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Remote learning

Dear Parents and Carers

Well done to everyone for surviving the stresses of the first day of remote learning.

You will be aware from the national media today that there has been significant issues which have prevented both pupils and staff from having full access to TEAMS today. This is something that has affected the whole country and is not a school or local authority issue. This has been very frustrating for everyone but is completely outwith the control of school staff or those at home.

Despite these challenges, there has been a good level of engagement today. Please do not be discouraged from continuing your engagement in a way that is manageable for you at home.

With continued practice, pupils and staff will become more adept at navigating their class teams and making use of the functions it offers. We understand that this is easier with older pupils.

Teachers are using a mixed delivery model including meeting live with children, setting independent tasks to be completed and instruction via pre-recorded teaching materials. There have been issues with the size of some of these pre-recorded resources and some teachers have set up youtube channels to post these resources on. Pre-recorded resources should allow pupils to access teaching and learning materials at a time that suits the household. It is only the live meetings which need to be joined at a set time.

There have also been some issues uploading completed work. Teachers are looking into the best ways for pupils to upload their work tasks. The teachers will work out what works best for their classes and communicate how your child should do this.

This is a very steep learning curve for everyone. Teachers have had only three days to plan the learning as well as finding ways of communicating the learning to classes in a way that is manageable for the age group. Please stick with it and help us to find ways that work well for our families.

This is a brand new way of working. Everyone is facing new challenges and there are bound to be a number of teething problems as we all find our way. The important thing is for us all to keep trying and to continue to support each other. If the technology fails or is causing great stress, take a break and return later. The tasks and resources will still be there for you when you need them. If you can, try to make joining the meetings your priority as these are arranged for fixed times.

Thank you for your continued support, acknowledgement of the work involved, your ongoing perseverance and let’s hope for fewer technical challenges as we progress.

Regards

Gillian Matthews
Head Teacher
Muirhouse Primary and Nursery Class
66 Barons Road
Motherwell
ML1 2NB

01698 274995

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Arrangements for those attending next week

Dear Parents and Carers

PUPILS ATTENDING SCHOOL

The only pupils who should attend school next week are those who have been identified as vulnerable and have a verbal agreement with the school to attend, along with the children of keyworkers.

Keyworkers
Children of keyworkers should only attend school when the keyworker is out at work. Parents SHOULD NOT be sending their child to school if they, or any other adult in their household bubble is able to work from home or is not working in a keyworker role. We understand that some keyworkers will only require part time attendance at school and this is fine.
All keyworkers should apply for a place via the link that has been sent out by NLC. Most people who have applied have received a confirmation email from NLC, although I understand that a few have been missed.
All keyworker parents, sending children to school, should bring proof of being a keyworker when they bring their child for the first time. If you have received a confirmation text, please also be prepared to present this. Some keyworker parents have also sent me keyworker letters and other proof, but this is not necessary. I will be happy to see ID or proof when you bring your child or children on the first day.

All school children should enter by the main entrance between 8.50am and 9am. The playground will not be open. If you need to drop children before 8.50am, the breakfast club is available from 8.15am. All school children will be dismissed at 3pm. We hope this will be via their usual gates, however due to compacted ice, children this week have been collected from the main door. Exit plans will therefore be weather dependent. All children should be collected by 3pm.
School children in attendance will be in new class bubbles.
All P1 children together.
All P2 and P3 children together.
All P4 and P5 children together.
All P6 children together
All P7 children together.

Nursery children should enter the usual way between 8.30am and 9am and be collected via the usual gate and door between 2.30pm and 3pm. If planning on collecting earlier, please notify staff on arrival. Any nursery children who attend will form a new bubble.

I hope you find this information helpful.

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Digital Learning

Dear Parents and Carers
Staff have been working very hard to create digital learning plans for this current lockdown. These plans have now been published on the relevant Teams (accessible through GLOW) and on See Saw. If you cannot find this information, your child’s teacher will be able to direct you to the appropriate team. You should find a rationale to explain how each bubble will work and a timetable. You may also find a code of conduct. Other classes have a planned a lesson about this and will create it through the lesson.
During this period the following class bubbles have been created:
Nursery
P1
P2 and P3
P4 and P5
P6
P7
Teachers will be working in teams to deliver face to face teaching to those in attendance and the universal online offer to all at home. Every effort has been made to ensure that the offer to those at school and those at home is as equitable as possible.
Whilst we understand how challenging this will be for families, especially for those with younger children who are working from home, you are encouraged to try and engage with the learning as much as possible. New learning is planned, so to miss out completely, may put your child at a disadvantage in the future.
We also appreciated that families are sharing devices and that siblings may not be able to go online at the same time. The digital learning offer is therefore a mix of “live” events and teaching and learning aids that can be accessed at a time of your choosing. Timetables will show which teachers are online and when they are available.
There is also a Team for Digital Support. This will be managed by Miss Finnie who will do her very best to support our families with technical or digital issues. Please post any issues you have on this Team. If it is a general matter Miss Finnie will post an answer on the Team page or GLOW email any personal information back.
Best of luck!
Mrs Matthews
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January arrangements and keyworker arrangements

FINAL Parent-carer letter – January 21 return 21.12.20

Key Workers school and ELC support request form January 21

Please find  a letter from NLC outlining plans for January and the keyworker application form.

Keyworker forms are dealt with centrally. The school will be notified of all successful applications before the 6th January.  We will not be able to make definite arrangements about classes and groups in school until we receive this information from NLC. These forms can be completed online.

I have contacted all school children who meet the vulnerable criteria to inform them that they should report to school as normal on the 6th January, along with keyworker children.  If you have not been contacted and believe that your child meets the criteria of a vulnerable child, please call the school tomorrow.

On the first day only, all keyworker and vulnerable school children should enter by the main entrance between 8.50am and 9am. The back gate will not be opened.  Children will leave by their usual exit between 2.50pm and 3pm. You will be advised of subsequent arrangements when we assess how many children we have in school.

Breakfast club will be open from 8.15am for vulnerable and keyworker children  only from 6th January. Lunch arrangements will be as normal.

Nursery children who meet the vulnerable criteria will be contacted tomorrow. Keyworkers should complete the same form as the school children.  Vulnerable and keyworker children should enter in the usual way between 8.30am and 8.50am and be collected between 2.30pm and 2.50pm as before.

Online learning will begin on the 11th January 2021.  More information will follow, but in the meantime your children have been issued with their login details for GLOW and other learning platforms.

Thanks to those who have alerted us to the need for increased access to digital resources. This information has been passed to NLC and the demand will be dealt with in due course.  In the meantime, the school does not have sufficient resources to meet demand. Parents and carers are reminded that most activities can be accessed on a mobile phone.

Please continue to look out for further updates.

In the meantime, I hope you all have a great Christmas and let’s all hope for a Happy New Year!

Regards

Mrs Matthews and the team