Happy Easter to you all. I hope this letter finds you all well and I hope you have been able to enjoy the sunshine this week.

School has continued to be open for children of Key Workers and vulnerable pupils and they have adapted really well to slightly different times in school!

Teachers have continued to update information on the school website for you to use over the Easter break should you wish and after the Easter holidays we will update with further guidance and ideas for learning at home.   Please do look at the pages on our website for other year groups too as they may have some ideas you would like to try with your child, even if they are in a different year group.

I know as a parent myself how difficult it is ‘teaching’ your own children at home, often while trying to work from home at the same time.  From personal experience we have found it best to be guided by them and their moods and accept that some days might feel more productive than others! We have also found it helpful to keep activities short and focused and then allow plenty of time for learning through play and other activities – weighing and measuring while baking is a firm favourite in our house!  Please do not put undue pressure on yourselves and try not to compare what you are doing in your homes to others, every family’s circumstances are different and every child is different, you will all be doing a great job.

The DfE have produced a list of online educational resources to support children to continue learning at home which you might find useful.

‘We have published a list of online resources that parents, and schools can consider to support children to continue learning at home.‘ DfE 2020

More information can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-online-education-resources

You may also find the following information from Hampshire County Council useful to help keep active. Walking to Wellbeing launches early

We are aware that schools are working extraordinarily hard to support pupils and families during this challenging period. Being active is essential for both physical and mental wellbeing and now, with normal activities postponed and as we spend more time indoors, this is more important than ever before.

 

With this in mind, we have brought forward the launch of our Walking for Wellbeing leaflets for Primary and Secondary pupils, containing inspiration and ideas for keeping active and making the most of limited opportunities to exercise. The resources are now available on the My Journey parents' page to share with families and colleagues, along with lots of other ideas to inspire during this unusual time, including great workout ideas from Sport England. Keep an eye out for updates to this page over the coming weeks. The My Journey education pages have lots of information about active travel which families are welcome to access, including curriculum resources linked to travel choices and their impact on the environment.

Please also see the latest advice from the DE in regard to handwashing below:

‘The most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often. Soap and water and regular handwashing for at least 20 seconds is the best way of staying safe. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.’

A video on hand washing can be found at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQCP7waTRWU&feature=youtu.be

The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.

Resources are currently available for KS1, KS2 and KS3 and can be used in various settings including schools and at home:

https://e-bug.eu/

Finally, we would like to remind you again to continue to follow the social distancing and self-isolating guidance from the government, so that we ensure that both the vulnerable and front line workers are kept safe. We all wish you all happy and safe Easter weekend. Best Wishes, Gemma Lillywhite