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This Weeks Word of the Week 22 – New Beginning

Hello and welcome to the home of Word of the Week. A nice and simple weekly linky, with everyone welcome to pop by and share. The idea of the linky is to reflect back on your past week and share it with us. It’s great if you can sum it up in a word or phrase, hence giving us your Word of the Week. My word this week is ‘New Beginning’ and you can read more about that below.

I’m not totally strict on using just a word or phrase. But please try to stick to the theme of summing up your week. There are not too many rules with this linky, just remember to read at least another couple of posts in the link up after adding your link. I will read and comment on all posts and tweet them out for you. I also have a Pinterest board devoted to Word of the Week and I will add posts to Mix Please add the badge below to your post so that others may find us and join in. If you comment or tweet then please use the hashtag #WotW

Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!

If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.

MY WORD OF THE WEEK – New Beginning

Star has finally finished school, but it’s not the end it’s a New Beginning. We have had official confirmation of her college course and she’s looking forward to a future working with animals. We live very close to a Wildlife Conservatory which we have visited many times and Star would love to end up working there. But another option is an animal rescue centre (Where we had Ash, our cat, from.) Either way, she has decided she wants to work with animals and it looks like she will get her wish.

new beginning, colourful text on coloured background

Another new beginning is Boo going back to school. After not attending school properly for over a year, she is now going to classes for half a day and after half term she will begin attending full days again. She’s happy in her new class and fingers tightly crossed it all goes well.

The Little Man has also had his official welcome to his new school which he will be starting in September. A new beginning in a new school, he’s growing up! (But he’ll always be my Little Man.)

As I write this, a close family member is in hospital about to begin a new life as a first time Mummy. How exciting, I hope it all goes really well for her and that she’s holding her little boy by the time you are reading this. (I’ll update if I get the chance!)

I’m not a lover of change, but you sometimes have to embrace new beginnings. And hey, the sun is shining!

Now it’s over to you, what word or phrase sums up your week this week?

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Lucky is My Word of the Week 21

by Anne Sweet 8 Comments

Word of the Week is open from 6am on Friday Morning to 12 noon on Monday. Plenty of time to join in!

If you are unfamiliar with the Word of the Week linky then please feel free to ask any questions. New linkers are always welcome, we love to hear what you have been up to in the past week.

MY WORD OF THE WEEK – LUCKY

This week I’m trying to turn things around a little. It’s been a tough time and although we are still having problems, I know they are never going to be easily solved. So, I go with my instincts and focus on the positive. This week I’m focusing on being lucky.

I feel lucky that today is the last day of my Star’s exams. She will have some more minor assessments next week and then school is over for her. Finally, I feel lucky that I have a child that has finished Secondary school despite all the problems caused by Covid.

Today I am going for my second Covid Vaccination. It’s been thirteen weeks since my first and I was getting worried, but then I got a call and I was lucky to get in today. My eldest son was also asked to go along for his first vaccination. This was worrying me because he really doesn’t deal very well with having to go somewhere new without me and I believed I would have difficulty getting him to go. Then he got an appointment at the same place as me, at the same time. So we can go together this afternoon. Once he has been, he should be okay to attend his second appointment alone. That has made me feel really lucky!

On Tuesday, Star had telephone interview with the college she wants to go to in September. Star is not very good on the telephone and her anxiety was awful. The man who called was really wonderful and had her chatting away to him in no time. She passed the interview and now all she needs is a reference from her teacher and the place is hers. (if she fails her GCSEs she will be given the option to do them again alongside her chosen college course.) I feel really lucky that we have this settled now, it’s such a huge weight that has been lifted. We have had a virtual tour of the college and we will take her along to see where it is before she starts. (It’s really not far away and in a lovely area.)

My eldest daughter was lucky enough to grab a new PS5 console, they are like gold dust at the moment so she had get up early and keep refreshing the website, but she did it in the end.

I also feel lucky that we have a holiday in the UK booked already for this year. We were supposed to have been going last year but they let us keep it until this year. The holiday park we are going to have even reduced the cost of our holiday. We are planning on a quiet holiday and are just looking forward to being somewhere different and near the sea. We can’t wait.

Now it’s over to you, what word or phrase sums up your week this week?

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Back to the Classroom After the Pandemic

by Anne Sweet 2 Comments

This Covid pandemic has been so tough on my children. The first time the schools were closed we really thought it wouldn’t last more than a few weeks. We had a ton of books picked up from the school and the kids were each designated a box of study materials which we kept behind the settee. (Luckily, I’d just purchased some new storage boxes!) This was our new classroom.

The girls were pretty rubbish. I was there to help but they didn’t want it. They spent most of the time on BBC Bitesize which was something at least. The Little Man was different, his teacher checked in every day with a pile of work for him to complete and she checked it. I had to sit and work with him. It was easier for us because only a couple of years earlier we’d spent a few months home schooling while he was in-between schools.

Back To School Last September.

The return to school didn’t go so well. It was a hard decision as I still didn’t feel safe. I was in hospital the first week back and the girls were suffering from anxiety. It was a little easier for the Little Man who was excited to be back but not happy with the new set up in school.

The girl’s ended up going back part time with extra learning at home, which they didn’t do. The cases of Covid starting rising again, and the girl’s school were really supportive. Just a few months later and the schools were closed again.

This time all the learning was online. The girls were given Chromebooks specifically for their work and online lessons and had to be up and logged on as if at school. They hated it.

The Little Man did Teams classes with his teacher and worked really hard. He got up, logged on and joined in. We even managed to get dressed most days.

The girls fell behind and even though I tried to help them catch up, they just couldn’t get used to working from home. But, they didn’t want to go back to school either.

Back to School Again

When the school’s re-opened the Little Man was back and happy. He was prepared this time for the restrictions and he just wanted to get off the settee and into the classroom. His school was amazing and they had no class or year closures because of Covid. Whereas the girl’s school had closures every week.

The girl’s didn’t want to go back so the school made arrangements for them to spend time in SEND instead. This meant a smaller classroom with fewer pupils and good social distancing. Masks were worn at all times. They went in late and came home early to avoid the other pupils. Both of them had anxiety which was through the roof.

The anxiety was much more than Covid, it was a real fear of being back at school.

Star is now doing her GCSE exams which are not really exams, but are. I don’t know, the whole thing is crazy and I’m not sure anyone really knows what is happening. But at the end of it, she has applied for a college course which will allow her to re-do any GCSEs she fails, so we are not too worried. She has age on her side being the youngest in her year. She’s not even 16 yet. Things will get better, when she goes to college she will still have support and she will be working with animals which is perfect for her.

Boo has two more years of school to go so we had to sort something out. I went to the school for a meeting and we have come up with a plan. Fingers very tightly crossed.

Boo is moving classes, because she has lost so much learning they are putting her in the lower class for children with learning difficulties. In all honesty, Boo has always had learning difficulties anyway but has somehow managed to stay in one of the upper classes (Second from top) because of her hard work and trying to keep up. However, because of her lost learning, this just isn’t feasible anymore.

She was really upset about this at first, but then she was told the names of some of the students in the class and she brightened up. She was really good friends with three of the girls in primary school. (They have even been to our home.) Also, this means that she will be very capable of doing the work set for her, and hopefully, in time she will work her way up again. With her confidence built by actually being in school, I’m sure her work will improve.

So, next week, she will go to school the same time as the other children, but instead of lining up, she will enter the school in a different place and go straight to her classroom. She will be coming home at lunch time up until half term, but if all goes well she will return full time afterwards.

It’s a great relief for all of us. The school has been told they don’t have to wear masks from Monday, but Boo’s class can still wear them if they feel more comfortable. These are the school’s most vulnerable children so they are being taken care of well. She is one step above SEND, but not in the class of disruptive children. I’m hoping this goes well for her. I’ve seen her smile a lot more in the last few days.

stock photo of a classroom with wooden desks and vases of flowers. — *stock photo of a classroom. I love the flowers!*

My Sunday Snapshot, Confession! We are Really Missing School

by Anne Sweet 13 Comments

This is not one of my photographs, I have taken from last weeks school newsletter. It’s the Little Man when he was at school and it has made me realise just how much we are missing school.

Really Missing School

It’s been a tough few weeks and I’ve come to the conclusion that our main problem is that we are missing school. This has come to a real shock for me. I’m one of those Mum’s who countdown to school holidays, love having my kids around all day and I am very hands on with their home learning. But, it’s not all about me and my kids are unhappy, and when my kids are unhappy, I am too.

The girls have not been to school properly for nearly a year now. We tried when they went back in September but it didn’t work out. They couldn’t cope with all the new rules and felt unsafe. The school compromised with a safe place for them to go for an hour and half each day. They didn’t learn much and I complimented their education at home with Ed Place. It wasn’t great though, they missed their friends and school interactions. The Summer holidays arrived and lock down relaxed, but they were still too anxious to go out. We did have a friend around on each of the kid’s birthdays. That’s all the interaction they have had in real life.

Computers

All three children now spend most of the day on their computers. Once, computer time would be limited but now they actually get their lessons onlines. They attend classes on Team meetings and then write and submit their work online. Once they are finished they play with their friends…again through their computer screens. I don’t want to deny them this interaction even though I feel they have had enough time glued to their screens.

I try to break it up with other activities like baking, family games and even helping with the housework. It’s so difficult to keep them off their computers though.

Home School

I love having my children home and I love teaching them. I can help with practically everything they are learning (yes, even algebra.) My weak subjects are geography and physics but I’m willing to learn with them. I’ve told them this but they don’t want my help. Even when they get stuck, asking Mum just isn’t a welcome option. The Little Man is better, he will let me help him. I found out last week that even though he was attending school all day online, he was not submitting his work. So we knuckled down and got that done.

As much as I love having my kids home, and I would rather have them here and safe, it’s started to get to me not having a moment to myself. Having teenage girls, they don’t go to bed until I do, and they are here all day. Even if they spend a few hours in their bedroom in the evening, I still have to make sure they are behaving, showering, eating, going to bed at the right time. I would like a break sometime. I do miss that peace and quiet I had after the manic rush to get them off to school. I do miss not having to worry about lunch, just grabbing something when I could. Now I have an hour to make sure everyone is fed and ready for the next lessons to begin.

And as much as the girl’s complained about school, I know they are missing it now, it’s been way too long. And it looks like Star won’t be going back at all.

It’s a different story for The Little Man. He went back in September. His school was brilliant and they did really well at keeping the virus at bay. He loves school, and they spent a lot of time outdoors (As his photo above shows.) He misses his friends and teachers and even though he loves his computer he has become so bored of it.

So, that’s my confession for this week. We are really missing school!

When Your Child Needs A Little Extra Help with Their Education.

by Anne Sweet Leave a Comment

These are difficult times with everything being disrupted by the COVID pandemic. Children are back at school now but they still have catching up to do. A lot of children could do with a little extra help with their education. Some children are losing time because of having to self isolate, some are now being home educated at their parents choice. Every story is different, but I have been using a program which has been helping my girls and today I wanted to tell you about EdPlace.

Before I begin I do need to tell you that as a user of Edplace I am entitled to a saving on my fee if I refer you. But you can try it out for free and under no obligation to begin a paid subscription. My referral code is zhvhsb and you will get a £10 discount if you use it. I am a paid user of Edplace and I use the family option so both my girls can benefit from it.

What is EdPlace?

EdPlace is a trusted program to assist learning from year 1 to GCSE, including 11+

It helps to build your child’s confidence in learning by matching their level of progression and providing stimulating lessons to help them achieve more. Whether they are at school or home learning.

EdPlace offer a lot of learning opportunities but they do only provide the main three subjects of English, Science and Maths. They also offer revision assessments for SATS, 11+ and GCSE’s

All subjects are from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 4 and are split into different segments, Topics, National Curriculum and Assessments. When you get to the GCSE subjects you can choose from examining boards. The ones on offer are AQA, Pearson Edexcel, OCR and Eduqas. If your child is working towards GCSEs at school they will know which examining board they will be using. If your child is not at school and you wish for them to do GCSEs then you may be liable to pay for the actual exams. It’s worth talking to a local school or college to see if they can arrange the exams for your child.

https://www.edplace.com/

If your child is home learning then EdPlace can offer loads of learning resources for you online. You can assign them at the click of a button and then your child can log in and do them. You can then either work alongside them or let them get on with it and check over what they have done afterwards. EdPlace scores most of the work but there are some assignments that need a more personal view and you are asked to check that your child has filled the answers in correctly. (Don’t worry, the answers are given for you!)

For example: In an English question your child might be asked to write about three things they have read in a story. Then you will need to check over what they have written and make sure they have correctly identified the three things.

Home Learning and Education Help

There are many reasons for a child to be learning at home. It might be a choice that you have made or it may be that your child is not able to attend school at this time. If your child is attending school then you may find that they are providing all the home learning they need, which is great, but sometimes they might need a little extra. Even if your child is at school full time right now there may be a reason they need a little extra learning at home. Maybe they need help catching up, or just need some extra help with revision for SATS or GCSEs.

EdPlace also offers some great resources and articles on Home Schooling

My girls are currently on a reduced timetable at school and I have one in year 9 and the other in year 11. Boo, in year 9 has fallen behind with her work and is struggling a little. She is doing half a day at school and spending and hour and a half on EdPlace each day. It’s helping her to catch up and hopefully, when she’s back at school full time she will be in line with her peers.

Star is in year 11 and doing her GCSEs. She’s also only on half days and is currently doing her mock exams. EdPlace has helped her to revise for these. Hopefully by continuing with EdPlace she will also get the extra tuition she needs to get better results on her actual exams next year. Other Exam tuition can be found with these revision resources from Becky at Family Budgeting.

Try Edplace for Free

As I mentioned before, I do have a vested interest in EdPlace, but I am also a fully paid up member which I chose because my girls needed the extra tuition it offered. You can try Edplace for free but if you do decide to try out a paid membership you can save £10 by using my referral code zhvhsb. I will save £10 as well. Does your child need a little extra help with their education?

A selection of other posts I’ve written about Education.

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