It would be naive  to think that the child will pick up the curriculum at exactly the same point at which they left it on the day their school closed. Too much has happened. As some children begin returning to school, having heard what they have said and experienced. Not all of it follows the usual pattern of a school year with all of the annual cycle of events. 

Teaching is a relationship-based profession. That has been clearly demonstrated in the response of the teaching profession, supporting children through online teaching during the crisis, and also caring for the children of key workers by keeping schools open and offering an activities programme. This was not without its inherent risk.

With that in mind, we have provided a summary below of both our approach and the thinking behind it. 

We hope that you feel this approach will support your child’s well-being as they begin their re-engagement with learning at school.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or would like more information

A Recovery Curriculum: Chigwell Row Infant School, Post Pandemic  

Chigwell Row Infant School have put the child’s well-being at the centre of our thinking.  We acknowledge that the children will have had different experiences during this time. However, the common thread running through all is the loss of routine, structure, friendship, opportunity and freedom.  These losses can trigger anxiety in any child.  Some of you may have experienced this with your own children. We know that an anxious child is not in a place to learn effectively.   So with this in mind, the school community has thought about the most effective way to support your child’s ability to learn.  This approach will encompass and support the academic expectations for your child.

What is it?    

Professor Barry Carpenter has developed the Recovery Curriculum, as a response to the losses described above.  It is a way for schools to help children come back into school life, acknowledging the experiences the children have had.  We want children to be happy, feel safe and able to be engaged in their learning. We have decided that a way to achieve this for the children is to acknowledge the importance of helping them lever back into school life using the following 5 Levers.

When children return to school we will be using circle time, drama, music, art, physical exercise, mindfulness. Most importantly, we will be given the Children the time and space they need both mentally, spiritually and physically, to settle back into learning. Careful assessments will take place during the first half term, sensitively delivered and as as much as possible through observation and conversation, we will provide a bespoke curriculum which will address any gaps in learning and build upon learning achieved and experiences had at home. 

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Professor Barry Carpenter, CBE is Professor of Mental Health in Education at Oxford Brookes University. 

Below is a link to his podcast on the Recovery Curriculum.

https://www.evidenceforlearning.net/recoverycurriculum/#mentalhealth