The ‘Hub’ and Google Classrooms which are enabling teaching and learning are now fully facilitated for parent and guardian activity. Inevitably Internet bandwidth is under severe pressure; whilst we have been able to run some individual support ‘Hangout meets’ this week for staff and pupils, we are not introducing more meets until the Summer Term starts. To help families understand what our Summer Term academic proposals look like, we are completing the publication (Friday 3 April) of a full guide for your information.

Next week sees the end of term on Wednesday, so no new assignments  will span into the holidays. As well as taking their Easter break, many secondary teaching staff will be closing down their pupils’ course and have the additional work to commence working on the evidence required to enable the grading of our Year 11 and Year 13 GCSE and A Level exam results. I understand that we will receive more detailed guidance on those ‘nuts and bolts’ by Easter. Parents with candidates in that process can see on the corporate calendar a scheduled ‘meet’ for next Tuesday 10am, and I will be sending out a calendar invite to all families involved on Monday next.

And finally, it’s nice to report that at least the sun has been shining on all of our efforts this week. We might not be able to leave the house, but our spirits are inevitably lifted by the warmth. Teacher and artist-in-residence Frances Ackland-Snow is painting a miniature for every day of the lock-down, and receiving that every day certainly improves the landscape!