#4 Home Learning

Thanks all for the support and help you have given us over the past few weeks as we have prepared for the effects of Coronavirus Covid-19.
 
A big part of what we do in school is to provide structure, certainty and social interaction. Right now we will all be thinking about taking some time to settle our children and give them all the love, nurture and reassurance we can as we enter a phase of social distancing and isolation, but we also need to plan for a period of absence from school of unknown length.
Moving forward, we would suggest that you aim to stick to a learning routine and timetable whilst your child is not in school to provide the structure they are used to. This might include blocks of time for numeracy and literacy tasks, time for movement and play and time to be creative. It is also important that pupils know that we are still here for them and so we have aimed to set up ways that will can still communicate,video to video (not face to face), with you all.
We need to strike the right balance between providing work and managing the stress that the situation is causing for you and your family. If your child is unhappy about the work and it is causing you more worry trying to home school then please take your foot off the pedal and let things settle. Step away from the distance learning we have set and do something they will enjoy more. We will be able to access what your children do, but we are not policing it. We are only here to help. There will be no judgement if you chose not to or unable to do this work with your child.You will find loads of ideas online for learning at home, we have put some together for you too and we retweet anything extra we see. 
Our staff will be continuing to work, setting tasks and assessing work submitted online and will be available to answer your questions and help you in any way. If you need to contact them, please do so by direct message on Twitter or by email (email will be initial.surname@ysgolmaesglas.co.uk for example g.lloyd@ysgolmaesglas.co.uk) Please be aware that they have been directed to only answer messages during normal school hours and if they are in a position to be able to do so.
Each class teacher has prepared work for their pupils to do at home. They will let you know about this via the school website and on Twitter so please keep checking for updates. Login details for (some or all of the following) Purple Mash, Hwb, Google Classrooms and RM Easimaths have been sent to you with your Interim Progress Report (Except Nursery and Reception)
Nursery and Reception teachers will have provided you with activity packs. Year 1 and 2 teachers will be sending ‘Must Do’ books home with ideas for home learning, these books are just for recording purposes if you wish to use them. Key Stage 2 work research work is currently available through google classrooms. If you have been absent from school and have missed this please call in or arrange for someone to collect this work from the office.
If your child has an RMeasimaths login they can access their maths online either through the website or through the free app. The sessions should take about 20 minutes and are adaptive, which means that is your child has struggled with a question, the programme will give further questions to help them learn. Teaching staff can also see how their pupils are progressing and may then set work individually based on that.
Literacy work can be done on Purple Mash and when your child logs in they may find must do tasks are set by teachers for them. Teachers will be able to see this work and respond. Purple Mash also has online reading books and other activities, literacy and numeracy and just for fun!
Google classrooms are set up for Key Stage 2 pupils. Most of the pupils are very familiar with how to access and return work this way. Class teachers have set  research tasks based on current  topics but will add to them if school (here's hoping not) remains closed to pupils into the new term. Flipgrid tasks are also set up this way and can be used for school work and to keep in touch. We have given the pupils intensive training in how to use this over the past few days but just shout if you and they need help!
The Welsh Government has set up a digital platform for pupils, parents and teachers on the Hwb site that we already use. An email has been sent today to ask for your consent for pupils to use this. Without the consent email being returned I am unable to give your child access to this resource (resource is not currently live but will hopefully be so after Friday)

Just a few ideas….

• Whilst it might not be possible for you to visit the local sports centre, you can keep fit at home. We suggest the following

1. Go Noodle – ninja training, kids zumba, dinosaur stomp, banana meatballs, superheroes and all I eat is pizza are very popular!
2. Cosmic Yoga
3. Sticky Kids
4. Joe Wicks

     All of these can be accessed on YouTube

• Twinkl is a website that we use for ready-made resources. They have advertised free access to their resource bank. It is not always the easiest site to navigate but there is lots on it  if you want activities to print off and use at home. Go to www.twinkl.co.uk/offer and enter the code UKTWINKLHELPS. This should get you onto their site and enable you to access the resources we usually pay for. My understanding is that free access is available for 1 month so don’t click on it to use it until you are sure you will use it.
• At this time of year our RE lessons are focused around The Easter Story for all age groups. You could research the story and draw pictures, retell the story in their own words or create a digital story using one of the digital platforms we have recommended.
• Scholastic have opened up their learn at home platform for free. They provide articles, stories and learning challenges. This can be accessed via www.schlolastic.com/learnathome There are lots of opportunities there for pupils to follow their own interests and research their own topics.
• Duolingo is a free app that can be used to develop welsh language skills. Your child may even decide to learn a whole new language! I’m learning Romanian...but French or Spanish might be a little easier if they want something different.
• BBC bitesize have lots of activities and guides. You may be directed there by staff, especially to look at the science quizzes and information. We also find BBC Bitesize useful for breaking down how to solve maths problems if you as an adult are trying to explain ideas to your children.
• Read, Write Inc, which we use to teach phonics, have free resources available for you home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading
• Home learning packs are available through www.tts-group.co.uk/home+learning+activities
• The National trust has announced it is planning to keep many parks and gardens free to visit nationaltrust.org.uk

 
We will continue to add to this as new things become available. Please keep in touch via twitter and share your home learning fun!
 
 
These are difficult times and whilst we have been preparing for this eventuality, we are very much in the state of uncertainty as to how successful our home learning plans will be. As a staff we are committed to providing our pupils, your children, with the best experiences we can give under these conditions. We are open to feedback and welcome your ideas and suggestions. We are in this situation together and we will need to work together to make the best of this for our pupils.
​Thank You Again for all the support!