Super Catch Ups

Where did all the sunshine go? What a wet and blustery few days we've had! I hope you've been able to find some lovely things to do inside or as I am know to say 'put on a coat' (and wellies) and explore the outdoors in the rain — it'll look and feel very different and you may even find some different creatures that love wet, damp conditions that have been hiding away during the very hot spell we've had!

Thanks to Erica, Livvy's mum, for her lovely catch up...
Hope everyone is ok and enjoyed the break in the glorious sunshine. This week we have enjoyed working outside in the sunshine. We also joined the #30dayswild challenge with the Wildlife Trust and trying to get out every day to enjoy nature. Livvy is also creating a #30dayswild scrapbook. Liv also enjoyed practicing her ballet in the paddling pool! We have looked through next weeks work and Liv is excited to get started. Thank you for all you do to keep Liv's learning exciting. We are missing you all so much x The #30dayswild challenge sounds great fun. I'm definitely going to have a look at it...thanks for sharing. Livvy, I'll enjoy looking through your scrap book when we are able to be together again and I'm sure you'll have found out about some amazing creatures, plants and birds. Gymnastics on a horse (Evie) and now ballet in a paddling pool! Whatever next! I'm glad you're enjoying the home learning the teachers are setting, Livvy — and you are learning such a lot.

It is important to us that the children still have a love of learning and are excited about learning something new but also parents do not feel overloaded and pressured, especially if also balancing working from home/out of the home and have a number of children who all need some 'education' — it's a very tricky balance. The teachers have done their best to keep the home learning family friendly with an understanding that every family has their own challenges during 'school closure'. I know they will appreciate your positive feedback Erica. Thank you.

This leads nicely into the lovely catch up from Amy, Alfie's mum...
Hi Bessa, Alfie has been very busy learning lots of different things over the last couple of weeks. We are very proud of how hard he has been working and how dedicated he is to learning. This week, Alfie followed a Mary Berry recipe for Chocolate Fudge Cake. He is enjoying making different things and developing his baking skills. He has also had a go at soldering and learned how to wire a plug with Uncle Alec. Alfie is working hard on his Maths, English and French and trying to improve his stats on TTRS. We have been making a viking helmet out of paper mache and creating Alfies own Viking character; giving him a name and deciding what skills he has. We hope everyone is keeping well and has enjoyed the sunshine. Hopefully it will be back again soon! Kind Regards Bonjour Alfie! What I've loved seeing in your catch ups is all the life skill learning you have been doing: baking cakes, circuitry and soldering as well as crafting (paper mache). You have been busy and I like how you've been linking your learning; not just making the helmet but thinking of the character who may have worn it! Great learning, Alfie! Was the cake delicious? I'm sure it was! Madame Sharpe will be pleased you've been practicing your French! Salut, Alfie.

What's great from reading the catch ups is how time at home has actually given Livvy and Alfie and lots of our children, with the support of their families, the time to really explore their personal interests, not only to enjoy them but become more proficient at them. Oliver's bean stalk is a fantastic example. Some of the children, like Oliver, have sustained an interest over a long period of time...and seen the success. I can understand their achievement as it's what I've felt this week when I cut my first sweet pea blooms to bring into the house. What's lovely, too, is that there is often very little in the catch ups about being on a gaming console but children enjoying making, doing, finding out, exploring, gardening, crafting, reading, writing, walking, cycling, and lots of other physical activities...(I can't miss out TTRS times tables!) Educating a child is not just the 'statutory education' that schools provide (though I'd like to think we offer so much more than that) but all the extras that we've seen you all doing and how adept you've become at making the most of a challenging situation. The birthday shout outs have been proof of these. I'm really proud of all our children and families- you're doing a fantastic job at home. Take care and stay safe. Bessa