We hope that you have had a good half term break, and managed to get out and enjoy the (slightly!) better weather! In preparation for the return of all children to school (hopefully on 8th March) we want to do everything we can to make this transition as smooth as possible.
We are very aware that children will have had different experiences during the lockdown, and as such our key priority is to do everything we can to enable all children to return happy and confident, as well as being prepared to get back ‘into the swing’ of learning as soon as possible.
With the disruption to children’s education over the past 12 months, we aim to do everything we can so that all children are as secure as possible at the end of this academic year in order to prepare them for a strong start in September. We have already identified the key learning that we need to reteach, and we have prioritised future learning across the school’s curriculum.
In order to prepare for a strong return to learning in school, the remote learning activities for the next 2 weeks will be focusing on the consolidation and practise of key skills/knowledge, as well as re-establishing essential learning skills such as active listening, concentration, work stamina and independence. So the priority is on the learning process and the thinking rather than the end result. Following any lengthy absence from school, we always notice a drop in these skills and have to re-establish them at the start of new terms.
We are aware of the challenges that families have supporting children with the remote learning, and of the time and effort it involves from parents, and we are very appreciative. Last half term was a long one, and we want to maximise the impact of the time and involvement that parents put into supporting the children at home, so for the next 2 weeks the focus is very much on practising and revising and preparing to start back in school ‘ready to learn’. We will also be providing extension opportunities for those children seeking greater challenge.
We would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all your support and engagement, whether it has been with supporting with the remote learning, participating in Show & Tell sessions or just by communicating with us with questions and any issues – we really appreciate the partnership so that we can work together to do the best for the pupils at Brown Clee.