This week has seen a flurry of media attention given to the potential impact of the pandemic on educational outcomes and then in turn on potential lifetime earnings. Apocalyptic headlines have been written following the publication of an IFS report on this topic. I have a real concern when the media engages in such talk and the general catastrophising about the current situation. Clearly it is right to be concerned. However, if we persist in telling young people that their situation is so dire then we run the risk of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

We know the disruption will have had a detrimental effect on some of our young people so let’s focus on dealing with that when schools return. I was pleased to see the appointment of Sir Kevan Collins to head up the Government’s work in this area. He is an experienced educator with a real expertise on what is impactful following his work with the Education Endowment Foundation. I was also pleased to see the promise of funding to support this work.

Let’s also remember that young people are resilient and by encouraging resilience and positive attitudes our young people will cope and will have the potential to regain any “lost” learning. I am drawn to the words of Captain Sir Tom Moore who sadly passed away this week. He said of the current pandemic: “We will get through it in the end but it might take time, but at the end of the day we shall all be OK again… the sun will shine on you again and the clouds will go away.” Wise words from an inspirational figure.

It’s also worth keeping in mind a number of positives. As I write this piece the UK has crossed the 10 million threshold in terms of Covid vaccinations. That is a phenomenal achievement and one that fills me with hope that there is genuine light at the end of the tunnel. There’s also the news from Scotland regarding the reopening of their schools. With the data nationally reflecting positive trends, I am hopeful that 8^th March will signal the return to school we all hope to see and that we will get the chance to welcome back all of our students.

Of course, the best way to minimise losses in learning is for our students to engage fully with their home learning. Those that are doing this are ensuring that their learning is progressing well. Clearly as the time away from school increases it does become harder to stay motivated. As we approach half-term it is really important to continue to encourage your son / daughter to make a big effort to finish the term strongly in terms of their learning. Thank you for all you are doing to cajole, encourage and support your children at this time.

One group of students who have gone over and above in terms of their maths work were those that took part in the UK Maths Trust’s Mathematical Challenge which was still able to operate this year despite the lockdown.  The Mathematical Challenge is a 60-minute, multiple-choice competition aimed at students across the UK which aims to encourage mathematical reasoning, precision of thought, and fluency in using basic mathematical techniques to solve interesting problems. Congratulations go to Jude Cockin, Archie Hall, Kristian Jones, Kiana Male, Sophie Nicholls, Jack Osborne, Laela Paine, Keira Penrith, Thomas Wager, Evie Windridge and Shania Young and Anja Brotherston who have completed the Intermediate challenge aimed at students in Years 9 and 10.

Last week I celebrated the achievements of some of our students completing work towards their DofE awards. I was delighted this week to hear about the efforts of Year 9 student Keira Wood. As part of her volunteering module, Keira has been supporting the Gloucester City Missions project. She has been collecting toiletries that can then be passed on to homeless people in the city. This is such a wonderful example of a student living the values we cherish and promote at Severn Vale School.

On Wednesday 10th February our Independent Careers Adviser, Georgie Blackburn, is delivering a webinar for our Year 11 parents and carers to enable you to better support your child with their options after year 11 and future career choices. This is a great opportunity for you to hear about:

• The options available for your child and local provision in Gloucestershire

• The differences between types of courses and qualifications and learning environments

• How to learn more about sixth forms/colleges/apprenticeships and the application process

• Positive ways to support your child with career and education choices

• A chance for questions and answers about any concerns

Georgie will run 2 sessions at 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm. The webinar will take place via Zoom. If you would like to attend, please email Mrs Lauren Hart at lhart@severnvaleschool.com by Monday 8^th February, stating your preferred time. She will reply by sending out a Zoom link to enable you to access the live webinar.

Last week saw the beginning of the options process for our Year 9 students. All Year 9 parents should now have a copy of the options booklet which provides basic information on each subject offered. On Monday a new section on the school’s website will go live with subject videos to provide key information on each subject to supplement that provided by the options booklet. There will also be an introductory video outlining how the process works. I hope parents and students find both useful.

Even though 8^th March does not seem that far off, I know that the continuing lockdown is posing a real challenge for some students.  Please remember that our staff remain available to support the students. The best points of contact are always the Tutors or the Heads of Year. There is also a wealth of well-being material and links on the school website here.

As always, I include my weekly reminder about Free School Meals eligibility. If your financial circumstances have changed, your child may be eligible for Free School Meals. If you click on this link you will find guidance on the eligibility criteria and the application process. It's a quick process and we are notified of all FSM entitlements by Gloucestershire County Council each Monday. I would urge you to take a look if you think you may benefit from financial assistance.

To end, some more Zoom stars identified by our staff over the past week. These are a selection of the students who have absolutely excelled in terms of their engagement and work produced. This week’s Zoom stars are:

 

Year 7	Year 8	Year 9	Year 10	Year 11
Abbie Nicholls	Ava Clare	Alicia Adams	Adele Smith	Amy Hobbs
Aiden Sangster-Rice	Cerys Jones	Elliott Thompson	Archie Hall	Ayesha Diallo
Aiden Skinner	Daniel Packer	Emma Loomes	Charlie Llewellyn	Daniel Robbins
Annabelle England	Francis Minett	Jamie Fear	Danny Daniels	Elizabeth Salami
Barnaby Lawson-Davis	Immy Sapseed	Jamie Weir	Ellie Cockings	Faye Chisholm
Charlie Ward	Jaiden Cornock	Laela Paine	Emily Wadley	Holly Evans
Chloe Webb	Kaitlin Cave	Logan Evans	Eve Rasdell	Jago Symons
Corben Merrett	Lily Gardner	Melanie Torres	Faris Nouria	Jake Hipwood
Elizabeth Moroney	Luize Rubene	Zunairah Cross	Finley Williams	Lydia Matumba
Emily Foster	Maddie Woodger		Jack Osborne	Megan Gibbs
Ethan Redding	Millie Darke		Millie Maycock	Morgan Hickman
Euan Espach	Oliver Leonard		Millie-Rose Smith	Olivia Long
Grace Grimmett	Peyton Kerridge		Molly-May Newman	Ryan Hunt
Isabel Hay	Pheobe Adshead		Riley Barnes	Sam Seville
Jack Sidorowicz	Thomas Adams		Sameen Sonoury	Sebastian Leach
Joe Amankwah	Zara Luter		Shana Walsh	Wania Imran
Keana Barnes	Ziggy Bielecki		Sienna Smith
Konrad Branka			Skye Clarke
Macy Holland			Summer Evans
Maisie Harlock
Makayla Goddard
Megan Lewis
Nadia Lazar
Naveah Ryder
Nicole Walker
Rebecca Clay
Ryan Sands
Sam Rod
Sasha Ridler
Sophia Lamb
Sophia Meadows
Sydney Folley

 

Have a safe and a healthy weekend!

Kind regards

 

Richard Johnson
Headteacher