WEEKLY EMAIL Friday 29 January 2021
Learning Conduct
All students and parents are familiar with the Millthorpe School Learning Conduct expectations. We are very impressed with how our students have transitioned to home-learning, so we have adapted our Learning Conduct grid to suit the academic ‘new normal’. This will allow us to celebrate student success and report on remote learning progress after February half term.
To help us report accurately on progress, please support your child as they submit key assessed pieces of work (KAPs). For guidance on how to do this within Google Classroom (whether that be a Google Document or a picture or audio file) please see the video support on the website.
Remote Assembly
This week’s assembly is delivered by Mr Beever, Deputy Headteacher. You can view it here.
Pastoral Support on Google Classroom
Every student has been added to a “Health, Wellbeing and Pastoral Care” Google Classroom (either Key Stage 3 or 4). We update this regularly with tips and advice to help students manage during this period of lockdown and would be very grateful if you could ensure that your child(ren) is aware of it and has had a look. They might not need it immediately, but they might as lockdown continues.
- A weekly tip from the School Wellbeing Service
- A planning sheet that guides students in planning a positive day
- An excellent booklet which helps students to cope with lockdown
- Tips and advice from Childline.
Protocols for online learning
Thank you to those who have already completed the short form to confirm acceptance of the school’s protocols for online learning. If you haven’t yet, could we ask that you do so by following this link as soon as possible please. This helps us to ensure that children can continue to learn in a safe and suitable environment while accessing lessons from home.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Homework
Under current circumstances, we will not be directing students to do work or revision outside lesson times. We don’t think this is appropriate whilst students are accessing all their learning online during the day. They can choose to revise for assessments or carry out extension work if they wish.
Chromebooks
We have received some enquiries from parents/carers about providing Chromebooks for students who are having difficulties accessing online learning for one reason or another. The Chromebooks we have been provided with by the DfE are intended specifically for disadvantaged children and we have allocated them accordingly. (‘Disadvantaged children’ are defined as those who meet the criteria for pupil premium funding; with an EHCP for special educational needs and disabilities; who are receiving statutory local authority support from a social worker.)
We have very limited supplies of other devices available for use by other students, mainly those kindly donated to the school. Given the recent announcement that schools won’t begin to open more widely until 8 March at the earliest, it may be worth considering purchasing a device for your child if you feel you are in a position to do so and you haven’t already done so. New Chromebooks start from around £180 and refurbished devices can be even less: if your child got three and a half years’ use from it, that would equate to less than £1 per week. Any Chromebook or laptop should be fine for accessing Google Classroom.
School supplies
You may have read in the press this week that there is a campaign underway to provide materials such as stationery to children during lockdown to help them complete schoolwork at home. As some of you will know, we wrote to all our pupil premium eligible families last week to offer them supplies of stationery as well as other essential items we are able to provide such as period products and winter clothing. You can read the full letter here.
Post-16 events for Year 11 students
Askham Bryan College is hosting an Open Morning For Year 11 students on Saturday 30 January from 10.00am-1.00pm. Any interested students can book to join the event via the College’s What’s On page. You can also see Askham Bryan College’s latest newsletter here.
York College is holding its next Virtual Open Event on Thursday 11 February from 5.30–8.00pm. Students can register online by visiting the York College website.
Family Matters – online courses
The team at Family Matters York are offering a range of online courses, starting after half-term. These include:
- Time Out for Parents – the Teenage Years
- Time Out for Parents – the Early Years
- Time Out for Parents – the Primary Years
- Handling Anger in the Family
You can find out more about the courses here. To book a place please contact Helen Atkinson on 07393 147259 or email helenatkinson@fmy.org.uk
The Week Junior
Due to the current restrictions The Week Junior magazine is available online and can be accessed via the following link: magazine.theweekjunior.co.uk. To log in, select ‘Have you got a voucher code?’ and enter the code: TWJ2678tuv
Safeguarding
If you have significant concerns for the welfare of a child, in addition to being able to contact Sophie Johnson during school hours, you may wish to make direct contact with the York MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) on T: 01904 551900, option 3. They operate an out-of-hours service so concerns can be raised with them at any time.
For further information please see the safeguarding link on our school website.