Posted May 3 - 2024Headteacher's Newsletter
what's happening at Chesham Grammar
Posted on: May 22nd 2020
Head's Blog
Dear Parent
Well, I have been a member of the teaching profession for more than half my life and never did I think I would see a full half term come and go without the joyous experience of walking into a room full of children who are 'ready to roll'. This is something I take for granted and I have missed every aspect of it, from the repetitive 'yes Miss' during the taking of the register to the scraping of chairs at the end of the lesson as the students pack up. Today, I walked around the school site at lunchtime and imagined it full of children laughing, playing, running around and generally letting off steam. I took some pictures at lunchtime of the spaces which would ordinarily have been crammed full of teenagers which I shall post on Twitter later. To say I am missing the staff and students would be something of an understatement and I know the same is true of my colleagues and, I am sure, the students.
All week, along with all other secondary Heads in the country, I have been awaiting the DfE's guidance on secondary opening – a clarification of what the government means by 'some face-to-face learning for Years 10 and 12' mentioned in the PM's announcement two weeks ago. This was due at the very start of the week. According to The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the professional association to which I belong, it is now not clear when – or even if – that guidance will emerge. The possible return of Year 10 and 12 students to school is fraught with difficulties from a public health point of view because of the way in which they move around the community. This is one of the key reasons why the youngest children were selected to return first as their 'world' is smaller than that of most teenagers in that they are taken to school by a parent, spend their day with the same group of children and a teacher and are picked up by a parent at the end of the day. They can, therefore, be kept in a 'social bubble' much more easily than teenagers who may go to school on public transport and mix with several different social groups or classes in and out of school which makes containing the virus much more difficult. According to the ASCL update today, 'the prospect of Year 10 or 12 students physically returning to school is perhaps receding.' If and when we do receive any guidance from the Department for Education on this matter, we will send out a questionnaire to parents of those in Years 10 and 12 before we make any decisions.
As I mentioned last week, we are going to ask for feedback from parents and students to help us plan as we move into next half term. This short survey will be with you in the next few days. Please do take a few minutes to complete it when it arrives as this feedback is very useful in helping us to plan and to adapt as we go. We now know that Years 7 - 9 will not be back in school this term, sadly, so we know that remote learning is a medium rather than a short term issue. We are thus planning to ensure that there are more Microsoft Teams lessons moving forward where there will be contact with the teacher as well as Teams tutor sessions each week. This social contact is really important for us all and please do your best to ensure that your child attends these live lessons. We have no control over lesson 'attendance' while students are at home so we need your support here! Live lessons are recorded for safeguarding purposes so can be accessed later by students but if they do not 'attend' the live lesson, they will not have the option to ask the teacher questions in this way. All parents can access their child's Canvas account and this will show details of Teams lessons so that you can know when they are scheduled to take place. Do let us know if you have any questions about this at any point.
I have enjoyed reading about the activities the students have been getting involved in since I asked them about this earlier this week. The range is varied as you would expect and we have students writing books or poems while others are writing music. One of our students in Year 8 has been learning about beekeeping and has built an apiary. Others are doing the couch to 10k challenge or are playing in a virtual orchestra. Well done to everyone. Well done also to Jake in Year 7 who gained his black belt in karate recently, following his virtual grading. Congratulations to Arran in Year 12 who found out this week that his online audition for the Royal Academy of Music's Junior Jazz Academy was successful. If you have ever been to a CGS musical event, you will probably have heard Arran play. His audition can be seen and heard here https://youtu.be/rfXs1SJIT8I and also features two CGS alumni, Judd and Liam. If you like jazz, it really is worth a listen. Thank you to Arran for seeking permission from everyone involved so that it can be enjoyed by all.
A huge thank you to parents who have contributed via Parent Pay to enable our Engineering staff to continue making PPE equipment for front line workers. This will remain open on Parent Pay for a week or so. Also open on Parent Pay is the option to purchase tickets for the Friends of Chesham Grammar School's raffle which they are hoping will add to the funds they raise this year. Obviously their fundraising has been curtailed this year but we are hoping the raffle will help them to get closer to their usual total so do support this if you can. If you use Amazon, remember that there is an easy option to raise money for the FOCGS by using Amazon Smile, a scheme which sees 0.5% of what you spend on Amazon donated to the school. This can be done at smile.amazon.co.uk. Every little helps!
Just a reminder that Year 9 students will start their GCSE options after half term. We are just putting in place measures to allow for the collection of their new exercise books just after half term and will be in touch with Year 9 parents about this during the week.
Finally, you may be aware that Rod Culverhouse, owner of Fastbreak Sports in Chesham, died last month. We were so sad to hear this. Rod was a great friend and real supporter of the school and many of you will have been served by him when you bought your child's PE kit. After Rod's death, we were notified that Fastbreak would be closing and so we took the decision to move supply of our PE kit to Hawkinsport, who already supply all our uniform. This will make it easier for parents, as there will now be just one place you need to go to get all CGS uniform/PE kit. Hawkinsport expect the option to purchase PE kit to be up and running in the next few weeks. They offer the option to buy online and also deliver to school on a weekly basis during term time so this should be convenient for everyone.
I would like to thank you all for your support during this half term. This is not an easy time for any of us and now, more than ever, it is important for us to work together to support your children.
Please do try to make sure that your child 'switches off' over the half term break and has a break. Lessons will start again on Tuesday 2nd June following a planning day for teachers on the Monday.
With best wishes,
Annmarie McNaney
Headteacher
