Back to school again and Easter fun

It’s the end of another school term, and we’re getting ever closer to the end of another school year. Year 5, and one that seems to have rushed by, with over half a term of it as remote learning. Thankfully a week into March, they were all back in school again, and it’s been glorious!

I’m not sure N would class it as that, but he’s been happy enough being back. With British Summer Time now here, it also means lighter evenings so he still has time to go out on the farm for a few jobs. And to feed his calf.who’s finally been put into a box to build their bond before he tries to halter train her.

With it feeling a short term, there’s still been plenty going on. 

Covid bubbles

N’s school have done really well with their Covid response. Ok, I think they pushed it with the rules where basically pretty much anyone could end up sending children to school if they wanted, rather than like some schools who were overly strict about their intake of key workers and vulnerable. But with a lot more in his class in school than out, they still had no burst bubbles, so long may that continue.

Now everyone’s back they’ve moved to mini bubbles. So his class is split into 4ish bubbles.  He’s been lucky as he’s still sitting next to one of his really good friends, with another good friend in the bubble too.  A 3rd has just been moved in, and there’s a new boy that he’s made friends with too. He’s also rating his bubble for hockey proficiency, so he’s pleased about that! Although there are rumours of more seating changes next term.

Assessments

Liike every term in this class, there were assessments. I think against SATs levels, so they can gauge where the children need more support, and how they’re doing against expectations and where they think they might end up. N’s blase about them, although being off sick for one lot of assessments did mean he had to do them on catch up while others were doing other catch up. He wasn’t happy and said the paper didn’t go well because he couldn’t concentrate with too much chatting around him.  Usually they’d be quiet when they’re all sitting assessments – he does love silence when working!

Tonsillitis

It’s not been a good term for tonsillitis.  He’d had 2.5 days off after Christmas for it, but this time really flaked. The antibiotics didn’t kick in for nearly 3 days, so he ended up with 4 days off. Horrendous considering that’s more than he’d usually be off in a whole year by some way. While it’s not great him having it, if he does get it again at least it would mean we can bring forwardhis next consultant appointment, in the hope of getting them taken out over the summer.

With all the time he misses, he has to catch up in school. He doesn’t mind that so much, but when it means missing out on PE, in particular hockey, it’s not great. He’d rather have it as homework.

Mindfulness

Soon after they started back at school, mindfulness was back on the schedule. N isn’t a fan of spending time being thoughtful or relaxing. He doesn’t see why he needs to when he has no issue switching off and relaxing, and doesn’t have lots of worries.

This time he was quite entertained. Evidently they had to spend the first minute or so having a tantrum to get any anger and stress out. It then went downhill when he said he nearly fell asleep on the quiet area wall. Oops.

If mindfulness could teach him how to zone out talking and other people when he’s doing school work, that would be worth it.

New friends

The first day after going back into school, N came home saying the new child was nice. It seemed they chatted quite a bit, so it’s nice he’s got another friend in the class. N’s kind of middle height, but next to this boy he’s tiny.

Charity days

Frst of all there was Red Nose Day. Of course they dressed in red, which is always an easy one for N. Then it was also non uniform day for PTA funds at the end of term. Being one of the first warm days of the year, N even put on his shorts 

Egg roll

Easter celebrations at school always involve an egg roll. N and his friend discussed their eggs and decided they would freeze them once boiled.  N didn’t dare leave his in too long after decorating. But he was very impressed that his egg stayed pretty much in one piece after the roll. His friend won the distance.

They also did an easter egg hunt, and there had been Easter card making with poetry included. Very cute – I’l miss the cards once he goes to secondary school.

It was a fun finish before Easter break up.

So a couple of weeks off before it’s back for the summer term. And hopefully covid cases will continue going down so some more normality will be back.