I trust you have read my email regarding our move to ban the use of mobile devices during break times. We already ban them in Primary and in Secondary, phones are already banned during class.  Thank you to the many parents who have emailed in expressing their support for this move.

I had a very good conversation with a student who was questioning why those who do not have an over-use or reliance problem also needed to be included in the ban. This is a great question but as I reminded him, our society often imposes rules on all of us even though many of us do not need the rule. The majority sometimes relinquish their right to something to help those for whom that practice is an issue. For Christian people, this is in line with the Scripture’s call to us to put others first and to consider Jesus’ example who laid aside His own rights in order to serve us.

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have concerns for your child. We have some children who are reliant on their devices for a range of valid reasons, although I think we can always find a way to support them without breaching our new requirement.

Thanks also to those who responded to the traffic and bus email. I realise that in sending out the email to you all, it is personalised to you but I am writing to the community not to you personally – my apologies if you felt accused of doing something you did not and are not doing! I will try to make my communication clearer in future.

We are planning to get a traffic engineer to review our traffic issues and to see if we can come up with a better process for the afternoon pickup. Just because something has been approved does not mean it is the best solution nor the most workable. Bear with us as we try to make this safer and more efficient.

I am a proponent of the idea of a partnership between school and home in education. I believe we need to commit to each other in the education of our children and make it a priority to maintain positive relationships. If either party gets too demanding of the other, it is hard to work out positive solutions. As a school, we are committed to doing our best for your child and sometimes that involves discipline and correction. We are not picking on your child but seeking to help them grow in character and capacity.

All of us as parents have experiences of our children disappointing us with their behaviour or attitude at times. They are growing and will make mistakes. It is as we work together not against each other, that they will become strong and mature individuals.

It has been so lovely to have sunshine again. It lifts our spirits and helps with behaviour. With more rain forecast, let’s be patient with our children and creative about how we help them cope with rainy days, COVID isolation and the general pressures of modern life. When we do this in partnership, it is easier all round.

A reminder to please keep your child/children at home if they have COVID-19 symptoms, even if they test negative.