Quick message…can children attending keyworker care please wear uniform. Thank you.

What an unexpected start to the new year!  Thank you for your patience, understanding and support as we closed the school today to give us time to organise the remote learning for each class as well as Keyworker Child Care.  It has been a rather busy 24 hours but we are ready and raring to start the term.

Remote Learning

There is a big difference between this lockdown and the previous lockdown in that there is now a statutory expectation (by the government) that all children engage in the work set. We, as a school, have tried to make this as easy as possible for families and completely appreciate that at certain circumstances, and at particular times, this may not always be fully possible.  We really ask parents to communicate with us if there are any barriers or issues to engaging with the daily work – we want to help you as best we can, whether that involves delivering paper packs or loaning equipment. Please, just talk with us – we are very approachable and friendly and just want to ensure that we are providing the best learning opportunities that we can.

As in the first lockdown, each class teacher will be posting daily work on the relevant class pages on the school website. This will be posted by 9am each day, and teachers will also be emailing a link to this work (or sending a message on Tapestry in Class 1) and we are asking you to reply to these messages to confirm that you have seen the set work by 9.30am; this effectively acts as a school register.  We are hoping to further improve the remote learning by ensuring that we provide feedback regularly to allow children to improve their work, as they would do in school.

We have a remote learning policy which we recently reviewed, and I will be sharing that tomorrow via the school website – if you have any questions about remote learning please do not hesitate to contact us, as we really need parents and children to engage with it if we are going to help prepare the children for their future education.

Keyworker Child Care

We are offering Keyworker Child Care in the school hall to help allow critical workers to function.  We do stress that wherever possible children need to be at home, as the priority is to minimise mixing and contacts to reduce transmission.  This care is taking place in the school hall and a thank you to the parents who have booked their places up to half term, as we have limited places and this has really helped us to plan.

Communication

We will continue to use the school news and class news pages on the website as our main means of communication, so please, please subscribe or follow closely.  We will also be using emails and where appropriate we will post on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

We are also hoping to use more recorded or live means of communication as we feel it is important that children can ‘see and hear’ their teachers so that they can feel in touch.  To do this we will use a programme called Microsoft Teams which is free and secure – so watch this space for future developments.  We are considering possibly providing live small group teaching such as phonics, as well as holding some sessions to help parents support the remote learning.  We just ask that you give us some time to get the new system of operating to settle in!

Also, in terms of communication, we really do want parents, and children to keep in touch – from returning school work to class teachers, or sharing photos/videos via admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk so that children can ‘see’ each other and keep in touch socially.  We also are very open to parents asking questions and asking for help if they come up with any barriers to the remote learning – the last thing we want is children, parents and families having issues or problems with school based concerns.

These are difficult times, and it has been a long journey, but we do see a light at the end of the tunnel – even if it is a long tunnel!  We just need to work together so that we can do all we can to help our children, families and community to be happy and safe, and to allow education to continue.  We know that the strong team ethic across the Brown Clee Community can do this, and that we will come out stronger.

Please stay safe and take care and keep in touch!

Good Morning Brown Clee – although I will be honest I have struggled with the ‘good’ in that phrase, as following last night’s announcement I’m sure plenty of us don’t feel too good about the news of another lockdown.

I had scheduled a typed assembly for this morning, but I didn’t feel it appropriate today, so I have been ambitious and resilient and recorded an assembly message instead.  It is unscripted and free-wheeled – so apologies for the amateurishness of it – but the message is from the heart. (and sorry for having the ipad the wrong way around – I will learn from my mistakes and get it right next time!)

I forgot to mention one other emotion that I feel – as well as shock, frustration, disappointment and sadness, I also feel determined and optimistic, that the Brown Clee Team can do this – we can get through the next 6 weeks and keep our enthusiasm for learning, our ‘can-do’ attitude and our team-spirit going strong.  The school is the people in it, not the building, and for the next 6 weeks the school will be apart, but the more we can communicate, keep in touch and share the more we keep ourselves together in spirit, even if we can’t be together in person.

Teachers will be posting work daily and will be asking for work to be returned, but if you would like to share photos or videos of yourselves, either working or playing, or wanting to share messages to the rest of the school, then please email to admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk and we will share on the website.

Let’s take a quiet moment to reflect on why we are apart for the next 6 weeks and let’s think about the hospital staff working hard to care for those sick and in need, let’s think about the families who are missing loved ones or having difficult times, and help us to reflect on how fortunate we are, and that 6 weeks is a short time in a year – we will be back together before you know it!

Prayer of the Day

Let’s join in with the school prayer to remind ourselves of the importance of the Brown Clee Team Spirit and ethos…

Dear God

Thank you for our wonderful school.

Help us to be good learners.

Help us to look after each other.

Help us be respectful and kind and to make everyone welcome.

May our school be a happy, safe place where learning is fun.

Where we all work together to be the best we can be.

Amen

Have you booked your child’s school meal for this week? Don’t forget to book by Thursday midday for the following week on u98180@compass-group.co.uk

If you require a school meal for this week, Pippa has kindly said it is not too late to book one!

Following the recent media coverage, I just thought I should confirm that we are open for the start of the new term on Tuesday 5th January (see previous posting for more information).

Good Afternoon,

I hope that everyone has had an enjoyable Christmas despite the last minute change in guidance, and has also managed to make the most of the wintery weather whilst staying safe!  We nearly had a white Christmas!

This afternoon we have had it confirmed by the Minister of Education that most primary schools will be opening as planned next week – which for us is on Tuesday 5^th January as Monday is a PD for teachers.

We have also been informed that Shropshire is entering Tier 3 (Very High Alert) of Covid19 restrictions as of tomorrow, and the government is describing the situation as ‘precarious’ and ‘pretty grim’.  I would like to urge everyone to follow the social distancing guidance, and to also ensure that we can keep our class ‘bubbles’ apart. This distancing and spacing is what is helping to minimise any risk of spreading the virus within the community and putting lives at risk, and also reduces the chance of needing to close a class, or even worse, the school.

Care Club

With this in mind, I would like to request that parents only use Care Club if it is absolutely essential. The government briefing stated that “Covid loves a crowd” and as we cannot socially distance within our classrooms, it is so important that we keep classes apart from each other, so that if we were to have a positive case, we would only need to close one class.  We are having to host Care Club in the hall, in a joint space, so this increases the risk of virus spread. So please, only use this service if it is vital.  We appreciate that this may be inconvenient, but with Tier 3 (very High Alert) restrictions, the guidance states “everyone who can work effectively from home should do so.”

Covid Symptoms/Self-Isolation

It is really important that parents keep schools fully informed if anyone in their household has symptoms of Covid19.  If this happens, then the family needs to isolate and book a Covid19 test.  We kindly request that you let school know when the test is booked for, and also let us know the results as soon as you have them – we monitor schools emails out-of-hours. P

Please use admin@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk or head@brownclee.shropshire.sch.uk.

This is so important, as if a test was to come back positive we will need to follow Track and Trace procedures to ensure that we can minimise the risk of spread.  It is also important, as it allows teachers to know who requires remote-learning.

Remote Learning

If children do have to isolate, and are well, then the expectation is that they participate in remote learning.  This will happen via email from your child’s teacher, and there is an expectation that the work is emailed back to the teacher to allow for feedback and ensure that learning continues.

Morning and Afternoon Procedures

I thought it would be helpful to remind parents of some of the procedures to ensure that we can continue to operate as successfully in the Spring Term as we did last term.  Please note that we have ‘tightened’ the timings to a specific time as opposed to a window – as this was what was working well in the Autumn Term.

Morning Drop-Off

Timings: Class 2 and 4: 08:45

Class 1 and 3: 08:55

• Class 3 and 4 access via Top-Gate / Class 1 and 2 access via main entrance gate.
• Siblings to arrive at the earlier time via choice of entrance (but please ensure distance from other children).
• Doors will be shut at 09:00. If your child is in Class 2 or 4 and you are running late, please arrive after 08:55 to allow Class 1 and 3 to enter. All late arrivals should bring children to the reception, knock on the window, and we will direct children to their appropriate entrance; however we do emphasise the importance of being punctual.
• Please do not drop children at the Top Gate before 08:45.

Afternoon Collection

Timings: Class 1 and 3: 15:05

Class 2 and 4: 15:15

• Class 3 and 4 children will depart from the Top Gate / Class 1 and 2 to be collected from the playground using the 2m yellow spot markings.
• Siblings to be collected at the later time.
• Parents of Class 3 and 4 children are reminded to remain on the pavement area and to respect local residents property.

I would like to thank all parents and families for your support last term, as you played a vital part in ensuring that we could operate safely and ensure all our children could receive the high quality educational experience that they deserve.  The Brown Clee children excelled themselves with returning to school in September, and it has been wonderful having the school functioning fully again – despite being in a slightly different manner.  With the news of the vaccines there is hope on the horizon that we can once again get back to normal, so with that in mind I would like to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year, and am looking forwards to welcoming everyone back to school next Tuesday morning.

We are delighted to share with you the nativity performance that Class 1 have created!  A big well done to Mrs Fox and her team, and the children, for their hard work!

Good Morning Brown Clee!

Here we are with just 10 days to go until the special day that we are all looking forwards to!  Today, behind the advent calendar window is a tree!  A christmas tree!

Have you ever wondered why we put a tree up inside our houses and decorate it?  If you think about it, it is really rather strange, as trees are natural and grow outdoors – and why do we cover it in baubles and tinsel and place a star on top of the tree??  You can probably work out why the star is there…… but if you want to find out a bit more about the history of the christmas tree, enjoy this video….

And to continue with the theme of the Christmas Tree, here is a well known song you can join along with…especially for Class 4!

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
Thank you for the celebration of Christmas, the anniversary that marks the birth of Jesus.
Thank you for the fun and joy that we share with families and friends at this special time.
Please be with those who are lonely this Christmas.
Please help us to remember how fortunate we are.
Amen.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

What do you think this is?  It isn’t frankincense!……

Yes – it’s myrrh – but do you know what myrrh is and why the wise men gave it to the baby Jesus? Myrrh is a fragrant spice derived from the sap of a tree native to the Near East. Like frankincense, it can be used as incense, but in the ancient world it also had wider usage as a perfume.  Myrrh was also a key ingredient in the mixture of spices that were used to prepare bodies for burial – what a strange gift for a new born baby! Perhaps the wise men intended this gift as an indication of Jesus’ humanity and the manner in which he would save his people—namely, that he would die for them.

Sometimes we might not always appreciate the value in a gift, and we might have to look a bit deeper to really appreciate gifts – like the gift of myrrh.

Here’s a song depicting the journey of the wise men on their way to offer their gifts…

So as we think of the gifts that the wise men brought to Jesus, let us think of the greatest gift of all – the gift of Jesus Christ, who was born so that he could save us all by dying on the cross.

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
Thank you for this special time of year that we look forward to.
We want to say thank you for the gift of Jesus
and ask that we may find ways to give to others as well.
On Christmas morning and afterwards, help us not to be disappointed with what we have been given.
Help us to remember the shepherds, who delighted in the surprising sight of an ordinary baby sent by God.
Amen.

Good Morning Brown Clee!

I hope you had a good weekend and lots of sleep as we head into our last week of the Autumn Term!  It has been a term of contrasts – such delight to have all the children back in school but sad that there are so many limitations to how we operate – but there is definitely hope on the horizon that we will be able to return to being the community, team-spirited school that welcomes families, friends and visitors to join us in school!

Today is the 14th day of Advent, and we are also building our hopes up of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ on 25th December – just 11 days away! Today we are going to be thinking about the gift of Frankincense – one of the 3 gifts that the wise men brought to the baby Jesus.

It doesn’t look terribly special, does it?  A bit like frosted ginger or golden jelly babies!  But actually Frankincense is a symbol of deity – a divine status, godliness.  Can you remember what the other 2 gifts were that the wise men brought to give to Jesus, Mary and Joseph?

Enjoy this clip sharing some background to the meaning of frankincense, myrrh and gold…

We know that gold is shiny and bright and a precious metal, but who would have known that myrrh and frankincense were so special!?  It reminds us that all gifts are special – be they small or large, shiny or dull – a gift shows that someone cares and wants to show us that we are appreciated.  So as you wake up on Christmas Day – remember our value of this half term – Thankfulness – as there is so very much to be thankful for, whether the gifts come in a stocking hung on the fireplace, or in the companionship of family and friends, or a smile, or the sun rising to start each new day!

Prayer of the Day

Dear God,
We thank you for all that’s good in our lives.
We thank you especially for what we remember quietly in our hearts now,
Help us always to be thankful, whether we are happy or sad.
Help us to know that you are with us during ordinary days, good days and bad days.
Amen.

Can we kindly remind parents to park considerately around the properties on Station Rd, particularly with regards to not parking on the grass area at the junction with the school entrance.

Also, please do not leave children unattended at the Top Gate in the morning, as we cannot be responsible for them until 8.45am when the gate opens. Thank you.