End of Term Reflections

Well we have made it after 14 weeks of hard work. Together as a community we have opted to stop a week earlier than normal we have been plagued with the sickness bug, the coughing viral, countless positive covid tests, heavy colds and we are in the epicentre of one of the Strap A outbreaks. We would traditionally be finishing on the last Thursday before Christmas, we have stopped learning this year now.

Several of you have been sick and being sick is a legitimate reason for not doing school work. Some of you have had a very rough half term with deaths in the family or a key family member in hospital. If that is the case then don't worry - there is no conversation to be had. Life happens and we need to flex and bend sometimes to allow for the though times, and as homeschoolers - we can simply do that. Just like when the weather is bad, we need to do more homeschooling, so we can play outside when the sun shines - when things are going better we need to put more time in to our learning in order to recover the slack, when things are not so easy.

We have done over 70,000 questions, we have spent over 500 hours doing maths and English and most of us (not all of us and you know who you are!) have made progress. Those who have not made progress we have already had that conversation with parents present.

I have noticed with our experiment of less support materials that over the course of the week most of you are working steady doing bits and pieces every day (this is the best option) and contacting me when you need help. Some of you like to spend 1 whole day doing your work. However, what tends to happen is you start off well, then get to the tricky bits and you stop and leave it all to your lesson. We agreed that you would call - so call!

Well done to everyone who has taken part in the DT, this year! It has been very tricky this year working around lot of illness. However, we have been able to do some woodwork, some sewing and some gingerbread houses. Not everyone has been able to take part in every thing but those who have, have done have done a brilliant job! Many of the younger learners have been able to take part, so our gingerbread houses have quite a young feel to them. When it is time to vote for the best one - remember who's made them.

You will be able to vote for your best one from now. Go to the DT Gingerbread Houses 2022 page and click on the hart in the left hand corner of the photograph of your favourites. We will announce the best - when we return in January.

We will be back to learning on Tuesday 3rd January. Support Materials will be coming out over the holidays. So, they will be with you before you start back. I will be doing them in the 3 week packs again to save time, petrol and effort.

Thank you all for your hard work. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!