HEAD OF SECONDARY SCHOOL

In this last article for the term, I would usually take the time to highlight the achievements of our students on campus and in the broader community and the activities that have unfolded during the term. However, the term has not unfolded as we intended for our community. I want to take the time to thank and acknowledge the efforts of our staff, students and parents. The sense of community that the College has demonstrated throughout this time and the support that has been received is outstanding.

I have been extremely encouraged by the efforts of our staff during this time. Transitioning back to online learning is not easy yet our teaching and support staff have worked hard to ensure strong continuity of learning. The level of creativity, flexibility, and commitment to student centered learning has been excellent, and the time and effort that our staff has put into their learning have been amazing. The supportive wellbeing strategies implemented through our Heads of House have supported our student growth in resilience and wellbeing.

The willingness of our students to be engaged with online learning and the level of effort they have put in to continue to develop their time management skills has been outstanding. Attending school as an adolescent can be hard enough, let alone transitioning to an online learning platform with a pandemic hanging over their heads. Our Year 11 students have completed their yearly examinations in a range of formats and have taken those changes in their stride. Our Year 12’s have also been adaptable in the way that they have continued to engage in learning after the completion of their trial exams. I would like to thank all the parents that have worked from home and encouraged and supported their children to continue to learn online. It is extremely difficult to manage working from home while encouraging children to remain engaged. 

I would also like to acknowledge and thank our essential workers for their efforts throughout this lockdown period. The strength of our community and its focus on supporting our students has enabled our students to do as well as they could do, despite the circumstances they have found themselves in.

I hope that everyone gets the chance to take a breath over the holidays, and in particular, gets to take a step away from their devices to enjoy the environment around us.

Christopher Ingold | Head of Secondary School