Tuesday 31st March

Hello all. I hope you all enjoyed yesterday’s blog. Did you complete the quiz? All of the Olive Hill staff were delighted to see their pets included in the blog.

Have you heard of the Royal Mint? It has been featured in the news recently as it is supporting in the fight against Covid-19. The Royal Mint traditionally produces coins for the United Kingdom however, it is now manufacturing medical visors to help protect NHS staff from coronavirus. Engineers based at the site in Llantrisant are usually used to working on coins and related machinery, but they created the first design for a medical visor within seven hours. They had learnt something new.

Have you learnt anything new since the government asked us all to stay safe and stay home? Yesterday, I was really pleased when I learnt to insert pictures into the blog, without any help from Mr Patel (I usually have to ask for help from Mr Patel when it comes to computers). I am also trying really hard to learn how to live a slower pace of life, I am usually dashing here, there and everywhere. We would love to know what you have been learning, email us at children@olive.dudley.sch.uk.

Mrs Higgins suggested that I ask the staff what they had been learning. This is what they said:

Mrs Hamblett has learnt the importance of having a routine for your mental health and well being - she is still working on hers! She also learnt how much she loves seeing all of you everyday and she is really missing you.

Mrs Higgins has learnt that it wasn’t time that prevented her from doing the small things around the house, she just didn’t want to do them (I am sure some of your grown-ups can relate to this). She has also started to sew again.

Miss Raphael has learnt how to mow the lawn. I am sure Mr Weston would like some help Miss Raphael with the school grass!

Miss Best has been learning how to make time for herself, although she is making slow progress. She is also improving her knowledge of teaching primary science with an online course.

Mrs Hackett, as you already know, has been learning how to bake cakes and is quite pleased with the results so far. She now needs to do a bit of work on her icing skills. Miss Walters has also been learning to bake, she followed the recipe from the blog last week, but she didn’t have any scales and had to guess the measurements. Mr Priest has been learning to cook a chicken laksa - it was very tasty, but we will have to take his word for it.

Miss Homer (Y6) has learnt how to use a shovel properly and how to stake wooden sleepers into the floor in the garden (I’ve no idea either!). Mr Holder has also been learning to do things in the garden, he has made quite a mess and learnt not to overload the wood chipper. Another aspiring gardener is Mr Brady, he has built a new shed (unlike Miss Walters with her guessing and Mr Holder with his overloading, I am pleased to report that Mr Brady followed the instructions).

Mrs Dudley has learnt that the freedom to go and do what you want is taken for granted and she does not like being told to stay at home (but she understands why we are having to stay safe). She is completing an online course that will give her even more skills to support children with Dyslexia. Mrs Waters has also been doing some online learning, she has been learning about ADHD and autism. Her nan is also teaching her to knit on video call. Miss Cooper has been learning about attachment in the early years through an online course and has been learning to crochet. Mrs Copson has also been learning about attachment, researching speech and language, and learning about child psychology. Goodness me, your school grown-ups are certainly working hard to upskill themselves. Well done all.

Mrs White is taking an online course in Spanish and she is due to start another online course about wedding planning (I hope she is not considering a change of career). She has been spending lots of time in her garden, learning to appreciate the beautiful flowers and the fruit trees (that she can’t remember planting) as well as the sounds of nature due to the reduction in the traffic.

Miss Lee has learnt that her and her daughter make a great team - they’ve been cleaning the windows outside their house and Miss Lee has been holding her daughters trousers so she doesn’t fall. I think they need to invest in a ladder.

Mrs Waldron has learnt how to make her own lunch (yes, you have read that correctly. Mrs Waldron doesn’t usually make her own lunch as her nan does it for her). Mrs Bird is very proud of Mrs Waldron for learning this new skill. Mrs Waldron has learnt that both her and her son love being in the garden - even if they do end up with new pets. She also learnt that gloss doesn’t wash out of a paint brush with water (another one not following instructions).

Mrs Birch has learnt that some toys/gifts are left at the back of the cupboard for a reason after finding one that is impossible to build and keeps falling apart. I bet you she isn’t following the instructions either!

Miss Wajid has been relearning her calligraphy skills. She thinks she might have lost her touch, but the picture she sent looked very good. I was impressed, I have used it for the blog picture today.

Mrs Shinner has learnt to clean out the stick insects as Harley and her class are not at school. When questioned about this, Miss Shinner did admit that she had learnt how to supervise her husband whilst he cleaned them.

Miss Richardson has learnt how to keep busy at home rather than going out and spending money. I am hoping that she will teach me this new skill.

What a lot of learning that has taken place. I am exhausted writing all of that. I love to learn new things, I find it exhilarating. Next week we will have an exciting new art project for you to be involved in, each week you will have the opportunity to learn new art skills with Mr Brady’s expert tuition. I am hoping your home grown-ups will get involved as well. We are going to create a huge display of the artwork in school - to illustrate the link between home and school. I am going to be taking part also, drawing is a skill I would like to develop and I am looking forward to us all sharing the same journey.

We miss you all more and more each day.

Stay safe