Hang on to your Hope!
Headteacher Newsletter - Monday 11th January 2021
God equips me with strength - Psalm 18:32
Contents
1. Hang on to your Hope
2. Risk Assessment
3. Google Classroom Access
4. Chromebook Loan
5. Key Worker provision survey
6. Top Tips for Remote Learning
7. School Milk scheme
8. After School Club (for those attending school ONLY)
9. Contact details - a reminder
10. Safeguarding
1. Hang on to your Hope
Good morning everyone,
It seems an age ago that I spoke with you all in the HT Newsletter; so much has happened since then. Yet, sadly, we still find ourselves in such challenging times.
My thoughts go out to each and every one of you; dealing with another lockdown is, in itself, enough to cope with. However, unfortunately, that has been coupled with a return to home/remote learning.
As I am sure you are aware and have read, listened to, or even watched, the government made some very 'late-in-the-day' decisions, which has, obviously, impacted on us all. Whilst I do not wish to comment too much on the dramas, what I will say is that this left us very little time to organise a provision for both in and out-of-school learning. I am, however, very glad and comforted to know that, having invested in improved IT infrastructure and the Google Apps for Education learning platform, these past 3 years, we were ready, nearly instantaneously, to begin remote learning again. Admittedly, due to the time constraints, this hasn't been the full curriculum offer we would have wished for. However, having survived the first week by ensuring an available provision for all (by sharing learning via Google Classroom, delivering Chromebooks, free school meals, and catering for our KWV group...the list could go on), we are now chomping at the bit and raring to offer a quality of provision that will (hopefully) make you feel proud and appreciative of being a Crawford's parent/carer/child/governor/member of the community.
Now, there are some important updates that our lovely government has recently announced. The key ones are as follows:
- KS1 remote learners must receive and get their teeth into 3 hours of learning;
- KS2 remote learners must receive 4 hours of learning;
- Child/ren engagement must be checked daily - each class teacher will be sharing a 'Learning Evaluation' each day so please support your child/the school by completing this.
I think the most important announcements are the ones where the expectations have changed considerably. For example, 3-4 hours of high-quality learning. This, I do feel, is such an important one and no one wants to see our children's learning negatively affected, AGAIN! They have had too much time away from quality learning! I am, therefore, pleading with you that you work with us, as best you can, to support your child/ren. We are fully aware of the difficulty many families now face, trying to juggle working from home alongside helping children to access remote teaching. That is why we have put in place a provision, which we feel, hopefully, addresses many of the aforementioned challenges. We are here for you, as parents, as well as your child's teacher so please do communicate if you require any extra support.
From today, we aim to support you and your child/ren by:
- Using Google Classroom to share a 'Blended Learning' approach e.g. high-quality resources, videos, Oak Academy lessons, the G suite package of Google docs, forms/quizzes, sheets, drawings, etc, and 'live' teaching;
- Using Google Classroom to share communications, where necessary - please use this to communicate with your child's teacher as opposed to personal emails or emailing via the office;
- Offering a welfare phone call for every child remote learning to see how they are getting on;
- Offering a weekly welfare check for any families in need of extra support - please do communicate with us if you require any support or a potential place at the school; - we can't promise but we will certainly do all that we can;
- Providing a daily 'Learning Evaluation/welfare' Google Form check - please encourage/support your child to complete this;
- Providing daily phonics/reading, writing and maths focused plans;
- Offering 1:1 and small group 'Live' teaching sessions for SEN and children who require extra or specific support - watch this space;
- Providing daily TTRockstars and Numbots to support your child/ren's mathematical fluency - please encourage/support your child with this. TTRockstars/Numbots is such fun. You can even challenge the teachers! Who wants to take Mr. Francksen on?!!!;
We have, of course, revised our risk assessment recently so please do view this (below) and offer any suggestions/concerns that you may have.
I think that's certainly enough for now; I will try to keep the majority of communications to this weekly newsletter as I appreciate the phone has been dinging a lot more than usual. However, for now, please do see a few further announcements and important notices.
May I wish you and your families a safe week?
And don't forget to, Hang on to your Hope!
Mr. Francksen
Executive Headteacher
KS1 = 3 hours of learning per day
KS2 = 4 hours of learning per day
2. Risk Assessment
Please see the new Risk Assessment below; it is also accessible from our safeguarding tab on our website at any time. This has also been shared with staff and governors to ensure a full consultation takes place.
3. Google Classroom Access
4. Chromebook Loan
5. Key Worker provision survey
Thank you to all key/critical workers who have completed the survey - we are delighted that we have been able to provide all requested places. If your place(s) have now been confirmed and your child(ren) is/are attending school, there is no need to complete this form daily.
6. Top Tips for Remote Learning
7. School Milk scheme
Unfortunately, the School Milk have confirmed this service is currently suspended. If your child is attending school and would usually have school milk, this will not be available until further notice. If you pay for milk, you will see a credit on your account.
8. Breakfast & After School Club (for those attending school ONLY)
We have emailed all families who have pupils currently attending in-school provision. If you’ve not already done so, please let the office know if you would like a place for breakfast/after-school club. If viable, we will restart the breakfast/after-school clubs on some days of the week, as soon as we can.
9. Contact details - reminder
As always, do please update your details on Arbor if you have any changes to your phone number, email address, etc.
10. Safeguarding
About Us
Email: admin@crawfordsprimary.suffolk.sch.uk
Website: www.crawfordsprimaryschool.com
Location: Haughley, Stowmarket IP14 3QZ, UK
Phone: 01449 673253