GHS Connect #19 Monday 8 February
From the Head
One week to go until half term! I know that everyone will be keeping things quiet and simple this year, but please do ensure that you take time off work and recharge your batteries. Remote learning is exhausting and it’s important to have a proper break. We don’t yet know if we’ll be back for 8th March, but we should all be planning for it in some form or another. I will, of course, let you know if I hear anything about the return to school, but it is most likely that I will first hear about it on the news, just like everyone else.
We’ve had some lovely feedback I would like to share. Firstly, I received this email from a parent last week:
I would just like to take this opportunity to thank you and your staff team for your continued online learning provision. Aryan has very much enjoyed his lessons and has flourished under this new norm. I fully appreciate how tough it is for staff having to prepare online lessons and deliver them with such enthusiasm; I’m astounded to hear them engage so positively, especially when at times I can imagine it is like talking into the abyss! They truly have continued to provide an outstanding provision and we are very grateful for this. Online parents evening was a success and I would just like to thank Aryan’s teachers for their commitment - and thank you to you all for giving us this opportunity to engage with his teachers.
Secondly, thank you to Dan Siskin, who has shared this model of best practice about Andrew Rugg, one of the Year 10 form tutors.
Andrew Rugg sent me a message this afternoon outlining some conversations that he had had with one of his tutees via his email. He forwarded me the 16-odd messages that they had shared back and forth which included Andrew being far more real and empathetic than what I considered possible via email. The message ended by outlining the practical steps he had taken to give some extra support to the student this week and next. I have been at Greenford for 5 years now and this exchange of emails was by far the most inspiring example of what being a form tutor is, that I have seen.
Finally, I just want to thank Trish and Hebe for their excellent initiative called ‘Futures in 15’ which is intended to be a series of short talks on careers and further education that can be posted out to students in remote learning and beyond. Please watch this short 3-minute video for more info. If you know someone - a friend, neighbour, family member, ex- student (anyone at all!) who would be interested in pre-recording a short video about their career journey or university/apprenticeship experience, or hosting a live Q&A for students, please email Trish and/or Hebe.
Mia
