School Closure Advice for Parents

Dear Parents,

Firstly and most importantly, we hope that all of our families are very well. While some children are no doubt enjoying being at home, others may be getting bored or eager to get back to mixing with friends at school. We completely understand the challenges that this unprecedented school closure may be posing for parents and realise that it is impossible to recreate the formal school setting in the home environment. It is important however that children do not get out of the routine of learning during this time. Below, please find some additional suggestions as you keep an educational focus for a portion of each day with your child. You might find it useful to have ideas to pick and choose from during the closure. You will notice that work being set is primarily revision, research and skill development as all new material will need to be taught by the teachers on our return.

While at present, official direction on closure is set up to and including March 29^th, it appears increasingly likely that this may be extended. Whilst the uncertainty of this situation makes forward planning very difficult, please rest assured that I am collaborating with class teachers in order to keep some semblance of educational routine for our pupils. In this regard, if we should find ourselves still closed on March 30^th, a pack of work for that week will be emailed to every parent. We sincerely appreciate your support of our efforts at this time and wish to remind you that we are contactable via school email should you have any queries at all. Above all, our priority is that all of our pupils and families look after themselves and return to us fit and well when we reopen.

Kind Regards,

Heidi Jordan

General Suggestions:

• Check the HSE website regularly and follow the advice provided so that this period of closure will have a value and that we will all contribute in a socially cohesive manner to stop the spread of Covid 19 in our community.
• Keep to a routine in terms of getting up and going to bed.
• Encourage your child to do some of their schoolwork each day.
• Read to your child and encourage your child to read for at least 20 minutes each day.
• Engage in writing… write letters to grandparents, a famous person, create a recipe or write reports on topics of interest to the child.
• Draw/ paint/ engage with craft projects
• Jigsaws/ word puzzles/ crosswords/ spot the different
• Lego
• This break is an ideal time for children to stay active… go for a walk whilst maintaining social distance and practice hurling/ football/ soccer skills.
• Practice playing your musical instrument
• If you have access to National Geographic channel or similar, exposure to educational programmes, as alternatives to requests for gaming might be an option.
• TG4 usually airs cartons, etc, while TG4’s online player Cúl4 also offers access to many of these programmes.
• Watch News2Day (junior news)
• Spend some time baking/ cooking with your child. Such activities promote language development, social interactions, literacy, life skills and mathematical skills.
• Encourage social development through the use of board games and imaginative play.
• Write a diary entry daily.
• Read an appropriate article from the newspaper and write a report based on it.
• Write a book review.
• Prepare a Scavenger Hunt.
• Organise your library in alphabetical order.
• Estimate and measure items around the house focusing on length, weight and capacity.
• Use catalogues to make up a shopping list. Estimate and calculate the total cost.
• Keep a focus on weekly spellings, tables and poetry.
• For younger children this might be an ideal time to revise letter sounds, sing songs, play I Spy, sort your toys by size, make a quiz, pair your socks, blow bubbles, use your imagination to make up a new game, practice counting, play dice games, play card games, investigate which items float or sink, go on a shape hunt in your house or garden, help to make lunch and recall the steps involved (sequencing), have a talent show

Some useful websites which are free:

• oxfordowl.co.uk (ebooks)
• funbrain.com (games which practice maths and reading skills)
• starfall.com (phonics and read along stories)
• storylineonline.net (stories read to you by movie stars!)
• squigglepark.com (reading)
• https://www.worldbookonline.com/wb/products?ed=all&gr=Welcome%21 (like a virtual encyclopaedia but a lot more interactive)
• https://www.borrowbox.com (If you or your child/children or parent/s are members of the local library, you can access an App or website called BorrowBox. It is free, has a children’s section and can be used for audio books and ebooks. To register, you need your library card which has your membership number on the back.)
• topmarks.co.uk (maths games)
• khanacademy.org (maths)
• touchtyping.com (learn tough typing- older children)
• IXL – please keep going with your child’s account as directed by your teacher
• gonoodle.com (exercise and movement)
• cula4.com (Gaeilge)
• duolingo.com (Gaeilge)
• dkfindout.com (project work)
• nationalgeographic.com (science, history, geography)
• http://www.askaboutireland.ie/learning-zone/primary-students/ (science, history, geography)
• https://www.youtube.com/user/CosmicKidsYoga (mindfulness and wellbeing)
• Most museums/ galleries have online kids’ sections
• Twinkl Ireland have put together free home learning packs for each primary class group, which may be accessed at the following links:

• Junior infants- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/iq3p7
• Senior Infants- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/17pvoq
• 1^st class- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/eqsfp
• 2^nd class- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/e0g9y
• 3^rd class- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/1luyi5
• 4^th class- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/141u0n
• 5^th class- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/m3vub
• 6^th class- https://www.twinkl.ie/l/jsgka

• https://padlet.com/parteensolosinging/zfdq5n59llog (padlet created by a very kind teacher in Parteen N.S. which contains websites, games, videos, etc. for each class level)