Dear Parent,
Welcome to this week’s Update.
Pastoral Support Week
I am grateful to Mrs Parkinson (Senior Assistant Head) and to our team of form teachers (main school) and personal tutors (sixth form) for organising pastoral support phone calls to all pupils. Each day this week has seen literally hundreds of calls being made, all of which have given form teachers the opportunity to speak directly to you and to your son/daughter. The feedback from Day 1 has been positive and we hope that you have welcomed the opportunity to ‘touch base’ with school.
This initiative has coincided with what we have planned as an academic consolidation week for pupils. No new academic work should have been set, with students taking this opportunity to check, complete and review work already undertaken. This breathing space should allow all pupils the opportunity to prepare for the final push to the end of the school year.
As always, please do contact your child’s head of year through School Synergy if you have any concerns or worries, or if you prefer, contact me directly. We are here to help.
Open School
Following my invitation in the last Update the numbers of parents taking advantage of Open School (provision for vulnerable children and for those of parents who are key workers) has increased to the point where we are struggling to accommodate any more under our current system of organisation. Mrs Moran (Snr Deputy) continues to lead this initiative and she is the one to speak to if you wish find out more – n.moran@st-christophers.org
Emerging Plans for ‘face to face support’ – Years 10 and Lower Sixth
The government has finally published its guidance for secondary schools on the return of pupils from Year 10 and students of the Lower Sixth. This is not of course a return to full-time schooling but rather an opportunity to offer ‘some face to face support’ to complement the online learning which has been taking place since 23rd March. This phased return will begin on 15th June, from when we are planning to meet and teach 25% of each year group on each day.
There is much to do in order to plan for this welcome return. Our planning, still at a provisional stage, suggests that each pupil will be expected to attend for one day a week during the four weeks up to the break for summer. The first session will concentrate on assessing the pastoral needs of pupils and evaluating the work completed since the school closure, with subsequent lessons looking ahead to the sharing of new knowledge in preparation for the new academic year. Further details will follow in a personalised letter which I will have prepared for each parent by the beginning of next week.
All of these plans are of course conditional on the government being able to confidently assert that their Five Tests have been adequately addressed and that St Christopher’s governing body are equally confident that the school is a safe place for the return of pupils and staff.
I do hope that you and your family have gained from the weekly Faith at Home bulletin. These have been full of so many hopeful thoughts, songs, links and prayers.
You may also be interested in last week’s assembly which was broadcast on the Oak National Academy website (this is well worth looking at if your child is looking for some extra work!)
The theme was humility and so it is with great humility (!) that I draw your attention to the contribution made by St Christopher’s. Our pupils were wonderful.
Teachers too have been making an appearance. Look out for their message to all pupils by visiting our YouTube Channel.
In the week of Pentecost, allow God’s Holy Spirit empower and strengthen you.
RD Jones
Headmaster