P6 Info – W/B Monday 31st August 2020

Hi all,

Spelling – Thanks so much to everyone who completed their spelling homework on time and took care over neatness and presentation.   New spelling list on Monday.

Maths – Children were set a maths task on Glow last week but I hear that some pupils had difficulties logging in with their new (or old) passwords. With this in mind, please don’t worry if the maths task was not started.  I’ll send home a new maths task in the form of a worksheet this Wednesday instead. Hope fully, we’ll resolve the Glow log-in issues in due course.

In maths, we have been looking at times tables patterns,  numbers up to one billion, place value, squared numbers  and every Friday, revising the properties of 2d shape.

Top Marks website has a fun mental maths game called Hit the Button – children could be playing this at home to revise tables, division, doubles and halves.

https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/hit-the-button

Reading – We have read up to the end of Chapter 4 in Kensuke’s Kingdom, where the main character Michael is washed up on a deserted island ( or so he thinks). We have had lots of discussion around basic survival skills. Children produced wonderful pieces of descriptive writing which focused on using senses to convey the struggle Michael had when he fell into the ocean. We also looked at how to paint ocean waves in art and have created some super  work using pencil, chalk and paint.

PE – Please remember to come dressed for outdoor PE on Tuesdays.

Outdoor play – Can children please come to school with a waterproof jacket as autumn is now upon us and the weather is very changeable.

That’s all for now,

Miss Brunt

 

 

 

P6 Info W/B 24th August 2020

Hi all,

Children have settled in very well to the new routine at school and are working hard, which is lovely to see.

Homework starts this week:

Spelling – Children will bring home new spelling jotters on Monday with a spelling grid of activities pasted in. Children will copy their word lists down in class. Children should complete one task from the grid and hand the jotter back in on Friday. Please check your child’s work for accuracy  and neatness. Please use pencil only.

Numeracy/Maths- 

We have been looking at numbers into the millions and even billions. We have been revising place value. It is SO important that children grasp place value at this stage.

We have also been practising  times tables by studying the number patterns of each table and making connections. We have learned strategies to use if we cannot simply remember a times table fact.

I will post a homework  revision task  of these topics on Wednesday on Google Classroom. Anyone without decent access to Google Classroom can take a paper copy home. 

Reading – We are reading Kensuke’s Kingdom by Michael Morpurgo in class as our novel study therefore no books will come home at present. However, please continue to encourage your child to read for pleasure at home wherever possible.

PE – Remember to come to dressed for outdoor PE on Tuesday.

Finally, P6 will have science sessions with Mrs Cumming each Wednesday, drama on  Monday afternoons and music studies each Friday. We’ll revise French vocabulary on Thursday afternoons usually followed by art.

That is all for now,

Take care,

Miss Brunt

New! P6 Information Update for W/B 17th August 2020

Welcome back to P6!

It has been lovely and refreshing to finally have children back in school. P6 have conducted themselves in a very enthusiastic yet calm, sensible manner and have adapted  quickly to practical changes to their school day.

This is just a short message to inform parents that P6 will have Mrs Duncan every Tuesday afternoon for Health & Wellbeing activities, including PE.

PE will be an outdoor activity where possible and to that end, can children please come dressed for outdoor PE every Tuesday. We have no changing areas at present.

Homework will commence week beginning Monday 24th August and details about that will follow nearer the time.

Finally, can pupils bring a reading book/magazine from home to keep for reading in school when required.

Many thanks,

Miss S Brunt

P6 Class Teacher

 

 

 

Spring activity ideas for the holidays

Hooray for the holidays! Although it does feel very different.  We all hope that you are staying safe and healthy.   There will be no official classwork set on Google Classrooms, although there may still be the odd fun activity.  We have, however,  put together a whole school Spring learning grid (click the link below) with some ideas to keep your creative juices flowing and for some fun family time if you run out of ideas.

Stay safe

All Loanhead Staff

Loanhead Spring learning grid

Dear Parents…

Dear parents,

You might be inclined to create a minute by minute schedule for your kids. You have high hopes of hours of learning, including online activities, science experiments, and book reports. You’ll limit technology until everything is done! But here’s the thing…

Our kids are just as scared as we are right now. Our kids not only can hear everything that is going on around them, but they feel our constant tension and anxiety. They have never experienced anything like this before. Although the idea of being off of school for weeks sounds awesome, they are probably picturing a fun time like summer break, not the reality of being trapped at home and not seeing their friends.

Over the coming weeks, you will see an increase in behavior issues with your kids. Whether it’s anxiety, or anger, or protest that they can’t do things normally – it will happen. You’ll see more meltdowns, tantrums, and oppositional behavior in the coming weeks. This is normal and expected under these circumstances.

What kids need right now is to feel comforted and loved. To feel like it’s all going to be ok. And that might mean that you tear up your perfect schedule and love on your kids a bit more. Play outside and go on walks. Bake cookies and paint pictures. Play board games and watch movies. Do a science experiment together or find virtual field trips of the zoo. Start a book and read together as a family. Snuggle under warm blankets and do nothing.

Don’t worry about them regressing in school. Every single kid is in this boat and they all will be ok. When we are back in the classroom, we will all course correct and meet them where they are. Teachers are experts at this! Don’t pick fights with your kids because they don’t want to do math. Don’t scream at your kids for not following the schedule. Don’t mandate 2 hours of learning time if they are resisting it.

If I can leave you with one thing, it’s this: at the end of all of this, your kids’ mental health will be more important than their academic skills. And how they felt during this time will stay with them long after the memory of what they did during those weeks is long gone. So keep that in mind, every single day.

Stay safe. x

From all of us in the Loanhead Primary Community

19.3.20 NEW update from Midlothian council regarding school closure

The following statement was sent to schools this evening. At the bottom of the statement are links to parental guidance and advice which will be very useful in this time. We will keep you updated as, and when, we know anything else.

All schools will be closed to Primary Pupils and S1-3 Pupils with the following exceptions:

· Saltersgate School will remain open to support our children with severe and complex needs. The Head Teacher will be in contact with individual families outlining the individual arrangements which will be in place.

· All Secondary Schools will be open to S4-6 Pupils only in order to complete any SQA mandatory coursework and assessments prior to the published deadlines. Please refer to individual High School Websites for further updates. We are planning a phased approach to distance learning however priority will be given to S4-S6 to begin with.

· We are now focussed on planning for the families of staff belonging to the following groups key worker groups: Emergency Services, NHS, Health and Social Care Partnership including Care at Home, Teachers and Council Staff who have requested assistance with Childcare in order to ensure that we deliver critical services. This requested provision will be delivered through 4 secondary and 4 primary schools acting as Hubs. Individual Schools will be in touch with the individual families to alert them to the arrangements which will be put in place.

· Free School Meals: We are currently working with catering services in order to finalise arrangements for the distribution of food for children entitled to free school meals and further information will be communicated as soon as plans have been finalised.

Public health advice and guidance should continue to be followed for staff and pupils with underlying health conditions and self-isolation.

As you will appreciate there is significant planning needed to move this forward and we will continue to update our website to keep you informed.

You can listen to the Deputy First Ministers announcement at this link:
https://news.gov.scot/speeches-and-briefings/statement-on-covid19-managing-the-impacts-on-scottish-education

Andrew Sheridan
Schools Group Manager (ASN & Inclusion)

Guidance for parents and carers in the event of school closure due to Coronavirus

A1 – Midlothian SLT Telephone Helpline info 2020

COVID-19 Information and links for parents/carers

When the school closes on Friday, pupils will be sent home with learning packs for the next week which should be done at home.  The weeks to follow (except for holidays) will involve digital learning via Glow-Google classroom.  Our staff have varied experience with this and we all learn and teach differently both in the classroom and online.  We appreciate your support, patience and understanding during this time.

As well as digital learning passwords, this letter was sent home on 18th March to give information about how to access Glow and Google Classroom within Glow. Digital Learning Letter 18.3.19 Pupils/Parents have teacher emails and can contact their teacher during school hours.  If you have any technical issues or questions please contact Mrs Hinton who will try her very best to help you. k.hinton@mgfl.net

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A list of websites that you can use to support learning can be found in pupil packs or Click here 

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Midlothian Speech & Language Therapy Department offer a weekly telephone help line, for parents and professionals to ring us to discuss any concerns they have about a child’s speech, language and communication skills.

INFO POSTER CLICK HERE

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