From Mrs S Ramsden (Vice Principal):
Dear Parents and Carers,
Amid a challenging start to the new year, I am pleased to be celebrating with students and parents some phenomenal achievements and efforts across our student community. I have been incredibly impressed with the level of attendance to online learning with almost 90% of students accessing learning each day. I hope that as we continue to work together to support the learning of all students, we can get closer to 100% of our students regularly engaging in online provision.
We have seen significant improvement in online attendance from the first lockdown we experienced in March 2020, which has been in many ways helped by more than 600 devices being loaned to students who previously may have found difficulties in accessing remote provision. Students have hugely benefited from being part of the Emmanuel Schools Foundation where we have been provided with funding to purchase these essential devices. This, in addition to devices provided by the Department for Education, means that we are gradually removing barriers that may prevent students from learning and has helped to ensure our remote learning provision has gone from strength to strength. Staff and students have adapted incredibly well to online lessons. Staff are able to provide live feedback and instant verbal support which is helping to improve student progress as well as offer encouragement and support students’ wellbeing.
If you feel your child could benefit from a device during this period and has not got sole access to a laptop or desktop computer at home, please contact your child’s Progress Leader who can discuss this with you.
I have been incredibly proud of the work students have been producing at home. At Grace College, we have been celebrating with students through ‘WOW Digital’ each week, sharing these achievements through our weekly Heads of House Assembly, on Twitter and in our weekly newsletter. Staff have been nominating students daily, and even more impressively, students have been showcasing work themselves where they believe it is outstanding, a significant improvement or above their target level. Please take the time next week to ask your child about work they have enjoyed or are proud of.
During half term, students may wish to use our recently launched GC21 challenge to keep focused and engaged, taking opportunities to be creative and get involved in activities they may not usually find the time to do. Tutors launched the challenge this week. Students must work towards completing 21 out of 30 challenges before the Easter break. There are a range of activities that students and families can attempt together, further details can be found here.
During this half term, students have been working with their tutors on developing their understanding of and supporting their mental health and emotional wellbeing. Tutors have shared a range of strategies that students can use to help manage and express their feelings along with links to a range of organisations who can offer support. For further information and support please use the link here to resources on our website.
Wednesday 10 February saw students ‘Pressing Pause’ on their online learning and benefitting from time away from the screen. We were thrilled to see the ways in which students chose to express themselves creatively following on from the work they completed as part of Children’s Mental Health Week. Students in school completed a range of challenges whilst enjoying opportunities to be creative whether through cooking, art, or physical activity.
We are delighted with the way in which so many students have engaged and participated in lessons. I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and for encouraging your child to engage fully with their remote learning provision. I wish you and your child a safe and enjoyable half term break.
Please do contact your child’s tutor, subject teachers, or Progress Leaders by email or through the main reception switchboard should you have any queries or require any additional support for your child.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs S Ramsden
Vice Principal
