Katherine Rundell launches ‘The Book of Hopes’: a free children’s book by over 110 authors and illustrators

“A few weeks ago, I began a Hope Project; I emailed some of the children’s writers and artists whose work I love most. I asked them to write something very short, fiction or non-fiction, or draw something that would make the children reading it feel like possibility-ists: something that would make them laugh or wonder or snort or smile. The response was magnificent, which shouldn’t have surprised me, because children’s writers and illustrators are professional hunters of hope. I hope that the imagination can be a place of shelter for children in the hard months ahead and that The Book of Hopes might be useful in that, even if only a little.”

Katherine Rundell

https://literacytrust.org.uk/family-zone/9-12/book-hopes/

VE Day Celebrations

We are fast approaching VE Day on Friday 8 May. Wiltshire Council have created a special VE Day at home pack to help residents of all ages celebrate and mark the 75th anniversary of this historic moment in time.

With social distancing measures still in place, the pack contains simple advice and suggestions. These include themed recipe ideas, a World War II/VE Day quiz and wordsearch, some suggested e-reading materials from the council's library service, craft ideas on how to make bunting and paperchains, 1940s-inspired games and songs to sing to keep the family entertained.

VE Day took place on 8 May 1945 and saw people celebrate peace in Europe after years of conflict. You can access the pack on this link. http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/news/articles/ve-day-toolkit

Managing emotions

The Well-being Pack contains a range of activities your children may find helpful to do at a time when things are so different from normal.  It is not designed to be worked through as a book but is a set of ideas for you to choose from and talk about / complete with your children.

Free Clicker software

Clicker are offering their software free for parents to use at home whilst schools are closed.  Clicker is an alternative recording system where children type their word and the software reads what they have written back to them.  Key words can be put into a word bank for children to use and predictive text is also available.

https://www.cricksoft.com/uk/clicker/clicker-at-home

Other Learning

Outdoor learning

https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/50-things-to-do-before-youre-11--activity-list

50 Things to do before you’re 11 ¾  ... how many can you do?

Life Skills

•  Hoovering and wiping down surfaces · Washing and drying up   Helping to clean the home
•  Cooking
•  Sorting washing into different colours/items.    Learning washing symbols & how to use the washing machine/iron.
•  Learn to sew on a button or badge;  learn to knit or crochet
•  Sorting and unpacking shopping
•  Making shopping lists
•  Cleaning windows
•  Gardening

Curriculum Themes

As we have mixed age classes we have a two year rolling programme to ensure that all children cover all of the National Curriculum.