Blog
#BeKind
All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seeds of today.
Indian proverb
These little seedlings were planted on 17th March, the day before we heard the announcement that all schools would be closing. You might be able to tell from the splitting seedcases that they're sunflowers, so I look forward to them growing huge – how large will they have grown by the time we return to school? I wonder if I'll be able to share future photos of their flowers. I wonder if they will grow bigger than me?
We do something similar with our students – parents and carers entrust their most precious possessions to us, and we do our very best to help them grow. We teach, support and nurture, sometimes demanding that our young people show resilience – they have demonstrated this in great volumes over the past couple of weeks!
We are never sure where they might end up, but we see our role as one of opening doors, ready for the next chapter, whatever that may be. We really enjoy hearing what our ex-students have gone on to do and, indeed, Mrs West - our Careers Adviser - is setting up a Valley Park Alumni Programme as I write so we can keep in touch with our alumni more effectively.
We joined with the nation last week in celebrating the work of the NHS (#clapforNHS), and the other key services that are working to protect us in this time of crisis. We are, in our own small ways, trying to #BeKind, knowing that lots of little efforts can make a significant difference when we have collective purpose. Some of our staff have volunteered to help the NHS on top of their incredible efforts as teachers and parents. Parents and carers are supporting their children at home, many of them performing roles in key industries, too.
#ThankYouNHS and, indeed, thank you all.
Most humbling of all for me was to hear on Friday that two Valley Park alumni are on the frontline of the NHS – I am sure there are many more of whom I am unaware. William and Gabby - although both still in their final years at university - are very much at the forefront of the fight against the coronavirus. William is finishing his degree at the same time as working in hospital, and Gabby is rushing through her professional registration so that that she can be in hospital too. How inspiring to hear this. How resilient they are. How kind. They have already grown bigger than me.
If you have more inspiring stories, please do share them.
If you can #StayHome please do. If you can’t – please stay safe.
