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Posted on: December 18th 2020
Small Details
Here we are - the last blog of term!
Whoever you are, it’s a tough time to be in education, with the uncertainty of exams and the worry of illness; the cancellation of so many activities and the need to adapt quickly to situations as they evolve.
Nevertheless, I can’t help but be inspired by our community, not least by our first-ever virtual carol service (see below) which was a defiant refusal to give up when Coronavirus made our normal Christmas events impossible.
Decaf, our Dementia Café, elicited smiles galore when their beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts were dropped off to the homes of our patrons and we could not have achieved this were it not for the strong multidisciplinary collaboration between students and staff, which even inspired others outside the school to contribute their own donations.
Yesterday afternoon, I was interrupted from the task at hand by the smell of confection drifting down the corridor - only to find that students and staff in our Student Hub provision were busy making fudge in between their lessons, inspired by Miss Blackman and her desire to make the Hub feel festive during these unusual times.
Yesterday morning, our post arrived and a received a Christmas card from a student, who had taken the time to say 'Happy Christmas' in spite of being off school. Many of our families - parents, carers and students - have thought to contact us to say thank you for the lessons (virtual and otherwise) that have taken place this term and for the support they've received, and to wish our staff a happy Christmas. Details like these, though they seem small, make such a difference and they spur us on.
I will never forget the faces of the recipients of Decaf's Christmas parcels, or the beaming smiles of the students who left for home yesterday clutching parcels of fudge for their families. Our annual Carol Service is always very memorable, yet this year's will be remembered for different reasons - most particularly as taking place in the year when so many unusual things happened, but our community spirit spread yet further - even though we had to resort to innovative tactics in order to achieve our goals.
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish those members of our extended community who are unwell a very speedy recovery.
I hope you have a very happy and peaceful Christmas and New Year break, and thank you for making our community everything that it is.
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