12 November 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,

We are in the second week of the new half term and we are looking forward to a safe, happy and successful time in school. We have planned for the Core Curriculum and the wider curriculum – Music, P.E. and Art to ensure our pupils have a broad range of experiences. Owing to current guidelines and restrictions these will take place in the class bubble or on the playground to keep your children and the staff safe.

The teachers from each year team are going to write to you and give you an overview of the work to be covered in each year group. We ask that you support your child with their work by encouraging them to complete their homework, especially with reading. Listen to the younger children read and ask questions to the older children to make sure they understand what they have read. We are continuing to use the Seesaw App for homework in all classes. It provides the teacher with opportunities to assign activities, assess individual, group and class work and a long term record of the work completed by each child, which is very valuable. In addition, a reading book, an Accelerated Reading book and any learning activities to be completed at home, will be sent home every Monday and returned on Friday, so that the work can be assessed and the books quarantined until Monday, to reduce the risk of infection for all pupils. It is important that books are returned promptly as we have all available books in use to support the children.

In addition to the formal curriculum being delivered in the class bubble, we are running Literacy and Numeracy groups as part of the class bubble to support the Recovery Curriculum. The Nurture Centre continues to run as an extension of the class bubble also to support the emotional and social development of the pupils. We are using Circle Time and the Bounce Back Programme in all classes to support each child’s emotional well-being also.

We are running Virtual Clubs for all classes to provide fun and enjoyment on these dark evenings when they cannot go out to play.

Preparation for First Communion and Confirmation begins next week with an online Mass for Year 4 on Monday 16^th November and Year 7 on Friday 20^th November. Both masses are at 9.15 am.

We are going to celebrate the Christmas Story through virtual performances this year. We hope that all the family watch and enjoy the performances.

We, the school team, are working tirelessly to ensure your child receives a broad, balanced education and that we close the gap, which may have occurred during lockdown. We are also focusing on their safety and well-being by following all the guidance released to the school by the Department of Education and the Public Health Association, which is constantly changing and being refined. We have had to adapt quickly to new ways of working. Change has been a constant factor in our day to day work. We thank you for your support and ask for your continued understanding as we try to keep every child safe in a nurturing and caring school.

We hope you all stay safe and take care of yourselves and your family.

Kind regards,

Mary McCallion