It has been wonderful to have some semblance of normality return and to make the most of those critically important personal connections between pupils and teachers. These connections contribute to the pupils’ all-important social and emotional growth and development, and nurturing those dimensions of every pupil here sits at the heart of how we approach our pastoral care.
In assembly on Monday Mr Ford emphasised to all the boys in the Prep the positive aspects of our term so far, our programme of guided home learning being an important part of that. This was very much in step with the overwhelmingly cheerful sense we all felt at seeing the boys back on site, and indeed being in their real – as opposed to virtual – company on Monday morning. I popped over to the Pre-Prep on Monday too and there was a similar very cheerful and purposeful atmosphere in evidence there.
We have noticed how much everyone has grown, how easily the boys and girls slipped back into having great fun with their friends and how much more independently minded all pupils are. Mr Ford is correct in his view that plenty of good has arisen from this term so far, no matter how different it has been, and after only a week of seeing them back on site I know our pupils’ developed sense of self is chief amongst that.
