Hello everyone and welcome back to the new school year! We hope that you have had some kind of a summer break and enjoyed quality family time. We realise this year, especially its start, will be so much different from the norm, but please remember that, from the outset, we are here to help you, listen to you, talk to you and engage with you. That’s a promise we make every year, although it is well worth repeating as we begin this one.
The most important priority facing staff and parents is the wellbeing of the children. All curriculum matters will be covered in time, but we must all ensure that the children are ‘fit to learn’: that their wellbeing/pastoral care needs are being met; that they have a routine they can readjust to; that they will be given time to re-engage with the school learning environment; and that they are surrounded by adults in whom they can trust. Right now, none of us really knows how any of our children are feeling about school and we must all work together to take the time to understand.
Parents will know so much more about how their children learn after the ‘lockdown’. That’s a plus, no matter the challenges that you may have faced. However, the return to school, managing new routines, meeting new teachers, meeting and making friends, learning about the new physical environment (class bubbles, one-way systems, zoned playgrounds and more) will all impact on the children directly, maybe in ways that they won’t expect. Therefore, we must bring them with us gently.
So, as we prepare to welcome everyone back on 1 September, please remember that you can still contact us. Any concerns or questions you have will need to be addressed. We will be in touch about communication/engagement as the term gets underway, so this section of the website, the year group pages, school emails and our social media feeds will become very important reference points for you.
Information for parents & carers:
As always, this section of each month’s news will contain information directly relevant to school, as well as that sent from the Department of Education (DENI), or other external agencies.
In relation to Coronavirus, parents are reminded to continue to seek guidance and advice from the Public Health Agency (https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/) and Health and Safety Executive (http://www.hseni.gov.uk).
