Last Friday, Ben come home with his first creation from design and technology class, which turned out to be a coat hanger. He designed it and screwed it on and did some of the cutting but was finished off for him by the teacher as they had run out of time in lessons. He seemed very proud of it anyway and it does look very good! 🙂
DT Lesson – Coat Hanger
DT Lesson – Coat Hanger
From the 5th November until the 3rd December, lockdown 12 was enforced for England, so everything was cancelled again, apart from School this time as the Government wanted education to keep going. Thank goodness for that!!! However, it meant all clubs outside of school, which had only really started up again, were stopped, inc football, Beavers, Cubs and swimming lessons. So we were again stuck at home and only allowed out for essential shopping and for some exercise. The restrictions weren’t quite as severe as earlier in the year but the Government had to do something as deaths and hospital admissions were spiking again and we subsequently had a second spike of Covid-19. So we were very lucky to go away for my 40th birthday weekend!! Oh well!!
Ben started secondary school at Ivybridge Community College on Monday 7th September but only had the Monday and Tuesday that week, due to new covid regulations whereby the school had a staggered start for all years. His first full week was the week after but he had to stay in his year bubble which meant a lot of changes at school, such as one way systems, staggered break and lunch times and very set seating arrangements in class rooms.
He caught the bus with no issues on the first day and we all walked up to the bus stop with him to send him on his way (I even said that I would pretend to blow him a kiss to embarrass him – which didn’t go down well!! haha). He was a little nervous but looked very smart in his uniform even though it was a little too big for him! He had to wear a face mask on the bus and had to wear it at school when not in lessons, which made things a bit strange. He had a nice first couple of days and seemed to settle in very well and quickly and had since made a few new friends. For the first couple of weeks, all the children from Bickleigh Primary School stuck together, which was nice, but they have since branched out a bit as they were not all in the same lessons, so basically had to make new friends anyway. Ben was lucky in that in Science he sits next to his friend Noah from Plymouth Kolts, so that was handy as they get on well! 🙂
Since the first few weeks, he has had lots of points but 1 demerit for forgetting his lanyard one day. He was a little upset about it but his tutor had no choice but to give him one as that is the school rules. She said at the virtual parents evening that she could tell he was upset about it but there was nothing she could do. Shame, but rules are rules and it may teach Ben to sort himself out a bit more the night before, so he doesn’t forget things due to rushing around in the morning trying to get organised!
He has had several pieces of homework each week, which he has got on with, more or less, without being told to sit down and do it! Most of it is computer based lessons anyway, so is much better than when myself and Kelly were at secondary school! He has also had a few tests already, which he has passed!
He has PE on Monday’s and Tuesday’s and, due to covid, has to go into school dressed in his PE kit, as the changing rooms are all closed. He obviously doesn’t mind that one bit as he doesn’t have to wear a shirt, tie and blazer! haha He does gymnastics one week and then football the other. He obviously prefers the football week!!
Anyway, he seems to be getting on very well there and has settled in brilliantly, so hopefully this standard of work will continue!
Ben’s birthday this year was a little low key due to the rule of 6 (no more than 6 people allowed together inside of out due to Coronavirus), but we still managed to have a nice party evening and Grandma came over as well. Ben had to go to school so didn’t have chance to open any presents in the morning so saved them for when get got home. I went to pick him up when school finished as it would be quicker than him catching the bus home and not getting back until 16:10. This gave us a bit more time in the evening to celebrate. So as soon as we got back home, Ben changed and opened his cards and presents. His main present from us this year was a laptop – which he was astonished at receiving! We thought that we would give him that as he will need it for school now as a lot of the learning is now done online, not to mention that if we have to isolate for any reason, he would have to do online teaching anyway and would therefore need a laptop of his own to use! He was very happy with this anyway! We only got him a few other little things (as the laptop was expensive!) such as an Everton T-Shirt and Kelly also made him a smellies package. He also got money from people as well as he wants to save up for a bike. Grandma came over at about 5pm and we had some party food for tea, which was nice. We then sung him Happy Birthday and had some cake. 🙂
During October, we went to stay at a lodge in St Merryn for my 40th birthday. The lodge was very nice and had a massive hot tub. It was a good weekend and Ben, Aaron and Coby really enjoyed it there – especially the hot tub of course! We had Chinese takeaway on Saturday evening and watched a couple of films and played some games during the days. As it was half term the following week, I took the Monday off of work so we had 3 full nights there. We made very good use of the hot tub, even when the weather was cold and wet!
