Another couple of days of school complete and just one to go. Yes, that’s right – we haven’t finished a day early and thrown in a training day that wasn’t going to work for anybody. We will finish the term as planned so that our parents aren’t inconvenienced and we’re not making those last minute changes that doesn’t help anybody.

The end of the term has been somewhat disrupted with four classes isolating and missing the last weeks’ events. It is really sad for them but we do need to be careful and isolate where necessary. I was talking earlier about how the appreciation and gratitude is like never before – the genuine comments, remarks and sincere questions asking how we are and appreciating all we try to do to keep things as normal as possible for the children I’ve been really heartwarming. I do think it’s all pretty normal to be fair, I will try to help people but apparently not.

In these last couple of days the leadership amongst the children have been brilliant as they have created carols on video to be sent to parents and the local church. It’s been great to see the children working together in a very collaborative and humane way; the conversations that they have and sincere care for each other speaks volumes of those we work with – it is a pleasure. I was expecting something of a new announcement from the DfE but that didn’t come for primary’s; just secondaries. It would’ve been no surprise but when you’re subjected to unannounced changes, it is a shame. I’m sure they don’t mean it but they are certainly no good at it. I’m afraid now it’s happened too often for me to consider the difficult situation they are in – we all are and similar decisions by us would not be tolerated.

With only a day to go until we break up the planning doesn’t stop. The work to improve the site continues – we can’t use Covid as an excuse to stand still. They’ll be some work over the Christmas holidays on the physical environment as well as some exciting work to develop teaching and learning. Whether you’ve broken up yet or not for Christmas, I hope all of those in the teaching profession, as well as key workers everywhere, a very happy and restful Christmas – every single one of you thoroughly deserve it. I also wish all of us a very restful and happy Christmas as well. There are so many that aren’t officially key workers but to keep going in these difficult times and be cut off from family and friends and their normal activities you would do is very hard. There are many people in jobs whether furloughed or not, I’ve had a very difficult time since March. Let’s all be mindful of peoples difficulties that we have no idea about and be kind.