Posted Dec 19 - 2024Headteacher's Newsletter
what's happening at Chesham Grammar
Posted on: February 12th 2021
Head's Blog
Dear parent,
I am very proud of the way in which everyone in the CGS community has adapted to and coped with the demands of this half term. Our staff have shown an unswerving commitment to giving our students the best experience possible in these difficult times while our students have adapted equally quickly to Teams lessons and our parents have been hugely supportive. There simply is no substitute for being in school and we all dearly hope that we will be back soon. Teaching at a screen for such an extended period is not what any of us came into this profession for and likewise, learning at a screen is not what any of us envisaged when we chose a school for our child. During the week, I was reflecting on the fact that a year ago, none of us had used Teams! As I have said before, it has been a case of necessity being the mother not quite of invention, but certainly of adaptation and evolution. We have all learned a great deal in the last year and it will be interesting to look back in a few years to see whether there have been any positive, long-lasting changes to the process and experience of schooling as a result of this pandemic.
As you know, today has been a training day for staff and departments have valued the opportunity to spend time together discussing teaching and learning and CPD. I hope your children have enjoyed what for them has been the first day of the half term break. Today, we said goodbye for a while to Mrs Dax who now starts her maternity leave. She will return in January 2022. I am sure that you will join me in wishing her well. We look forward to meeting her new arrival when it is safe for us to do so.
In the first week back after half term, we are expecting to receive the final details of the summer 2021 examination arrangements which will be of great interest to those with a child in Year 11 and/or 13 as well as to students in these year groups and their teachers. As soon as we can, we will be in touch with you to outline what is going to happen and I will make sure that we have the opportunity to talk this through with you. Please rest assured that whatever assessments students need to undertake will be planned well in advance so that they have ample time to prepare and to do themselves justice. In the meantime, we have set up a form for you to be able to ask any questions you may have. We will compile a set of FAQs to go to parents and if you would like a direct response to your question/s, please be sure to give your name in the relevant box so that we know who to contact. The form can be found here.
All that remains is for me to thank you all again for your tremendous support this half term and indeed throughout this pandemic and to say well done to your children. We always say that to get the best from and for our students, we need to work in partnership with their parents. Never has this been more relevant than in these last few weeks and months. When we are all back in school, there will be much hard work needed to help our students recover (a term we prefer to 'catch-up'). For us, one of the most important priorities is to recover the true spirit of CGS, by which I mean to ensure that the fun can return to our school community. It is reassuring to know that you will be standing alongside us as we plan this journey which lies ahead.
With best wishes for a relaxing half term,
Annmarie McNaney
Headteacher
