Headlines By James Saunders 4th December 2020
The importance of communications skills This week I had the great privilege of attending Miss Girling’s Health and Social Care classes. As part of their coursework they are currently looking at the different roles in care and the types of communication skills that are required. With such a spotlight on the NHS and media hyperbole at the moment it is very easy to miss what is important to these sorts of roles and what makes them special. Communication has to be one of the most important aspects of any role, but as I found out in Miss Girling’s class, especially in care. Working in care is where we get up close to compassion, to empathy and to vulnerability. The way we communicate with each other dictates our approach to these things. I am sure that over the last six months your attention to compassion, empathy and vulnerability has been heightened and that you have a more personal connection to these concepts than you have previously. It was great to see that the importance of dignity and care was a thread running through the lessons. I was not always a teacher and have quite a chequered and varied work history. One of my many jobs includes working in a hospital. It was this experience that I based my discussions with the classes on. I was touched by the compassion and understanding of the classes. They asked thoughtful, sensitive and considered questions. I shared with them my own personal feelings regarding some of things I experienced in the hospital regarding communicating understanding, and empathy. It was an absolute pleasure to speak to them all. Whilst I am on the thread of communication I would like to thank Mrs Baker and Mrs Frogley for producing this month’s iGazette. The iGazette thrives on the wonderful opportunities we are able to offer; opportunities that have had to be cut back quite drastically. The fact that we have still been able to celebrate the many aspects of school life is testament to the resilience of our community in making the school work. Looking back on the term I am very proud of what we have still been able to accomplish within the multitude of restrictions we have had in place and I am glad that we have been able to keep a constant channel of weekly and monthly communications open with everyone so that you all have a clear picture of life at Honywood through the pandemic.
Restrictions have been lifted a little this week; I hope that you will all be able to benefit from this. There are now just two weeks to go until the end of the term; it will be upon us in no time. Next week, Mr Munro will be taking part in acting head week and as such will have the responsibility of writing the headlines. I shall write to you again on the last day of term. I wish you a safe weekend. James Saunders Inclement weather It is that time of year when the weather starts to take a turn and we are faced with the possibility of school closure through weather as well as Covid. I would like to assure you that school closure as a result of bad weather is not something that we would ever take lightly and will only happen when it is not safe to open the site. Please can I ask families to refresh themselves with our Inclement Weather arrangements on our website:
https://www.honywoodschool.com/information/inclementweather-procedure/ Inclement Weather Interim School Day - December 2020 (V1 24/11/20) As a result of Covid19 and the guidance given to schools the school day will run as follows incorporating a split break model. Group Start LS1
A - Cohorts 9 /
B - Cohorts 7 / 8 / 11
9.55am all Cohorts - Go straight to LS1 9.55 - 10.55
9.55 - 10.55
Movement
10.55 - 11.00
10.55 - 11.00
LS2
11.00 - 12.00
11.00 - 12.00
LS3
(12.15 - 1.00pm)
(12.00 - 12.45)
Break (early)
12.00 - 12.15
Break (late)
12.45 - 1.00
LS4
1.00 - 2.00
End
2.00
1.00 - 1.55 1.55
*Cohorts 7, 8 and 11 will depart at 2.00pm to reduce congestion at the end of the school day.