Parent Information
A thank you from Gainsborough staff to parents and carer
First of all, I hope you are all well and have managed to enjoy some relaxing, family time over the Easter break. I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you all very much for the work you are doing each week with your children and the positive approach you have been taking, including the feedback we have been receiving in school. We all appreciate what a difficult time this is for everyone and all that you are doing at home.
A BBC article on Wednesday 8th April about home-schooling suggested that for some, expectation from some schools are causing parents and carers to feel overwhelmed, and described the problems of organising daily lessons and timetables whilst still working from home themselves in many cases.
As teachers, we all understand the difficulties faced, and hopefully you have taken from our weekly timetables on the year group pages of the website, that these are there as suggestions and to support parents/carers. We are not expecting you to replace teachers, but to encourage your children to continue with routines and study habits. The expectation is not that each and every activity is completed on the day and time suggested. If this helps with your family routine and gives your days some structure, then that is what it is there for. It should not be seen as a directive for everyone to follow to the letter.
This is challenging times for everyone and parents/carers should make the decision to ‘home school’ in a way that works for your families, using school suggestions and resources where they help. We have heard of many other activities that families have been doing together which have educated, entertained and had a positive impact on everyone. Please continue to do this.
It has been suggested that pupils can benefit in so many ways from being more connected with their families at this time – from being more creative, entertaining themselves, noticing more, in nature for example. Teaching your child to cook, organise their own space and do their laundry are all things you can do. One positive way of looking at lockdown is that we all have an opportunity to benefit from a slower pace of life and to truly learn what matters in life.
Be clear that it is not business as usual for schools or parents/carers and children are not expected to study full time with online resources.
Please find attached some DFE suggested websites that can support with mental health and wellbeing during the lockdown
https://www.annafreud.org/what-we-do/anna-freud-learning-network/coronavirus/
https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/publication/childrens-guide-to-coronavirus/
http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/covid-19.aspx
New learning resources
We are aware that the BBC and Oaks National Academy have launched new online lessons and resources from today. We have not have an advanced view of these and so staff will be reviewing what is available on these platforms and how these can be used to supplement or support what we are currently offering.
After lockdown.
At this time, the length of the national lockdown is unknown, but be assured that we are starting to plan ahead for the rest of the academic year and how transition back to school life can be best managed, including planning a ‘recovery curriculum’ to revisit this years’ topics and basic skills. Schools and Government are working together to consider the best ways to manage the ‘lost learning time’ that will have occurred with the intention that pupils will not be disadvantaged by the school closures.
From All at Gainsborough