Reflections on week 7
This week, our science topic has ended and I’m pleased to have seen so many experiments and investigations taking place throughout school. (I especially enjoyed Wednesday afternoon, when, thanks to staffing issues, I had to teach year 5 science and we had great fun investigating “chemical change” outside on the yard with our exploding pots!)
Next week is our first “Arts Week” of this school year and alongside our basic skills lessons, we will devote the majority of the timetable to artwork. In normal times, our Arts weeks end with an invitation to visit our ‘art galleries’ in the classrooms. This year, the galleries will be available via ‘i-movies’ that you can view online.
We also have our “dress down” day on Friday 23rd and we invite donations to support the local foodbanks.
After half term, we will hold parents’ consultations (parents’ evening) via phone calls. I will set up an ‘online’ appointment system to allow parents to choose convenient times.
Tier 3 or not Tier 3 for Greater Manchester? Whatever the outcome of this debate is, local infection rates are heading in the wrong direction. Please help protect our community by practising social distancing on the school site, by keeping well back from the classroom doors, by restricting pick-ups and drop-offs to one parent, by leaving the site promptly and by keeping to our staggered opening and closing times.
Compared with other local schools, we have been very lucky and have so far only had to close one “bubble”. Please help keep our school open - If anyone in your home shows any symptoms of Coronavirus please take a precautionary approach, self-isolate and seek a test. A walk-in or appointment-based test centre is available on Darnton Road carpark between the Hospital and Stamford Park in Ashton.
School has remained open despite having several staff self-isolating and working from home. This creates additional challenges and workloads. If your child is self-isolating and you haven’t received a work pack, please get in touch with the office. Apologies for any we have missed. As we move forwards into the winter months, I want to better prepare us for any future closures that we may have. The ‘online’ learning will move onto Microsoft teams for more year groups, which enables quicker responses from staff and helps maintain privacy. Before a year group makes the move, we will rehearse the processes involved with the children in class. If you encounter any issues, technical or otherwise, please get in touch.
Finally, a gentle reminder to parents of our year 6 pupils that your ‘online’ application for a high school place needs to be submitted to Tameside by the end of this month. https://www.tameside.gov.uk/admissions
Enjoy the weekend, whichever Tier we spend it in!
Best wishes – Mr Fell