Stewards Academy keeping pupils learning
Stewards Academy, like many schools across the town and country, is running a mini-school to support children of key workers and our vulnerable pupils. This is staffed by a dedicated team, working on a rota system, who ensure there is appropriate supervision and support to our on-site pupils.
Those at home are not forgotten and staff are utilising our Classcharts homework system and the academy website to ensure pupils can access subject specific tasks and alternative tasks/ resources. Trying to find the balance between setting too much work and too little has been tricky, but we hope that the range of activities suggested will enable all pupils to access some learning.
We recognise that everyone, including our staff, has very different circumstances to contend with at this time. Our main message to parents and pupils is to look after your wellbeing, find a routine that works and keep some learning going in whatever form it takes!
The pupils at mini-school complete a mixture of independent work from Classcharts, the same as pupils working at home, and a range of activity sessions to add some variety to their day and get them away from the computer screen!
As well as subject specific activities for example in science, music or art, pupils have also experienced; a race across the world challenge, million-dollar maths challenge and time capsules to name a few.
Not to miss out on previously calendared events and in honour of Earth Day, pupils took part in an escape room challenge, planted sunflower seeds in the school garden and made bird feeders (as well as some independent work!). It certainly was a busy day and allowed the pupils to spend some time working outside which is very important at this time.
So that pupils at home do not miss out on calendared events and to enable us to continue celebrating their successes a fortnightly newsletter will be going out via Classcharts and on the website. The first of these went out yesterday and includes lots of suggestions for Earth Day activities that can be tried at home.
Helen Ginger, Headteacher, said: “ It has certainly been a challenge to find a new way of working, but I am so grateful to all the staff that have gone above and beyond to ensure that pupils at home and at school are supported in every way possible. I am also very appreciative of the support we have had from parents: for their patience as we have found our way forward and their words of encouragement.”