Sandiway Primary School Newsletter
Newsletter 17 Wednesday 2nd February 2022 Spring Term 2022
www.sandiway.cheshire.sch.uk admin@sandiway.cheshire.sch.uk
Mental Health Week
Next week is Children’s Mental Health Week the theme
being GROWING TOGETHER, interlinking perfectly with
our school tag line ‘Achieving and Growing Together’.
Here is short video to give you a lovely idea to start
thinking about growing together.
Recently, I spoke to the children about our physical and
mental health – I was faced with a forest of hands with
children desperate to tell me things that they do to help
both these aspects.
The impact of Covid
As a school, we are noticing that there is an increasing
legacy of COVID appearing; growing anxieties that children
really should not have. We are seeing some children
struggle more with friendships and the ability to resolve
arguments. Children are working hard in lessons: they
listen well, work hard and are progressing well. Outside
the classroom we are seeing some behaviours that we
would like to support more. In our lessons, we are
working through a ‘recovery curriculum’ – one that we are
making sure any disrupted learning is consolidated before
we move on. We also need to recovery and heal in other
ways – an absolute priority for us all, I believe.
The new normal
Children have been attending school seeing classrooms
half empty. Children have been spending more time at
home (many of which have loved this – parents too). We
are seeing children starting to attend parties again. All of
these things we are not used to and we need to adjust as
we emerge from the pandemic. As an adult I have found
this challenging, then I try to imagine what this feels like
to a child.
Strategies for school and home – a partnership approach
Being in the moment - Spending time with children
without distraction is really important – as a school
community we are making more time to talk and listen. At
home, we can replicate the being in the moment by
making sure we all have each others’ attention (devices
away), spending time playing games, reading, being
outside, noticing the things which we normally walk past,
etc.
Focus on well-being – we take time to do this each week.
It is important to consider maintaining our mental health
as if we would our physical health. Our forest area is
having a positive impact, which we intend to use more.
The new relationships education is helping us to explore
positive friendships and the importance of resolving
conflicts.
At home, if you would like some extra tools to support
conversations, here are some more ideas I have used with
my own children:
 The use of ‘worry monsters’ or ‘worry dolls’.
 Books that describe worries and how they are
dealt with. A favourite of mine is ‘The Huge Bag of
Worries’
 Mindfulness activity books and colouring books.
Further information
On the Children’s Mental Health Week website, there are
some lovely stories to listen to and activities to take part
in. Another site which is really useful for ideas is Young
Minds – some very helpful reads, parent guides, etc.
Finally, the NHS has a really useful website with further
support for young people and their families.
As we enter next week, can I ask that we all take some
time out to
Events and Dates
support both
8 Feb 6pm Y5 Conway visit Information
our families Meeting
and 8 Feb Parent Partnership Meeting
ourselves? 18 Feb Break up for half term
28 Feb Children return to school
1 Mar 3.30pm Y2 Fox Howl meeting
Chris Priddey 2 Mar Dental check-up for 5-year-olds
2-4 Mar Y5 on Conway Residential
29-30 Mar Y2 on Fox Howl Residential
1 Apr Break up for Easter holiday
19 Apr Children & staff return to school
20-22 Apr Y4 on Ironbridge Residential
2 May Bank holiday
9-10 May Y3 on Burwardsley Residential
27 May Break up for half term
6 June Extra ‘Bank Holiday’ for school
(Queen’s Platinum Jubilee)
7 June Children & staff return to school
28 Jun – 1 July Y6 on Keswick Residential
20 July Children break up for summer