14.1.21 Mobile Data Offer

14th January 2021Mr Bennett
14.1.21 Mobile Data Offer
The following information is from the local authority and is not connected to Mortimer Primary School.
The Department for Education (Government) have introduced an offer to increase mobile data allowances for children and young people to allow them to access the internet to complete their remote learning.
WHO CAN GET HELP?
This scheme is open to children and young people who:
  • don’t have access to a fixed broadband connection
  • cannot afford the additional data needed to access educational resources or social care services
  • have access to a mobile device that uses a participating network
  • are facing disruption to their face-to-face education, or have been advised not to attend school
  • Account holders with monthly contracts need to be over the age of 18.
WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED?
To request extra mobile data, the following information will be forwarded to the DfE:
  • the account holder’s name
  • mobile number (a number beginning with ‘07’)
  • mobile network
  • whether you pay monthly or pay as you go
How do I apply?
If you are eligible to apply simply complete this form with your account details.
Application form.
South Tyneside LA will only collate this information in order to send to the DfE and will delete the information by 31st July 2021.  The DfE are the data handler. The DfE will then pass on your details to the appropriate service provider.
The mobile network operator will use that information to increase the data available for the account holder’s mobile device, as long as you qualify for the offer. If you do not agree to your data being held by the DfE please do not complete the form.
More information about the DfE Privacy Policy
Then what happens?
You will be contacted by the service provider within the time stated to confirm that your data allowance has been updated.  Please do not contact the school or the LA with queries on this scheme, get in touch with your provider directly if you have any questions.
Which networks are taking part in the scheme?
EE, Sky Mobile, Smarty, Tesco Mobile, Three, Virgin Mobile and O2.
Check out what each provider is offering here.

13.1.21 Contacting School

13th January 2021Mr Bennett

13.1.21 Contacting School

Just to remind all parents…
  • Please refrain from emailing teachers directly. We don’t allow staff to reply and this allows them to focus on their job in hand.
  • Instead email [email protected] from which your email will be passed on.
  • Staff will reply to posts in the Google Classrooms for those working from home.
  • Responses to Google Classroom posts should not be expected after 4pm or over weekends.
  • Our phone number remains 0191 455 4504 and we are happy to speak to you.
  • I do respond to Facebook direct messages when possible, but please recognise that this isn’t the best way to contact school if you have an urgent/important request.
We understand that help is needed at this present time and we will continue to do our best for every child.
Thank you for your support.

The Fitness Factor

12th January 2021A Stelling

To compliment the Real PE resource we sent you before the Christmas break, we are providing you with the fitness factor resource. This contains 28 days of fun, physical activities for your children to complete. Some are more suitable for older children so please pick and choose ones you think are suitable for your child(ren).

In addition the following free websites are available to support physical activity and mental health and wellbeing:

Super Movers BBC 

8.1.21 And that’s a wrap!

8th January 2021Mr Bennett

8.1.21 And that’s a wrap!

Staff are still going strong but our website has just given up and crashed in case you are trying to access it. It should be back up soon!
We have worked many additional hours this week to get things right. Our critical worker places are now full in most year groups, as we ensure the safety of the children and our staff. If your place is no longer needed, please let us know as we have families waiting.
In the 1st lockdown, we would often have less than 20 pupils in school – we are now into the hundreds of pupils in school as we begin lockdown 3. Help us to keep these numbers as low as possible.
Enjoy your weekend and we will see you soon.
Stay safe

Google Meet Times Week Beginning 11.1.21

8th January 2021A Stelling

Please find below a list of the Google Meet times for week beginning 11.1.21.

We know that some classes may have sibling link clashes, please don’t feel you have to attend every Google Meet session. If there are conflicts on times with siblings you may be able to alternate days between children or chat to the teacher and let them know.

Please do not feel it is essential to visit each meeting. 

The morning sessions will mainly be a discussion of the work set for that day and answering any questions children may have, the afternoon session will generally be a story time and catch up with the class both in school and at home.

Teachers are preparing pre-recorded videos to accompany many of the work tasks, we are very much aware that not all parents are able to be ‘live’ every day at the same time and we want to offer support wherever we feel it will enhance learning.

We’ll see you online!

Class Morning Session Afternoon Session
6EM 9:00 am 3:00 pm
6RD 9:00 am 3:00 pm
6FH 9:00 am 3:00 pm
5HA 9:10 am  3:00 pm
5PM 9:00 am 3:00 pm
5AM 9:20 am  3:00 pm
4AS 11:40 am 1:30 pm 
4KR 11:00 am  1:30 pm
4KA 11:20 am 1:30 pm
3JDo 10:00 am 3:05 pm
3JDa 10:10 am 3:05 pm
3JG 10:20 am 3:05 pm
2SK 10:30 am 2:00 pm
2RF 10:50 am 2:20 pm
2ES 10:40 am 2:40 pm
1MP 9:30 am  2:30 pm
1KM 10:00 am 2:45 pm
1CS 10:30 am 3:00 pm

7.1.21 What a week!

7th January 2021Mr Bennett

7.1.21 What a week!

If there could ever be the longest and shortest week in history, this might be it.
Thank you to all parents and carers that have gotten onboard with us this week. Your support makes things so much easier.
Huge thanks to Mrs Cunningham for steering us through another almighty week!
We couldn’t be prouder of how our staff have worked to completely alter our provision and pick up remote learning. We know that there will be a few teething issues. but this is only day 2 of school in lockdown 3.0. We will get things ironed out.
Our online learning package is taking shape and teachers are live each day to greet children. Lessons will become more user friendly as staff and pupils get in sync. We will be checking in with pupils if we don’t see them checking in.
Our critical worker places are just being finalised with many, many more pupils in school than during the first lockdown. We are doing our bit to support front line workers whilst continuing to educate our pupils.
Please reach out to us if we can help. If we can, we will. #mortimerfamily
And to you, the new teachers picking up your second term of work at home…go easy on yourselves and your children. Do what you can and celebrate what is done rather than focusing on what isn’t. The weekend is in sight, get some fresh air and relax. You will have earned it.

Google Meets for Thursday 7th January and Friday 8th January and ‘Things we learnt today!’

6th January 2021A Stelling

Here are the times of Google Meets for the rest of the week. The staff loved seeing the children today and we hope you enjoyed the interaction too. The times are deliberately different each day this week to allow children who may not have access at a set time to be able to see their teacher and have contact.

Moving forward next week you will have two set times for each class, each day. There may  also be other invitations to complete group and individual tasks such as reading or phonic work with your teacher or teaching assistant. More information will follow. These times will be posted in the Google Classrooms and on the website by close of day Friday. 

Tasks set within the Google Classroom may also have audio from your teacher explaining tasks over a PowerPoint or sharing a demonstration. These will be pre-recorded so that children will be able to access them at any time they need to while working. This will not be on every task but where we feel it supports learning.

A few things we discovered today: 

  • If you are using a Mac Book try to use Google Chrome not Safari to access the Google Classroom.
  • If you are on a portable device have Google Classroom and Google Meet downloaded as Apps. Make sure that your child is logged into both using their school email.
  • You can not access the Google Meet with your own email it must be a school email. If your child’s user name is DavidS then their email would be [email protected].

We are here to help and will try our best to iron out any bumps by next week. Thank you for supporting us as we move forward and implement our Remote Learning Plan. 

Class Thursday

7th January

 Friday 

8th January

 Anything else planned later in the day
Y6EM 9:30 10:00 3pm story 
Y6RD 9:30 10:00 3pm story 
Y6FH 9:30 10:00 3pm story 
Y5HA 10:00 10:30
5PM 10:20 10:50
5AM 10:10 10:40
4AS 10:50 11:20
4KR 10:40 11:00
4KA 10:30 11:10
3JDo 11:00 10:00
3JDa 11:20 10:20
3JG 11:10 10:10
2SK 11:30 9:00
2RF 11:50 9:10
2ES 11:40 9:20
1MP 9:00 9:30 2:45 Story
1KM 9:10 9:40 3:00 Story
1CS 9:20 9:50 3:15 Story

6.1.21 Critical Worker Places Update

6th January 2021Mr Bennett

6.1.21 Critical Worker Places Update

It has been necessary to send a further email to those parents who have requested a critical worker place for their child.
It is important to action the points contained within the email. Your child’s place may be withdrawn without completion.
Please check junk/spam for the email.
If you are having trouble with the link, please let me know via email.
Please don’t panic, we simply need to ensure places are going to those who need them.
Children who have come into school under critical worker places are still welcome tomorrow!
Thanks
Mr Bennett

Google Classroom help video for parents

6th January 2021A Stelling

This is a really comprehensive video about using Google Classroom.

The video lasts about ten minutes, the important bits about assignments start at 5 minutes! 

Our KS2 children are very well practised using Google Classroom but our KS1 children are still learning. This might support the transition to online learning and help to answer some of the questions you may have.

Remember not all work needs to be completed online. A lot of children prefer to complete work on paper, our teachers try to be mindful that not all children have a printer.

You may want to take a photo using a digital device such as a phone or a tablet and then upload to the the task. Many of our children have impressed our staff in the past by finding new and inventive ways to annotate worksheets online by using screen shot feature and edit tool to complete.

We aim to make our remote learning accessible to all – please don’t feel there is one set way to submit your work. Teachers are very aware that these are very strange times and we are here to support and encourage all efforts.

 

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Google Meet Times for Y1 to Y6 Wednesday 5th January

5th January 2021A Stelling

Please find a list below of your class Google Meet Time.

There is a link in each Google Classroom and information on how to access the meeting. A  teacher from your year group will be live at those times.

  • 9:00 6RD
  • 9:10 6FH
  • 9:20 6EM
  • 9:30 5HA
  • 9:40 5AM
  • 9:50 5PM
  • 10;00 4AS
  • 10:10 4KA
  • 10:20 4KR
  • 10:30 3JDO
  • 10:40 3JG
  • 10:50 3JDA
  • 11:00 2SK
  • 11:10 2ES
  • 11:20 2RF
  • 11:30 1MP
  • 11:40 1KM
  • 11:50 1CS

Please note these times are for Wednesday only!