Dear ALS Community,
I’d like to open the weekly email with a thank you to our exceptional testing team. Our Senior School pupils and all staff have been able to be tested twice this week with the organisation of the testing and the collective effort being outstanding. I can’t thank the team enough for making it happen so efficiently this week. At the heart of this effort, of course, is not only helping to increase the safety of the school community but to allow us to have pupils back in school ‘as normal’ from Monday.
You’ll have had ample communications about this but, from Monday, it is more or less business as it was before Christmas. Pupils should wear their formal school uniform on days when they do not have sports and then their sports uniform on the days that they do. Whilst I know that we all wish we could return to ‘normal normal’, being all back on site together is the first step en route to that. I am very much looking forward to seeing children and colleagues back working together on site - as it should be.
For next week, we have a Dedicas mantra: Always give your best. As with so many of our mantras, the community has absolutely lived by the values of the school and I know we’ll continue this in to the future. As we welcome children back to site, this is a very strong mantra for us to start with…especially for Years 11 and 13. For our exam years, so much of their grade is now placed in to their own hands – if they want more, they have to keep giving their best. It really is as simple as that now that the uncertainty of examinations has been removed.
Earlier this week, we held some world book day activities. These were met with as much enthusiasm from the teachers as they were the pupils. Whilst it’s wonderful to be able to dress up and celebrate world book day, we should also remember to celebrate reading every day. Not only is there all sorts of adventure tucked away in the pages of a book yet to be read, children gain so much more than just a story to enjoy from reading a variety of books. If you’re less romantic about reading than this English teacher, it’s also a worthwhile academic investment as reading underpins attainment in all subjects at examination level. A good reader has a better chance of success in mathematics and science, too - a bit of a win/win I’d say.
You’ll remember from previous conversations that we are in a partnership with Leamington Spa Stagecoach. Over Easter, Leamington Spa Stagecoach are going to be running a series of Easter Workshops from our school and current pupils will receive a 20% discount. If you’d be interested in your child attending a session, please see the flyer here.
I hope that you have a lovely weekend. I’ll be hanging out with Henry (7 weeks old tomorrow!) and trying to remember how to polish shoes, iron shirts and do a tie up.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Best wishes,
David Preston | Headteacher
