gordon primary school€¦ · you can send your responses to us to share on our ten pieces gallery...
TRANSCRIPT
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy
Newsletter 37 Friday 10th July 2020
Gordon Primary School Golfe Road, Ilford, Essex, IG1 1SU
Website: www.gordonpri.uk
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 020 8478 2977
Weekly message
As we enter the last week of the school year and prepare to close for the
summer, we are arranging short, informal drop-in sessions for each class.
These will take place next week and will enable your child to come to school
and see their current class teacher. The meetings will also enable your child to
collect PE kits and any personal belongings left in trays and to return any library
and reading books they have at home.
A letter regarding these visits has been sent to all parents and has been
uploaded to the school website. We hope to see you all next week!
We hope that you all have a wonderful weekend. There may be many shops
and social venues open this weekend, but please do take care to stay safe and
keep your distance from others, if you are out and about.
Very best wishes from all the staff at Gordon Primary School
Contribute to our
Newsletter
Please continue sharing and celebrating
successes at home in the coming weeks.
You can send your contributions to the
school newsletter email: [email protected].
We can’t promise that we will be able to publish everything you send, but we’ll
do our best and will look for ways of sharing work on the school website, too.
White Rose Maths
Website: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Key stages: Early Years Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2
Description: Presentations and downloadable workbooks, which are easy to use for parents. New material is being released each week.
#This Is PE
Website:
https://www.afpe.org.uk/physical-education/thisispe-supporting-parents-to-teach-pe-at-home/
Key stages: KS 1 and KS 2
Description: Videos delivered by teachers focusing on the PE curriculum, which are accessible on YouTube.
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy
What does School Mean to You?
Taken from the Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 28: You have the right to a good quality education. You
should be encouraged to go to school to the highest level you can.
This article reminds us of a right that, until March of this year, many of us took for granted. Lockdown has given all of
us, parents, children and school staff, a new appreciation for our schools and for the education children receive, an
education that is not always free and available to children in other parts of the
world. What does school mean to you? We would love for you to respond to that
question – there are many ways in which you might do this:
➢ Write a poem, poster, model or painting
➢ Make a speech and record it
➢ Write a reflection on your experience of lockdown
You have until the end of term to send in your responses. The deadline is Tuesday
14th July and we will be sharing the responses in next week’s newsletter! Good
luck! We look forward to seeing your thoughts and ideas.
BBC TEN PIECES Week 8
Continue your BBC Ten Pieces journey with us. Each week, you will listen to a piece
of music and are invited to respond in different ways. You can send your responses
to us to share on our Ten Pieces gallery and we will share some of the responses
with the BBC for their online showcase! Start now by visiting the Ten Pieces At
Home site.
Week Eight: Learn Cuban rhythms, create a kitchen percussion section
and perform along to the lively ‘Mambo’ from 'West Side Story' with
percussionist Stephen Whibley from the BBC Concert Orchestra.
First... Watch Pixie Lott as she explores romance and revenge in
Bernstein's Cuban-inspired piece, Mambo, from West Side Story.
Then... Join BBC Concert
Orchestra percussionist,
Stephen Whibley, as he shows
you how to create a Cuban
Mambo in your kitchen!
Finally... Send us a photograph/recording of your response for a chance to
have it featured in the Ten Pieces online showcase! Send your ideas to us
via the newsletter email address: [email protected]
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy
Notes from a Primary School
How did you feel when you arrived back at school on Monday?
I was happy and also excited at the same time, because I
missed school when I we were away (Gabriella)
What had been different about the school and how do you feel
about it?
There are only seven of us, and everyone sits on their own table. I am sad I don’t get
to sit next to my friends. And our timetable is different. (Shuib)
What learning activities have you been doing at school?
I have been doing pop art, Math, English, PSHE, games and
completing a year 6 leavers booklet. In Maths, I have been
completing different types of challenges, it is one of my
favourite subjects and I love it. (Kasper)
What games have you played in the playground?
We have played lots of games whilst keeping distance
with my peers such as: hide and seek, grandma’s
footsteps, wink murder, spot game, swap spot and lot
more. I enjoy playing them and so does everyone else in
my class. The games are really fun and we get the whole
playground to ourselves. (Hristian)
Has it been good seeing my friends? Do you miss seeing your other friends?
Yes, because I haven’t seen my friends in 3 months
(Adam)
How does it feel to leave year 6 in two weeks’ time?
At first, I was feeling worried, but after our discussion
about secondary school, during our PSHE lesson, I feel a
bit better and less nervous about going to secondary
school (Yusuf)
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy
Summer Reading Challenge
This week’s challenge will run throughout the summer, starting
right now! The Summer Reading Challenge has begun and we
want every single pupil to take part. It is open to all children
aged 4-11 years old. It is free to join and will help keep your
child reading over the summer months. Last year, we had the
most children ever take part and we want to break that record
this year.
This year, the Summer Reading Challenge’s Silly Squad will celebrate funny books,
happiness and laughter. Children taking part in the challenge will join the Silly Squad,
an adventurous team of animals who love to have a laugh and get stuck into all sorts
of funny books! The 2020 challenge features bespoke artwork from award-winning
children’s author and illustrator Laura Ellen Anderson (Amelia Fang; Evil Emperor
Penguin).
With the disruption caused by Covid-19 and the impact of social distancing on schools
and public libraries, the 2020 challenge will launch in a new digital format designed to
keep children engaged and interested in reading. The challenge will run from now until
mid-September. The Summer Reading Challenge website is free to access and features
games, quizzes and downloadable activities that encourage children to take part in
reading-related activities. Additionally, Redbridge Libraries have online activities
available through the website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Take a look at the Find a Read
section for further information on accessing reading materials at home.
KEY LINKS
Summer Reading Challenge site: https://summerreadingchallenge.org.uk/
Summer Reading Challenge book collection: https://llc.overdrive.com/library/youth/collection/1087177
Let’s Get Silly book collection: https://llc.overdrive.com/library/youth/collection/1084301
Books That Make You LOL collection: https://llc.overdrive.com/library/youth/collection/185049
If you don’t yet have library membership, you can join online and get a membership number:
https://visionrcl.org.uk/libraries-learning/join/
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy
Gordon Gallery
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy
Coming Out of Lockdown
Although we are still in lockdown, the time will come when we will need to leave the safety of our homes. It may feel
a little uncomfortable at first, as we take steps outside – for some, particularly those who are isolating, it will be the
first time out of our homes in many weeks. You feel a little sad, angry, confused, unsafe or scared by the news in the
media. Our children will probably be feeling this, too.
Over the past few weeks, we have had to teach the children that the world outside is dangerous and that staying at
home is a must. But soon, we will have to bring the children back into the world. It will be challenging and tricky for
them and for us. Once they do return to school, the children might discover that it is not as they remember it. This
might make them feel uncomfortable or anxious which will make them want to stay near you for reassurance.
Some children may show reluctance or refusal to go to school. They might be more clingy or tearful and may show
signs of worry such as tearfulness, poor sleep, moodiness or feelings of sickness and tension. If you do see these signs,
is will be important not to mistake them for naughtiness or attention seeking. These reactions will be how our bodies
might react to the changing situation. For some children, the feelings may be brief, while other children may take
longer to adjust. Here are some tips that may help you support your child:
At home:
✓ Question the behaviours you see in the children and observe your own response
✓ Pay attention to days when you’re feeling more vulnerable, irritable and overwhelmed
✓ Acknowledge and notice feelings you might share with your children
✓ Be empathetic to your child and acknowledge the weirdness of the situation
✓ Expect anxiety to rear its head in some weird and wonderful ways
✓ Stay curious and stay empathetic; if you would like additional support, scroll down to see information about
the online support sessions for parents and carers being offered by the Educational Psychology Service
Planning for return to school:
✓ Gradually expose your kids to all things school related
✓ Start your normal morning routine a week before school starts
✓ Take a walk to school beforehand
✓ Start using language such as “when you go to school” rather than “if you go to school”
✓ Use visual aids such as calendars to count down to school starting
Preparing your children emotionally:
✓ Give emotions names. These can be names such as “sad”, “angry” or “worried”. But they can also be
descriptive words such as “shaky”, “fuzzy”, “spiny”, “gurgly”, “heavy”
✓ Check in with your children before school starts. Ask them: What are you looking forward to? What do they
think might be different? What do are you expecting? Confirm any fears and correct any misconceptions they
might have.
✓ Problem-solve with your children - if something is a particular worry, work with them to form a few solutions
✓ Try to stay calm. Look after yourself by talking to friends and family, sharing your difficulties with them
Thought for the Week “Those are dark clouds,” said the boy. “Yes, but they will move on,” said the
horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.” Charlie Mackesy