Dear Parents, Guardians and Friends
It is now week 5 of Holt@home and week 7 of lockdown…..for me last week seemed to be the hardest as reality started to set in with everyone talking about the ‘new normal’ …. alongside the miserable weather.
Stoicism, gratitude and humility are the character traits that Mrs Pearce and I remind our students of all the time to help them cope with situations. At times like this, we need to stay stoic, worrying only about the things we can control. Comparing our lives before Covid-19 and now I think we all feel a sense of gratitude on many levels and finally we bear humility as we rely on others for their expertise and support to help us deal with this tricky time. Right now, it is good to see ‘the curve’ start to flatten but we are all still pushing on through and look forward to the day when we surface into a more recognisable form of normal. We await the PMs announcement on Sunday regarding the extent of the relaxation of the lockdown and the implications for schools.
We started this week with a heart-warming letter from our Headgirl team and a clip of messages from staff to students. It is probably safe to say we are all missing our students and hopefully they are missing us too!
Here is an update of things going on in the next couple of weeks
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- Tutors are calling home this week, next week and may go on in the week after – it depends how chatty the girls are! As explained in the letter from Mrs Martin, if you receive a call with ‘No Caller ID’ next week – pick up – it is likely to be your daughter’s tutor wanting to check in with her about how things are going with school work and filling up time at home.
- The sixth form team sent out emails to Year 11 girls who have applied to The Holt sixth form with bridging work to help them prepare for their chosen A levels.
- Year 12 have been sent some advice on things to think about when choosing a university course and tips on what to think about when shortlisting universities. Year 12 are working hard on keeping up with content as well as preparing for their end of Year PPEs that will take place in mid-June. More information on the June PPEs will be sent to parents shortly.
- Year 10 have been brilliant over the last two weeks and probably the first in Holt history to sit their PPEs remotely. Something for the archives. We are very proud of them as they just got on with the exams and made very little fuss….adapting as they have needed to the situation.
- Thank you to all the teachers who are navigating how best to mark and give feedback remotely as they also adapt and rise to the challenge. Finally thank you to all parents we really appreciate your support at home in encouraging your daughters to take the PPEs seriously and for being invigilators!!
- Year 7, 8 and 9 have all moved on to structured revision lessons for the next two weeks in preparation for their end of year assessments during the last week of this half term. We decided to move them to before half term so all the students can have a good rest over half term.
- We have redesigned a remote Year 6 to 7 transition programme and this week Mrs Priddy sent a ppt with a voiceover about the school to all Year 6 girls starting with us in September. She will be in touch with Year 6 teachers in the next few weeks by phone and this will be instead of primary school visits.
- We had the first of many governor meetings this term through TEAMS today….it was at 4pm instead of 6.30pm….which was nice.
- Finally no school on Friday due to the Bank Holiday!
As always, please keep in touch with us using homestudy@holt.wokingham.sch.uk. We are happy to deal with any queries and please do email if your daughter is ill. Staff have felt bad chasing work and the student replies to say they have been ill.
Mrs Pearce and I hope that you and your families are well and our thoughts are with you all especially if things are difficult with loved ones being sick or who have passed away and for those who are struggling due to the dire economic situation.
We hope you have a relaxing bank holiday weekend and for some communities enjoy celebrating VE day socially distancing in your front gardens. The weather is going to be good!
Here is the link to the film clip of staff messages https://vimeo.com/414476174
All the best
Anne Kennedy
Co-Headteacher