Week 5 Home update..... and introducing our special 'Hello' message!

Dear Parents and Carers,

On behalf of all the staff at Camphill PS, I hope that you and your family are all well. We miss you all and you are never far from our thoughts.

This week as we move into Week 5 of 'Home Learning' we have put together a lovely little message for you all - I hope you enjoy seeing all the familiar faces on our video.

I thank the staff for putting this together - they were so keen to do this and they are hoping this video will put a smile on all the pupils faces. These messages are genuine, heartfelt personal messages from us all ...…. enjoy viewing this on our Home 'NEWS' page...

Parents.....as we begin Week 5 our expectations for learning at home remains - we will continue to upload activities to our website, there are no expectations from school about what you do with this - we would encourage you to do what you can with your child. These are very unusual and unprecedented times.... and every household we understand is different. Home Learning paper packs provided on the 20th March may be nearing completion and staff are aware of this so please do continue to 'check in' each day to your child's class 'home learning' page to access the vast array of online learning our fantastic teachers are providing everyday.  Our teachers are working so hard - planning remotely together on a daily basis to provide all our pupils with the worthwhile and meaningful tasks. 

Please remember KS2 also have access to Doodle Maths and AR online and the teachers are monitoring who is using these programmes each week.

We also are all so happy to see all the photos being posted onto our 'Home Learning' pages - they really are making us all smile! 

Parents do please remember:

• Our children might be anxious and even frightened at the moment. They see and hear a lot, even when we think they don’t.
• Their routines and structures are disrupted. They may feel tension and anxiety. 
• Children may expect the weeks ahead to feel like the summer holidays; we know that they will feel very different.
• They may react to all this by changing their behaviours and showing behaviours you have never seen from them before. This might be difficult for you and your family but it is natural and to be expected.
• Your child just needs these feelings to be acknowledged and to be reassured that you understand that life is just that bit less predictable at the moment.

Under these circumstances, home learning may well add to anxiety and stress – for them and for you. In that case, leave it. Your child needs to be reassured, comforted, loved and feel secure more than they need to be learning. So, please don’t argue and fall out about any of the learning ideas we have published for that day/days/week. Instead, cuddle on the sofa and watch a film. Share a book and talk about it. Bake and cook together. Paint pictures, create and make. Play board games. Do science experiments. Travel the world via Google Maps. Go on virtual tours of museums, art galleries, and zoos. 

However, for some children, a learning routine may be exactly what they need. They might thrive on structure and routine. They might be bored or anxious about not learning. They might be desperate to feel connected to their classmates or teachers. They might love learning online and fly through tasks. 

Your child might be both of these types of children: most children are! Follow their lead and use your gut instinct. You won’t go far wrong. All of the above will help them. 

Every child is in the same boat at the moment. They will all be ok. When we get back to school, after celebrating being back together again, we will pick up from where we left off and meet your child’s needs like we always do. That’s our job.

So, please continue to use the learning resources in whatever way suits your family. Try to have fun spending time together. Your child’s emotional and mental wellbeing – and yours – is far more important than anything else. How they felt during this time will stay with them for the rest of their lives, far longer than any worksheet or online learning task. 

Continue to take good care, remain healthy and be positive and keep smiling! _{(Our video certainly will put a smile on your face...…enjoy!)}

Mrs McMaster