Words of Support for our Capcoch Families from us all.

You may be feeling the pressure to create a minute by minute home-schooling timetable for your children. You have high hopes of hours of learning, including using Seesaw, Purple Mash, Google classroom and following updates on class Dojo, but here's a message from us.

Our children are just as anxious as we are right now. Our children not only hear everything that is going on around them, but they feel tension and anxiety. They have never experienced anything like this before, and most likely, nor have we. Although the idea of being off school for many weeks sounds great (like the summer holidays), the time spent away from school during the pandemic has been different; the reality of being ordered to lockdown at home and not seeing our friends and family has been an unsettling time for us all.

You may see changes in the behaviour of your children, something which is completely normal and expected under these circumstances. What your children need right now is to feel comforted, loved and safe. This might mean that you decide not to follow the school timetable for a little while and choose to go on your daily walk, play in the garden, bake cakes and paint pictures instead. This is perfectly fine.

Every Capcoch pupil is so important to us and we want to help them and offer our support as much as we possibly can.

When we are all back in school, we will make sure the learning continues and we meet the needs of every learner. Our teachers will prioritise this as they always do. Don't set aside hours of learning time if they are resisting it, because it is ok to have wellbeing time too. What is more important is that they are safe and well. Safe and well at home with you. The opportunity to go to the park, to cuddle our loved ones and to feel a sense of normality will be with us soon.

Finally, we would like to end with this:

At the end of all of this, your child's mental health and emotional well-being, as well as their resilience, will be more important than their academic skills. How they feel during this time will stay with them.

I will be adding resources, activities and useful links of support that can be accessed if you feel necessary. This will encourage positive well-being and offer alternative ways of learning for children in an enjoyable way. It will offer experiences of reflection, to talk about their feelings and an awareness that it is ok to feel like this. But above all, a route that our children and yourselves can access as a means of support to make the world around you brighter during this uncertain time.

Best wishes

The Wellbeing Team - Mrs Burrows and all the staff at Capcoch Primary School.

Creative Arts Therapy ideas for parents

Please see below link to therapeutic creative activities for emotional well being. This website is focused on activities that parents/carers can do at home to support children to explore social and emotional subjects through creative activities. It also gives parents 'permission' to be playful with their children rather than feeling caught up in the anxiety of the varying demands on our time at the moment.

Website can be accessed via: https://www.catcorner.co.uk

Useful website links to support Well-being:

Follow the links below for more information on children's WELL-BEING

 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-onsupporting-children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-and-wellbeing

https://youngminds.org.uk/

https://www.mentallyhealthyschools.org.uk/

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY !!

Today marks the last day of home learning for this week. Our teachers have been blown away by the outstanding work by our children- they have all worked so hard!!! Thanks as always to our families for supporting their children: as always it means so much.

So, let's make today FEEL GOOD FRIDAY!! When home learning is complete, find something to do that brings a smile to your face- go for a walk, watch a movie, read a book, soak in a bath or make a phone-call to someone you are not able to see at this time

As always, feel free to share and spread the FEEL GOOD FRIDAY FEELING 

Have a great weekend all!!

Action for Happiness have released their latest monthly calendar!

Active April encourages improving your emotional wellbeing by moving your body

Exercise promotes the release of ‘feel-good’ hormones to improve the wellbeing of children and young people. Spring into action and help your mental and physical wellbeing by moving your bodies and connecting with nature.

Please see the attached website which includes useful Mental health tips and support for the Summer holidays 🤩

https://www.place2be.org.uk/our-services/parents-and-carers/tips-and-support-for-the-holidays/