Headmaster's Welcome

Headmaster's News, Friday 24th April, 2020

Apr 24, 2020

Friday 24th April, 2020

Dear Parents,

It was lovely to see Highfield back in action on Monday, both in school and on-line. I have been really impressed with how the children at home and at school have learned and remembered new ICT skills that they are now using with ease. I continue to be amazed by the progress the children are making on a daily basis and by their resilience and ability to work through a problem.

Parent Feedback

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch to let us know your experience of working with Highfield online from home. It is increasingly apparent that one fixed approach to on-line learning does not, and cannot, suit everyone. Therefore, I would like you to be aware of the following points:
• The key point I would like to make is we are not here to make your life more stressful at this time. If you are having technical difficulties, if you don’t have enough computers to go round the family or if you are trying to juggle assisting your child on-line with your own work, then please be aware that we can offer flexibility. Let your child’s teacher know your personal circumstances and we shall try to support you in whatever way we can.
• I would like the children to know that the Highfield ethos remains strong and that we are still expecting them to aim high in everything they do. Whether they are working hard, being particularly creative or imaginative at home, caring for others and helping around the house, we are proud of them and the efforts they are making at this time. If they are able to join in the lessons at the appropriate time, they should and they should continue to work to the best of their ability as they would in school. We will make sure there is plenty of work on-line to keep them challenged and stimulated but, please remember, not all the work has to be completed. Children work at different speeds and have different educational needs. Your child must never feel overwhelmed by the amount of work available.
• Thirdly, the day is shorter for a reason. It is not healthy for the children to spend too much time in front of a screen. Please encourage the children to take their breaks and lunchtime away from the computer and to be as active as possible around the house and garden. Helping with housework, gardening and mealtimes is a particularly good way to engage the children, give them a sense of social responsibility and occupy them away from the screen (whilst getting jobs done too!).
• Finally, if your child is in Year 5 and is taking Entrance Exams next year, please look out for the Parentmail that will deal with their individual circumstances.

Please don’t put yourselves or your children under too much pressure. If you have any concerns about any aspect of your child’s educational, physical or emotional well-being, please email the school office and we shall try to support you in any way we can. For all technical enquiries please contact kidblogsupport@highfieldpriory.co.uk

Microsoft Teams

We have been trialling Teams all week in the Junior classes and we will be introducing it in Infants and Reception next week to complement the work we are doing on Kidblog. We are using it to add a greater personal connection between pupil and teacher through the use of sound and video recordings and live sessions. I have enjoyed dropping into the live sessions and chatting to the children this week. I will look forward to being able to do this more often as the Teams sessions continue

Key Workers

Thank you to all our key worker families who continue to work incredibly hard in these very difficult circumstances. I am pleased that we are able to support so many children at school and I would like to thank our staff who are making this possible. The children’s ‘Thank You!’ video is now being shared by a number of the hospital trusts in the North West and is also on our Facebook page.

Author Read-Alongs and Audiobooks

We hope the children are continuing to enjoy their independent reading. Try to make the most of all the wonderful resources available to you during lockdown.

On Facebook, Julia Donaldson has launched a weekly series, Julia Donaldson and Friends, bringing her stories to life with the help of singing, puppets and guests. Children’s laureate Cressida Cowell is reading her bestseller How to Train your Dragon in videos released daily on her YouTube channel. Oliver Jeffers, author of favourites including Lost and Found, is streaming himself on Instagram every day at 6pm. And for those with an artistic leaning, the Draw With Rob sessions by illustrator Rob Biddulph (on robbiddulph.com) are a must for any child who’s ever wanted to draw a dinosaur or a sausage dog!

Audiobooks: David Walliams is releasing a free audio story each day from his World’s Worst Kids series, on worldofdavidwalliams.com.
Amazon is streaming hundreds of books for free through its Audible Stories site, and has promised to continue doing so for as long as schools are closed. Categories include ‘Littlest Listeners’ (featuring Beatrix Potter and the Just So Stories), ‘Elementary’ (Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea and The Secret Garden) and ‘Folk and Fairy Tales’.

The Book Trust’s Home Time hub hosts free books and videos, games, quizzes and writing tips. Puffin is relaunching its excellent podcast for children, while publisher Nosy Crow’s website offers a free downloadable book by The Gruffalo illustrator Axel Scheffler that explains the coronavirus crisis.

Merit Winners

A huge congratulations to all our Merit Winners who are continuing to aim high! Well done!

Reception Chad
1W Sarah
1D Yusef
2E Shreya
2J Samira
3M Harry
4S James
4D Yusuf
5M Jack
5H Aadi
6P Hiba

Yours sincerely

J M Duke
Headmaster