MINISTER WEIR ANNOUNCES PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO REMAIN CLOSED UNTIL 11 JANUARY
The following statement was issued by the Minister this morning.
Unfortunately, as usual, it lacks clarity in the detail, and raises a number of significant anomalies around:
Keyworkers
Nursery provision
After school care
Remote learning
And Year 7 (Transfer pupils)
The Assembly will meet this morning and hopefully greater clarity will be provided.
Castlereagh Primary Principals’ Group will also meet on Zoom this afternoon.
Our staff will then meet to discuss a way forward, whereby we can provide a degree of certainty and clarity for our parents and pupils.
In all of this it is important, particularly for our Yr7 pupils, to reinforce to them that their mantra remains unchanged:
‘I can, and I will do my best’
They need reassurance at this time, not media hype!
Parents have such an important role to play in reducing anxiety, reducing tension and building confidence and reassurance.
Shifting the focus from scores and schools to doing ‘my best’; allows children to take back control. ‘My best’ is something which each child can give, and there is nothing more we can ask of them.
Folks I would ask for your patience in all of this. We need a bit of time to get our heads around everything.
Consequently, I will not be responding to any further queries today but will issue a full statement to parents as soon as possible, and no later than tomorrow morning.
Thank you for your understanding and continued support and encouragement.