Tuesday 7th April

Good day everyone. I hope this finds you all in good spirits. Have you been able to enjoy the sunshine? I do hope you have. Sometimes, when it is really sunny, I like to move a chair to the sunniest spot in my house and read a book. I can feel the sun’s warmth coming through the window and it makes me smile as I imagine myself in the world of the book I am reading.

Thank you for all of the pictures you have been emailing to us, we have loved seeing you enjoying the Easter activities and the art adventure. It is a bit strange communicating with you through email, as we so used to seeing you everyday and being able to communicate with you around the school building and on the playground. I am very glad that we can have contact with you through email as we miss you so much and look forward to your emails. I am also having to email all of you school grown-ups a lot as I don’t see them everyday either. School is a very quiet place at the moment.

How are you communicating with your family and friends? I am using my mobile phone a lot. It is really nice to be able to use video-calling. In fact, I am going to have a group video-call with Mr Priest, Mr Holder and Miss Walters this evening, I have already chosen the spot where I am going to sit as I don’t want them to see the mess I have created in my house! Like you, I am doing my school work from home and I have stuff everywhere (I am sure you are a lot tidier than me). I haven’t only used my phone to communicate, I have also written letters to my family. Have you written any letters to your family and friends?

We are really lucky that we have lots of ways that we can keep in touch with people and to let them know we are thinking about them - house phone, mobile phone, text messages, emails, video-calling, letters - the list really is endless and gives us plenty of opportunities to communicate. But, it hasn’t always been like that. Throughout history the way we communicate has changed. In the very distant past people used to use smoke signals as a form of communication; however, smoke signals could only send a few simple messages. The oldest known form of communication were cave paintings. Humans invented writing more than 5,000 years ago - as you can imagine, early writing looked very different to what it does now.

Telecommunication is communication over long distances. In ancient times pigeons carried written messages (that is very different to sending a text on a mobile phone, and can you imagine how long it must have taken!). Before trains and cars, messengers on foot or horseback would have carried letters (again, this would have taken some time). These days we use the television, telephones, and the Internet - thank goodness everything is a lot faster. We also have faster methods of transporting letters and other parcels - did you know that our postal service is seen as key to the fight against Covid-19? The work of our postal men and women is vital, not only does it allow us to keep in touch with each other, it also ensures that emergency medical supplies are delivered to hospitals. Thank you postal workers.

Of course, communication is not only a human activity. Animals communicate through sounds, scents and acts. Some of your school grown-ups are convinced that their pets can talk and understand what their owners are saying - what do you think?

We cannot wait to be able to communicate face-face with you again. In the meantime, keep emailing us at: children@olive.dudley.sch.uk.

Stay safe