Welcome Back!

Welcome Back!

 Messages & News

from John & the Team

Friday 9th September

Hello there, everyone, how are you all?

Although this day itself obviously has a sombre tone given the nature of the news, and it’s quite hard to talk in a normal way about things the way we usually do in this blog, it’s been really lovely this week to welcome the children & students back into school. Because of this kind of context, I thought I would just send out a catch-up kind of message on the blog today, rather doing nothing or doing my usual

I do hope that you and your sons and daughters have had a lovely summer; it’s been great to hear some of their stories of what’s happened, to chat with them – even just to see them again. So far they’ve coped brilliantly with any changes of classes or staff, all of which we know can be very difficult. It was a lovely atmosphere right from when they were all in and getting on with things – so by about 11am on the Wednesday!

We’ve had lots of work done in the school and made improvements to some classrooms, the reception area, and outside the front entrance; also, lots has been painted, cleaned and bits & bobs sorted all over the place; it all adds up to the school feeling nice

And there a few new staff too, which always makes things feel good in terms of fresh ideas and new energy to go along with everyone that is still already here.

Makaton Signs of the Week

Let’s not leave this out

It’s great to have Julie back and to continue in our learning of these signs. Do give them a go!

Pencil

Mime writing with a pen or a pencil. Mime the shape of a laptop, opening a laptop top, the hand moving from flat to upright. Mime swiping the screen of a tablet device x2 (IPad for example).

The Queen

This is an opportunity for us to deliver some responsive teaching and learning around British Values, changes that happen in life, and addressing the future, within PSHE over the next two weeks.

We want to be there for our children & students during the big news of the Queen dying yesterday. We’ll be looking at it with them in a number of ways in the next few weeks, such as through Newsround, the Church of England website, and lots of other ways. I’ve put some links to some of these things below if you’re interested

We want to support our pupils in all natural and common-sense ways in this and at this time, and I wanted you to be aware of what we are doing

https://www.churchofengland.org/remembering-her-majesty-queen

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround

https://www.minded.org.uk/

https://www.royal.uk/

Finally: Percy Hedley Foundation News

You may have heard that the CEO of the Foundation, also called John (!) has left now. A few of us are helping out with various things in the meantime, and working with Trustees, but it won’t change what we do or how we do it. These things just happen when these kinds of posts change from time to time

 

Also, the Great North Run is at the weekend, and it’s still on! (The children’s one is unfortunately cancelled.)

 

All the very best to all of you, from all of us here –

I’m really looking forward to seeing you all hear at our Coffee & Catch-up sessions, Consultation Afternoons, and other times too. Have a great year, we’re looking forward to you spending it with us

John and the Team!