The Chronicle

Dear Parents

I hope that this week’s Chronicle finds you healthy and safe.  Well done on working through another week of lockdown, with work and home schooling.  I know it is not easy but we are all pulling together to ensure that we are doing the very best that we can for all concerned.

You will notice in this week’s Chronicle that Junior 5 participated in a Mad Hair day.  If you have not submitted a photograph yet and would like to appear in the Chronicle, please send your photograph to Mrs Dyer and she will ensure that it is included in this section.  It was lovely to see so many children (and Mrs Lammas) joining in.

Congratulations to all the children on another week of concentrating in the online lessons and working very hard as independently as they can.  We are all very proud of how the children have adapted so quickly to this new way of learning.  A special mention this week to our Da Vinci award winners: Blythe, Arthur, Caythan, Henry and Carter.  We will give you a mention in the next available assembly.  Superb work from all of you and I look forward to hearing about more exemplary work next week.

Our Stars of the Week will receive their certificates in the post shortly – well done to Liana, William, Tristan, Grace, Blythe, Evie, Jakob, Mairen, Carolina, Kyra, George F, Joseph, Emily and Kiran.  I know you are all trying so hard with your home learning and the teachers are eager to let me know about the wonderful work that is being produced.

I hope that you were able to view my assembly this morning where I referred to a new service for those families who may benefit from having worksheets printed for their children.  More details will follow as to how this will be facilitated in the safest, most effective way, allowing time for teachers to have prepared the work, balanced with families being able to receive it timeously.

I would also like to thank everyone who responded to the survey that was circulated last week. This has enabled further decisions to be made on how we can continue to ensure the best provision for the children until they return to the school site.  The findings of this survey can be found in this summary.  Home Learning Survey Feedback    Whilst the link will highlight some of the areas on which we will focus our attention on improving, I would like to share with you a few really uplifting comments (I have chosen comments where similar ones have been made by a number of people, along with one that shows comparison): 

A really positive week … we are finding that sticking to the school timetable has worked really well and using the free time at the end of the day to catch up on unfinished work has been very useful. Having (teacher) on line helps to give extra enthusiasm to get the work done. I cannot say anything negative about all the great things school are doing in these unusual times.

I am so glad the live lessons discuss and teach the subject. My older (child) attends another prep school and only gets PowerPoints that I have to then teach the lesson. We appreciate all your planning and preparation that has gone into trying to run this term as smoothly as possible. It’s a world of difference compared to her (sibling’s) work.

We are very impressed with the way school has put this all together in such a short space of time. We also really appreciate the working together attitude and the way school are communicating with parents in what seems to be an open and honest way. Thank you.

The new home learning platform is great. It is easy to follow and access. It has focused the children with their home learning, as the lessons and required work are easily visible. Both of my children have benefited from hearing, and seeing, their teachers. I believe it’s given them a sense of belonging again!

The staff have worked throughout Easter and are going the extra mile on a daily basis in order to ensure that we do the best we can.  Please support us by speaking directly to your child’s teacher and they will do their best to assist you.  Please be aware, though, that they will often be engaged in teaching during the timetabled lessons as many teach across the year groups.

As you will know, there has been a change to the Bank Holiday dates this year and therefore, school will be closed to key workers and there will not be any lessons on Friday 8 May.  Whilst I will not be leading an assembly next Friday, it is intended to have an abridged version of the Chronicle on Thursday evening.  Any announcements will be held over to the following week.

Our PTA have continued to discuss ways in which they can help school and continue their involvement during lockdown.  I am grateful for the offer that some members have made to assist with any logistical matters, eg printing of worksheets, whilst we are in lockdown.  We will try to manage this from within school at first, I am hugely grateful for the offer.  The PTA have also set aside a sum of money as and ‘Emergency Covid-19 Fund’.  They have made this available to the school to use at our discretion.  Families who would require any assistance at this time, for example, with technology and devices are welcome to approach the school, via Mrs Dyer, in the first instance, for consideration.  All approaches will be treated in strict confidence and not shared with the parent community or PTA.  I remind parents that we still have some iPads available to loan out during the lockdown period.  Once again, please contact Mrs Dyer should you require one.

Before signing off, I would like to share some good news with you. Mrs Malcolm and Miss Blythe are happy to announce that they are both expecting babies later this year.  I sincerely hope that they will be able to be back at school to see you before they begin their maternity leave.  Congratulations to both of them!

Thank you to everyone for their efforts over the past week.  I hope that you have a restful and happy weekend.

God bless,

Robert Duigan