Mrs Finch's Blog 22/6/20

Date: 21st Jun 2020 @ 6:58pm

Well this week we welcome some of our Busy Bee's, Caterpillars and Scorpions back in to school.  It's not yet school as we know it, but it's a start.  We've created 2 groups, one for key stage 1 and one for key stage 2.  We have 28 children between the two groups and 5 members of staff between them.  For those who have either chosen to keep their children at home or who are not in the year groups that the government are allowing back - don't worry, you're not really missing anything.  The children in school will be completing some of the work that their class teachers have set in their blogs and in the afternoon they'll be doing more practical/arty tasks. There's no new learning taking place so please don't think that anyone will fall behind if they are not in school.  

As I said last week, we are all busy planning for September when we hope that the government will say we can have everyone back in school.  It's highly likely that it will still look very different but hopefully we will be able to regain some degree of normality - watch this space for updates.

With only 4 weeks left of what would have been the Summer term we should be crazily busy in school, preparing for the end of year show, sports day, bingo and BBQ and most importantly the Year 6 leavers assembly and end of year awards.  We should be having the transition afternoons where we welcome our new little ones who are joining the St Aidan's family in September. Yet everything is so different this year, the school building is a lot quieter, the staff are more subdued having missed so many weeks with their current class and not being able to say a proper goodbye.  I think that when school closed on March 20th we all thought it would just be for a few weeks then we'd be back to normal - now I'm not entirely sure what that normal will look like.  What I do know though, is that when we do all return we'll be inviting the Year 6 back for a special awards evening (I'm sure I can even organise a bit of a pizza party for afterwards too!) they all worked so hard and it would be a crime for us not to let them leave without the celebration and send off that they deserve. 

Next week I'll be sending out the class structures for next year, again don't worry, all the teachers are well prepared for identifying where the children are in terms of both their emotional wellbeing and their academic learning.  The first half term will be all about settling back in to school, learning how to be around so many people again.  I know some children (and parents) will be anxious and may already be displaying some behaviours that are uncharacteristic for them.  I'll attached a poster which explains some typical behaviours that you could be experiencing and which could be down to being worried about everything that is going on around them.  If anyone is struggling, please get in touch, if we can help in any way we will and if we can't I'm sure we can sign post you to someone who can.  

This weeks task for the children is a memory one - the year 6 children always speak about their favourite memory of their time at St Aidan's when they do their leavers assembly.  This week I'd like to know everyones favourite memory/favourite thing about St Aidan's.  I'm going to do a video message this week telling you what my favourite memories are.  I've also attached a poster for 50 ways to take a break - they're not all posisble during lockdown but I wonder how many you have done in the last 14 weeks.

Take care and stay safe

Mrs F x

Files to Download