Happy Easter to all!!

12th April 2020

Happy Easter to all.
As the most significant Christian festival of the calendar, the message of Easter signifying hope, resurrection, renewal and a new beginning particularly resonates in these strange times.
The weather has been spring-like and everywhere is beginning to look fresh and new again.  You'd forget about the misery and drudgery of the winter months, and that in itself is a lesson for us all, that things will always turn around and improve when they mightn't look great.
In the normal course of events, this would be the middle of the Easter holidays.  For non-exam classes,  it would be a welcome break from the routine, and for exam students it would signal a resting stage before the final push, a chance to gather yourself and have things lined up.  Things are certainly uniquely different this year, but it will be an interesting story to look back on to tell your children in the future.  The opportunity will come to use a quote one particular history teacher in the school is quite fond of using- 'You weren't there, man!!'
Everything will find its level, and things will, at some stage, return to normal, or we'll all adjust to a new normal.  My old man is fond of the expression 'Every day's a school day'.  It's said at home usually when things either don't go right or don't go as expected.  (With amazing frequency, in our case!!).  We are all learning new things and new ways, and school work will get incorporated into this new model in its own way and time.
I'd wager there's a good few students who are thinking what they previously thought unthinkable- that they miss school.  The social importance of school and interactions with friends is often overlooked due to the focus on academic progress.  It's important to stay active,  to keep yourself occupied, to stay in regular contact with your peers either online or within the social distancing guidelines.  There are certainly challenges to our wellbeing and mental health,  and these challenges will vary in scale from person to person, so it's more important than ever to look out for one another, and again this is why the spirit of Easter is so important with its message of renewal and fresh starts.

So once again,  happy Easter to all, and go easy on the chocolate!!
Have an eggsellent day!!