14th May 2020 Summer Term no.3 Twitter: @MarkFirstSchool

Focus for those Key worker children in school remains as listed in the table below. Within your home learning, please take time to discuss the different themes when the opportunity allows.

SEAL Target Christian Value Learning Behaviour

Good to be Me

Justice

Questioning & Curious Quail

.

Questioning and curious quails like to think deeply and extend their learning by asking to find out more.

Rights Respecting School British Value

Your right to honest information from newspapers and television that you can understand

Rule of law

VE DAY Celebrations in school took place on Thursday 7th May in the form of a tea party. The school hall was decorated with bunting, and music from the second World War period was played, whilst the children enjoyed a drink and a piece of Victoria Sponge. Thank you to those of you who sent in your photographs of your own family celebrations.

Dear Parents and Carers

We hope you took time to enjoy the beautiful weather over the Bank Holiday weekend. Whilst a little cooler, the settled weather does seem set to continue which makes being isolated at home a little easier. The Government announced on Sunday evening that schools may be able to open after half term to some of the younger children. We will be planning with the schools within the Wessex Learning Trust to map out what this will look like, whilst following Government social distancing guidelines, ensuring that those returning remain safe in our care. More details will follow over the next week.

Mrs Collyer & Mrs Robertson

Owl Class outdoor area The Reception outdoor space is ready for play and is just missing Owl class children. We hope they can explore and make use of the space very soon.

Elsewhere the playgrounds have been spruced up ready for the return of some children. The quieter school grounds are being enjoyed by some of the wildlife. We have two bird nests under our back playground castle! Class e-mails Our class e-mails are becoming established and are working well, and the teachers have found them a useful way to pass messages on quickly to the families of Mark. We have also had some fantastic home learning shared with us through photographs sent in. The home learning you are doing is amazing and all the teachers are very proud of the children. Thank you to the amazing adults at home who are supporting so well. Following the Government announcement on Sunday evening we need to maintain home learning a little longer. The teachers will make contact via the phone to ensure you can ask any questions directly and make contact with the children in their classes. Updated home learning activates will be posted on the school website and sent directly to you via e-mail. We will keep you informed of developments regarding the phased opening of the school in due course. Here is a reminder of the e-mail addresses:

Email: owls.mark@educ.somerset.gov.uk

Email: buzzards.mark@educ.somerset.gov.uk

Email: herons.mark@educ.somerset.gov.uk

Email: kestrels.markschool@educ.somerset.gov.uk

Email: woodpeckers.mark@educ.somerset.gov.uk

Twitter

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter. We have posted lots of photographs since starting a school Twitter account.

@MarkFirstSchool And finally… The teaching staff have some messages for you. We all hope that the school community can be together again soon to finish off an extraordinary academic year.

Mrs Roberston

A HUGE Hello to all the amazing children at Mark First and Pre-school Academy and also to all your families from Mrs Robertson. As you have been busy sharing lots of information with your teachers over the last few weeks, we thought you might like to see and hear about some of the things the staff have been doing at the weekends and in their spare time. So I have 2 dogs, 2 cats and a tortoise which all keep me busy when I am at home. During the time we are allowed to go out for exercise I enjoy taking my dogs out walking along Burnham Sea Front, on the beach and also around the Apex Park. During these walks I have taken some photos and seen the most beautiful images which I don’t always have time to appreciate. I am missing you all very much and looking forward to when we can all be in school together again. In the meantime, stay safe, keep smiling and keep in touch.

Mrs Collyer

Hello! I have been really busy at school and have continued to work in the office each day. Even though there are so few children attending school, it really is incredibly busy throughout the COVID-19 crisis and national lock down. At the weekends, I spend time with my family and try to encourage and motivate my own children to complete their home learning work set by their college and university. We try to walk together when we can, as part of our daily exercise. I love spending time with my dog who is always enthusiastic when I get home in the evenings. She is recovering from a poorly leg at the moment, so I am trying to do some physiotherapy exercises with her to help her recovery. I have found this lock down period quite unsettling and I am really looking forward to bringing the school back together when we safely can. I have loved seeing some of your work and hearing about some of the activities you have been doing. Please keep sharing!

Mrs Earthy Hello to everyone! I have been enjoying lots of lovely family walks on the beach and spending time tidying up my garden. I am missing everyone at Mark and hope you are keeping safe at home with your families.

Mrs Bull

Hello! I have been looking after my children, exploring the Mendips and finding new footpaths. I miss Owl Class very much and hope to see them soon.

Miss Wilkinson

What an uncertain time we have all had! I miss Buzzard class immensely and cannot put into words how much I am looking forward to their safe return. The work that has been coming in has been incredible and I am so proud of the children and parents for getting involved and taking home learning in their stride. Thank you again for a fantastic, emotional video that has been sent in of the children, not only is it special but it will be a lasting memory for everyone involved. The classroom is looking lovely with your all your fabulous pieces of home learning being displayed, so please keep sending it in. I look forward to when we meet again and the classroom can be full of laughter and glitter like it used to be.Stay safe!

Mrs D’Ovidio Hello everyone! It’s been such a strange couple of weeks not seeing you all but it has been really lovely to see some of the work you have been sending in for us to see. It looks like you have all been busy and enjoying the time with you families. As well as continuing to work at school I have been very busy at home with my own 3 children. We have been on exploring adventures in our local area looking at nature around us, we have been baking cakes, bread and making pizzas, we have created some fun and noisy musical instruments out of the recycling and my most favourite activity has been watching the changes of caterpillars into butterflies before our eyes! An amazing transformation!! I really hope you all continue to stay safe and well and look forward to seeing your fabulous work, please keep sending it

in 😊.

Mrs Williams

I hope you are all staying safe at home. I have enjoyed looking at all of your wonderful work that you have been completing. You are all amazing and I can see you have been working so hard. During this lock down, I have been really busy baking lots of cakes, pies and biscuits! I have been walking my dog Bonnie and I have enjoyed working in my garden. During my spare time and at the weekends, we have been enjoying the sunshine and going on long walks. I think you will agree that the weather has been extremely kind to us! My daughter has had her 18th party at home, my son is now 16, I have been talking to my family on Zoom, I enjoyed celebrating VE day and my daughter Ava , won a baking competition. I am really missing you all and cannot wait to see you soon! Here is a pocket hug from me to you.

Miss La Croix

Hello! I’m missing you all incredibly and can’t wait to have you back in school again when it’s safe for you to be back. I hope you’re all well and keeping busy with lots of fun learning going on too. I have been very impressed with the amount of fantastic work being produced while you’ve been at home, I’m feeling very proud of you and your families. It has been SO wonderful to talk to so many of you on the phone and I’m very much looking forward to our ZOOM video calls next week, I can’t wait to see you! While school has been closed, I’ve been very busy in school tidying (I can now get into my cupboard Kestrels!), sorting and getting things

ready for when you all come back. My next job is to work on revamping the library, if you have any suggestions then please let me know. During the Easter holiday I learnt to crochet and I’m halfway through making a bunny for my best friend’s new baby. I’m also back sewing and have nearly finished a new top and dress, I’ll wear them when we’re back – and of course Kestrels, I must dress up as Kevin as that costume finally arrived! Keep safe and happy,

Miss Rogers

Since schools have closed, I have been enjoying setting up a few new learning areas in Woodpecker classroom and also planning to lovely work for everyone to do when we return. In my free time, I have been loving spending more time in the kitchen, cooking and baking a birthday cake for my sister! I have also been making the most of the lovely weather and have enjoyed plenty of walks and runs in the sun with my family.