News from Mr Grady
Hello Everyone!
I cannot believe that I am writing this in the last week of November. On one hand, it feels like this term is slipping away quicker than I can keep up, and on the other hand, given how tired I know we all feel, I have that sense of: “Is it ONLY November?”
What is fantastic though, is how much we have achieved in the last 3 months. If you cast your mind back to August, we were all nervously considering what a return to school would look like. What our “new normal” was going to be and how we would meet the different challenges. And look where we are now! Students are back and in lessons, their work is really starting to pay dividends and we can see students across the school really starting to progress through the curriculum – their evident joy at being in school, or if learning from home, being able to access staff far more directly through Microsoft teams is great to see.
We are starting to find ways to get students into more and more of their practical subjects, and although this is extremely challenging due to continued safety and minimising measures, it is great to see students of all year groups in Science labs, taking part in PE, Music and Drama.
And we’re starting to find ways to offer some of the little extras for students, Creative Writing Club is back up and running, there are lunch time revision sessions starting to take place, Cool to be Kind Week was a great success, the Year 13s have found ways to ensure that we will still see a Sixth Form Entertainment this year and Mrs Grimes is currently working on a virtual Foundation Day. We’ve managed to run Year 6 and Year 11 Open Evening online events for students joining us in Years 7 and 12 next year, and we’re preparing for online parents’ evenings, with a Year 7 settling in evening swiftly approaching. In January, Year 9 will be able to take part in a virtual “options evening” and I’ve got plans to ensure that in one form or another we manage to create an RHS “school production” via video for early next term.
When I spoke to students and staff in September, I spoke about each month having its own little aim. September was focused on settling in to a new normal and taking stock. October was starting to consolidate, understanding individual and whole school needs and planning aims for the rest of the year. November was about building and broadening the curriculum, and having had time to review and plan, we can start to deliver a broader and richer experience for all.
We are doing incredibly well, and I want everyone in the RHS community to understand that if, as each day passes we’ve managed to get up, get in, take part in lessons, had positive social time and added something, then we should all be very pleased with ourselves. Yes, there may still be a way to go, but if we think about how far we’ve come since September, we can be really hopeful about how far we will be by the time we get to the new year! Each marginal gain adds to the whole. Carefully and safely, with kindness, care and respect, and with heights very much firmly in our hearts we keep moving forward. Well done everyone, for such hard work, for such commitment and for supporting each other every step of the way!
Stay well and safe everyone,
Mr Grady