Dear Parents/Carers,
We are now coming to the end of our third week of remote learning and hopefully we will start to see an improving situation regarding the transmission rate of this virus in Scotland and the possibility of a return to school as soon as it is safe to do so. In the meantime I would like to give you a quick update on school business over this past week.
All staff have been working hard to support and progress learning at home. This week’s school bulletin (see website) highlights a small sample of the creative approaches which are being used to making learning interesting. We are well aware of the challenges families are facing at this time and we’re doing our very best to provide a meaningful and worthwhile learning experience at home for our young people.
Resources for learning
Our staff have been out and about in the local area delivering resource packs, musical instruments, design folios to pupils and it has been great to hear your positive feedback and suggestions for improvement during our doorstop conversations. We are grateful to all of our parents and carers for their ongoing support at this time. Should any pupils require any additional resources to support their home learning (jotters, pencils etc) – please complete the online form available on the school app and the school website. We’ll do our best to get these to you as soon as possible.
Option Choices (Curriculum)
At this time of year we would normally be starting the Options Process for pupils in S2 to S5. Staff have been meeting to plan for this activity and we are in the process of collating our Options Information and Guidance to share with pupils, parents and carers. We will issue an online form to all families for completion and pupils will have additional inputs via their PSE class.
Rebecca and Scott, our Careers Advisors, are also available for contact via our school app or website should you have any questions in relation to Career Paths and Career Education.
Reporting
Work is currently underway to produce tracking/progress reports. Whilst working remotely staff do not have access to the reporting platforms and therefore tracking information is being collated from teaching staff before being processed on to the software by our clerical team. Reports will be posted out to families when the process has been completed.
SQA
In addition to the letters issued on the school App yesterday, the SQA is setting up panels of key stakeholders so they can get ‘quick pictures’ of what parents and young people groups think about important issues. For this to work effectively, they are looking for parents and carers of school learners to take part in surveys. Parents/Carers of S4–S6 learners should sign up through the following link: https://bit.ly/2V3KNAV and young people themselves can take part in the survey through this link: https://bit.ly/2HJ1UVO .
Pupil Voice
Our Prefect Pupil Voice Team met last week to review what is going well for them and what their challenges are.
What’s going well? – They are enjoying working at their own pace and using new tools (such as online tutorials and pre-recorded Loom videos) to support their learning. They particularly appreciate the helpful feedback they are receiving from their teachers and – where relevant – additional specialist support from staff.
What are the challenges? – Staying focused and keeping up with learning is certainly a challenge. This has been shared with staff via our Principal Teachers’ Meeting, so that young people’s experience of remote learning continues to inform our reflection and planning.
Our Prefects will be chairing a series of Student Council Focus Groups via Microsoft Teams over the next few weeks, inviting a range of fellow pupils from different year groups to discuss their learning and wellbeing. If you receive a phone call asking your child to participate, please encourage them to do so. If your child would like to be involved, they are welcome to email Mrs Brotherston.
Transition
Grange Education Group P7 Transition Team are hosting a Teams Meeting on Thursday afternoon to discuss our planning for P7 Transition around the current Government guidelines. Ms Sharon Reid our PT ASN is continuing her virtual Transition meetings which she had started before Christmas with families of P7 pupils with Additional Support Needs in all our Associated Primaries.
Supporting engagement in learning
The Pastoral Care Team have this week been making calls to S4-6 pupils who seem be struggling to submit work to staff in some subjects. We are working in partnership with our families to ensure that everyone is accessing their on-line work and continuing to ensure that every pupil is completing the course work required for all their certificated subjects even though we are not in school.
The Information section in the School App has on-line referral forms to allow you to contact us for advice or support. Please note that pupils can message their class teacher for support through SatchelOne (previously called ShowMyHomework).
(Please also see the information below on support for Mental Health and Wellbeing)
Kind regards,
Robert Johnston
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Support for mental health and wellbeing
5 steps to mental wellbeing
Research tells us there are 5 steps we can take to support our mental wellbeing: connect, be active, keep learning, give to others and be mindful.
- NHS Inform 5 Steps is a good resource for ideas and support;
- Scottish Government’s Clear Your Head is also attractive and easy to use;
- SAMH promotes the same 5 key actions; and
- Young Scot caters specifically for young people.
If you or your child would like to try mindfulness, there are excellent free resources on Headspace website, app and YouTube. At Grange Academy, we teach the .b mindfulness curriculum (from the Mindfulness in Schools Project) in PSE, and 3 videos we use (to support improved focus and good sleep) are available at .b mindfulness videos.
For adults, the Oxford Mindfulness Centre (which provides training courses for our staff) offers free guided meditations. If you’re interested, it’s worth following MiSP and Oxford Mindfulness Centre on Facebook and Twitter as they regularly offer free resources and courses for adults and young people.
If you’d like to understand why mindfulness is so often recommended for wellbeing, there’s a short YouTube video which explains.
NHS Ayrshire and Arran Keeping Well During Covid-19 advice page has links to advice and support for adults, children and young people.
East Ayrshire Council
EAC Mental Health and Wellbeing web pages are devoted to mental health and wellbeing and give links to local and national organisations.
The Council has developed 2 booklets (to support people to turn away from suicidal thoughts) which provide links to organisations which give expert assistance with a variety of challenging personal, social, health and financial issues. Directory of support for young people Directory of support for adults
Helplines
Breathing Space (delivered by NHS 24) 0800 83 85 87 is available 24 hours at weekends (6pm Friday – 6am Monday) and from 6pm to 2am on weekdays (Monday – Thursday).
If you are feeling distressed, in a state of despair, suicidal or need emotional support outwith these hours you can contact Samaritans on 116 123 available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you are ill and can’t wait until your GP surgery re-opens you can call NHS 24 on 111. For an emergency ambulance you should dial 999.
