Can I begin by thanking you again for your support and encouragement for your children and our staff in engaging with our remote learning this half term. Our Chair of Governors, Charles Donnelly has written separately to acknowledge this.

On the last two Fridays I have enjoyed a virtual hot chocolate with some of our pupils who have been nominated by their Heads of Year as pupils who have exemplified our Ready Respectful Safe expectations in their engagement with remote learning. They have said they have appreciated the efforts of their teachers and it has been a much better learning experience compared to the previous lockdown but, nevertheless they miss school – their friends and their teachers. We miss our pupils too!

How do I know if my child has been engaging with their learning?

You will receive a separate letter that captures and shares your child’s Attitude to Learning this half term. There is lots to celebrate and I have sent certificates and emails to recognise those pupils who have led the way in this.

Reminder, you can check whether my child is engaging with Google Classroom work?

 As a parent/carer, you can receive email summaries showing your child’s progress in Google Classroom.  You can choose the frequency of the emails, such as daily or weekly.  You can unsubscribe or remove yourself from Google Classroom at any time.

The email summaries will include:

  • Class activity – announcements and assignments recently posted by teachers.
  • Missing work – work that is late at the time the email was sent.

You will not receive an email summary when:

  • There is no activity to report for the given time period.
  • You selected ‘No summaries’ for how often you’d like to receive emails.
  • Your child has not joined any classes.

 

For more information please visit the Google information page on Google Classroom email summaries.

As a parent/carer, you must receive and accept an email invitation before you can receive these email summaries.

We have send an invitation to the email address that we currently have stored on our system, please look out for it.

The link below will take you to a video that will help you with this.

https://stmaryswallasey.com/google-classrom-guardians/

When will there be any news about plans for awarding grades for this year’s public examinations?

The consultation closed on 29th January and we have been promised that plans will be finalised and shared by the end of February. We will write separately to Year 11 and 13 parents once we are clear about the plans and what we will be doing to ensure that our pupils gets the best possible grades.

What’s happening after the half term break?

As I write, the same arrangements we have in place currently will continue at least until 8th March. So, on Monday 22nd February remote learning will recommence and our critical workers’ children and vulnerable pupils will return to school.

We have been promised an announcement on 22nd February regarding the plans for pupils’ return on or after 8thMarch. As soon as we have clarity over what they are we will write to update you further. 

Upcoming Events

Year 9 Options Information Evening is online starting at 6.30pm on Wednesday 24th February. Year 9 parents and carers will receive separate communication about this, please look out for it.

Year 7 Parents’ Evening is on Thursday 18th March. More details nearer the date.

Coronavirus symptoms update

 You may be aware but in addition to the three main symptoms:

  • High temperature
  • Persistent Cough
  • Loss of smell and/or taste

(for which anyone should go to a symptomatic test centre)

it has been more recently identified that there are some other symptoms which can be indicative of COVID-19 and these include:

  • Diarrhoea
  • A persistent headache
  • Fever and chills
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting

Wirral Public Health is encouraging people to also book a test at a symptomatic test centre if you have any of these symptoms.

When booking a test on-line for any of these wider symptoms, people will need to

choose the “you’ve been asked to get a test by a local council” option.

Read! Read! Read!

If there’s one thing that’s sure to help your child progress in the coming weeks and months, it’s regular reading. Our teachers are providing lots of opportunities for pupils to read and it would be really helpful if you did too.

Wellbeing and mental health support

We received very positive feedback from our work with pupils during Children’s Mental Health Week. As we said at the time this is not an issue to be addressed and resolved in a week. There are a number of resources to support and guide people on the Wellbeing section of our website but please, if you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing or mental health, get in touch with us immediately by contacting their Year Team via the school office.

Ready Respectful Safe

These words which have become the mantra that encapsulates our behaviour expectations are just as valid in our remote learning environment and our teachers are recording these behaviours on our Classcharts system and will be using it to celebrate with you with praise postcards. We are posting out large numbers again today and I know how much you enjoy receiving positive phonecalls from your children’s teachers.

Thanks again for all your support and encouragement. Hopefully you and your children can enjoy some time away from their screens over half term.

Mr A Boyle

Headteacher