I have spent lots of time with the children this week: a leaders’ lunch today; admiring the Queen Victoria portraits in Year 2; listening to the drumming in Year
3; chatting to the pupils at drop-off and pick-up and talking to lots of children (a lot) about Benji the puppy, who I introduced to them all at break times this week. Although still rather frightened of any children (I had to carry him over my shoulder during dog walking club last year as he refused to move), there is progress being made and it is true that school dogs are wonderful for the children. I now know an enormous amount about all of your dogs at home!
Progress has been made on lunches and we trialled the use of the Dining Room, this week, for Pre-prep and Lower School. All pupils will be having proper lunch in the Dining Room from Monday, with Nursery in a slightly more temporary arrangement. But, all children will eat at tables with proper cutlery and more
hot food will be introduced into the menu as we work through the COVID-19 procedures. The children will be organised into super bubbles (Pre-prep, Lower School and Upper School) for lunch times. Thank you to the catering team and the staff for getting this in place by week 3. I know that the cleaning staff,
in particular, are very pleased!
Schools across the country are now open, with their new operating procedures, and it is interesting how interpretation of the guidelines differs depending on the location, size and organisational structure of each school. Difficulties this week have been in the speed of getting tests done if anyone displays symptoms but, hopefully, this is being addressed by the government. To reiterate, if a child does present with symptoms (a fever, a new persistent cough or lack of smell/taste), we will be contacting parents to take their children (and siblings) home for a test. We do understand the inconvenience of this for families; however, we must ensure that we keep the community safe. We would not inform parents if another child in the year group has symptoms, but we would if there was a positive test, as per our policy.
A final word on HAIRCUTS! Some of the children are looking very ‘Devon wild’ with long hair hanging in their eyes. Boys and Girls need to have hair out of their eyes for learning. Please do take your children to the hairdressers this weekend and tutors will be following up in the next couple of weeks. I will be buying a
supply of clips and Alice Bands over the weekend for boys and girls alike, if they can’t see their work because of their hair!
I wish you all a super weekend with your families.
Mrs Charlotte Johnston
Head
