It feels like a long time ago when we stopped the normal running of the School!

We remain open to the small number of students who meet both the Government criteria and also need us. A skeleton staff is diligently attending each day, making sure that we have a Senior Leader, a Safeguarding Lead and medically trained staff onsite. I would like to salute all of my colleagues who are attending School and those working remotely from home, solely focussed on the needs of our students, whilst trying to juggle their own lives around this.

As we near the end of week 2 in our current state of operation, we face the possibility that we will not all be on site together for some time. Therefore, it is vital to us that we continue to evolve our distance learning provision – tweaks for some things, significant changes in other areas. We are gathering feedback all of the time from students, parents and staff. We haven’t done this before and have never claimed to have got it right first time!

Last evening, the Curriculum Leaders met online and talked through the experiences of class teachers and their students. Mr Fox will be writing home to our families tomorrow about some fresh approaches. To Mr Fox, the Curriculum Leaders and to the teachers – you are amazing. Thank you and well done!

I have had contact from the local authority this morning, wanting to commend the School for its response recently. It would seem that our website content and Facebook mentions have been noted. Can I just say again that every single piece of encouragement and every “thank you” has meant the world to us, so don’t stop!

I have loved seeing the pictures you’ve been sending in. See them on Facebook! Keep those coming – raise a smile and maybe the sun will come out for us this weekend! Please note that “PE with Joe” is fancy dress tomorrow, so please take part and send us the photos. I have my costume ready… tbsstars@buckinghamschool.org tbsmadness@buckinghamschool.org

Keep smiling everyone. One thing I’ve really become clear on in the last two weeks is how much I dislike email and how much speaking with colleagues and loved ones has kept me going. Yesterday would have been my Dad’s 90th. Bless you Stanley, the best role model a son could ever have.

With my best wishes,
Mr A McGinnes, Headteacher
aallen@buckinghamschool.org