Please complete this form if you are leaving Cranwell Primary School
Covid Distance Learning
A large number of parents and teachers will be feeling stressed, overwhelmed and under pressure by the work being sent home for children around the country.
Let’s get some perspective. We hope this can help with that somewhat.
1) Stop trying to be superheroes.
This is not home-schooling (Home-schooling is a choice where you considered and you planned for it, and made a choice to not attend school).
This is an unprecedented emergency situation impacting the whole world. Let's keep perspective. It is absolutely not possible to facilitate distance learning with a primary aged child and work from home at the same time. The very idea is impossible. If you're trying to do that, stop now. You can manage activities where your child learns, but your focus is your job, and survival. Again, unprecedented.
2) Appreciation of the situation
Schools had very little notice, no prep time and we're told 'continue to deliver lessons as normal, then send the children home and also give them work to do. Do this whilst not knowing when the children will return'.
Some classes work will look different and be a little different. Please do not compare and criticise what our teaching staff have done. Your child's teacher spent a number of hours (in utter panic) gathering things to send home. They have done their best. To which I, as Headteacher, am duly grateful.
3) Too much/too little
If you feel our school has sent home lots of work. ‘We’ve got pages and pages, hours and hours’ and ‘my school has given us millions of websites to go on’ and will wonder:
‘How am I supposed to get through it all?!’ ---- You're not, don't try.
It's not a competition, or a race.
These are suggestions and ideas. Use them if they suit you, don't if they don't.
Even if everything were equal in terms of support, time and number of children etc children learn at different rates. In their class there's a wide range of levels in all subjects, there are different paces and there are many children working on differentiated level of work. It's almost impossible for teachers to differentiate at the moment. Don’t worry, you can do it by expectation and by time.
4. Trying to get them to sit and work is so difficult
It will be. You are in a different environment than a classroom. Some parents are focusing on: Lego, cooking (where they could write their own recipe/menu for dinner), playing a board game, Matheletics and playing outside. -All of this is learning. Very valuable learning.
5. Give yourself and them a break.
Plan your day together. Let the children help shape the day. This can be built in with fun and rewards. Work out a timetable for the PC. Work out when the children can play in the garden. Work out when you can play a board game altogether. Plan in when you can watch a movie together.
6. How can I get three different lots of work done with 3 different children of different ages?
You can't, stop trying. If they're old enough, try to get them to do little bits independently. The key here is ‘little bits’.
Otherwise try to do something they can all engage with, reading a story together, some free writing, baking, etc.
So what's the bare minimum you'd expect?
For us…survival mode.
An ideal day for our children in our school?
- A bit of reading every day (independent or to them or via audiobook etc) maybe just as they get into bed at night – usual time.
- some free writing now and then. If they'll keep a diary or something, great. If not, would they draw a comic?
- Practical hands on maths. Be that via cooking, cleaning, outside or some maths games physical or digital.
- Some fine motor work. Lego, cutting, playdough, tidying up small toys.
- Physical exercise everyday: possibly Joe Wicks daily workouts: https://www.thebodycoach.com/blog/pe-with-joe-1254.html
- Helping with the gardening, hoovering the house
- Some art/music where possible through the week. Doesn't need to be guided.
- Stretch goal, if old enough getting them to independently work on a project is great for keeping brains ticking over. Get them researching in a book or online and putting together something to present to you or family.
- If younger, lots of imaginative free play, the more independent the better.
See the following website for great ideas for being at home:
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-homeschooling-five-ways-to-keep-your-kids-learning-happy-and-healthy-11959988
Parents:
You are doing enough. You have lovely children and you are supporting them through a difficult time.
Look after yourself. Minimising stress is absolutely vital in a time like this for mental health.
Don't let this be something that stresses you. Only you can control that by accepting it is in your circle of control, you are the primary educator and this is all your call.
Work out when you, as parents can get a well-deserved glass of wine! How do you think teachers get by?
Activities:
Please find below some suggested activities for each class to last until the Easter Break:
| Class | Activities downloadable in Word | Activities downloadable in PDF |
| EYFS | Home Learning Challenges | Home Learning Challenges |
| 1MS | Project Work | |
| 1/2H | Home Fun | |
| 2C | Home Learning | |
| 3CO | Project Work | Project Work |
| 3/4P | ||
| 4A | Activities | Activities |
| 4/5N | ||
| 5B | Activities | Activities |
| 5/6B | Home Learning | |
| 6H | Home Learning | Home Learning |
Internet Legends Family Activities
Internet Legends Code for Parents
Speaking to your child about the Cornavirus
Other Activities
On line resources.
Below are on-line resources that children can access if children are at home.
Mathletics- https://login.mathletics.com/ Use your Login details
Education City- https://www.educationcity.com/ Use your Login details
BBC Bitesize- https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
Twinkl- Go to https://www.twinkl.co.uk/offer Register and enter the code CVDTWINKLHELPS
Phonics Play- www.phonicsplay.co.uk Free resources are available
Times Tables Rock Stars- https://ttrockstars.com/ Use your Login details
Plazoom - FREE resources packs for Years 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6 - https://www.plazoom.com/
themathsfactor.com- https://www.themathsfactor.com . Carol Vorderman's maths school. Now FREE for children aged 4-11 until schools open.
Daily mathematic lessons for all age groups https://whiterosemaths.com/
Phonic youtube channels- Mr Thorne and Geraldine the giraffe https://www.youtube.com/user/breakthruchris
Daily phonic lessons https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo7fbLgY2oA_cFCIg9GdxtQ
In addition to this, children are encouraged to learn their multiplication tables and to write a story based on a subject of their choice. We encourage children to read as much as possible and to complete independent research linked to the curriculum. Curriculum details are on our website at: https://www.cranwell.lincs.sch.uk/curriculum.asp and we are currently on Spring Term Cycle B and then Summer Term Cycle B after Easter.
Thank you for your continued support at this time.
Vacancies:
There are no current vacancies
