As the term draws to a close, I want to start this final issue of the newsletter for 2020 with a heartfelt thank you to the entire school community for your support in making our return to school this term a resounding success. At the time of writing, we have not had to send home any ‘bubbles’ nor close the school. This is down to the hard work of every member of our school community who have respected our guidance, the recommendations from the government and followed our well thought through routines designed to keep everyone safe. That said, If 2020 were a race, I would describe this 2020 as a marathon with one of our core values, namely resilience, demonstrated by the whole school community. Our joint aim of providing nothing but the best for our most valued and special assets, our children, has continued at a pace; their wellbeing and welfare always at the centre of our decision making.
It has been a successful term for awards. We have four ISA Art Awards plus two boys in Year 8 who were winners of the Bellevue Education Digital Competition. Furthermore, the Cross Country races in sport have revealed talented runners while the music concerts showcased the progress of our young musicians. In February, we will hear if we have been successful in winning the ISA Junior School of the Year and ISA Innovation in Pupil Voice awards.
The staff at The Hampshire School Chelsea have embraced new ways of working and overcome unexpected challenges. We encourage our pupils to manage the expected as well as the unexpected - this year we have all drawn on that skill! The staff adapted quickly in lockdown, to remote learning and to teaching onsite while following social distancing guidelines. The need for a Growth Mindset approach to problem-solving has never been more relevant than today as we continue to navigate our way through this unprecedented time. Reaching out to the community for guidance and support to secure best practice in these times has been invaluable, and I thank the Parent Voice Representatives who have generously shared their expertise and the views of parents. The pupils have similarly been eager to contribute to decisions and are making good use of the PVWT weekly lessons to share their thoughts and influence change.
We do not know what challenges lie ahead for the next year, but we will continue to fulfil our aims in order to provide continued education provision of the highest quality with our core value of excellence and our motto Alte Spectemus - our inspiration.
Once again, I thank you all for your immense support and encouragement this year and wish everyone a wonderful break with family and friends – Covid-19 restrictions permitting!
Dr Edmonds