Lockdown (And Beyond) Hatchlings

[smalex]

I wish I could leave W to it. I don't have to squeeze every word out of him, and He's better than he was last time tbf, but absolutely no way could I leave him unsupervised for the majority of it.

[Heebie Jeebie]

That's a lovely message Is and well phrased.

[Smunder Woman]

That is a lovely message.

The boys will be home next weekend, so back to home schooling for me. That said, I'm not sure they asked me any fewer questions while J was doing it

[Teasel]

That's a lovely email, Is.

This is N's year 3 timetable. The maths is white rose with work sheets like Lora posted. This coming week English is from talk for writing and is a booklet but is 2 weeks work with various worksheets with different tasks.

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I've not really felt any pressure from school. They have asked for maths and English to be uploaded to seesaw every day as a minimum.

N has been in school and says that they don't get much help from the teacher with their work. They've also had issues with the technology at the end of the week so she wasn't able to do the English that was set as they couldn't access the video! They also don't access the class Teams sessions. However I know she does gets more done while she is in school than she would if learning at home. We'll see how we get on this next week at home

[Texaco Shirley]

A’s teacher puts the daily timetable that she’s following in school into google classroom but it’s just a guide. I think some children at home wanted to know how long to spend on each task. This was yesterday’s. They’re starting live registration sessions this week.

[Ruby]

We are providing a very full and robust home learning provision for all children every day. For those who feel they can do more we have also provided curriculum maps on the website with further activities for the children to complete and upload onto the blogs. There are also reading lists and additional educational websites with activities children can continue with. It is our statutory responsibility to provide all of the above. It isn't your statutory responsibility to complete all of the above. Nor would we want you to feel the pressure to do so.

Please do what you can for your child. We want them to feel safe and happy in this lockdown. Every child across the country is pretty much in the same boat. Once all our children return they will get back in to their routine and will all progress and be where they are expected to be.

This is exactly what every school should be sending.

[Hobbes]

That’s a nice timetable Tex, and such a lovely letter Is!

I had youngest ‘parents evening’ on Thursday (basically a phone call with head of year), and I’m so chuffed at how hard youngest has worked. She’s in final GCSE year, but now all exams and formal assessments have had to be dropped, so it’s fully teacher assessed now.

I had mentioned before how much her grades had dropped by the October half term assessments, but now she is currently achieving at least a C in some of subjects, plus most are now either B’s or A’s.

Honestly, even if she only managed a C pass in all of her GCSE’s I would be delighted, given how hard it’s been for everyone, and how much of it she has had to do on her own. Huge thumbs up to the school and the teachers, they have been amazing.

[Heebie Jeebie]

That's brilliant Hobbes, you must be really proud.

[Edith Bacon]

That’s great, Hobbes!

[Hobbes]

Thanks both, I’m so proud of her, she’s worked so hard, and struggled with being so stuck at home working alone.

She’s really sociable, and is that age where hanging out at the weekend with your friends is life, so to have knuckled down even through that is brilliant.

[Ruby]

It's really hard for them. I feel so sorry for our Year 11s even though mine are massive pains in the arse.

[smalex]

I feel sorry for teenagers more than any other group, I think

[wendy james]

You must be proud!

[Ismee]

That's so great Hobbes!

[Loralei]

Well done, youngest Hobbes! There is such a weird mix of pressure on teens taking/not taking exams at the moment; I really do feel for them. I hope in years to come a 2020/2021 grade will automatically be viewed one higher.

[Elya]

A’s teacher puts the daily timetable that she’s following in school into google classroom but it’s just a guide. I think some children at home wanted to know how long to spend on each task. This was yesterday’s. They’re starting live registration sessions this week.

I like that, Tex - it's nice she's taken time to give a timetable for the day.

[Heebie Jeebie]

I don't know what to do with Beebie. He cries every night at bedtime because everything has changed and can't be consoled until he's back downstairs. I've been doing as many park playdates as possible but if anything he gets more upset because the day is over and he knows the next day will be more house arrest. We have video calls with my parents (torture) and I'm letting him sleep with me pretty much every night but is there anything else I can do? I'm so worn down myself I'm struggling to think.

[Loralei]

Have you tried being a bit brusque, Heebie? I don't know if Beebie is the same, so do feel free to ignore me, but my lot need a good balance of nurture and no-nonsense at the moment, so lots of cuddles and understanding but, after a point, a good dose of, "Come on now, it won't be forever." I think they need me to regulate the...umm...indulgence a bit

One thing that works really well for Berty and TD is getting them to plan the birthday party/sleepover/whatever they are going to have when restrictions are fully lifted, and I encourage them to be as wild as they like (lion tamers, Tom Felton guest appearance, knock yourself out!) although I realise that could have the complete opposite effect for some children and just remind them what they are missing. (Presumably not personal audiences with the Harry Potter cast, though.)

[Heebie Jeebie]

I'm wary of planning because we did that with his birthday last year and then gradually stopped talking about it when it became apparent that there wouldn't be a celebration. But being brusque is probably a good idea. It's not something I do enough and I might be accidentally encouraging him to keep the upset going.

[Cerise]

I've been doing as many park playdates as possible but if anything he gets more upset because the day is over and he knows the next day will be more house arrest.

D has been the same a bit with this. Twice he has “exercised” with a friend (football, running around with a remote control car, baseball, just RUNNING) and both times he has slumped a bit afterwards. It makes him realise what he’s missing. I found him in his room on Friday evening, looking glum, and he said that he felt sad but he didn’t know why. We will keep doing it because it’s good for both boys really but I’ll be more ready for the emotional support next time!