Message from the headteacher

Most of you will be staying at home currently and may have nothing better to do than read this bit in the newsletter. I have, therefore, made it a little longer to keep you busy for a few more minutes. I hope that the quality has not dropped too far below its usual standard…

Before I forget: Happy birthday on Saturday to Helen C (Y13), Charlie KS (Y8), Kaiel (Y13) and on Sunday to James B (Y9), Matthew B (Y9), Madeleine (Y8) and Will W (Y9)! Have as lovely a birthday as you can in these unusual circumstances.

Last Sunday night, like many educators, I was feeling completely thrown by the speed of last week’s events. Our priorities had changed and within a few short days and we were expected to provide an online curriculum and emergency childcare provision. As you may know, I rate Highfields staff very highly and they rose to this challenge with amazing speed. Although we had (and still have) improvements to make, by late Sunday evening we had provided some good content online and developed plans to look after vulnerable students and the children of keyworkers in school.

As Monday morning approached I felt a rising sense of anxiety that our wonderful students were spread far and wide across southern Derbyshire and we were in danger of losing touch with them and their families. Someone suggested we do an online assembly and so, aware that the person doing so might attract a degree of online abuse, I volunteered to do it myself. I set up a YouTube account and got up at 5.30am to try and say something that might convince students that we were a school still in session and that learning was still the order of the day.

I realised fully that that the videos might do me or the school reputational damage (and still may!) given that material posted online immediately leaves the control of the originator. I sat nervously and waited for a wave of trolling to happen, never having tried this kind of self-sharing before. But when I checked my wearehighfields email inbox (see insert) I was completely dumbfounded to find 257 emails waiting for me. The emails, far from being negative, were an outpouring of warmth and appreciation for Highfields staff, for other families, for each other, for learning itself!

I’m not entirely sure how long the novelty of this arrangement will inspire such positive feedback but nothing will take away the feeling of community that I have felt this week. Ironically it took a school closure to open up the lines of communication between individual members of our Highfields ‘family’.

So, apart from a couple of days spent in school looking after a select group of children as part of our Highfields emergency childcare team, my desk has become my school. I don’t know how long people will be interested in the YouTube assemblies. I would presume that interest will wane so I am trying hard to convince others to get involved.

Meanwhile, Highfields staff have similarly been setting up their home offices and coming to terms with a new way of working. Many of us are learning lessons the hard way. On Monday I nearly took a video call from Mr Cole in my dressing gown (why he was in my dressing gown remains a mystery).

By midweek, staff had figured out software platforms such as Zoom and before too long I was being invited to drop in on a drama lesson run by Miss Bonsall and Miss Hendry. It was fabulous. She had done a number of sessions already and so she was quite confident, toggling between PowerPoints, herself and students.

Online schooling presents a number of challenges for school leaders. Perhaps the most important of these are concerns for children who cannot get online in the first place. We have diverted school funds to try and offer support in this area. Additionally to this, we have set up the ‘We Are Highfields’ fund which has just passed the £1,000 mark after two days. Almost unbelievably a number of parents hinted that they made more than one contribution as they wanted to donate more than the £50 maximum allowed in one go. Clearly, large amounts are not expected: £1 is better than £0. I am hoping that, like mine, some of your families may have had events cancelled which will have freed up a few pounds to commit to this fund. Our aim is to ensure that children in families hit by this crisis have a) food and b) an online connection to their school community.

So…week 1 in this weird alternative reality is over. The next challenge is for parents, carers and staff to promote another good week of learning before we break for the Easter ‘holiday’ (who knows what that will look like).

I don’t know how to thank members of this community. There has been so much collective positivity: it has been an utter pleasure to be part of the Highfields family. Special thanks go to those parents/carers whose work for the NHS was so warmly applauded in my area of Chesterfield last night.

Next week begins again with assembly first thing Monday: I hope to see you bright and early.

Until then have a good weekend and get some relaxation if you possibly can (see image for relaxation ideas).

A Marsh Headteacher