Dear Parent/Carer,
I hope you and your family are well. As we approach the end of this half-term, I would like to update you on what we have achieved at Sharples despite the many challenges posed by the current national lockdown.
When the lockdown was announced on January 4th, we implemented our distance learning model for all students, offering live lessons across all subject areas. We know from your feedback during the first lockdown, that live lessons are the most effective way to engage students and keep them on track.
I am very happy to report that the levels of attendance at, and engagement with, live lessons has been excellent across all year groups and all curriculum areas. I have visited many live lessons, and I am so impressed by the quality of learning that I see, and the creative ways in which the virtual learning platforms are used to ensure that our students continue to make good progress and achieve well.
During this lockdown, we have placed a great emphasis on form time, as a key way to set our students up for a day of positive learning. We have a weekly virtual assembly covering themes such as, Growth Mindset and Wellbeing, as well as a variety of activities and challenges to enthuse our students.
Many of our students have gone above and beyond during this half-term, for example, by taking part in our Community Challenges and we have celebrated their achievements using rewards points, postcards home, praise emails and special home deliveries of chocolates. You can keep up to date with our students’ achievements by following Sharples Twitter and by reading our weekly newsletter.
Our commitment to enrichment activities continues and our students have had the opportunity to participate in poetry workshops and engage in a debating event. In addition, our Good to Great programme has included virtual lectures from a Graphic Designer and Medical Physicist, this highlights our determination to continue to be ambitious with our enrichment offer to students.
In addition to the learning opportunities we provide, our pastoral and SEND teams make many phone calls each week to check-in on our students and their families to offer whatever support we can. I would encourage all parents/carers to contact the relevant year coordinator, in the first instance, if there are any concerns relating to any aspect of your child’s learning. Contact details can be found via the following link: https://www.sharplesschool.co.uk/distance-learning/
Despite our many achievements this half-term, we are missing our students being in school and we are looking forward to welcoming them back, for face to face learning, as soon as we are able. At this point, the Government has stated that the earliest possible date for a return to school is Monday, 8 March. However, we do not have any final details linked to this, and, as we all know, these plans may well change. I am sure that we are all hoping for a safe return to school for all students in the near future. Until then, we will continue our commitment to providing our students with a first-class distance learning provision. I will keep you updated on any further developments over the coming weeks.
We finish school for the half-term break at 3.05pm on Friday 12 February and I hope that all of our students have a safe, enjoyable and restful break. We look forward to welcoming them back, virtually, on Monday 22 February, with registration via Google Meet, which begins promptly at 8.45am
Take care and stay safe.
Ms Webster
Headteacher
Click here to view original letter as a PDF.
