Countdown to lockdown

Wowzers - how different the world looks now!  Normally at this time (week before the school holidays), I realise that I have got behind with the blog and quickly write up the past weekends ready so I can write daily about our holidays.  Impossible now - so so much has happened and to be honest our weekends weren't that interesting - mainly football and walks.

Why - oh just a little thing called Covid 19!  A little germ that somehow got transferred from the animal kingdom to humans in Wuhan in China (no-one is 100% sure exactly how at the moment).  That happened in December, the Chinese then shut down their whole country to stop it spreading, however, the rest of the world didn't quite realise what was going to happen and still allowed foreign travel.

The virus then kept popping up in other countries - mainly S.E. Asia (Korea, Japan etc) and on cruise boats.  Countries started flying their citizens home and put them in quarantine for 14 days before they were allowed out and about.  It was being contained...then February half term happened.  People and families traveled all over the place.  Outbreaks of the disease occurred in Italy and Spain.  Problem with it is, not all are affected which means you can be a carrier without knowing.  People came home from their holidays in the sun / snow and went back to normal life.

Within a couple of weeks cases of Covid 19 were being found in the UK in people that hadn't travelled to any affected countries.  The virus had got out and was being transmitted between people. It was getting serious...

Thursday 12th March  - Boris said all those with new continuous coughs (what does that mean) and temperatures to stay at home for 7 days to self isolate.
Tuesday 16th March - Boris extended period of self isolation to 14 days and for it to include all members of the household
Wednesday 17th March - all schools to close on Friday indefinitely.  Everyone to social isolate from those not in your household (keep 2 meters away)
Monday 23rd March - you are only allowed out for one walk a day and essential shopping (groceries / pharmacy)
Thursday 26th March - you are not allowed to travel by car to go for a walk.

Who would have thought it?  Terms such as lockdown, social isolation, self isolation have become common place.  The government who have had 'no money' for years and had been squeezing the poor and local services out of their pennies for years is suddenly able to pay all non-essential workers 80% of their wage and after what seemed an eternity 80% of self employed wages too as well as bailing out transport etc etc.  I do realise that we will have to pay for it later, but you do wonder where this money has appeared from?

So, Tom probably had his very last day at Ingleton Primary School.  It was very sad for Year 6, so far all they had done was work, work, work ready for the SATS and then after those they get a term of treats - lots of outdoor activities, days away, they do a play, have a leavers do, leavers hoodies, trial days in their new schools etc etc.  They have missed out on it all.  They took in white shirts on Friday and got lots of autographs but that was it.  Their teacher though has said they they will be invited back for a proper leavers assembly once things go back to 'normal'.  Tom's year has always been the golden year - the teachers were as upset as the children.

End of year photo!

Here are some emails we received:
"I have just had confirmation from the DfE that SATs will be cancelled this year. The very year when your bright bunch of children would have done us proud and moved us up the league tables considerably! But, it doesn't matter, they know how great they are and so do we. We all have other priorities at the moment this is the least of anyone's worries.

Keep smiling everyone, the sun is shining today.

Jo Colledge"  

"Dearest Parents

This week has been the hardest of my teaching career.  What a very strange day it has been today, but hopefully your child feels they have had some well -deserved fun and added some good memories to their bank. A few highlights were: giving Harry Dawson and Mrs Morphet a fright while playing manhunt; Charlie ‘hiding’ amongst the children in Wensleydale while they were enjoying a story outside with Mr Forde and enjoying a delicious ice-cream this afternoon.

Your children have been amazing throughout and have shown great maturity and sensitivity to the situation. They truly are a special bunch!

I feel desperately sad for my Year 6 children, whom I have nurtured and fed for a few years now. They have grown in so many ways and they were excited to show everyone what they were capable of in the forthcoming SAT tests. They were looking forward to showing how they would have put on the best show Ingleton has had with our KS2 production. They were looking forward to being the most respected Year 6 we have had and spreading important messages to their peers about the environment and healthy lifestyles. They were looking forward to taking part in the debate competition and lots of other opportunities. They were looking forward to their leavers assembly with all the ceremony and celebration that would bring.

These things may still happen, but I fear, this virus will take a long time to pass. If we are still closed by the end of the summer term, I have vowed we will still have a leavers assembly. You will all be invited back to Ingleton for a special assembly where they will receive their leavers hoody and enjoy the congratulations they so deserve.

In the meantime, we will endeavour to help you support your child at home. Yesterday they all brought home their learning packs. I have fully explained these to the children and they understand the idea of consolidating knowledge and skills they have already been taught. The suggestion is, your child picks five activities/tasks to do each day. I have suggested they have a timetable for Monday to Friday so they have some routine to their days.

In the coming weeks I will introduce other tasks and activities to complete. It is also really important to take this opportunity to take time to be with each other and do some of the things we struggle to fit in.

We are all experiencing unprecedented times and are trying to make sense of the gravity of the situation we find ourselves in. At the heart of all the inconveniences of our new restricted lifestyle, is the safety of everyone in our community.

Rest assured I am available as always via email and any questions or queries you have (or just a need for a friendly message) contact me at r.clements@ingleton-pri.n-yorks.sch.uk anytime.

This time will pass and we will re-emerge from our social hibernation. We need to keep smiling and remain positive for our wonderful children.

Take care everyone and please keep in touch

Rachel Clements"

Tom in his autographed shirt

To be fair, Tom has taken it all in his stride.  He hasn't felt sorry for himself at all.  I think they must have approached the subject well at school as he came home ready for homeschooling and has accepted home arrest with the two of us with good humour.  Children are resilient - I'm thinking he will be fine.  I do worry for his lack of social contact with other children, he is going to become a mini adult in this time, but hopefully when the kids go back to school, they will spend time letting them adjust to being in social situations again before the hard work starts...