Week beginning 1st February 2021
Week Beginning 1st February 2021
Well done to all for completing another week of home learning. We are almost at half term and just want to say a huge thank you for the support you have shown to your children and the school at this time. You really are doing an AMAZING job. We know that home schooling is not easy and cannot wait to be in a position to welcome all of the children back to school as soon as it is safe to do so.
Today we ‘dressed to express’ in support of children’s wellbeing and mental health week and our assembly was based on this – we hope you enjoyed it. It is so important that we prioritise the emotional needs of our children and ourselves as we come through this pandemic. If you are feeling low and need to talk, please reach out to a friend, colleague, a family member or to us. We may be able to sign post you to services that can help you.
In an endeavour to support wellbeing and maintain positive mental health we have taken the decision to make Friday afternoon ‘screen free’ time. We know that working on a screen for a long time is not good for your eyes, so we thought we would give your eyes a rest for the afternoon. This means that, on a Friday afternoon, there will be no lessons set by the class teachers that require your children/ child to access a screen. There will be a list of suggested activities recommended by the class teachers but you are also free to choose a wellbeing activity that suits the interests of your family. We just ask that this does not involve looking at a screen. This could be, for example: to cook together or to take a walk, to play a board game or read, to spot nature or to sketch a portrait. The list is endless.
It is also important that whilst our children are spending increasing amounts of time on screens, we think about how to keep them safe in a digital world. On Tuesday the 9th February we will be celebrating Safer Internet Day and the theme this year is ‘Together for a better internet’ as such, you will notice activities to remind your children of the importance of e-safety.
We have also organised a zoom parent workshop entitled ‘Keeping Children Safe Online during COVID-19’. This meeting will cover critical issues for parents to be aware of and practical steps you can take to help your children stay safe and develop healthy tech habits. The meeting will be led and run by Digital Awareness UK and Vodaphone and will take place between 6pm and 7pm on Friday 31st March. Please do sign up for this event using the Eventbrite link below.
We are sure you will be pleased to hear that half term begins on Friday 13th February 2021. The first Monday back (22nd February) is an INSET day so we look forward to welcoming you back, albeit virtually for many of you on Tuesday 23rd March.
Please do take care, stay safe and keep up the brilliant work.
The Hayes Team