Mr Newman’s Friday Assembly: 24 April 2020

Dear Parent

I hope this post finds you, your children and extended family all well. It has been a very exciting week and the children have certainly made huge strides in their understanding of the digital world.

I hope you agree that staff have been incredible in their adaptability and flexibility in the face of technical challenges (you can see some photographs of their teaching ‘mission control’ set ups below). I am delighted that we will be able to roll out Zoom as a video conferencing tool for Form Periods and even lessons amongst the younger pupils. Microsoft Teams remains our ‘go to’ platform but there is no disputing the superior video capability of Zoom, at this stage at least.

However, whilst we have already asked for consent for your children to use Teams at home, we also need to get your express permission for teachers to meet your children on Zoom. We have created a very quick form to submit, which should be completed by the end of the weekend in order to start Monday as we mean to go on. Thank you in anticipation of your help.

Looking ahead to next week, we will be including a feedback form to let us know how things are progressing at home. As promised before the start of term, we are very keen to listen carefully to parents’ experiences and input on remote learning. Where possible, and without compromising other aspects of the programme, we would wish to evolve accordingly. Pupils in Years 7 and 8 have received a link to an online wellbeing survey powered by GoVox. Form Tutors have encouraged them to complete the simple quiz which will help us to identify those who are finding remote learning more challenging than others.

Advance warning for May 4th – which everyone of my generation also knows as Star Wars Day – when we will have a fancy dress day (at home). Even if it is just from the shoulders up, we want to see as many pupils (and staff, even parents?) as possible dressed in their favourite characters! No need to reach for your online shopping account; get the children to be creative and use what’s at hand. Comedy value is more highly prized than cosplay accuracy!

Finally, a word of apology to all the home bakers out there for the carnage that ensued in my kitchen yesterday (please watch my assembly video above) and my misguided attempts to blame it on the bicarb of soda…the error was entirely mine and the children must do as I say, not as I do…

Have a great weekend

Will

Remote Learning Mission Control Rooms