LSF.WEEK

LSF.WEEK 18 Sept 2020

#firstdayofterm #welcomeeveryone

Message from the Chairman, Loughborough Schools Foundation It has been wonderful to welcome our pupils back onto campus and to see all four Schools bustling with activity as pupils return to friendships and classroom life that have been on hold for as long as six months.

We know that this term is not yet a return to life as normal and Governors are grateful to parents, staff and of course pupils, for the way in which they have embraced all the safety arrangements and new ways of doing things to ensure that we can return to life together as a community of schools.

I wanted to share some of the good news from over the summer. Although the cancellation of public examinations was not something any of us would have wanted, our pupils achieved and deserved some excellent results, of which they should be rightfully proud. We wish all of them well with their next stages of learning and hope that they will always remember that wherever their next steps take them, they will continue to have the support of their Foundation family.

Other good news has been that our community continues to grow. This school year has seen the opening of a new Kindergarten room at Fairfield, and an increase in numbers of pupils at Amherst; I am delighted that we are able to share our school community with an ever-growing number of children.

This year we know will not be one without challenges. At the time of writing some class and year group pods from Schools across the Foundation are self-isolating, and it can be expected that further classes may have to isolate as we move into the winter months. This is a necessary precaution, and the Schools will continue to support pupils who are at home by switching swiftly to remote learning.

The return to life as ‘normal’ will take time, and things that we would normally celebrate this term, such as Harvest, Diwali and Christmas, will feel very different.

Despite the disruptions that we will face however I am confident that our pupils, staff and parents will continue to support each other and their wider communities.

Admiral Sir Trevor Soar Chairman

We were delighted to welcome the children and their parents back to school on Monday 7 September in glorious sunshine.

Having had the opportunity to reflect on the successful return of all our pupils in the summer term, my staff and I were able to modify our flow management systems to facilitate the arrival and departure of over 2000 pupils from across the Foundation.

Indeed, I am extremely grateful to the creative mindset of Mrs Barton, Deputy Head Pastoral, who devised the staggered arrival and departure times based on surnames, which solved the problem faced by parents with siblings in other Foundation Schools!

Preparation rewarded The staff have worked incredibly hard to prepare Fairfield for the ‘new-normal’ and from the smiles on the children’s faces at the end of every day, their efforts have certainly been well rewarded.

Reception and Kindergarten, have taken everything on offer in their new classrooms completely in their stride.

This is particularly evident within our highly successful Kindergarten Unit.

Increase in demand Due to an increase in demand for places, we have created an additional Kindergarten classroom within the unit to mirror the structure of three classes from Reception to Year 6, apart from Year 5, which currently has four.

Andrew Earnshaw Headmaster

Avoiding waiting lists With waiting lists in several year groups across the School, we would strongly recommend those parents with pre-school children who are considering a Fairfield education to contact Mrs Hannah Wyatt via fairfield.admissions@ lsf.org at their earliest opportunity to avoid potential disappointment.

Happy first week back

Sport at lunch and break

Despite Covid restrictions and, above all, not being able to gather as one community in the Chapel, Amherst pupils and staff have enjoyed a happy first few weeks back at school.

Covid is frustrating for pupils, as it has impacted on their ability to play sport at lunch and break.

We have responded to this by setting up staff supervised ball games for one year group each day on the hard court behind main block. Thanks to the PE staff for giving yet more of their precious time to help make this happen.

Luckily, the weather has been beautiful so we’ve been able to sit out on the grass and safely socially distance rather than be cooped up in common rooms.

Impressive cooking and gardening Meanwhile, rain or shine, Mrs Miller continues to direct impressive cooking and gardening activities.

Annie and Poppy have had particular success over the summer growing the seeds that were sent as part of Year 7 seasonal foods. Here is a picture of Poppy with a truly impressive sunflower…

Starting school - a student summary

After school club at Amherst

Starting at a new school can be a daunting experience, but we are pleased that our new pupils all seem to be taking to Amherst life like ducks to water. Two of our new Year 12 students, Rosie and Grace, have been kind enough to write to me with a short summary of their feelings after two weeks at Amherst.

For our youngest pupils, after school club at Amherst is a new experience, but is proving a big hit, with special themed activities for each evening of the week.

Movie evening on Thursday is probably the favourite.

They write…

“After our induction day, we were immediately put at ease by the community feel and friendly faces at Amherst, and were confident that it was a place where we could succeed.

After our first week of exploring the 170-year-old school, the beautiful building has started to feel like somewhere we belong.

The small class sizes have really helped us to form relationships with everyone around us; this provides a brilliant foundation to succeed. Personally, as new students, we are already enjoying our time at the school, and the community values are evident in our day-to-day lives here. We are excited for the next two years, and can’t wait to see what they may bring!”

Julian Murphy Headmaster

Thanks My thanks to all our staff for taking on extra duties to cope with Covid restrictions and, in particular, to Miss Davies and Miss Winton for their truly heroic work in steering our community so smoothly during these strange times.

Clubs and Activities Clubs and activities will be starting from next week.

During our first fortnight, our priority has been to get boys back into their routines, many of which have altered due to the measures we are taking to keep them safe.

Nevertheless, boys have been enjoying the good weather to play sport together for the first time in several months.

This has included relaxed cricket and football games on the field and astroturf at lunchtimes, as well as more formal training during Games afternoons. Levels of fitness are finally moving in the right direction!

Tutor meetings

Senior Prizegiving

Next film star?

Last summer new Parents’ Evening software was tested successfully with Year 10 students and their families, and this has enabled us to hold out traditional beginning of year Tutor Meetings remotely.

Although it was not possible to hold our annual prizegivings in School this year, it has been nevertheless extremely important to recognise boys’ achievements during the two-thirds of 2019-20 that we spent together.

Zakiy (Year 10), who has appeared in several LSF drama productions, was selected at audition out of 80 children to play the lead role in a short film for the London Film Academy.

In the past week, parents of boys in Years 8, 9 and 13 have met up with their tutors and Heads of Year to understand the key milestones of this academic year.

On Tuesday, our prizewinners from Years 11, 12, 13 and our leavers’ class of 2020 met via the wonders of Microsoft Teams to celebrate the fruits of their hard work.

Shooting took place just before the start of term in London, and the film ‘Every Other Weekend’ will be shown on the big screen at the British Film Institute on London’s Southbank in November..

Year 13 are now engaged in the important UCAS university application process, and we will assist them as they look forward to university life post-Covid.

They heard from Mr Byrne, Mrs Foster, their Heads of Year and Mrs O’Neill, Chair of the LGS Board.

Duncan Byrne Headmaster

It is hoped that our planned guest speaker, Nigel Mills MP (and Old Loughburian) will be able to join us for the 2021 edition.

What a joy it has been to welcome back all of our pupils and staff this term and to see a steady stream of real people coming through the gates each morning.

We have had a lot of new routines to get used to, from staggered lunchtimes to endless hand sanitising, and we are incredibly proud of the adaptability, good humour and resilience that our whole school community has shown.

Fantastic result

Our Wellbeing Prefects, Annabel and Charina, have kept our spirits up this week with a lovely assembly that signposted all the help and support available to pupils as they get used to being back in school.

we are delighted to announce that Loughborough High finished 2nd in the secondary school category.

Big well done to everyone who participated in the LRS School Games Virtual Summer Championships 2020.

Championships could not take place.

In their absence LRS ran a series of virtual challenges in which students could participate and represent their school.

With the country wide lockdown in place due to Covid-19 the annual School Games

With over 3,000 participants from more than 120 schools across the county

1000 Girls 1000 Futures

Science of Learning

Cycle Challenge

Congratulations to Zara in Year 13, who has been selected from a really competitive field to take part in the ‘1000 girls, 1000 futures’ STEM initiative, supported by companies like Motorola and Johnson and Johnson.

33 LSF colleagues attended a remote twilight inset session on the science of learning on Thursday 17 September, led by Dr Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel of Glasgow University.

In August, Samia and Francesca, both in Year 10, set themselves a cycling challenge to raise funds for Cancer Research and to support their friend who has leukaemia.

Carolina is one of the four Learning Scientists, a group of four world-leading psychologists interested in applying the science of learning to primary secondary schools. It was a superb session and both useful and enjoyable for all.

The challenge was to cycle 200 miles in 20 days and it is wonderful to report that they have succeeded and have raised over £1,215 for Cancer Research UK. A fantastic achievement!

This initiative is for girls, aged 13 – 17 and Zara will be able to connect with students from around the world to share their passion for science. She will also have a female mentor in STEM and will gain membership to the New York Academy of Sciences for one year. Well done Zara!

Fiona Miles Head

A special congratulations to Sai-Isha (Gold), Lily (Silver) and Anna (Bronze), on their individual performances.

Life is getting back to normal, within the Nursery, after the many months of change.

Throughout the Lockdown, the Nursery has been trying to keep the routine and activities going in order for the children to have a bit of normality, amidst the changes brought in by Covid-19.

The reopening since the lockdown has been fantastic and everyone has adapted really well to the new method of dropping off and picking up and are following our new safety measures that are in place to keep everyone safe and well. The children have settled back in to the swing of nursery life brilliantly and the Nursery is full of laughter and singing and the children are back with their friends again.

Exploring textures The children have also been exploring different textures as well, through using their hands and finding hidden objects within the messy play.

Developers have been busy exploring Autumn colours and making pumpkin shapes with the apples for their Autumn display. Through this they have been developing their gross movement and hand to eye coordination.

Changing seasons Within the Nursery, the children have been exploring the changing seasons by making lots of beautiful Autumn pictures.

Carla Brindley Nursery Manager

In Investigators, the children have been making their own leaves to hang around the room to create an Autumnal display. The children developed their hand coordination with the brush and the paper and through recognising the colours and the shape of the leaf.

Pathfinders have explored making pictures using different sized leaves, which they collected.

From this they have been developing their pincer grip and recognising the leaf shape too. Within the messy tray the children were able to find the animals and match them with the right picture.

Our Pioneers have been exploring seasonal changes, and have been thinking about day and night and animals that only come out at night, such as bats. The children are developing their understanding about different animals and the times of day when they are active as well as hearing about sunrise and sunset.

Chaplain

IN THE NEWS...

NEW YEAR GREETINGS from LSF Chaplain, Rev’d Elizabeth York Hello. If you have just joined the Foundation, welcome.

If you are returning after our period of remote learning, welcome back!

Welcome As Chaplain I have had the privilege of being alongside staff and students across the Foundation as our four schools have re-opened this term.

With so many logistical challenges to face this re-opening has required an immense team effort. Some of the early fruits of this work are shared in this newsletter.

So far, my personal highlights include being able to talk to staff and pupils in person again around the campus (we are so fortunate here with the many lovely outside spaces); the return of some assemblies in Amherst Chapel (it’s good to look out and see children and staff – albeit in very limited numbers and very much distanced – but nevertheless together) and dodging kwik cricket balls that fly with alarming regularity during breaktimes and lunchtimes, as LGS boys make ingenious use of the outside spaces designated for their Year groups. All these experiences feel reassuringly normal!

Whilst the overriding sense is that we’re relieved to be back, some have felt quite apprehensive. This mix of emotions is to be expected as we all continue to process how the past few months have affected us - physically, emotionally and spiritually.

During Lockdown, within the staff community, I wrote about the need for us to make spaces for both celebration and lament since a healthy, caring community makes time to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who mourn.

Coming back to school we have continued to reflect on the need for us to be patient with each other and accept that we have all had very different experiences of living through the pandemic; I know similar messages are also being shared with the children across the Foundation, along with reminders of where anyone - staff and pupils - can find support to help them through this period of transition.

The next stage of our journey will be to try to move from surviving to thriving, as staff consider how to take any opportunities for enrichment that we can manage safely whilst keeping in mind the threat Covid-19 still poses.

We know we all need to remain committed to each other’s wellbeing in all this, and continue to follow the rules that have been designed (and will probably need to go on being adapted) to mitigate the risks of the virus, as well as continuing to be gentle and supportive of each other when, despite careful planning, bubbles burst.

Rules often get bad press. In this time of the pandemic they can seem to serve only as reminders of what’s missing – for example, as the ‘Rule of six’ comes into force this week, we notice that for some time our freedom to meet in or with large numbers of people has been curtailed. But this is only part of the story – these rules release us to live well, now and in the future. The Judeo-Christian tradition is no stranger to the idea of rules that release: the Ten Commandments were given as a blueprint for a healthy community and yet they are usually remembered for what they restrict (thou shalt not) rather than the positive outcomes that arise from living within such parameters.

It takes discipline to keep following rules, but across the campus everyone has made a great start to the year in this respect and I’m sure we will continue to look after each other by continuing to adhere to them in the days ahead.

Bearing in mind the diversity within our community it feels important to note that the end of this second week of term coincides with the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Greetings to all who will be observing this celebration: Shanah tovah! A good year to you; a good year to all.

The LSF Chaplain is an additional source of pastoral support for pupils, families and staff and can be contacted via email e.york@lsf.org

Sport/Hollywood

IN THE NEWS...

DEDICATION + MOTIVATION = SUCCESS Former 1XV representative at the Grammar School, Will Yarnell, made his premiership debut for Exeter Chiefs versus current champions Saracens last weekend.

Although it was a brief appearance off the bench, he did enough to show the potential he has. Exeter Chiefs are currently sitting on top of the Premiership and are guaranteed a home semi-final.

The strength in depth of the squad is phenomenal, making his debut that much more special.

Will remained in the Sixth Form at LGS despite several offers from other schools.

Once he was released from the Tigers Academy, he went on to study History at Exeter University where he has been playing for the BUCS 1XV team.

We wish Will all the best of luck in his final year at university and hopefully we will see him play more in the white jersey of the Chiefs.

HOLLYWOOD COMES TO LOUGHBOROUGH! Filming took place this week across all Schools for our Virtual Tour of the campus.

Some pupils were natural stars in front of the camera as they recounted stories of their time at school.

These recordings, and those of some members of staff, can be heard shortly when the Virtual Tour is launched.

Boarders

IN THE NEWS...

Denton Boarders enjoy the fabulous view at the top of Beacon Hill

WELCOME NEW AND RETURNING BOARDERS A big welcome to all of our new and returning Boarders.

It is wonderful to see the Boarding Houses busy once again and as they settle in, many activities and trips have already been enjoyed.

A spot of exercise in the Sports Hall

A sunny family day out at Cleethorpes, including traditional seaside fish and chips!

AWARD SEASON The Boarding Community at LGS are delighted to have been chosen as one of the finalists in the Supporting International Boarders Award category in the BSA Awards 2020.

Mr and Mrs Parton and Mr and Mrs Marlow will be dusting down their ballgowns and dinner jackets as the winners are announced at a virtual presentation at the end of September.

Lecture / COVID-19

IN THE NEWS...

LOUGHBOROUGH SCHOOLS FOUNDATION CLASSICS SOCIETY LECTURE: Race and Ethnicity in Antiquity

The Classics department would like to invite parents to attend an online lecture on the theme of race and ethnicity in the ancient world by Professor Naoise Mac Sweeney of the University of Leicester’s School of Archaeology and Ancient History.

Questions of race and ethnicity have been on the news a lot in 2020, but how universal are our modern ideas about race and ethnicity? It is often assumed that these ideas go back to classical antiquity, and that our thinking on these concepts is shaped by Roman and Greek perspectives. This talk will go back to basics, examining how people in antiquity sometimes held very different conceptions of both race and ethnicity from the ones we have today.

Due to Covid-19, this lecture will be held online and promises to be both informative and thought-provoking. It will be of relevance to all those with an interest in classics, ancient history and/ or politics. The lecture will be held on Teams. If you wish to attend please click this link. There is no charge for attending the talk.

SCHOOL SAFETY: COVID-19 In order to keep our community safe, it is very important that people with symptoms or a positive Covid-19 test, stay at home in order to help prevent the spread of the virus. The Executive therefore hopes that parents will find the following guidance helpful

• Please do not send your child into

• If your child develops symptoms of

• Any child who is sent home, or is

Covid-19, he/she must not come to School and should remain at home for at least 10 days from the date when the symptoms appeared.

• At the moment, any siblings who

School whilst awaiting the results of a Covid-19 test.

• If a member of your household

develops symptoms of Covid-19, please keep your child at home for 14 days.

unwell with any illness (not specific Covid-19 symptoms) is required to stay off School for an additional 48 hours after their symptoms have resolved.

• If your child tests positive for Covid-19,

please email the School on the specific Covid email address sent to parents this week, and report this as soon as possible.

Understandably this is a very difficult time for everyone and the Foundation staff really appreciate your support and patience in adhering to these safety measures.

are well can be sent into School.

If the unwell child subsequently develops Covid-19 symptoms, siblings will need to be collected immediately.

STOP PRESS HOLIDAY CLUBS Bookings for the Holiday Courses during October Half-Term have now opened. Autumn Club and Multi-Sport Club will be available for children in Kindergarten to Year 6.

Please visit https://lsf.org/whats-on/holiday-courses/ for details and to make a booking.

Please note, places are limited.

News in pictures

IN THE NEWS...

HERE COMES THE SUN! The glorious late summer weather at the beginning of this week was enjoyed by all Schools.

Year 7 pupils at the Grammar School made the most of the glorious weather during their breaktimes.

CATCHING UP Pupils at the High School enjoyed playing table tennis and catching up with friends in the Quad. Some outdoor lessons were also an enjoyable experience!

MUSIC

WRAP-AROUND CARE

It has been a treat to hear our pupils singing and Mr Morris and Ms Marsh from the Music Department have been busy providing outdoor Music lessons at both Fairfield Kindergarten and Reception.

Amherst Wrap-Around Care is back in full swing and the pupils have been busy enjoying lots of activities in the outdoors.

Loughborough Schools Foundation 3 Burton Walks Loughborough Leicestershire LE11 2DU

T: 01509 283700 www.lsf.org @LboroSchFdt

Loughborough Schools Foundation is a Company Limited by Guarantee, number 4038033, and is registered in England and Wales. It is also a Registered Charity, number 1081765.

The Registered Office is 3 Burton Walks, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 2DU