Communication Thursday

Dear Parents and Carers
                I hope you and your families remain safe and well. I would like to thank and congratulate all parents / carers and children for the way in which you have coped with the move to remote learning and for many people juggling ‘home schooling’ and work. All schools now have to have a Remote Learning Statement on their website and ours can be found here http://www.alsagerhighfields.com/page/school-policies/32597 or under ‘Information’ > ‘School Policies’. However, I would like to reassure all parents / carers that as a parent myself (albeit secondary aged children), I know that home schooling can be very difficult. Please do not put too much pressure on yourself or on your children. The most important thing for us all, as we navigate through this pandemic, is that our young people feel loved, cared for, safe and reassured. It is also important to remember that it is perfectly normal for all human beings to have some days when we feel a little ‘flat’ or ‘fed up’, especially at the moment. We must not worry if we feel like that sometimes, everyone does and it is important that our children understand that. 
                I would like once again to praise our brilliant staff here at Highfields for the way in which they have embraced live remote tutorials, with setting remote work on their class page, while at the same time supervising children face to face on a daily basis and self-testing themselves for Covid with a Lateral Flow Device twice a week. Their jobs have changed beyond recognition and I am inspired by them every day!
                Yesterday, the Prime Minister announced that schools will not open for all children until 8th March at the earliest, depending upon certain conditions being met. We will wait to hear more details on that in the future and I will keep you informed. This means we will continue to work as we are now for a few more weeks yet. We are continually reviewing our remote learning offer and trying to improve it. I have always said, reading is such an important part of our remote learning offer and as from Tuesday 2nd February, we are introducing the opportunity for children to come and swap / collect a new reading book from school. This will clearly have to be controlled, with specific time slots given etc. Details will be sent out in a letter from Mrs Windel, our Reading Lead, tomorrow (29/1/21).
Can I remind all parents / carers to keep on uploading photos and your child’s achievements to our ‘Highfields Stars From Afar’ tab on our website http://www.alsagerhighfields.com/page/highfields-stars-from-afar/89766 The more photos we get the better so please keep them coming in.
Please remember that we are here to help in any way we can. We are continuing to distribute more laptops as they come in, provide regular food parcels for our families on Free School Meals and Sara Leopold our Family Liaison Officer is visiting homes on a daily basis. If you are in need of help, advice, materials to help with work or support please contact Mrs Henshall on senco@alsagerhighfields.cheshire.sch.uk


Best wishes


Richard Middlebrook
Acting Headteacher Alsager Highfields primary School and Executive Headteacher AMAT