Dear Parents and Carers,
The UK has been in a state of lockdown for 7 weeks, or 49 days – 25 of those being school days – and as the eighth week of restrictions begin, this Newsletter’s focus is on well-being. Our children are missing their friends and their freedom, as are we.
Whilst there are those who are fortunate to have support from family, there are many who do not and who are lonely and frightened. Being stopped from doing the normal things we do every day causes us anxiety, particularly when we do not know when we will be allowed to do those normal things again. The impact of being furloughed or losing work all together when only a short time ago everything was fine is huge and damaging.
In this Newsletter there are details of how we are improving communication between you and class teachers about home learning through the use of Class Emails, poems about resilience and hope and links to the school website, where you will find new information and resources to help you manage anxiety in your children and in yourselves. It is easy to forget the importance of looking after yourself when there are so many other people to look after, but it’s like going on a plane (if we ever get to do that again); if there’s trouble you have to fit your own oxygen mask before you help others with theirs.
There is also information about the importance of character to children’s learning and development, and as we have always said at Brunswick, it is our personal qualities that count more than any others. You could be one of the world’s leading scientists, but if your character is not responsible or empathetic, you could find that people are no longer willing to listen to you. There is a Character Calendar to copy or download for primary aged children, and lots of resources for older children too.
Home learning means that children are online even more, so parents and carers need to be even more vigilant about monitoring what their children do. Please use the address below – it is also on the website – to access a safeguarding hub of interactive guidance on setting up parental controls on your children’s devices, as well as guidance on apps like TikTok,
YouTube and Instagram: https://parenthub.thekeysupport.com?uuid=02c80fa6-9bb8-4a62-bc3e-e02dfa25c3af
The Evelina Children’s Hospital, to which lots of our children have links through assessment, treatment and therapy, is asking for you to share your support for its work through social media. Details are below. Finally, yesterday evening the Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke about the possibility of schools reopening to some pupils on 1 June. He stressed this was not definite, and that if reinfection rates increase this would change. His announcement raised more questions than it answered, and I am now waiting to receive more information from government about what it means for Brunswick Park. This is likely to take time. For now and in the short-term, nothing has changed, and we will keep going as we have been. I will provide more information in the coming days and weeks once I am able to do so.
With best wishes for a healthy, safe and alert fortnight ahead.