Noticeboard

I have two important pieces of news to share with you this week. Firstly, lateral flow testing for staff in primary schools starts next week. This means that members of staff coming into school will be able to take a twice-weekly COVID-19 test on a voluntary basis. We hope that this additional precautionary measure will help to reassure staff and families.

 

Secondly, a remote learning questionnaire will be circulated to all parents/carers in the next couple of weeks so that we can see what is going well with our remote learning provision and what could be improved. We want to hear the views of our parents/carers so that we can share successful practice across the trust and evaluate and rethink aspects that are not working as well as they might.

 

Finally, I want to share with you one of the many supportive comments our schools have been receiving over the last few weeks. Thank you to those of you who have taken the time to show staff how much you value them – it is appreciated: “I just wanted to say huge thanks to the staff at the school for getting us parents through the first week of lockdown so smoothly. I can't imagine how much work it has been for you all in really challenging circumstances” (parent from Great Witley).

 

Stay safe and stay in touch,

 

Kate Brunt

CEO

 

Lockdown learning 

Once again, I am amazed and awed by the way in which staff have adapted so quickly and professionally to the new situation we find ourselves in this term. As always, supporting our pupils safely, both academically and emotionally, remains our priority.

 

Obviously, we have all learnt from our experience of the previous lockdown. In our schools, this ‘lockdown learning’ is directly influencing everything we are doing to support pupils during this new lockdown period. Since our first experience of lockdown, we have invested in new software so that we are now able to offer an extensive range of online learning support, appropriately tailored to age and ability. This is in line with our determination to ensure consistency so that all pupils benefit from the same learning offer, whether learning from home or in school.

 

This week, it has been a privilege to watch heads delivering inspiring ‘live’ assemblies, teachers reading stories online and pupils sharing their work and experiences of lockdown life. Together, we are enabling pupils to continue their learning safely and keeping our Rivers family connected. Thank you all, staff, pupils and families, for making this possible. You are amazing!

 

Stay safe and stay in touch,

 

Kate Brunt

CEO

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you all and welcome back to a new and exciting term of learning. For many of our pupils and staff, the new term has seen a return to remote learning, although our schools remain open for pre-school and nursery children, vulnerable children and the children of key workers. As always, the health, safety and wellbeing of all pupils and staff remain our priority.

 

I know that the coming weeks will be challenging for many of you and keeping our Rivers family connected will be more important than ever. As we begin this new term, I ask that we all continue to work together, keep in touch with one another and support each other in any way we can so that our community is able to move forward safely and productively. Together, with staff working collaboratively and flexibly and the continued support of parents/carers, we will ensure that remote and in-school provision remains the best it can possibly be during this uncertain time.

 

Thank you, everyone, for all for all that you are doing to ensure that our pupils continue their learning safely - I am proud to be part of such a committed and caring profession and community.

 

Stay safe and stay in touch,

 

Kate Brunt

CEO