Good afternoon,

The wider opening of school to Years 6 has so far gone smoothly. The children have adapted to their changed environments incredibly well. Thank you to all parents who have been supportive throughout this time. Directors will meet again to review the situation for primary pupils by 18th June 2020, after which you will be updated with any further plans for wider opening, should there be any changes. We hope that you continue to feel supported.

I would also like to say a huge thank you to the incredible staff who have welcomed the children back to school and have ensured that the transition has been supportive and positive. For some staff this would have been the first time out of their home environment. School has been open throughout the lockdown and there are members of staff who have regularly been in school to support children of key workers as well as ensuring work is available for home learning for their own classes.

This is a challenging time for all and I am aware of the juggling you as parents have had to do educating your children as well as working from home. School is always here to support you.
As the lock down continues and the weather turns, now is the time when tempers can fray or we feel downhearted. Children who are remaining at home may need motivation to keep going. One of the key factors of our curriculum at school is to try to build resilience within ourselves.

Here are some good website links supporting children with resilience.

resilience-game
Premier League Resilience
https://plprimarystars.com/resources/resilience
Sesame Street Resilience
Helping children cope with change

Please click on the link to read the consultation letter from the Chairs of the Board of St Nicholas Owen and St Catherine of Siena MACs regarding the intention to join the two companies to create one larger Multi Academy Company."

We have had another wonderful week back in school in our bubbles. This week we have found more out about Mexico and researched the Chihuahuan Desert - the largest desert in North America covering more than 200,000 square miles! In Numeracy we have been busy calculating the area of triangles and solving problems relating to this. In our Literacy lessons, we watched the short film, ‘The Piano’ and have enjoyed writing our own responses to it. Here are some examples:

The Piano

Playing the piano brings me joy, as a professional pianist I love to create my own music. However, I always go back to one song. I don’t know why but it brings back a waterfall full of memories – happy or sad. So, as you might be able to tell, this song means the world to me.

I take a deep breath and let my hands freely move to the tune that will forever be in my heart. Sometimes I can feel the souls of the ones I have lost playing the song with me, like my wife…

Other times I can feel the guilt of letting one of my best friends die in my arms...The war was cruel. But other times I can feel my heart swell as I imagine my younger self energetically bouncing around my father’s piano – the very same one I play to this day.

As the notes slowed and I opened my tightly closed eyes, my grandson sat beside me. Perfectly he hits the last note, perhaps someday he may become a professional pianist as well.

Mia B Y6 (Faith Bubble)

The Piano

With tears in his eyes, the old man started to play the piano, which brought back memories. His memories got clearer whenever he pressed a single key.

A ghostly figure appeared in his sight. It was his wife. The old man was delighted to see his beloved wife again. But after one pure kiss, she had faded away.

The smell of smoke filled his lungs. His friends were near death, and he was painfully watching them die. He will never forget being a part of war.

He was opening a gift, his eyes filled with joy – he had got a hobbyhorse for his birthday.

His grandson joined him on his bench and they started to peacefully play the piano together.

Rafal P Y6 (Peace Bubble).

Our Mexican masks are almost completed and all will be revealed next week!

Miss Holtom

On the 2nd June we began a new phase of our provision, which saw Year 6 return to our school. Due to this we are stretching our staffing resources to the limit to ensure that we have met all of the safety guidelines set out by the Government.

We are constantly reviewing our whole school provision during this unprecedented time, and after careful consideration, we can continue to offer Key Worker provision to those families where both parents are Key Workers or a single parent is a Key Worker. If you have accessed provision you may continue to do so on days that you are working.

If you require provision, please complete the booking form on the school website for the days you require by the Wednesday at 12.30pm for the following week. We cannot promise that you will be successful in your request, but we will do our best to support you. Bookings for week beginning 22^nd June will need to be made by Wednesday 17^th June.

I thank you for your unfailing support during this difficult and challenging time.

Take part in the Summer of Hope, and hold a summer fundraiser

What can I do?

You and your family are invited to be part of a Summer of Hope to ensure clean water and food reaches some of the poorest families in the world during this global emergency.

Recreate at home the events you will miss this summer and have fun transforming them into a sign of hope through raising money for CAFOD’s Coronavirus Appeal.

• School sports day cancelled? Hold one in your back garden!
• Summer fayre postponed? Play ‘guess the sweets in the jar’ or ‘treasure hunt’ online!
• Missing out on a summer BBQ? Get together on Zoom and share your cooking tips!

What ideas do you have?

Please send me your ideas to office@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk and next week I will share our ideas

With children at home, Medicspot has launched a new home challenge for children to learn about washing their hands in a fun and creative way.

We're asking primary school children to share their creative ideas to help encourage frequent hand washing. A few ideas include making a poster, filming a video, recording a song, doing a science experiment or writing a poem about handwashing.

The top entry will win £500 for their primary school and 10 runner-ups will receive £100 for their primary school. This could go towards new software, books, stationery, or any other supplies for your school. Every child who completes the challenge will also receive a printable certificate.

Find out how you can enter and win £500 for St Ambrose Catholic Primary by clicking on the link below.

Father Lamb will be continuing to say Mass every day next week at 9am via a live stream from the Prayer Room. You can celebrate Mass with Father by following the link below and selecting the 'Live Stream Masses' tab from the menu on the left hand side.

Family learning has designed some short Signalong workshops for ‘adults - parents and carers’. Each workshop is over one week and contains one 30 minute zoom session per day Monday – Friday. All workshops are free for all (no eligibility criteria) and have limited spaces. 

Adults – Parents, Carers and Grandparents

Signalong 1 Starter Workshop ONLINE

Course Description: Signalong is a key word sign-supported communication system based on British sign language and is used in spoken word order. It uses speech, sign, body language, facial expression and voice tone to reference the link between sign and word. This 5 day (one 30 min session a day) course is a "starter" course for parents, grandparents and adults wishing to learn a few signs to support communication for children and adults.

Start date 06/07/2020 End date 10/07/2020 Start Time 2pm End time 2.30pm Cost Free

https://capublic.worcestershire.gov.uk/coursebookingpublic/CourseBooking.aspx?Login=False&CourseId=5705&CustomerRequestGUID=

Signalong 2 Progression Workshop ONLINE

Course Description: This workshop is for you to progress with Signalong after you have completed Signalong 1 starter workshop. This includes bespoke signs for your personal needs and will cover topics such as money, colours and animals and we will base the teaching very much on your own needs as a group to be able to use signalong in everyday life. 

Start date 20/07/2020 End date 24/07/2020 Start Time 14pm End time 14.30pm Cost Free

https://capublic.worcestershire.gov.uk/coursebookingpublic/CourseBooking.aspx?Login=False&CourseId=5712&CustomerRequestGUID=

 We have listened carefully to parents who have highlighted concerns over the quality of our jumpers and how they wash. For this reason, we have made the decision, from September, to seek alternative products and suppliers and have decided to have a v neck sweatshirt or a cardigan (made from sweatshirt material) not a woolly jumper. We are keen to minimise expense for our families; therefore, we are not expecting children who already have jumpers that fit to change to a sweatshirt jumper or cardigan in September. Currently our uniform supplier is MG Sportswear but from June 22nd you will also be able to order uniform online from Hagley Sports. Details on how to order from Hagley Sports will be sent out to you the week beginning 15th June.

I hope the advance notice of this new requirement will enable you to plan your purchases for the new academic year.

Please continue to share your views by joining Mrs Wallace for her virtual teapot time next week. If you are free to join on Tuesday please email office@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk and the meeting details will be emailed to you

Please click on the link below from worcestershire health and care NHS trust.

The school nurse team are putting out daily tweets and information for parents and young people to help with their activities and emotional health during lock down.

Please see the link below for information and activities to share with your children.

https://twitter.com/SN_Kidd

Please click on the below PDF leaflet sent from West Mercia Police regarding online safety for your child.

Thinkuknow is an education programme from the National Crime Agency’s CEOP Command.

Since 2006, Thinkuknow has been keeping children and young people safe by providing education about online abuse.

Thinkuknow aims to ensure that everyone has access to this practical information – children, young people, their parents and carers and the professionals who work with them.

We're excited to tell you that our third #OnlineSafetyAtHome pack is now available with new activities for parents and carers to use at home! Access them here: 

You can still find all of our previous home activity packs on our parents and carers website. These can be downloaded at any time you choose.

Worcestershire County Council have launched a new public campaign called Here2Help. Please follow the link below to access their website.

http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/Here2Help 

The types of additional support available to people through Here2Help is as follows and the aim is to prevent families/households getting to crisis points:

This is a useful link for us all as also on their webpage they have a keeping kids entertained section and five ways we can look after ourselves and others.

Please see the link below that will take to their webpage with links to a number of activities and educational support links.

Please see the useful documents below detailing how to reduce stress and anxiety for you and your child during Covid-19.

These are worrying times for anyone but it can be particularly hard for children, some of whom will struggle to comprehend why they can no longer see their friends at school.

With schools across the UK closing and people being urged to step up social distancing, communities are rallying round to bring a little brightness to young ones amid the gloom.

Please brighten your community by displaying the beautiful rainbows in your windows at home.

Send us a photo of a rainbow in your window to office@st-ambrose.worcs.sch.uk

Though many of our half term plans may have been put on hold, let's hope that the sun keeps shining and we can enjoy a 'staycation' at home! 

Kind regards,

Mrs Brocklesby.