16^th July 2020

Dear Parents,

I hope this update finds you well. You will have received yesterday the procedures for our full-reopening in September. Thank you for taking the time to carefully read and understand these.

It was lovely to welcome the children in last week for sessions with their class teachers, it was great that so many were able to make it.  We would like to thank those of you who have sent messages to your child’s class teacher since receiving their reports, I am sure that there were many proud children and relatives reading them.

Please do read the following updates about the summer reading challenge and about the breakfast and after school clubs at the infant school in September.

Summer Reading Challenge – message from Chineham Library

We just wanted to remind you all about the Hampshire Libraries Summer Reading Challenge for 2020 ‘Silly Squad!’. A great number of young readers have already signed up but just for those who haven’t, here are the details on how to get the children involved.

 The Summer Reading Challenge launches in Hampshire and there are more ways than ever for children to take part in 2020.

The annual Summer Reading Challenge launched in Hampshire’s libraries on the 1^st of July and this year there are more ways than ever for children to take part!

 The challenge supports the literacy of children aged 7-11 by encouraging children to read (at least) six books over the summer holidays. Every participating child who signs up online at www.hants.gov.uk/library will receive a medal and a certificate we hope to distribute these rewards through schools in the autumn.

 There are more ways than ever for children to take part this year:

 •           Sign-up online and read the books they have at home, or borrow eBooks and eAudio books from our digital collection – we have lots of choice of kids – look for our ‘Summer Reading Challenge’ bookshelf www.hants.gov.uk/summer-reading-challenge

•           Sign-up online and use our free Ready Reads, We Select You Collect service to get actual books from the library - for more information check out this page on our website: https://www.hants.gov.uk/librariesandarchives/library/ready-reads

 •           From Monday 6 July make a short visit to your local library, children who can’t sign-up online can get help to sign-up for the Summer Reading Challenge and family groups can visit together to browse and borrow books. For more information on making short visits to the library please visit our website www.hants.gov.uk/library

 As well as the Summer Reading challenge, there are all kinds of activities for families and children on offer this summer through the @HantsLibraries Facebook page, including bedtime stories, Baby Rhyme Time, Virtual Construction Club, Code Club and Mini Craft Corner. To access the free digital resources  from Hampshire Libraries, visit https://www.hants.gov.uk/always-open-online where you can also find links to the social media sites. Membership is available for free to anyone who lives, works, or studies in the county.

 

Wraparound care at Old Basing Infant school in September

As it stands at the moment we are not in a position to offer any after school clubs at the start of the Autumn term, this was not an easy decision to make as traditionally we offer the children at St Mary’s a wide diet of extra-curricular activities; as soon as it is practical and safe to do so we hope to resume our afterschool club provision.  In the meantime, pupils can still access the breakfast club run by Old Basing Infant School and the afterschool club there run by SCL. We have procedures in place for the drop off and collection of these pupils by the staff running the clubs to ensure that they are delivered safely to school. We do ask that you inform us if your child is going to attend either of these settings and on which day as we need to ensure they are in the right place at the right time! Please email the school office before the start of next term to inform us.

We also ask you to read the following guidance from the DfE and consider the wrap around care you arrange for your children in September.  The current guidance includes the following advice: ‘parents should limit the number of different wraparound providers they access, as far as possible. If you are accessing childcare providers or out of school activities for your children, you should seek assurance that the providers are carefully considering their own protective measures, and only use those providers that can demonstrate this. As with physical activity during the school day, contact sports should not take place.’

Curriculum review and catch up

It is understandable that parents will have some concerns about how children will ‘catch up’ on learning missed during school closures. Please be reassured that as a school we have put in place robust plans to ensure that any gaps and misconceptions are addressed while still accessing the curriculum for the new year.  Every year our class teachers work with a class that come to them with varying different levels and abilities in English and Maths and the curriculum has to be adapted and differentiated to suit all of these children. Staff at St Mary’s are well equipped to be able to differentiate and spot misconceptions and gaps.  The diagnosis of these gaps and misconceptions will be handled carefully: some children will be feeling understandably anxious as it is, without them then feeling that they have fallen behind being reinforced in every lesson. 

Class teachers have had detailed transition meetings with teachers in the next year group, to pass on important information and identify areas that the cohort were not taught in school or that the cohort were ‘weaker’ at and year group teams, with the support of subject leaders, are rewriting new plans for English and Maths for September. 

Although ‘catching’ up on missed English and Maths skills is vitally important, it will also be important that we continue to deliver a broad and balanced curriculum.

In September there will be an opportunity for you to find out more about the curriculum for your child for the year ahead through our Year Group Briefing Meetings. These are normally face to face meetings, however this year they will be delivered differently and information about these will be sent out at the start of next term.

 

 

 

Year 6 Calshot residential

Unfortunately, the guidance for re-opening of schools in September states that there are to be no residential visits at the moment. However, we are delighted that we have managed to get in quickly and Calshot have moved our school booking to March so that the children in Year 6 next year will not miss out on this wonderful opportunity. Parents of our current Year 5 pupils will be sent further details in regard to this.

 

Once again please do make sure you carefully read and understand the procedures for September letter that was sent out yesterday.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Kind regards,

Caroline Welch.