Dear Parents and Carers

I hope you are well and keeping safe. I have been receiving some lovely emails and updates about the learning that is happening at home. I really am so pleased that so much effort is being put into what I know must be a difficult task. I also just wanted to re-iterate that if all the learning isn’t completed – please do not worry, of course home learning is important, but also keeping our children (as well as ourselves) upbeat and calm is paramount. Please remember to have fun, cook, paint, play board games, and enjoy each other’s company!

Please find an addendum to our Home Learning and Curriculum policies, and an addendum to our Mental Health & Wellbeing Policy in the policy section of our website. These set out everything for parents and staff for this unprecedented COVID-19 situation. Please take time to read these as I am sure it will alleviate some of your queries or concerns but I do want to take this time to focus on a few important points:

• Home Learning for primary school children should take up to 2-3 hours per day. This is a guideline. Please do not think you have to sit your children down from 9am-3pm to complete home learning.
• Please ensure the children are enjoying playing in the garden for example and not in front of a screen.
• Seesaw log in codes have been sent to all parents via Parentmail or through the post, everyone should receive these by Friday. This application does not replace the Home Learning Resources found on our website. Seesaw can be used for years 1-6 to share completed work with your teachers and for teachers to respond to you. Year R can keep using Tapestry in the same way. Some teachers may add a story or demonstrate how to solve a problem via Seesaw.
• To encourage children and parents to use Seesaw, we would like every child to share something new about what they have learnt that week, starting next week and we will be revealing a Golden Acorn winner each week during term time only from Friday 24^th April.
• We now have many ways staff and parents can communicate with each other safely (ParentMail, emails via adminoffice@newtown.hants.sch.uk, the school FaceBook page and Seesaw), however staff are not expected to respond immediately. I am sure you can appreciate some staff have had to change their working pattern and may have a day off mid-week due to them working over the holidays. Some may also have children they are looking after. Staff will respond to you, but at a time that is convenient for them to do so.
• Due to regulations and guidance given by the DfE, we will not live-stream lessons. Online lessons are not desirable for primary children as the teacher-pupil interaction is not easily replicated.
• On the Home Learning Resources section of the website ‘Phase 1 Learning’ was the first 2 weeks away from school which is coming to the end this Friday (3^rd April).
• ‘Phase 2’ is an Easter project for the children to complete but please ensure the children and your family have a break.
• We still at this stage do not know what is happening after Easter but have planned in case we are still closed:
  • Home Learning Resources will be published a week at a time after Easter.
  • Packs can be collected outside the school reception, once parents have ordered them. If you need a pack you will need to phone the school office and ask for one.
  • Packs will be named for collection.
  • Paper-copy packs must be used as a last resort: Paper supplies and deliveries to the school are very limited and we can only provide packs until stocks last. Please use the school website to download the home learning resources where possible.

• If your child is on the SEND register, the office will know which work from which year group is appropriate for your child to work from.
• Phase 3 Home Learning Resources will start from Monday 20th April. A limited number of hard-copy packs will be available to order from Friday 17th April.
• Our website does not enable us to have work as a word document. It has to PDF format due to copyright and GDPR legalities.
• For years 1-6 your weekly home learning resources will include the following:
  • A daily maths task
  • A daily English writing task
  • A daily handwriting activity
  • Daily reading/comprehension
  • Daily phonics or grammar punctuation or spelling (phonic cards can be collected from school)
  • Project task for the week
  • Weekly e-safety task
  • Creative activity linked to the project (a research poster for example)

• For years R your weekly home learning resources will include the following:

• Daily maths including number and shape and space
• Daily phonics (phonic cards can be collected from school) or online phonic games
• A book to read with follow up tasks
• A creative activity
• We are also currently developing on the website key project areas for each year group. For example, if year 4 should be learning about the Vikings, there will be a Viking section with key links available for the children to use. In addition, we hope to soon have stories that children can access via our website too.
• Staff will not be expected to mark all the children’s work on return to school, however there will be an opportunity for children to share all their learning on their return to school.

In this unusual time, where we are using ICT more frequently, please can I stress the importance of e-safety. I have posted on Facebook and on this latest news section of the website some information regarding e-safety. Please can I also make you aware that the Code of Conduct for Parents and Carers and all policies still apply during this period. Updated policies and addendums for the COVID-19 period can be found on our website www.newtowncepri.co.uk/policies-and-procedures/

I have been overwhelmed with your thanks and support of the school and its staff during this period.  I must however, thank you as parents and carers for all the support you are giving you children at this time. Please ensure everyone continues to remains at home and is safe. 

I cannot wait to see the learning the children have completed via Seesaw and if you need to contact me at any time, please do so via the school telephone number or via the school email address.

Sending you my love and kindest regards on behalf of the staff and Governing Body,

Mrs E Howlett, Headteacher