Patcham Infant School & Nursery Class

To Our Wonderful Community

So, whilst the gardens might have benefited, the rain added a different dimension to the lockdown week. Waking up on Tuesday morning felt a bit like a gloomy British camping trip with myself and Jan both wondering how we were going to entertain the kids for the rest of the day! It certainly made us appreciate the sunny weather we had previously been experiencing during lockdown. Still, we made it to the end of the week celebrating the small successes and I hope you did too whatever they may have been.

I was working from home this week whilst the amazing Mrs Hawkins supported in school. Being at home brought the many challenges you may be regularly grappling with; timetabling the computer, finding a quiet space, supporting home learning, getting fresh air in between rain showers. All of which, no doubt, put me in my stretch zone. 

I did however manage to read a blog from an Ultramarathon runner (someone who typically runs between 50 and 100 miles, taking anything between 9 to 16 hours depending on the terrain). The post reported that the first few miles are easy: ‘you’re fresh and ready.’ The next few miles are exciting: ‘they are harder, but the adrenaline is pumping and you’re up for the challenge.’ The remaining miles (about another 8 hours of running): ‘alternate between manic confidence, pain and utter despair.’ The runner went on to write that trying to visualise running another 30 miles when you’re already exhausted is ‘soul destroying.’ ‘So, as an Ultra-runner you don’t: you just run the mile you’re in. You never project backwards to what has been before. You never think about the miles you have ahead of you. Instead you put one foot in front of the other and run the mile you’re in. At some point it will be over, but that point is not right now and therefore you don’t think about it.’

And so, I believe, this is how we must think about the lockdown. With so much uncertainty, we must control the things we can, and let go of worrying about the things we can’t. At some point this will end, but for now we must run the mile we’re in. There may be moments that seem harder than others as we ride this roller coaster.

Please remember we are there for you and happy to chat if need be; you can make contact via admin@patchaminf.brighton-hove.sch.uk or your year group email. We also have some useful resources to support families on https://www.patchaminf.brighton-hove.sch.uk/parents/resources/parents-page.

I have also attached a letter from the Local Safeguarding Board should you or someone you know need any help or support. Unfortunately, for safeguarding purposes as well as managing our workload, family lives and wellbeing, we are unable to provide any direct messaging with your children. However, for anyone requiring ideas to try and keep children to a routine there is a visual timetable template on https://www.patchaminf.brighton-hove.sch.uk/parents/resources/resources-1

After 6 weeks inside, some of us have learned to take our pleasures where we can: mastering Tiktoks, baking bread, exercising, watching films, completing puzzles, building Lego, sipping tea in the sunshine, enjoying the smell of rain, staying connected through phone calls or sharing friendly words with neighbours.

There is a theory that the happiest people in lockdown are those most capable of finding solace in small things, and it’s this dramatic lowering of expectations under pressure that will help us get through. It looks like we are in for a sunny weekend, so I do hope you manage to absorb some Vitamin D.

Have a relaxing weekend, stay safe and remember to only run the mile you are in.

With love

Chris