p.s I forgot to say – any child can join – they don’t need a pet – they can enjoy seeing their friends and their pets and listening to what is being said!

Good Morning Brown Clee!

I hope you managed to get out and enjoy the snow this weekend – whether it was sledging or building a snowman, snow always brings so much fun!  I was out yesterday afternoon clearing my paths and could hear the shrieks of laughter on the local hill where children go sledging and it was a wonderful sound!  Such joy and happiness!

Sadly snow and ice can also bring problems like icy roads and school closures – which we have sadly had to do today for our keyworker child care…apologies for the inconvenience to those families that needed the child care but the icy condition of the roads meant we have to put safety first.

The good news is that remote learning is still being posted, and we are still holding our first ever whole school Pet Show and Tell Session this afternoon at 1pm!  Watch out in your emails for a link to the Microsoft Teams Meeting!

So today we have good news and bad news – and this is often the case, that we can have good experiences as well as bad experiences.  The trick is to develop the ability to maintain a positive outlook and focus on the good – as vice versa, where there is bad news there will also be good news!

So being able to develop a positive attitude is an important skill, and one that can also help with learning.  Have a think as you watch this short video…are you a Sophie or a Jack?

Hmmm….I would like to be a Sophie, but I know at times I can be a bit like Jack and think that something might be too tricky or difficult, or that I’m not confident enough to do something….but I wonder if I started to think more positively, it might help me to be braver, and to give things a go that previously I might have thought I couldn’t do?

As you go through the day and if you come up against something that you think is difficult, or that you can’t do – be a Sophie, and have a positive attitude – and think what can you do to overcome the challenge.

Prayer of the Day

Lord God, you give to us

the joy of being alive,

the company of others,

the opportunities of each new day.

Bless this school community,

and each and every member of it,

today and always.

Amen.

Due to yesterday’s snowfall and the drop in temperature overnight we will be physically CLOSED to all children on MONDAY 25th JANUARY. This includes the children of critical workers and vulnerable children.

We have not taken this decision lightly as we know this will be inconvenient for families. However, the safety of staff, children and their families who may be attending the site in the morning has to be my priority. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding in a difficult situation.

The teachers will still be setting remote learning but there will be plenty opportunity to enjoy the snow and the virtual Pet Show and Tell will still take place…watch out for the link later!

Could we kindly ask that if keyworker parents with children booked in for tomorrow (Monday 25th), are unable to bring children to school due to weather or icy roads/snow etc, that they email admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk to let us know as soon s possible.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

This week we have been continuing to think about our value of the half term, Friendship, and how important it is that we learn to be a patient friend.

Have a watch of this short video and see if you can work out what might have happened if Abby BumbleBee had been more patient…..

Oh dear – Abby BumbleBee was in such a rush and was so impatient that she was rude and unkind to the Queen Bee!  I wonder if the story might have had a different ending if Abby had been more patient and understanding to the Queen?

These days it is so easy to be in a rush – there is always something to do, or somewhere to be and it often feels there is such little time to do everything.  We sometimes see this in our school work, when we are so eager to get it done and finished, that we actually don’t do any learning – we just complete the task as quickly as we can!

Sometimes we are so engrossed in our own work or activity, that we don’t have the patience and don’t find time to help our friends.  Have you ever asked a friend for help, only for them to say that they are too busy?  How would this make you feel?

I find that if I want to be a good friend, I have to consider my friends feelings before my own – that I have to develop patience and understanding so that I can be a good friend – a kind and helpful friend.

So as you go through today, see how you can be a good ‘friend’ with your family at home – can you give them more time, more patience and understanding?

So in the words of Herbert – “Don’t be in such a rush”!

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
Please enable us to recognize the fruit of the Spirit within us.
Please help us to work at growing these qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Please show us and guide us as to how best we can use them for the good of those around us.
Amen.

Following on from this morning’s assembly, I am setting up a virtual Pet Show and Tell session for all children next Monday, 25th January at 1pm.  The session will be on Microsoft Teams and I have attached below guidance on how to access and how to use.

We are super impressed with all the fantastic remote learning taking place, but are also very aware of the importance of children being kept in touch with each other and having social contact.  For this session to work, parents will need to be present with their child and the link to the session will be emailled out next Monday morning (25th January) to parents email addresses.

If children do not wish to join remotely, they can also email photos, pictures or information about their dogs that I can share with the virtual Show and Tell session.  These photos and pictures will need to be sent to me – head@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk – by first thing this Friday (22nd January)at the latest.

I will host the session and each child will get the chance to ‘show’ their pet – either in the flesh (and if the pet allows!) or on a photograph, as well as tell us a little bit about their pet friend.  The duration of the session will depend on how many children take part.

Please can all participants join the session on mute.

Guidance on Microsoft Teams and Protocol – Children

Good Morning Brown Clee!

This half term we have been thinking about friendship, and today I would like us to think about the friendship we get – and give – from having pets.  I am just back from walking one of my pets, Rosie, and have been brave and recorded my thoughts – as I have had an idea!

I am very aware that during lockdowns, we can keep learning going with the remote learning activities we post, and with the support of your parents, but it is much harder to keep the connections and contact going – the chats and the interactions. This interaction is so important and I have had an idea…..

So I would like to set up a remote session for Brown Clee children to participate in a ‘Pet Assembly’!  This is something we definitely cannot do in school – can you imagine the chaos of having dogs, cats, horses, snails, fish, mice and goodness knows what else in the school hall all at the same time!  However, it is something that we can do remotely!

Last week I mentioned that pets are as much our friends as our classmates – and they are – as they bring us so much joy and love.  They make us smile, they are excited to see us, they teach us to be compassionate, kind and caring.  Pets are an important part of our lives and they make our lives so much richer and better for being part of it.

Some of you may not have pets (they are fun but they are also a lot of work and a huge commitment), but by sharing them in an assembly, I thought it would provide an opportunity for all of us to get together – even at a distance.  So later this week I will post instructions and guidance on the website about  how we can do this – you can either email in a photo, a picture, a description, or join us ‘live’ on Microsoft Teams (you will need your parents to help) to share your pets, and remind us all of the benefits and importance of sharing our lives with animals who are our friends.

He’s a Mutt Lyrics

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
Thank you for all the wonderful animals in the world.
We thank you especially for our pets.
They make us so happy.
They teach us so much.
Help us to look after our pets.
Help us to be kind and loving to all of your creatures.
We thank you for the RSPCA who rescue many animals from danger.
Amen.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

This morning I would like you to look at the following pictures.  See if you can describe what you see and find something in common – something that is the same about them all….

…..a choir of children singing…

….children in a football team having a group hug…

…a group of children in a tennis club…

..a group of rainbow guides..

Have you worked out what they all have in common??  They are all pictures of people in groups…can you think of a word that we might call these groups?  ….yes, a TEAM!

Sing together lyrics

Sing Together MP3s

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
We all belong to various communities, clubs and groups.
We pray for all of the people we know in these groups: the leaders and the members as well as ourselves.
We thank you for all those who care for us, our families and our friends, and for our school.
Please help us to look after the people in our school.
Please help us to play our part in making this a happy and special community.
Amen.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

Yesterday we continued thinking about our Christian Value of this half term, which is Friendship, and about how important it is to be a good friend and have good friends.  We learnt that good friends are faithful, reliable, interested, enjoyable, neighbourly, dependable and special!.

Can you think of any other words that you would use to describe what makes a good friend?……

…..I can think of some: a good friend is kind, a good friend is thoughtful, a good friend puts other people ahead of themselves, a good friend care for others.

Today I would like you to watch this video from the Pace Trust, and have a think more about how important friendship is.

Having friends means that we are never alone – that there is always someone who cares about you.  It means that you are part of a team, and that applies even now, when we are apart.

Prayer of the Day

Thank you God, for the care of friends.
Help us to be good friends to others, even when we are apart.

Help us to think of our friends at this difficult time,
And may we always look for opportunities to help other people.
Amen.

Due to the short term weather forecast being snow for all day tomorrow, starting overnight, and with the current situation, we are closing the school building tomorrow for Keyworker Care. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Remote Learning will continue for all children at home.

Callum has been working very hard today and all with a big smile!

We are keeping a close eye on the weather forecast as there is snow forecast tomorrow starting tonight and going through the day.  For those children booked into Keyworker Child Care tomorrow (and staff!) please listen out on Radio Shropshire in the morning and check the school website/facebook/twitter pages as this is where we can let you know if we have to close the school.

If the school building is closed the remote learning will still take place – but I am sure there will still be plenty time to go sledging or build a snowman!

Good Morning Brown Clee!

Well we are up and running with remote learning and keyworker care, and a big thank you to all of you for engaging with us, sharing pictures, asking questions and generally just getting on with it – thank you!

The value this half term is Friendship and today I would like us to think about how important our friends are – particularly at the moment when we can’t see them.

I wonder what it would be like if we had no friends?  How would you feel?

Have a watch of the short video called “Lighthouse” and have a think about the characters in the animation….

What was the lighthouse keeper like at the beginning of the video – .what words could you use to describe him?? …….

…..I thought he was hard-working, organised, critical, grumpy, alone.

What were the villagers like at the beginning?…..do you think they were happy, jovial, sociable?  What were they doing?

Now here comes the big question – do you think the Lighthouse Keeper and villagers were friends at the beginning?

Here are some other questions to help you think about the film….

• What problem did the lighthouse keeper face?
• Do you think it would be difficult for the lighthouse keeper to ask for help? Why do you think that?
• Do you think that the lighthouse keeper was surprised when he realised that the villagers were already on their way to help?
• Do you think that this situation would make a difference to how the lighthouse keeper and the villagers got along in the future?

Sometimes we can struggle to ask for help as we think we can it all by ourselves – but sometimes we need to be able to reach out to seek help – and in order to receive help, we often need to ask for it. This means admitting that we can’t do something by ourselves. The lighthouse keeper was surprised that the people he had looked down on and criticized were the ones who were ready and eager to help him.

In Matthew 7.12, we see Jesus sitting on a hillside, teaching his new disciples the basics of living God’s way. He says to them, ‘Do to others what you would have others do to you.’

Let’s have a quiet moment of reflection and think about the importance of friendship…

• • If you want help, learn to help others.
  • If you want to be shown kindness, learn to be kind.
  • If you want to be accepted, accept other people.
  • If you want to be encouraged, encourage those around you.

Prayer of the day

Dear God,
Thank you for people who are there to help us.
Please help us never to feel like we have to manage all alone.
Please help us always to ask for help when we need it.
Please help us to be aware of the needs of others
And to offer help in whatever form that may take.
Amen.

I apologise for sending this so late. But we just want to re-emphasise to parents that we fully understand the pressures and barriers that some families have with remote learning, and that we are also trying our very best to help support our families and community with the Critical Keyworker Care that we provide.

It is so important that we work together to help get through this unprecedented situation. No one wants to be in this mess. So from the bottom of my heart, if you have frustrations, difficulties, concerns or questions, please, please contact us! Sharing your frustrations on social media does not help fix the situation….and sadly, negativity can breed more negativity.

The current situation is beyond anyone’s expectations….so can we please work together to ensure we can do everything we possibly can to care for and teach our children (to the best of our reasonable expectations within our own individual and family constraints), to help protect our families and community as well as the NHS and wider world.

These are tough times for everyone, but we need to work together to help each other.