HEAD’S WELCOME GEOFFREY STANFORD

WELCOME

BY GEOFFREY STANFORD HEAD

Icannot introduce this latest magazine without reflecting on the many ways in which the Covid-19 pandemic continues to affect all parts of the RGS community. It is perhaps worth starting by saying that there have been a number of positives from the situation in terms of students developing resilience and the ability to learn independently, as well as providing a catalyst for the school to engage with education technology.

With the latest lockdown, however, our current students’ time across the Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form has been disrupted for almost a year, with public exams already cancelled for the summer. This means that both the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 have been denied the opportunity to sit the exams, for which they have worked so hard, and an entire cohort has started a much-restricted University experience. I wonder if these students will, in time, look back on this period with memories of triumph over adversity in the way that the RGS Penrith generation recalled their own evacuation from Eskdale Terrace. I am, of course, full of praise for the way in which recent ONs have dealt with the challenges around exams, the way current students have continued to engage with learning and the heroic efforts the staff have made to continue to teach and support our community, even when operating remotely.

I am also aware of the impact of the pandemic on RGS parents, some of whom may be facing hardship as a result of the lockdowns. Many parents work in the NHS, in particular staffing our City’s RVI, which has been a beacon of excellence and hope in the North East’s fight against the pandemic. Indeed, I recently heard about an RGS parent who is a Consultant Anaesthetist, working on Covid wards in the day and volunteering to provide vaccinations in her nonworking hours. We should not forget that many of our bursary parents are key workers, whether it be providing social care, cleaning our hospitals or driving the City’s buses. Their work is tremendously important to our City.

In the last magazine, we paid tribute to some of the many ON medics; our nation is grateful to them and I am proud that the RGS has nurtured such outstanding people. However, I am conscious that so many ONs will have been profoundly affected and I express our solidarity with the circumstances of each individual, wherever you are. I am always deeply saddened to share the obituary of any Old Novo but it is particularly poignant to see in this issue the names of those ONs who have left us this year. Several of these Old Novos were great donors to our Bursary Campaign, and indeed some have left legacies to the school. I know that bursary students, such as Michael featured in this magazine, will join me in thanking all those ONs who have remembered their former school, your loyalty is deeply appreciated.

I hope that this magazine, on the theme of the RGS Junior School, provides a welcome distraction in these most challenging of times. Please do continue to reach out, via email or on our social media channels; we appreciate hearing your news and being able to keep in touch.

With best wishes