Dear Parents and Guardians
As we approach the half term holidays, we are sure like us, you are ready for a bit a rest. Even if that rest is from nagging and cajoling your children to log in on time, “turn-in” their assignments, or “un-mute” more in their lessons! We have all deserved some off screen time where possible next week!
We don’t have much in the way of updates this week, apart from, we are sure, that we will hear soon from the DFE about our return to school dates and the latest information on the grading of this year’s GCSE and A level exams.
The plan for the wider re-opening of school is still the 8th March, although we don’t have any more detail than that currently, but please be assured that we will be in touch after half term to update you when we have firm plans.
Our staff and students have worked incredibly hard this half term. We have been in awe at the quality and technicality of the remote lessons we have “dropped into” and we have been impressed with the levels of engagement of our students and their ability to adapt to this type of learning.
This week SLT have been having one to one Teams calls with Year 9 to discuss their GCSE option choices. It is always lovely to have these chats with our students and we have really missed seeing them face to face for spontaneous chats.
As well as lessons, our students have also been taking an active part with extracurricular events that have been held over this half term- most notably, The Holt@home half dozen. The deadline for these to be completed is Monday 22nd February and so there is still time to upload their challenge card, if your daughter is at a loose end over half term.
Additionally, a group of Year 13 students have been busy during this lockdown preparing for their presentations for their Extended Project Qualification. These have been delivered via Teams rather than a face to face audience as we had hoped, however, the students coped well with the technology and on –the- spot questions! We were treated to a range of fascinating topics, which have to be totally separate to any A level content. These included the photography of architecture, psychopathic minds, privatisation of the NHS and Xenotransplants. The standard of these presentations has been high and students welcomed their peers to support them in the presentations, which made the presenters feel much more at ease.
Thanks go to Mrs Wragg and her team of supervisors, for all their hard work to support the students with this.
Have a great half term
Anne Kennedy and Katie Pearce
Co-Headteachers