Dear Parents and Carers, 

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and managed to stay in touch with loved ones in ways we are allowed. Online zooms and quizzes have never been so popular! 

Funny how things can change so quickly but I think we are used to that happening now. On Monday we started the term with a professional day for teachers and HLTAs. Miss Tansley and Mrs Edwards ran a session all about exciting sentences and how we can support the children to improve their writing in a variety of ways, and Mr Cowles shared an exciting project related to in school competitions as part of the PE curriculum. At that point, we were still preparing to open our doors to all children on the Tuesday. Then, at 8pm that evening we were told schools would be closed the very next day to all but vulnerable children and children of critical workers. Although we listened to the advice and remained closed to all for another day, twenty-four hours was not a long time to get ready for Wednesday.  

However, we had been here before and staff were prepared for what needed to be done and on Wednesday morning we welcomed into school those children who were unable to stay at home. It has been a week like no other but we have made it work and we are now set up ready for Monday.  

Teachers across the school have been pleased with how well the home learning has begun and I know they are going above and beyond to provide quality learning for all those at home whilst still being in class, delivering the same content to the children in school. From next week, some year groups will reduce down to one bubble, giving some teachers more flexibility and time to concentrate on the home learning offer. In those year groups where we still need two bubbles, we are finding ways of supporting those teachers to do the same.  

Thank you to everyone for their support and to those that have offered words of encouragement and thanks to the staff, it always means a lot. I think we are all ready for the weekend. 

Take care, stay safe and look after each other. 

Colin Marks 

Deputy Head Teacher 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash