Message from the deputy head

Mr Marsh has kindly invited me to take a guest slot in the newsletter this week. I think he was concerned that following my appearances in a couple of assemblies recently there may be some worries about my struggles with lockdown. Like many of us I’m finding the current period challenging, but I am coping OK … honestly. I am really missing our students, my colleagues and all that is great about the normal life of Highfields. I can’t wait to get back when it is safe to do so.

We had our first Microsoft Teams Governors meeting last night. Like me Governors are proud of the way in which Highfields has responded to COVID 19 and moved forward quickly as a virtual school. But like me they know that a virtual school is not as good as a ‘real school’. The big questions that we tackle every day in ‘real school’ are harder to crack in a virtual school, and new issues present themselves: How do we know all our students and families are safe and well? What else can we do to help? We know many students are engaged in learning, but what about those who aren’t? How will we ensure that learning is not lost and that all students have the chance to catch up? So many of our students have shown huge resilience, resourcefulness and responsibility during these difficult days. But what keeps us awake is the challenge of reaching all students and including as many of our young people as we can in learning at this time. We don’t want to lose anybody.

As a parent I really get this. I know how lucky I am to still be able to work, but I’m not great at combining this with my responsibilities for supervising home education. I’m often conscious of my year 9 daughter not getting much of my attention as she battles away with the home learning sent from her school. I recognise the challenges that some of you have told us about; I’ve struggled to understand the instructions that go with work set by expert teachers for whom it is all so obvious. And it took us well over two hours to complete an on-line chemistry quiz that was supposed to take 40 minutes. So, from a home school teacher who is finding it tricky thanks a million for all you do to provide structure, encouragement, and input. This will go a long way to ensuring that learning continues and that we are in a good position when ‘real Highfields’ eventually re-starts.

When not helping to lead a virtual school or trying to be a home school teacher I’m getting my daily exercise. I’m not cut out to be a fast runner, but am trying to build my distance and speed. You can imagine how torn I was when my mobile went whilst out running the other day. I was about 2k into a 5k run and it was going pretty well. ‘Should I bother looking at the screen’ I asked? ‘Yes, you should’ my school leader conscience said. ‘It could be important’. ‘Leave it. Focus on your run’ my pretty poor runner trying to get better conscience said. Good school leader conscience won. The screen was telling me ‘Andrew Marsh’ needed to speak. ‘Hello’ I said. ‘You’re not my partner’ the confused voice on the other end responded. ‘No’ I said. ‘Oh, well then, I’ll let you get on your way then’. ‘Ok, I’ll continue my run’ I said, hitting the red button and secretly cursing at the vital seconds taken from my already mediocre projected 5k time. I picked up the pace and fortunately there were no ducks with long beaks in my way. Imagine my surprise when I got to the end, stopped the running app and it told me that I’d completed the run in my personal best time. I’m not sure if there is a moral to that story – ‘keep in touch with each other and achieve more’, perhaps?

That might sound a bit lame, but one thing I know is that by working together as staff, parents/carers and students we’re being the very best we can be in these difficult times. You are an astonishing community and ‘real Highfields’ will be back, stronger and better than ever. I can’t wait.

Peter Cole Deputy Headteacher