We hope you had a nice weekend, perhaps enjoying a walk or even – since it’s now allowed – two walks! That’s provided you maintain social distancing guidelines, of course.
Our first message of the week has three parts…
Lockdown
The government’s message about who you can have social contact remains as it was before: you should only have contact with members of your own household:
You must continue to stay home except for a limited set of reasons but – in line with scientific advice – can take part in more outdoor activities.
In nearly all situations, this means you should not visit friends or family, and it means friends and family should not visit you.
Although St James’ CE Primary is currently closed, some St James’ children are going to Moortown Primary or Scholes (Elmet) Primary. Our staff are working in those schools to keep it open for children of critical workers and for those children who might be vulnerable. The following message is for you if child is currently coming to Sphere school:
Opening schools more widely
Thanks to all of you who completed the survey about opening schools more widely from 01 June 2020. Your answers have been really helpful to enable us to plan ahead. Based on your answers, for example, it’s clear that St James’ CE Primary will open again for certain children after half-term.
However, it’s possible that some of the following will apply (and this isn’t an exhaustive list):
- just one of those year groups returns to school
- the school day isn’t a full day and/or the school week isn’t a full week
- the whole year group does not return together
- your child will be taught by a different teacher and in a different classroom
- the curriculum is reduced
- school dinners would be different
All the Sphere Federation leaders met this morning and we’re all agreed: we will open our schools to more children in a safe way, and this will mean it’s a slow, secure way back to full opening.
Leeds City Council have helpfully provided a risk assessment that we can work through to help us to continue to plan ahead. This document alone contains well over 225 points to consider or actions to take. However, it’ll help us to make sure that the plans we put in place will be thorough and keep our children’s safety at the forefront of our minds.
(You can also keep our children’s safety at the forefront of your mind by remembering to socially distance, of course.)
Living and learning during lockdown
Living and Learning is the name for all the teaching and learning we do around Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE). Each week in school, we’ve a Living and Learning statement. I make choices about my money… is our statement this week. One of the Sphere Federation Health Leaders writes:
This Living and Learning statement helps to consider different money choices. You might want to ask your child what they would do if they were given £5. They might say spend it, save it, buy a gift for someone, give it away, lend it to someone? Would they do the same if they: Found it? Earned it? Were given it as a gift? Had more money or less money?
If you’d like to cover this subject further, watch MoneySense Mondays and use the MoneySense home learning bundles to explore key money topics while learning at home.
Remember, this could be an addition or alternative to a home learning task that your child’s teacher sets for them each day.