Headteacher blog 16th October 2020

This week the junior children have been doing the tests that they would have usually done towards the end of the summer term. Results are still being collated, but early indications are that there has been a drop in the reading comprehension scores that we might usually expect, but maths scores are more comparable. The maths curriculum was more straightforward to keep ticking over during lockdown whereas the teaching of reading comprehension is, arguably, more difficult to teach remotely. Many children were also ‘rusty’ as regards test technique: not reading questions properly and not really being up to pace.  Having said that, some children have done really well despite missing formal schooling – something to reflect on there too!

Next week, we will be able to share some of this early assessment data with parents at our first remote parents’ evening.  I am hearing reports of some schools struggling with this sort of event and I hope that we can do better. Self-discipline and keeping to timings will be vital: please forgive us if some meetings end a little abruptly. Please be assured that parents can have a meeting with teachers throughout the year if needed so we don’t need to get through everything and everybody on the designated parents’ evenings.

Today the juniors have worn red to support the ‘Show Racism the Red Card’ campaign. This was a parental suggestion that we were happy to support as we have been doing a series of BLM and Black History Month-inspired assemblies in the junior building.  I thought that the children would just come in their red PE hoodies – how wrong I was!