The Chandler News - CofE Junior School

The Chandler News
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                  Love – our Value for February this year is Love. Just in time for Valentine’s
                  Day! There are so many different kinds of love - for chocolate, a favourite
                  team, your brother or sister, your friends, your parents/carers, as well as
                  that Valentine’s kind of love… We will be talking about these things and
                  remembering what the Bible tells us. First and foremost, it says that Love
                  is Kind (1 Corinthians 13) and we encourage all children to be kind and
                  show love, this month particularly. It is probably even more relevant in
                  lockdown.

     Internet Safety Day – we have been marking Internet Safety Day this week with
     activities online. Just like dogs at Christmas, it’s important that we stay safe every day
     – not just once a year. Please do take regular opportunities to talk with your children
     about staying safe online and what to do if anything makes them feel unsafe or
     uncomfortable.

     Return to School – we still do not know when we will be able to fling our doors wide
     for every pupil to return, or what that may look like. The government have promised
     schools two weeks’ notice this time – and that will really help. Remember, we do not
     hear in advance and generally pick up information when the public hear via ministerial
     briefings in the evening. As soon as we know that a date has been set, we will be
     contacting you with our plans. At the moment, I envisage that the return to school will
     be much as it was when we finished in December – with staggered timings and children
     in year group bubbles. Watch this space!

     Half Term – next week (15th – 19th February) is half term. I know that
     both the teachers and children are tired from the impact of online
     learning and hope that the week will provide a well-earned rest from
     the demands this brings. School will be closed to all pupils and there
     will be no remote learning provision.

     Inset Day – Friday, 26th February – you will recall that The Chandler is joining with
     other schools in the Godalming Learning Partnership to train staff in Talk For Writing
     techniques and that our next session is Friday, 26th February. I am aware that the
     timing of this would have been better if it had been added on to one of the half term
     weekends. However, these training days were booked two years ago and were
     dependent upon the availability of the trainers. I am sorry for the inconvenience it may
     cause, but rest assured that the training is proving to be very worthwhile and will
     benefit every child in the school and across the area. School will be closed to all pupils
     and there will be no remote learning provision on this day. All staff will be involved in
     training and unavailable to support learning.

Parents’ Consultations and ACE Days – usually we would be moving towards Parents’ Consultations and
a spring ACE Day at this time of year. However, given the uncertainty about the return of schools and
what that may look like, we have postponed the upcoming parents’ consultations with a view to holding
something later in the term or early in the summer, depending on what situation schools are in.

ACE Days are an important opportunity for children to learn and develop new skills and experience
broader areas of learning, as well as to develop their social skills and ability to work with others. We are
planning to put at least one ACE Day into the summer term. It is impossible to plan for the one
scheduled for March because there is just too much uncertainty about whether we will be fully open,
partially closed, in bubbles etc. I know children will be very much looking forward to ACE Day and we will
ensure that it happens before too long.

Remembrance Competition – many congratulations to Elise in 6C who was chosen as the winner of the
Godalming Learning Partnership “Remembrance” writing competition. Elise’s poem is here:
http://godalminglearning.org.uk/index.html

    DIARY DATES 2021
    Monday, 15th to                  HALF TERM
    Friday, 19th February            (school is closed to all children)

    Monday, 22nd February            School starts for critical workers/vulnerable children only

    Friday, 26th February            Inset Day (school is closed to all children)

    Monday, 1st to                   Book Week (details attached)
    Friday, 5th March

    Friday, 2nd to                   EASTER HOLIDAY
    Friday, 16th April               (school is closed to all children)

CBBC have made an exciting revamp to the CBBC YouTube Channel which you may be interested in for
entertainment at half term and outside of home-schooling hours now we’re in lockdown.

They are uploading videos to it daily that are suitable for
5-11 year olds and have all the top CBBC brands on here,
with a wide range of genres from factual shows, news,
dramas, comedy to entertainment. Programmes like
Horrible Histories, Blue Peter, Newsround, The Next Step,
Saturday Mash-Up, Operation Ouch, the Playlist, the
Dumping Ground, Heirs of the Night and Jamie Johnson.
They are also welcoming back Dani Harmer in the brilliant
new programme My Mum Tracy Beaker.

If you are interested, subscribe to www.youtube.com/cbbc - (it’s obviously completely free to subscribe!)