Do try to read every night with your child; it is one of the best things you can do for their academic and personal progress. Remember, a child who reads will be an adult who thinks.
Whilst the world is righting itself do try to provide high quality literacy texts for your child. Escaping the madness is sometimes a very good and healthy thing to do!
Turn off the news and radio. These children do not need to hear any more unsettling news stories. Be calm in your own responses and your child will copy what you have modelled.
Do not be in a rush for this Covid ‘catch up’ that is appearing – this is a fallacy. Look at the image below. The X-ray on the left is a 4 year old child’s hand bone structure and the one on the right belongs to an 8 year old. To start popping a pencil in their hands, to ‘catch up’, is (as you can tell) not going to make much difference to their ability to write better when older. Be patient and know your child is constantly developing and ever changing.
Do watch the following video, which we as a staff team discussed at a Faculty meeting, this week, with Stephen Fry talking about the simplest of hacks to improve your child’s reading. Consider doing this TODAY.
Stephen Fry talks about turning on the subtitles
Finally, for us all: let’s enjoy the summer term, with a little more togetherness as we unlock further. At St Peter’s Preparatory School, we always bring the absolute best out in each other. Long may that continue.
Lucy Ball
Deputy Head teaching and Learning.
