You may have noticed something different about the front of the school since returning after half-term but couldn’t quite put your finger on it….
Unfortunately, the large Lombardy Poplar tree, that had stood for many years by the school entrance, had to be felled during half term. It never recovered from being hit by lightning a couple of years ago and, unfortunately, had to come down.
As you will be aware, there has been a lot of information in the news about a strain of coronavirus called COVID-19. This includes information relating to schools, including those returning from trips to Italy over half term. Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) have reassured all schools that none of the trips run by Hertfordshire schools were within the ten towns which the Italian authorities have put on quarantine measures and Hertfordshire residents remain at low risk. HCC have advised that taking basic hygiene precautions remains the best way to reduce the chances of spreading any virus, a message that we have reinforced to all pupils. The Department for Education has communicated guidance for educational settings in conjunction with information and advice from Public Health England which we are following and will closely monitor as it is updated.
We have again managed to accumulate hundreds of items of lost property during last half term, including coats, shoes, bags and football boots. None of the items are named so cannot be returned to their owners. Please could we remind parents and carers to name all items of children’s uniform. Weather permitting, we will have a used uniform sale alongside our monthly book swap, on Friday 13th March. Please come along to top up your child’s uniform.
National headlines frequently refer to statistics that support a worrying trend of poor mental health amongst school-aged children. This is alongside rising reports of self-harm and anxiety. These are not just increasingly common trends, they are real issues for some of our families. As a school, we will continue to teach and support our pupils to look after their physical and mental health and look at ways of building their resilience and self-esteem. We are continuing to develop and improve our therapeutic provision so that we can provide early intervention for our families, which in this climate of funding and service cuts, is not easy to achieve. If you would like more information or you are worried about the mental health or emotional well-being of a child or young person, the NSPCC and Young Minds websites are good places to start. If you are concerned about your own child and would like some support or information from school, please see your child’s class teacher or contact me via the school office.
Please can we remind families that children are not allowed on the playground equipment at the end of the school day. Pupils are aware of this expectation and we would appreciate your support in ensuring that it is reinforced.
I would like to thank the staff team from Santander who helped spruce up Bowmansgreen during half-term. All hands were on deck for their community painting day which resulted in a fresh lick of paint for our dining hall, gym and some class areas. The redecoration was much appreciated and has helped freshen up the school ready for spring. Thank you to Mr and Mrs Robertson for organising this event.
