Reflections on Term 1
Well, how to sum up this term...
The over-riding feelings for me are: 1. how fabulous it is to have all of our pupils back in school at once and 2. a pride that we have achieved so much during the last 8 weeks.
I would be covering up the truth if I said that this term had not been difficult, it has, we have had to reinvent many things. But, there are also silver linings and things that we will keep when we return to an 'un-bubbled' world. Things such as Year R having their lunch around one large table in the annexe, like a family around a dining room table having a conversation over dinner.
The Bubbles have been a success and have helped children to return to school safely and calmly, the children have felt secure in these spaces and supported by the adults within them. We have had to stagger everything and we thank you for your support on this. I too would like to thank our wonderful staff, for their flexibility, dedication and ability to be on 'perma-duty' as all duties happen within Bubbles with support from myself, Mrs Macmillan and Mrs Salter.
Our CG family is back together but Bubbled. The lovely weather on most Monday and Friday afternoons has enabled outdoor Collective Worship with Classes 2,3 and 4 sat outside their classrooms distanced from each other. Collective worship has also been enhanced by recorded assemblies from both Caroline at Goudhurst and from the Diocese.
Despite the testing times we are currently living in, we also have a lot to be thankful of at the moment and we celebrate this too.
Our first Core Value of Community has been in evidence all the way through the term, both within the school and the wider community. Next term we move onto Resilience, something I feel that I have grown in recently! We will, as always, be encouraging the children to do their best, to know their worth and to achieve their potential. Staff are now really aware of where their classes are as both individuals and collectively. So, onwards and upwards with the children's learning, a focus on the essential skills of reading , writing, phonics and maths, but also with a topic based focus in the afternoons, pulling core skills through these lessons as much as possible. Using a language of possibility and success, not one of lost learning and gaps, to encourage the children to rise to the challenge.
Our new Reception children have made a fabulous start to their lives at CG; so settled and enjoying learning which is so wonderful to see. Our Year 6 pupils are beginning their journeys to secondary transition; a time that can be stressful for both pupils and parents.
Our recent COVID-19 case at CG and the subsequent isolation of the Class 3 Bubble has been tricky for all concerned. The person affected is doing well and we send them our collective love and best wishes. The timing over half term has enabled a deep clean and a total break from people in the building. Thank you to all the staff who have set and monitored learning for Class 3 and enabled the curriculum to continue. Thank you to all the pupils and adults at home who have engaged with this.
As we think about Term 2 and all the normal exciting and festive things that happen, we once again will need to rethink many of these events. We will be putting our creative heads together to try and ensure that we can be as festive as possible under the current restrictions. If you have any brainwaves please let us know.
We wish you all a very relaxed, happy and healthy half term break.
Nicola Hirst
