Congratulations to Mr Broadwell and Mr Major, our newly elected parent governors. I look forward to welcoming and working with them, as part of the school’s governing body.
We hope that you have found this week’s Meet the Teacher appointment a helpful opportunity to discuss your child’s return to school and the impact of the partial school closure upon their learning and progress. A summary of the meeting discussion will be sent home for you to refer to and discuss with your child. If your child has a pupil passport, this will also be sent home for you to sign and return to school.
‘Catch-up’ opportunities and interventions have already begun across the school and will continue for the foreseeable future, as part of our provision until there is no longer the need. Additional small group and individual teaching interventions and after school booster sessions are two of the ways in which pupils will be supported to close the gaps in their learning, that have formed as a result of the absence or lack of teaching at school.
Different children will be targeted for different interventions, some of which, pupils themselves will not be aware of because they will be incorporated into their weekly class timetable. Their teachers are the experts in knowing what your child needs, and how best they should be supported, to help them to make up for the lost learning time. Please do not panic if your child is not targeted for a particular intervention – trust their teachers to know what is best for each pupil. Please also remember that this will be a long lasting programme of support and will involve a range of activities, approaches and opportunities.
We will be able to offer some additional teaching sessions to some pupils, during the first week of the Easter holiday. If this intervention is aimed at your child, they will bring a letter home with them, next week. Again, please do not worry if your child is not selected for this intervention – there will be plenty more opportunities to help your child catch-up, throughout next term.
We have an inclusive, whole school model and approach to teaching, promoting and managing behaviour and conduct that are based on shared expectations and common values which
reflect and best support our diverse school community. At Bowmansgreen, we strive to create a culture of certainty and consistency, where all pupils feel secure, safe and confident of the rules, values, boundaries and expectations. Staff use scripts to help achieve consistency in their language and approach and to support them to know what to say in the heat of the moment or when faced with a challenging situation. Scripts help staff to remain calm, in control and avoid conflict. Families might also find these scripts useful, to help resolve disagreements and to manage challenging behaviours at home. We are currently focusing on using the following scripts, which can be adapted to suit a range of situations:
Proximal praise (and positive reinforcement)
- Look at (name) sitting sensibly
- (Names) are showing us how to line up
- (Name) thank you for listening
- (Name) thank you, you are sitting quietly – you may go
Give limited choices
- (Name) you can choose, work sensibly now or at playtime
- (Name) sit quietly or go to time out
- (Name) choose this seat or this seat/ this sticker or this sticker
- (Name) you choose: work with the group or by yourself
- (Name) either work at this table or that one
- (Name) choose a partner or I will choose for you
- (Name) you choose: put the toy in your pocket or in your tray
Acknowledge feelings
- (Name) I can see you are cross
- (Name) I think you look a bit worried
- (Name) I know you are having fun with your friends but …
- (Name) I can see you are finding this difficult
- (Name) it looks like you are bored/tired/cross/fed up with this but …
Assemblies this week have focused on our half-termly school values of courage and determination. See if your child can tell you which group of incredible people we share these school values with. Staff have spotted lots of pupils demonstrating these values, this week in their learning and play, as role models for their House and wider school peers. Well done, everyone!
Congratulations to 1OW and 3G as the classes with the best attendance at school this week, in each key stage. Attendance since fully re-opening, is currently at 96%. Keep up the fantastic effort to be at school, every day!
There is lots to look forward to next week at Bowmansgreen, including another crazy hair day….
Enjoy your weekend!