I write this as we approach the end of quite an unusual term and definitely one that has tested our resilience as a community. We arrived in early January only to be told that we would be in Lockdown the next day. I was astounded how well our children were able to once again, without skipping a beat, switch into this now not so unfamiliar way of learning . It turned out to not be so familiar after all. The change in guidance meant that we ended up having significantly more children in school than in the first Lockdown and we needed to change our approach. Again, our staff channeled their inner Molly the Monkey and managed to deliver an exceptional educational experience (in my opinion) to all of our children. The contributions of our now experienced home-schooling parents were immense and our children were just as amazing as always. The level of resilience demonstrated by our community was once again extraordinary. As a headteacher, our response has filled me with a great deal of pride.
Almost three years ago now, we recognised the value of teaching resilience to our children and Molly the Monkey’s ability to bounce back has been highlighted in many lessons. To quote the Rocky movie, “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” This is now very true of the Edenhurst children. Covid has hit us hard but we have stuck together, adapted and are stronger as a result. It has given me great joy to see this in action over the past three weeks as our children have all come back into school and flourished. But like all forms of learning, developing resilience is never truly done and something that we will continue to drive forward. I would be naive to assume that the trials thrown our way by Covid-19 are over but I am convinced that our children and our community will cope.
Easter time presents us with a great example of resilience. Whilst christians remember the death of Christ, I believe that it is of utmost importance that we focus on His resurrection. From a Christian perspective, Easter eggs are said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and resurrection. The egg, an ancient symbol of new life, has long been associated with pagan festivals celebrating spring. A new start, a fresh page and a leaf turned over.
I see this Easter from Molly the Monkey’s and Rocky’s perspective. An opportunity to bounce back to reclaim the ground that Covid-19 has taken from us. But let us not leave it there. We are stronger and wiser than we were before, we have developed a multitude of new skills. Let us make this the best summer term ever.
So, Carpe Diem! Have a lovely Easter Break everyone.
Categories: School Blogs
