As maintained schools reopen in phases for the last weeks of the summer term Paul Norton, principal of Kings Monkton Independent School, Cardiff, explains how he enlisted the support of an Australian doctor to come to the decision not to reopen before the
Google Classroom, with staff moving schemes of work, assessments and homework on to Google Drive.
As such, when the impacts of Covid-19 began to be felt across the world at the start of the year, we ensured that all pupils and staff had the necessary tools to make this happen, long before Boris Johnson put the UK into lockdown.
Our online learning has been a huge success, with pupils making progress right from the foundation phase to sixth form, and the response from parents and children has been excellent.
Our wellbeing team have never been busier with their online interactions, carried out over face-to-face Google Meet, supporting our children through this unprecedented time.
I went to the school board with my reservations regarding the risk that Covid-19 posed, my concerns regarding the inconsistent and mixed messages over safety practices and the use of PPE, alongside the disruption that a return to school would cause to our new and fully functioning online provision.
These facts, coupled with the findings of the Australian doctor, were enough proof for the academic board that we should remain in our current state and not return to onsite learning before the summer break.
Working as an academic board, we swiftly identified clear criteria on when and how we would want to return to school.
Our overarching priority is the safety and security of our pupils and staff, and we are currently far from achieving our desired criteria, therefore this is how we will remain for the time being.
In addition to the criteria we have developed our innovative transition programme, setting up online summer assessments as well as a two-week wellbeing programme called Reconnect to Learning, which started on Monday, where the children are meeting up with their class peers and teacher in Bute Park to take part in a day of wellbeing activities and fun.
It is important to note here that we are not a wealthy school, we’re an inclusive school with SEN status and we have a number of parents who make huge sacrifices to send their children to our school, working two jobs and even downsizing their houses.
We’re a high-achieving independent school with a focus on wellbeing and pastoral care, welcoming students from all backgrounds.
I’m glad that we have the freedom to take advice and guidance from the places we see fit. I’m confident in the decisions myself and the board have made, and as a result of our Reconnect to Learning activities I’m already seeing a growth in self-confidence, selfesteem and selfefficacy in our pupils, and I believe that their resilience and resourcefulness are on
the up.