Getting back to a familiar routine
COVID HAS BEEN HARD ON KIDS, PARENTS AND TEACHERS ALIKE – NOW WE CAN ALL LOOK FORWARD TO A NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Sharon says “It’s good to think that we are about to start what will hopefully feel like a more usual school year. There’s a lot to look forward to for all of us at Kisharon Noé this year. We are in a new building with a brand new headteacher, Dr Emily Haddock. I have been working side by side with her since she started work in June.
“We’re looking forward to children having more regular opportunities to meet their peers across the classroom – to young people seeing their friends again, socialising, building on the work experience they’ve been doing and feeling more confident travelling on public transport.
“It’s exciting to have a brand new curriculum, which Emily has been choosing. A lot of effort has gone into developing it over the summer, with a whole load of work being done on career opportunities and work experience.
“This year will be about implementing all the hard work that has gone into that curriculum develop ment and seeing it come to fruition. We’re going from 49 children to 60, so we’re looking forward to welcoming all these new children and their families into our school and our community as we grow.
GUIDANCE
“Things are looking really good for us this next school year and we’re excited to be heading back. I’ve been involved with the school for the past five years – our new school building opened in September 2020 and I’ve been educational consultant to the build.
“For some of our parents, the summer holidays can be very hard work if they have children with respite for them.
“We managed to keep the school open during the whole of the past academic year despite the lockdown, which was quite an achievement. That consistency was very important for our pupils, for providing respite for parents and for making sure that children with special needs had access to their peers.
“We maintained our bubbles and did on-site rapid Covid-19 tests for staff twice a week, and those pupils who were able to were encouraged to test themselves. We supported that with social stories – giving them the reason why we were testing in simplified language and using symbols.
“Because many of our children
We’re looking forward to children being able to see their friends again and build on the work experience they’ve been doing
It will benefit all children – but especially those with special needs – to have that structure in their lives
about that. He’ll be in a new class but with some of his old classmates. The school is like a family, and they all look out for each other. Chanochi’s a very sociable little boy, so he’s looking forward to being back in the swing of it all.”
FRESH START
Chanochi says “I’m looking forward to going swimming, playing football and seeing all my friends when I go back to school. I paddle my arms and kick my legs when I swim, but I can’t get water in my mouth or up my nose. I’ll be happy to go back to my school to be with my friends and my teacher.”
Sari says “I’m hoping to do some drama at my school club – I enjoy singing and dancing – and I’d like to try fencing. I’ve missed my friends so it will be good to see them when I get back to school, and I’m excited to be learning my GCSE subjects – English and maths. I’m also studying health and social care, functional skills and RS. We’re learning Macbeth for my English GCSE so that will be interesting.”