th November, after school. Please visit our Facebook site to book your timeslot.
• Learning Passports – For children who are on our SEND register, the latest termly Learning Passports will be sent home on the first Friday of the new term.  We’d encourage all parents to read these and fill in the parent sheet attached.  These passports outline what the school is offering to do in support of every individual child this term.
• INSET DAY – Monday 2nd November.  Don’t forget that the children return on Tuesday 3rd November, as Monday is an INSET Day.  Our staff team will be undergoing their Youth Mental Health First Aid Qualification – to support children with depression, eating disorders, anxiety etc

Finally, I wish to congratulate both Miss Lester and Miss Dennis on a superb first term as part of the Coton Team.  Both ladies have really enhanced what we offer the children and provided us with much needed capacity in quite a few areas of our school. The children absolutely love working with you both – I particularly enjoyed the dressing up  Superhero WOW Day that you involved yourself in Miss Dennis!  And Miss Lester, I have really enjoyed seeing you teach Geography, when I walk through during the afternoons! Miss Dennis wished to mention a school holiday offer that is being provided by the staff at the Bubble Inn – Coton in the Elms, in support of those families who need help with hot meals over the half-term period. Check out the offer on their website.

See you Tuesday! P.E.A.C.E. be with you!

It has been a privilege to welcome all of the children back into school this week after not only a 6 week summer holiday but, for over 50% of our school population also, a 6 month period away.  Making that brave step onto our school site took great courage for some on Wednesday, and even greater courage if it was the first time that they had actually ventured out of their homes since the lockdown began in March.  As we all get used to doing what we would normally, albeit differently,  a process of adjustment begins – and this is very true of all of the staff and children in school.  A new normal is very much upon us.

You will all be aware of the safety measures that we have implemented in school, and the extensive thought that went into applying the government guidance to fit with our unique setting.  Getting things in place for our school was certainly a challenge because of the following reasons: no corridors around school – pupils have to travel through other rooms to get about, pupil toilets are positioned in actual classrooms, not every classroom has a sink, due to having a small team some support staff work across the school in normal circumstances so we can best share their skills and some staff members are only just returning from shielding.  All of these challenges have been overcome and I must pay tribute to the staff, for the way how they have adapted pretty quickly to ensure that the children are as safe as can be.

I also wish to thank all parents and children too.  As I mentioned in my newsletter on Wednesday evening, we appreciate your co-operation with the staggered drop off and collection times, and the use of different entrances.  We know it is a little inconvenient to come through different gates, and particularly if you have children in each bubble but, for the time being, we feel this is a necessary measure to reduce a build up of adults in one place.  A few parents have suggested the use of a one-way system so that every child/parent comes in the same way and then out the same way at their allotted bubble arrival time.  We took time to consider this when we composed the safety measures in July and felt that this would cause us a challenge if some children from the Key Stage 2 bubble were dropped off early in the morning (and were then mixing with the Key Stage 1 children who were lining up in the same place also).  Rest assured, we will keep all measures under review and, just as the pandemic is evolving daily, so are we!

In respect of safety, please can I ask all parents who are dropping off their children in the morning, or picking them up in the evening, to be mindful of social distancing.  To some people who have been out of their homes many times since the outbreak of COVID-19, social distancing is maybe something that has been forgotten about.  For those adults who have not been out a great deal, or any person who is living with a family member who was previously in a shielding category, being in a place where people are situated is worrying.  Out of respect for each other, we’d ask you to consider this each day. Please keep a 2 metre social distance of others outside of your household and apply caution when leaving through the gate due to there not being a one-way system at present.

In school this week, we have had many conversations about our feelings.  In each classroom, we have displayed a huge feelings barometer and, if children feel comfortable, we are asking them to position their name or picture on the barometer each morning. Year 2 Potters were keen to show me where they had placed their name earlier, indeed every time I poked my head into their classroom this week.  This has also been true of some children in the Year 1 Foresters this week.  It is important that we keep a check on how the children are feeling, especially after so long away from school and them being out of their normal routine. Having the confidence to ask for help, to say if they are upset or worried,  or if they are angry or puzzled, is really important.  Bottling these feelings up only intensifies them!

There have been some really interesting things going on in the classrooms this week too.  Welcome Week officially started on Wednesday afternoon and the children in each class started learning about their new identity. It was vital that the children had a renewed sense of belonging – i.e which class they were in!  Y5/6 Miners have been researching into the history of mining and how this practice has evolved over time.  Laura (Y3 Coopers) was telling me that she had been learning about the different types of barrels that have been used over time and doing a chronology in class, putting them in order.  Elodie (Y2 Potters) was really proud to show me the clay pot that she had made with Miss Lester – a number of pottery techniques were shown to the children and I was really impressed with how well they all adopted what they had been taught. Harry & Darcy (Y1 Foresters) have been getting creative this week also, doing a collage of the woodland animals which are found in forestry areas.  Darcy was easily able to tell me why she was doing a collage of a squirrel when I challenged her about it.  Over the next week or so, we will be capturing some pupil voice on how Welcome Week has helped the children get back into the routine and settle them back in but from what I’ve seen this week, they are all enjoying their learning.

We have increased the amount of PSHE being taught in class at this time also. This year we are following a curriculum called; PSHE Matters and each class is compiling a scrap book of the work they are doing in these lessons. After all, mental well-being should have the same level of importance placed upon it as physical health!  In addition to the scrap book, all classes are having a daily circle time or a discussion time where they can share their feelings and talk through what’s on their mind.  I was really impressed to witness Circle Time in Y1 Foresters on Thursday afternoon – all of the children were taking it in turns to speak and showing active listening when others were speaking.  These basic rules of etiquette and good manners are essential if our children are to successfully get on with each other and build up good relationships once again.

At this week’s Key Stage 2 Bubble Rewards Assembly, I was thrilled that Miss Bains issued 4 pen licenses.  Every year, the children in Years 3 and 4 are encouraged to prove that they are forming their letters correctly and joining them in a clear and legible fashion.  The school’s cursive script! The children are expected to maintain this standard in every piece of work, and every lesson, in order to firstly achieve their license and then retain it thereafter.  Massive congratulations to Lucas, Olivia, Eve and Amelia (all Y4).  Achieving this after only 3 days in school is phenomenal! I am immensely proud of the 4 of you; it really bodes well for the year ahead and it is living proof that our school’s ethos and vision is bearing fruit.

This year, Miss Knowles is taking on the role of our school Well-Being Warrior and we both had a useful chat with each other this afternoon.  We chatted about some extra things that we are going to be implementing  in school to support the children foster a good state of mental health in the coming months. One idea being a weekly well-being focused session in Key Stage bubbles, around the art of being brilliant!  Doing all the right things to keep your mental state of mind looked after.  I will share more with parents at my HT Share a Brew Session in the coming days, but much of our School Improvement Plan is going to be centred around building greater levels of resilience in the children this year; supporting them to solve their own problems and helping them to control their own response to the feelings they have on a daily basis.

I’d like to take the time to welcome some new pupils joining our school for the new academic year.  First of all, a warm welcome to our new parents and children in EYFS Farmers.  Miss Knowles and I are so looking forward to working with you all, and Mrs Mailer has already noted that many of you are confident learners.  Also, I’d like to give a shout out to Rohan (Year 1), Carsyn (Y2 Potters), Cole (Y3 Coopers) and Maisie (Y5 Miners).  These children have recently changed school and joined our family. We hope you have a wonderful time learning in our school.

I’d like to officially welcome our new staff members on here, the first blog of the new school year too.  Miss Gibbons had a great start to her time in our school office this week and she is part of the Key Stage 1 staff bubble – this means that the children in Farmers, Foresters and Potters will get to see her collecting the registers each day! Miss Dennis has had a great first week in the school too, and really put the new Year 1 children at ease. In her room, she has displayed a reading tree for the children – you know that we always stress the importance of reading on you all!  Finally, Miss Lester has made an excellent impression and I must thank her for the amazing art work that she produced in the outside area to the new Year 2 classroom over the summer holiday period.  A rainbow mural has been painted on the wall where the greenhouse used to be situated – thank you Miss Lester!

On the subject of the new classroom for Year 2, all of the Y2 Potters were ‘wowed’ when they walked into it last Wednesday.  The building work and decorating has been completed much quicker than we anticipated, meaning the children have been able to learn in their new room from the outset this week.  We are just waiting for the interactive TV board and also the new furniture to arrive and then we’ll take some photos of it to go out as a general announcement.

Next week sees the continuation of Welcome Week for the children and the extension of learning surrounding their class names.  All classes have a giant shield emblem to complete. ‘Formal’ English and Maths lessons will commence the week after next.  We also continue to welcome our new children in EYFS – half day stays are happening until Thursday this coming week.

Just before I leave you I had a few other messages to pass on:

• Illness – if your child is ill, under the current situation, we’d ask you not to send them into school to see if they can get through the day.  We understand that this is the reverse of what we would normally say for some very minor illness symptoms, but in the current COVID-19 climate we need to be extra careful.  This year, we are taking a different approach to the rewarding of pupil attendance so that no child is penalised if they are unwell or isolating due to Covid 19.  Attendance will continue to be monitored however.
• Web Alerts – You will have gathered that we have started how we mean to go on this year regarding correspondence.  If you are reading this blog, it is possible that you are doing so because you have signed up for email alerts.  This week’s newsletter was sent to you via the website also, as we strive to do our bit for the environment.  Please sign up for email alerts so you don’t miss out on what is going on!
• Diary Dates – please familiarise yourselves with what is happening in school this year.  All dates are subject to the COVID-19 safety restrictions and we may organise them slightly differently based on where we are at the time.
• Wraparound – I am thrilled with the number of children who have used our Clubs Complete wraparound service this week!  From Monday, our breakfast club will be happening in The Nest from 7:30 am.  The after-school provision will take place in the main school hall as normal.

Have a good week – P.E.A.C.E be with you!

 

I do hope you enjoyed the VE Day celebrations last Friday, despite the difficulties surrounding social distancing. We had planned to mark this event in school until the enforced school closure took hold.  A week on from the last time I wrote and we are still no more the wiser as to when the current situation will end.  We will be anxiously watching Boris Johnson’s announcement this evening for more news. However, in spite of this announcement, no matter how long the current situation continues, hopefully the celebration and reflection of the last few days will all support us to move forward – there are many lessons which we can take from the great war effort.

Let’s start with the art of perseverance – one of our school words.  I am so proud of all our children and families for how they are coping with the current situation – not one single person will tell you that this situation is easy – it is incredibly difficult. Painful in fact.  In my welfare calls to parents this week, it has been great to hear how each individual family is effectively managing the current situation and what they have been doing to get through.  There is no right or wrong way and not one single person will say it has been ‘plain sailing’ but we are not giving up and we keep on going until we know more. This level of determination is exactly what we wish to foster in all of our children around school – whether it is coping with Power Maths, writing that extended piece of writing that a teacher has asked for or simply getting through the day without seeing Mummy or Daddy.  Perseverance was a quality held by everybody during the war.

As I did my daily bout of exercise last Friday, I saw many families and neighbours gathered at the end of their gardens, surrounded by red, white and blue bunting, union flags a-plenty and the presence of those who they love the most.  One of the blessings with this current lock-down is the time it has afforded us with the people who matter.  During the war, families had to make the most of the time they had together, make the most of what they had and be thankful for the simple things.  Let’s remember – many families didn’t see their loved ones for such a long time as they went off to defend the country or to contribute to the war effort.  Some children had to be evacuated from where they lived and go to another school – where they didn’t know anybody.  I speak from myself when I say that sometimes today, we can be plainly dedicated to the quest of finding our ‘ideal’ or a level of perfection that doesn’t exist. We strive and we aim high, we want better than the best – an admirable quality that is handy to hold at times as it means we don’t get complacent. However, it can be quite easy to forget everything that there is to be thankful for at the same time and to appreciate just how lucky we all are.  Sometimes the green grass of home is more than good enough and we don’t realise this until we’re away.  Jayney (Terrific Turtles) knows that one of my favourite sayings is; ‘The grass is as green as you make it!’

Let’s not forget just how adaptable and how flexible everybody who lived through wartime had to be.  Take many of our Grandparents and Great Grandparents. Maybe they had to be evacuated to another place in the war? Maybe they had to be away from the people they loved – not knowing when they would see others again. And every citizen had to adapt – even our wartime leader, Winston Churchill, and the King.  The approach to the war effort kept changing, as did the strategy, many things didn’t go to plan and our leaders didn’t get everything right as is often the impression.  However, it is often reported how well they responded to every challenge that was presented, showing real resolve and courage to face things head-on and get through it all.  Adapting is something we are all going to have to do more of, as the time goes on.  Whether it is staying in lock-down for a bit longer or coming out of the lock-down and returning back to school after such a long time away.  Getting used to being away from our parents, getting used to sitting down in a lesson for an hour at a time, re-establishing relationships with our teachers and seeing our friends again.  Covid-19 is a ‘moving target’ and the situation is evolving daily – such is our response to it all.

Speaking of evolving – the same can be said about resources that have been communicated for use by the children at home.  One of our challenges at this time, has been ensuring that all children have the capacity to continue some learning at home and that we can provide some access to useful materials for the time they are away.  It is true that many Primary Schools were simply not set up for home-education and we were unfortunately in this position ourselves.   We have been trying since the Easter break, to secure access to our Power Maths resources for parents and children at home. Frustratingly, until today, Power Maths didn’t have these resources available and we had advised Primary Oak Academy or White Rose as a suitable maths resource to be used at home.  Sure – many of you could buy the exact same Power Maths books that we use in school excluding the lesson plans, guidance, physical apparatus and online teaching materials, but we would never advocate this and a home-edition of Power Maths – written specifically for out of the classroom use, away from teachers, hasn’t been available.  Well, I am happy to report that this morning, Mrs Weston and I received a notification that Power Maths have finally launched their summer lock-down editions of workbooks.  Next week, we will be emailing every parent with a link to the relevant Power Maths Home Edition for their child’s year group. Please make sure you check your inbox in the next few days! Each Power Maths Home Edition workbook will have a contents page, split into weeks and we would advise all children to take a week’s learning ( 4 lessons) at a time.  This leaves one day left each week for either Primary Oak Academy or TT Rockstars – much like we have in school. Power Maths replaces our suggested use of White Rose.  All topics covered in the Power Maths workbooks are a consolidation of what the children learned prior to the enforced closure of March 20th so they are specially written for this current period.  It will mean that every child can practise what they have already been taught and not lose the Power Maths habit.  All activity pages can be printed out too.  Given that this resource has only been made available TODAY – we’d ask all parents to bear with us.  Aside from sending you an email with the relevant link, we will also be amending the suggested timetable for home-learning, replacing White Rose with Power Maths.  We very much advocate focusing on Power Maths moving forward as this is what the children are used to and what they’ll be using in next year also.

Focusing for when the children do come back into school, I have had quite a few questions from parents about what will happen and it is quite understandable given the situation. In keeping with what I said above, we are all going to have to take the time to adjust and adapt when the children return. It is going to take time for things to go back to how they were.  Last week, Mrs Weston, Mrs Smith and I met to discuss some of the approaches that we may take, when our children do eventually come back in.  Whilst we have yet to be given any concrete information on a return date – and this may change by this evening – the three of us talked about which areas of learning would need to be prioritised in English and in maths, to account for the time away from the classroom.  Often the areas of maths with the most importance placed upon them are place value, calculation and number.  Reading and comprehension was cited as a huge priority for English also.  Last week I had a look at just how many children had logged onto our new reading program – Bug Club.  I found that a total of 29 children have not yet logged on.  This may mean that other reading is going on in the home of course but one needs to be mindful just how important the art of reading is in breaking down deprivation barriers and enhancing the writing of our ‘middle achievers.’

Our leadership team also talked about how we could support every child’s emotions and mental well-being on their return.  What we would do first thing in a morning for instance so children ‘looked forward’ to coming in after being at home for so long.  We explored the changes that we might make to the school day so life at school is suddenly more manageable and how this would taper up to the old ‘normal’. We ‘touched’ upon lunchtimes also and whether they’d need to be some role-modeling by older pupils or a ‘buddy’ system.  At my Governor Finance meeting last Thursday evening, we looked at our school budget and how this could be carefully calibrated in response to Covid-19. Our move to have 5 full time classes instead of 4 (3 single year group KS1 classes) next year is certainly going to help but we also talked about the setting up of a Nurture Group.  Whatever the situation, please keep the faith in us – you know that we will do what we can and we always take a pragmatic approach.

It has been great to see many Year 1 and 2 children beginning to upload photos and videos onto Tapestry in the coming days. Again, in the spirit of evolution, this is something that parents requested a few weeks ago. Although the content and usage of Tapestry is bound to vary in these year groups, compared to EYFS where the curriculum is very different, it now means that we can see all the wonderful things that our  Year 1 and Year 2 children are getting up to at home.  On the subject of Tapestry (or Bug Club in fact) should you wish to know how to log on and how to use these programs, Mrs Cresswell added a page under the ‘Parents’ tab on the school website last week.  It has guidance for how to use both online platforms and is there if you are unsure.

Thank you to the 4 families who contacted the Learning Support email last week, requesting tailored activities for their children on the SEND register.  Please remember to let us know if you need something more tailored to help your child meet the targets on their SEND Learning Passport.

This week in school, I am busy with recruitment.  On Monday and Tuesday, myself and our governors will be shortlisting for our KS1 teacher vacancy and also a job-share partner for Mrs Smith. We are also looking appoint a permanent teacher for KS2 Maths every morning.  We’ve had a great many applications for these positions and we are keen to get yet another member of staff who fully embraces our school vision and ethos.  It is so essential that we find the ‘right fit’ for our school after working so hard to build a great team of staff in recent times. Every staff member that we appoint must hold our values – supporting families, being kind to each other and being pragmatic to the needs of every individual child.  We will of course let you know who have been appointed in the coming weeks.

Finally, I am going to be starting work on our plans for transition come September.  We are interested in getting another booklet made – a social story for the children – to support the jump from EYFS to Year, Year 2 to Year 3 and then Year 5 to Year 6.  We hope to outline the changes that will occur in the new year groups and what this means for parents also.  I am going to be asking a few parents to help us out on this and to provide their thoughts on what information could be usefully shared at each transition point.  Please keep an eye out for an announcement on this next week.

Have a great week ahead – please remember to stay positive and look to last Friday’s VE celebrations.  There is so much to take from 1945 and all that!

P.E.A.C.E. be with you!

 

This week, I want to chat about all of our parents who are currently working on the frontline at this time of national crisis and say a massive thank you to them! Much has been said about the role of our key workers in the media and indeed, every Thursday evening when we clap to show our appreciation. However, within our little ‘school bubble’ we have so many families who are at the epicentre of the Covid-19 effort, we must take a step back and consider how they are all doing, despite a number of challenges.

Firstly, there are those families who have more than 1 key worker.  The daily ‘juggle’ which goes on to support their child’s learning at home, keep their own children safe, and at the same time make a contribution to the national effort, is an enormous task.  I understand first hand how difficult this is – both my wife and I work in schools – going into work, trying to occupy a 6 month old and also support his development is interesting to say the least.  We absolutely adore him and it is great to spend some extra time to see him ‘grow’ but without being able to call upon grandparents or friends, the level of challenge is increased.  Many of our parents are in this position – Coton School has a number of families who have two key workers in the household and multiple children at home, never mind just the one!

There are also those families who have a key worker right at the epicentre of the pandemic – i.e in the NHS.  I really take my hat off to you, your unselfish dedication and professionalism to the national effort is exemplary.  Coming in after a shift and then having to shower and change clothes before you pick up your children or interact with them takes so much additional time and adds to the situation.  The emotional drain of working ’round the clock’ and supporting people who are very ill indeed does also.  As does caring for those patients who sadly, won’t get better.  I, for one, wish to thank the NHS staff who looked after my Grandmother in her final days.

Then, there are the families who don’t have a key worker but where parents are still working from home. We get how difficult it is for the children to concentrate at home – getting them to sit down and work on a task whilst home-working parents can get the space to do their jobs is no mean feat!  Maybe there is only one laptop in the household or one ‘quiet space’ to work, perhaps there simply isn’t the room for multiple siblings to sit down and get on with their home-learning tasks at the same time – maybe a rota or timetable has to be made so everybody has a fair chance of doing what they need to do.

One of the best things which will undoubtedly come out of this situation, is a reaffirmed respect for all of the sectors which have carried out a vital role at this time. The Covid-19 situation is evolving daily and there is no template to follow.  We all love the NHS, we all value it, but maybe for too long, some have taken it for granted?  It is quite easy to get taken along by what we read in newspapers or what we see on the television.  It is quite easy to cast judgement and criticise those workers who are on the front line day by day – face to face with the general public.  These workers who have to ‘rise above it’, roll up their sleeves and just get on with it. Rest assured, this is not a political statement, just a reminder to us all of the sacrifices being made and a massive thank you.

Last week, I sent out a parent questionnaire about the level of support that was still needed by our families.  As I’ve said previously, the longer that our country is in lock-down, the more challenging it can become for some. Week by week, the staff and I are trying to respond to the poignant questions raised and we are ‘working through’ every individual query, helping where we can.  Thank you so much if you did fill in our survey, we really value your feedback as it helps us to get better and better.  You know that our school very much subscribes to the notion of ‘continuous improvement.’ Thanks also, for the many positive comments.  Your kind words will really help to keep our staff upbeat at this time.  In response to the feedback, I wish to let you know a few things:

• A few parents have asked whether we can change the set up of our Tapestry platform so that children in Years 1 and 2 can also upload some of the things that they have been doing at home.  This works brilliantly for our EYFS children – they have been using this platform all year as part of their ongoing assessment. Sorting permissions for Tapestry has been a really difficult task for school to look into but we have now managed to do this.  From tomorrow, if your child is in Year 1 or Year 2, should you wish to upload a photo, video or picture of the children’s work – this will be possible. There is no obligation to do this however.  I will ask Mrs Cresswell to reissue the guidance for how to upload things onto the Tapestry platform.  We’d ask all parents of Year 1 and 2 children to be mindful that not every post you upload will necessarily be commented on by a member of staff, however we will of course endeavour to respond to what we see in some way.
• Some parents have asked if the teachers are looking at what is completed on Purple Mash each week. I can confirm that this has always been the case – and I monitor usage figures each week, looking at which children have logged on and when they last logged on.  Last week, 92 of our children went on to complete some of the tasks.  Keep your eyes out for the teacher comments on what the children are doing on Purple Mash. It will either be a positive comment or a developmental one. Again, this won’t be every single task that your child completes as this is not actually possible for some activities on Purple Mash but teachers will do their level best to respond to each child at least once a week
• Free School Meal Vouchers – some parents have asked for guidance on what they should do if they are unable to redeem their vouchers to purchase food products online.  I have investigated this with the Department for Education and it varies between individual supermarkets as to how vouchers can be redeemed.  Should the voucher system be difficult for your circumstances, we can provide a packed lunch for collection each day if this works better for you. Let the school office know if this option will work better for you.
• Some ‘key worker families’ have asked if their children can have access to some of the online learning tasks being set for home, when they are in our childcare service over at The Nest.  We are more than happy for children in the childcare service to do this and we now have the internet capacity in The Nest for this to happen.
• Reading was a big concern with some of our parents and a few of you asked about how you could increase your child’s access to a range of reading books.  In addition to the Oxford Owl website which we posted on our Facebook site, we have set up a Bug Club subscription for your child and they will have access to the correct level of reading book for their current ability (matched to the bands in school).  Look back at the ‘General Announcements’ tab to see how to access this if you have not already been on.
• Some parents with children on the SEND register have asked about slightly more-tailored work as their child is working below their curriculum year group. We have been looking at setting some ‘key skills’ tasks to embrace some of the SEND targets on a child’s SEND Learning Passport. Mrs Butler and I had discussion about how best to respond to this request last Thursday and we will issue a communication to the families for whom this applies next week.

The parent questionnaire was also helpful to us because it gave us an indication of what support we would need to provide for our families when schools do happen to reopen. The key concerns that you raised were; making up for ‘lost learning,’ mental health support and your child’s transition back into school.  We know that a few of our children may struggle to be separated from you after this period – indeed, it will be hard for some parents to separate themselves from their children also. There is much speculation in the media about when and how schools will reopen – as always, once we know this information we will work on a plan for every child’s reintegration. Please be assured, we want our school to be a safe environment and so we are already looking at the potential steps we may need to take in relation to the following:

• Controlling the further spread of infection with children and staff
• What areas of learning will be prioritised in the short term
• How we can tailor the curriculum to support the children on the back of this pandemic
• Curriculum organisation and delivery through a ‘phased return’
• Additional resources and intervention to support mental health of our children and families
• Changes to the organisation of our school day
• Transition for Year 6 pupils and also EYFS children in September

Our school has a history of responding to the needs of its pupils and we always take a pragmatic approach to every situation we face. Changes take place every school year to facilitate our children and their areas of development.

Last week, the governors and I held another routine meeting to complete a number of essential tasks that are so crucial at this time of year.  For one, we updated and ratified a number of our school policies including the subject policies across the curriculum, for example – our Maths Policy, Religious Education Policy, Design & Technology Policy etc. We also ratified an addendum to the Child Protection & Safeguarding Policy in light of the current situation – this is a useful read and it sets out our extended obligations at this time. Finally, a number of our essential policies in relation to PSHE were adopted including our new Relationship & Sex Education Policy, and a Drugs Education Policy   We will ensure that the policies page on the website is updated to reflect the new additions – it is actually some time since we last did this. Please have a good read.

Also at governors, we ratified our plans for staffing next year.  Many of you will be keen to hear that we are going to have 5 classes next year and we are planning to split all Key Stage 1 classes into single year groups.  This means, no more must we have a mixed Reception/Year 1 class or a mixed Year 1/Year 2 class.  I know this will be of great comfort to you all – and it will mean smaller class sizes of around 20 pupils each in Key Stage 1.  We are planning to split Key Stage 2 classes into single year groups for Maths also – this is something that we have done for most of this year and it is so essential to the work we are doing to improve our maths provision with Power Maths.  Again, despite the fact that pupils numbers are rising, we will still be able to offer class sizes of 20 or below for Maths lessons in Key Stage 2.

Last week, I wrote to all parents who are due to join EYFS from September, about how we may facilitate effective transition for our pupils before the new academic year.  It is so difficult in these circumstances but hopefully, things will become much clearer in the coming days.  If you are due to join us in September and you didn’t get a letter then please call the school office.

On the subject of transition, Mrs Smith and I had a discussion about what we could do towards the end of this year to support our existing children move to their new year groups.  Most notably, at the key transition points – EYFS to Year 1, Year 2 into Year 3 and from Year 5 into Year 6.  We are currently considering what key information we need to pass on to all parents, and also how the expectations can vary from the previous year group.  Developing greater transition for pupils is a big item on the School Improvement Plan this year, we know that there is more work to do to support the children as they move through – even in our close-knit school.  I’ll share more information about this in the coming weeks.

 

Mrs Weston and I were busy with more ‘welfare calls’ last week.  We are continuing to ‘tie in’ with families over the phone, to see how they are getting on during this time.  Aside from meeting our statutory obligation to phone all of our vulnerable families for whom we have safeguarding concerns, we are also extending this so we touch base with all of our other families at some point in the coming weeks.  This is because we believe that every family is vulnerable at this time and we miss you all.   We’ll be touching base with more of you this week.

Before I leave you for this week, please can I say a big thank you to the children who have tied in with me this past week.  I arrived at work last Monday to find a lovely letter on my desk from Hughie (Year 2).  It was great to hear what you had been getting up to Hughie – I hope you got my reply in the post.  Thank you to Lochlann and Oban too – I sent you both an email, responding to the messages that you sent via your Mum.  Finally, thank you to Leonard.  I went into school on Saturday morning to find a lovely card from you on my desk, along with some cakes.  This really made me smile.

Have a good week everybody, please don’t forget to get in touch with us if there is anything else that we can do to help you at this time.  Stay strong.

P.E.A.C.E. be with you!