As the year has progressed, the teaching has shown how creative and adaptive we can be. The second period of home learning was better for families and learners as we have had time to reflect and enhance the provision. Our school was able to provide iPad and internet for our most deprived families and this meant we were able to continue the learning. Although there has been gaps in most children’s learning, in other areas the children have been able to shine.

My project was able to adapt the home learning and involve families. Companies, such as Twinkl, gave access to family learning platforms for free and the digital platforms available to teachers to were able to allow me to share a huge range of media and give instant feedback to the learners at home.

The families enjoyed sharing their culture and learning together so I have continued this and set weekly family learning. it is stressed that this is not homework or compulsory, but something to share and to complete at the most suitable time. Families can also choose to opt in and put as they see fit. This have been going well and the feedback has been positive.

Once schools reopened to P1-3 pupils after the Christmas lockdown, I was able to restart and review my enquiry project.

I returned to the classroom in late February and began a global storyline with 2 P1s and used connecting classrooms resources for 2 other infant classes. The P1 classes are learning about life in a farming community and issues such as Fairtrade and land grabbing. The 2 other infant classes picked a global goal they were interested in, and I have been using and modifying resources from British Council Connecting Classrooms website, to make these age appropriate for the learners.

Throughout lockdown and whilst the upper primary school children remained learning at home, we continued to celebrate our different cultures and community. We had a virtual Chinese New Year celebration, celebrated International Women’s Day, discussed our traditions for Shrove Tuesday and recognised the many different languages spoken within our school community on Mother Tongue Day.

Our p5 classes are part of a Connecting Classrooms cluster and our school has been paired with a school in Bethlehem. With the class teachers in both schools, myself and my Palestinian counterpart met virtually to discuss a community project. Our learners are also taking part in a penpal exchange and with have a buddy in each country. We are at the very beginning of this journey and are excited to see where it will go.