Tuesday 19th May
Hello to our wonderful school community. The sun is back out and the temperatures rising - beautiful! Long may it continue.
Children I have a couple of really important messages for your grown-ups; I will tell them first, and then tell you about my lack of sleep and why it is important to get a good night’s rest (possibly with some really important guidance that I should follow).
Families, Olive Hill will not be open over the May half term. I am sure you will agree that the staff have worked incredibly hard and deserve a break before we start to increase the number of children that we have in school. They have ensured that you have online learning, they have ensured that the children in school are well catered for, they have kept in contact with our families, they have made you videos, they have answered your emails, they have written your reports (yes, we will still be sending them out at the end of the year), they have continued to develop the curriculum and continued with many, many other aspects of school that you may not be aware of. In addition, many have home schooled their own children, cooked breakfast, lunch and tea for their own children, tidied up after their own children - you get the picture parents, I can see you nodding in agreement. But don’t worry, all staff will be back on 1st June rejuvenated and refreshed!
My second really important message is about the plan for a phased return to school for Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 - this is in addition to the children of key workers and our most vulnerable young people. On our website or via a link on Twitter, you will find a detailed letter (6 pages!) of how we plan to phase these children back into school, we want you as parents and carers to make an informed choice about what is right for your child. We cannot promise that we have eliminated the risk of infection at our school, nobody can promise that in any part of your daily life, but we will do what we can to reduce the risk of infection. The letter is of particular importance for those children in Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 however, I would encourage all of the school community to read it.
Now, onto my lack of sleep, which is very much linked to the above information about the phased return of more children into the school environment. Have I told you how much I love my job? I deeply care about all of the children and staff at Olive Hill and I want to ensure that we are doing our absolute best by our community. This sometimes involves difficult decisions and sleepless nights. I am not alone, Mr Priest, Mr Holder and Miss Walters share the same commitment along with all of the other amazing staff at our school. Sometimes, when I have lots on my mind or I am worrying about something I find it super difficult to get a good night’s sleep - do you ever find that? Do you find it really frustrating? Do you toss and turn in your bed? Move your pillows about? Count sheep?
If you have ever experienced a bad night’s sleep, you will know that the next day you can feel pretty groggy. You find it difficult to concentrate, you can’t keep your eyes open, you might be a bit short with people, you might feel like crying for no reason - it is just makes for a bad day. So, why is sleep so important?
Sleep is essential part of everyone’s routine (yes children, your parents are telling you the truth when they say you need to go to bed and go to sleep). Most of us have really busy days and by the end of the day, your body needs a break and sleep allows your body to rest and repair itself. Studies have shown that children who get an adequate amount of sleep have improved attention, behaviour, learning, memory, and overall mental and physical health. On average, you should be aiming for at least 10 hours of sleep a night.
Did you know that there are different stages of sleep? During the first stage, your body starts to feel a bit drowsy. You can still be woken up easily during this stage. After a while, you enter stage 2, which is a slightly deeper sleep. Your brain gives the signal to your muscles to relax. It also tells your heart to beat a little slower and your breathing to slow down. Even your body temperature drops a bit. As you enter stage three, you are in an even deeper sleep, also called slow-wave sleep. Your brain sends a message to your blood pressure to get lower. Your body isn’t sensitive to the temperature of the air around you, which means that you won’t notice if it’s a little hot or cold in your room. It is much harder to be awakened when you’re in this stage, but some people may sleepwalk or talk in their sleep at this point. Stage four is the deepest sleep yet and is also considered slow-wave sleep. it’s very hard to wake up from this stage of sleep, and if you do wake up, you’re sure to be out of it and confused for at least a few minutes. R.E.M stands for rapid eye movement. Even though the muscles in the rest of your body are totally relaxed, your eyes move back and forth very quickly beneath your eyelids. The R.E.M stage is when your heart beats faster and your breathing is less regular. This is also the stage when people dream! While you are asleep, you repeat stages 2,3,4 and R.E.M about every 90 minutes until you wake up in the morning. Who knew that sleep was so complicated!
Hopefully, apart from the odd night where it is more difficult, sleep comes naturally to you. Here are some tips, for me and you, for ensuring that you do get all the sleep you need:
Try to go to bed at the same time every night; this helps your body get into a routine.
Follow a bedtime routine that is calming, such as taking a warm bath or reading.
Limit foods and drink that contain caffeine, such as coke, coffee and tea.
If you have a television in your room, turn it off when it is time to sleep. Research has shown that children with a television in their bedroom sleep less.
Avoid watching anything scary close to bedtime because this can make it harder to fall asleep.
Avoid exercising just before you go to bed, do your exercise earlier in the day - this will help you sleep better.
Only use your bed for sleeping, that way you can train your bed to associate your bed with sleeping.
If you are worrying about something, make sure you tell an adult what is on your mind. Just sharing your problems with someone can help you sleep better.
Remember, just because you can’t sleep, doesn’t mean you should go waking everyone else up!
It is time for me to sign off now. Parents and carers please read the important information that we have published today. Children, please make sure you get a good night’s sleep.
We miss you. Stay safe.