June

Cider Refresher on pick up from school

So Tom returned to school on the Monday to two weeks of exams.  We knew they were happening, but even we couldn't be so mean to make him work when we were visiting the Branches.  So we had a manic week of revision in the evenings to try to cram it all in.  He wasn't as prepared as he could have been, but I think he was probably more prepared than most others and to be fair to him he did work hard those two weeks.  I bet you we never find out the results of these exams anyway!

QES is a strange beast.  You get effort grades every half term (when not homeschooling) and then attainment grades twice a year.  The attainment grades are impossible to work out as they are grades that Tom would get if he was to sit a GCSE exam now?!  What the point of that is is beyond me?  I can understand that they are useful for teachers, but they are unfathomable for parents.  I don't want to know what grade Tom might get in exams in 4 years time, I want to know how he is doing for a 12 year old. According to his grades he is already a grade C for history and science???!!!!  I can't believe that at all.  Everything else was a D, E or F grade (with one G grade for Music) which I figure might be about right but who knows?

We tend to pick Tom up from here, rather than from school - nicer!

They don't do school reports as in some text about your child, so we have no idea how he is doing really.  Apparently they don't publish exam results or position within form so we are left with no idea how he is doing at all?  We have his parent review at the beginning of July, all done virtually. You get 4 minutes per teacher - apparently the system just cuts you off after 4 mins, so you have to be prepared with questions and hope you get a chance to ask them and get answers.

Luckily his hay fever didn't properly kick in until after most of them were over, which was good.  The rest of the month was a whirlwind of cricket and hay fever.  Every year we forget how horrible hay fever is, I think we must block it out!  The farmers have been very busy this last week, cutting and spinning grass, ready to store before the weekend which is forecast rain.  Tom's system has now gone into overload, leaving him with a hacking cough, full of congestion, sore throat etc.  It is the same as 6 years ago when he ended up in hospital - luckily as he is older, we think he will be able to weather it a bit better now, but he is a sorry sight.  We had to take him for a PCR covid test on Friday as his symptoms match the unofficial 'children's reaction' to Covid, if your child is off for these reasons, you have to get them PCR tested for them to be allowed back to school.  Luckily there was a test centre open in Settle for that one day so we didn't have far to go.  We then had to isolate until we got the results.  Typical I had cakes due to be collected that day, so after calling Environmental Health for advice (they wouldn't give me any advice) I then called the clients to let them know what was happening - they both decided to come and pick them up - just as well because his test, as we thought, came back negative.  He has spent the weekend in hot baths and lying on the sofa coughing, we both hate to see him like this, just have to hope it doesn't get any worse, although we got a thunder storm last night which will have brought more pollen back down again.  

Fun things we have done in June:

Campervan sleep over!

Tom and Annabel had a sleep over in the camper van on the drive, was blissful for Matt and I - we had a very peaceful sleep.  We then had to play shop with them in the camper van all morning (still children really!).  Tom got invited to Isaac's house for a play to celebrate Isaac's birthday.  First time he's been invited anywhere new since he started at QES.  Isaac is the youngest child of Clare who is one half of Gingerbugs, and just happens to be in the same class as Tom.  I don't think they are great mates, but of course they live in the same village (Isaac went to a different Primary School as he moved a bit around the local area), was good for him to be with another friend anyway.

We had the Wilkinsons round for a BBQ one evening.  Tom wasn't feeling very well (hay fever) so he and Florrie disappeared into the camper van for the afternoon / evening, only appearing when the food was ready.  

Jude and Craig came up for a visit on their way up to Scotland, our first house guests since Jude stayed with us one night last summer.  True to form we made them a curry!  Once again it didn't feel weird them staying because it is something that happens infrequently.  It is when local friends come round and come in the house, that feels weird. Tom also managed to get a ticket to the swimming pool with Annabel on her birthday so enjoyed that.

Walk from Dent Head

Dent Head Viaduct

We took the camper to Dent Head viaduct for a Saturday night.  We did a lovely walk and then as we got ready to bed down, we realised that we had forgotten a duvet - durrrr! Of course, Tom got the duvet and Matt and I were left with a single blanket between the two of us - it wasn't a good night's sleep.

There has been plenty of cricket too for Matt and Tom, both winning and loosing.  Tom's batting has definitely improved - so far this season he has scored 57 runs and he hasn't been out (he only bats for 4 overs a game)

Oh and Covid is on the rise again, isolations at school are occurring again.  For once he hasn't been affected,  but his class was down to 12 at one point (which he really enjoyed, especially as all the trouble makers were off).  He's missed a day because of hay fever, and probably won't go back on Monday so at least we know he won't be isolated in the next couple of days!  Matt and I are now double vaccinated.

Oh, and even though he is ill, we allowed him to stay up to watch the football last night: England vs Ukraine - glad we did as we won 4-0.  It certainly cheered him up!

And that was June!

Half Term

 Half term, and for once the weather behaved itself.  After quite a few miserable, cloudy, rainy weeks, it was finally sunny and hot - yay!

Piel Castle

On the ferry.

Monday we headed to Barrow with an attempt to get to Piel Island.  We have tried to go before but have been unlucky when turning up to find no ferry.  No problems this time, however, there was quite a big queue!  Being British we joined the queue, and then wondered if it was worth it (we had to get back for a cricket match you will be surprised to hear!).  As we were counting the number of people and working out how long we may have to wait a call went out for a group of 3 - we were the only group of 3 in the queue so we walked past everyone saying sorry (how very British) and got on the ferry mega early - RESULT!

Peeping Tom

 
Piel island is very small - it has a pub, a couple of holiday homes and a ruined castle.  It is basically a nature reserve now.  The pub landlord is the 'King of Piel Island' but considering there are no permanent residents - it doesn't really amount to much.  We weren't sure if the pub would be open so we took a picnic with us - just as well, the pub wasn't open.  We walked across the island (took 5 minutes) and sat on the beach eating our sarnies.  Then we had a good explore, there were lots of birds, a decent beach and the castle had lots of walls and towers which we could clamber around.  We spent a decent couple of hours there, if the pub had been open, we probably would have spent even longer there, but it was lovely, the weather was amazing and we were happy.

On Tuesday, we packed up the van and headed south to Waddesdon.  We got there in good time, only being held up in Birmingham.  So nice to travel in a big vehicle, the whole experience was much nicer than if we were in the Honda.  Before we had parked, we had been spotted and Jake and Amber were waiting for us.  Apparently Jake had been really really looking forward to seeing Tom again (Amber less so!)  Tom got whisked away into Jake's bedroom and we headed into the house to find Simon and Clare. 

Had a very pleasant afternoon/evening in the garden watching red kites swooping over head and eating pizza.

Branch family on a...

Wednesday we had tickets for Blenheim Palace.  I don't remember having visited before.  It was a very hot day, we packed a picnic and headed out.  As we had just paid for the grounds (£46 for the 3 of us) we decided to do the longest walk (much to the annoyance of J&A).  

Happy cousins together?

Was very nice - gardens by Capability Brown (of course), a lake etc etc.  We had a picnic in the shade and then to the maze for the kids to run around (as if it wasn't too hot?!) and back to the house via the train to get an ice cream.  A good day out, rounded off by a bbq in the rain - bloody typical!

Trampoline time (and a rare Amber smile!)

Thursday we didn't really have any plans.  We all had a lovely easy morning, doing pretty much nothing - I even got a reading book out.  

A Brill Windmill!

After lunch, we headed to Brill with the windmill and did a sweaty walk around some very pleasant fields.  

Back to the village, ice cream each and then back home where the kids got watered down on the trampoline. Then a full on bbq (this time it didn't rain).

He's got me!

BBQ

Was a very nice break.  Tom and Jake got on really well.  Jake in fact was a pleasure to be around, chatty, engaging, happy to be in our company.  Amber, well I think she felt left out, but she didn't make it easy, once again everything suggested to her was 'boring', or she just said no! I think she likes to be difficult.  All it means is that she doesn't have fun whilst the boys do!  Tom's best friends in Ingleton are girls, so he certainly isn't bothered that she's a girl, think it is more that she is bothered that he is a boy!

Friday we went home again.  We went up the M1 towards Leeds and then across on the A65.  The motorway was fine, but the roads were in lockjam once we were off was everlasting - all the way to Ingleton - just as well we were in the van with a fridge full of cold drinks.  Anyway it was a good break, so nice to be away from home and not cooking.  Oh and Jake has caught me up - we are officially the same height!

The weekend was spent playing cricket.  On Saturday we did another curry off with Jude and Craig and on Sunday we had the Mannings over for a huge roast pork. A great end to a great week.  Poor Tom has exams at school now and didn't really have much time to do any revision over the holidays - only a very mean parent would make their children study during this half term - the first time people could meet with family and friends in other locations in months!  Even we aren't that mean!

School Effort Grades

 Tom's effort grades for the summer term came through in May.  See below, can't complain with these, he's obviously been trying hard - but I think we knew that from seeing his dedication at home schooling. Well done Tom - he can't keep this up for long, don't think anyone gets all 5s!