Author: rwaslin

Congratulations, Class of 2023!

rwaslin

It’s been another great day in school today, with Year 11 students collecting GCSE results and doing themselves and their families proud.
As was the case for Year 13 students last week, the impact of Covid and other factors means that this Year 11 cohort have had to face far more than their fair share of challenges in tackling their GCSE courses. However, they too have come through extremely strongly and can be exceptionally proud of their efforts.

Mrs Feast, Deputy Headteacher, said:

“I am incredibly proud of our Year 11 students and the outcomes that they have achieved. Sharing in celebrations with them this morning has been wonderful! They have been a real pleasure to work with and I wish them all the very best with their next steps.”

Mr Williams, Headteacher, said:

“Watching students opening envelopes this morning has been joyous. The resilience they have shown over the past few years to get to this point has been remarkable, but it’s been a lot more than that; this cohort has been an especially good humoured, well-mannered and well-rounded group of young people. We have enjoyed working with them immensely and couldn’t be more confident that they will go on to be great successes in whatever they do. The large majority will be staying with us for the 6th form and we look forward to seeing them again soon; to everybody else, we wish them all the very best of luck for the future.”

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Face Coverings in School

rwaslin

Dear parents and carers

I’m sure we are all getting used to this now, but seemingly moments after Mr Thompson wrote with more details of the changes we are implementing for September, we saw another change in the government guidance! This time, the issue is face coverings in school.

The new guidance says that face coverings in certain parts of school are compulsory for schools in areas subject to local lockdowns. For schools in all other areas, it is now being left to the discretion of individual headteachers.

Taking everything into account, including the layout of parts of our buildings and especially the fact that we have a number of students and staff who live in Greater Manchester, we are minded to say we expect everyone to wear face coverings at certain times when we return in September. This would be where larger groups are congregating indoors or where we cannot be sure we can keep year group bubbles apart – most notably in lunch and toilet queues and during lesson changeovers.

To be clear, we would not be expecting anyone to wear them in lessons or outside during social times. You can also be sure we would make exceptions in individual cases where there is a particular need and that the policy would be regularly reviewed.

Assuming we do go ahead with such a policy, there are a few details that we need a little more time to think through and would aim to clarify these early next week.

In the meantime, if you have any strong feelings on the matter, please email info@lymmhigh.org.uk. We won’t have time to reply to all emails, but I assure you I will read them all and take any views into account.

Kind regards
Gwyn Williams

GCSE Results 2020

rwaslin

This morning it was the turn of GCSE students to receive their exam results and, if we ever needed a reminder of the grace and dignity with which they have approached the past few months, then they provided it today. It is hard to imagine how strange it must have felt to be opening those envelopes knowing that they hadn’t sat the actual exams the grades but they seemed to take it in their stride with the good humour and resilience they have shown all year. 

Now is not the time for comment on the wider situation relating to the awarding of grades this year. Instead, we are determined to celebrate the achievements of this incredible bunch of young people who have battled away, not just with the impact of Covid, but the demands of very challenging GCSE courses over the past two years. They could not deserve these excellent results any more and it could not have come to a more decent group of young people.  

In line with tradition, therefore, we mention those who have performed at the very top level and offer our sincerest congratulations:  

Jasmine Lee somehow managed to get a scarcely believable ten grade 9s, very closely followed by Holly Cottle and Matthew Stow with nine of the top grades and Olivia Lawton and Jessica Salmon with eight grade 9s. 

Ciara Bennett, Hal Bircham, Gemma Jackson, Sacha Jones, Oliver Pyman and Scarlett Wright all picked up seven grade 9s and the following all picked up six of them: Andra Barcan, Katherine Bushnell, Alice Edgar, Liv Galloway-Pollard, Isabella Hogan, Maddie Parkhouse, Lily Parsons and Katie Wright. 

There are a few individuals named above, but there are countless other success stories right across the year group and we are extraordinarily proud of all of them. We cannot wait to see the majority back for the sixth form in a couple of weeks and send all our best wishes to those who are moving on to new challenges elsewhere. 

Once again, we tip our hats to the Class of 2020; it’s been an absolute pleasure. 

Gwyn Williams 

20th August 2020 

COVID-19 School Response

rwaslin

Following the announcement by the government on Wednesday 18th March 2020, Lymm high School confirm that we shall be closing at 3.10pm on Friday 20th March.

The school will remain open for pupils who are the children of key workers. Please see this guidance from the government to clarify whether you or your partner are a “key worker” under the current directive:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision.

For children who are classed as “vulnerable,” the school will also remain open.

Vulnerable children include those who have a social worker and those with education, health and care (EHC) plans.
Children who have a social worker include children in need, children who have a child protection plan and those who are looked after by the local authority.

Please note: the government has asked parents to keep their children at home, wherever possible, and asked schools to remain open only for those children who absolutely need to attend. The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

Buses will run as normal on Monday 23rd March, and children attending school need to wear uniform as normal on Monday. Both situations will be regularly reviewed and we will update you with any changes.

Please complete this survey as soon as possible to indicate whether, as a key worker, you need to send your child(ren) into school next week https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=pKAWUGLG4UeBIshlv3a2awRYL80PCwVMpChOatTmT2tUNzAzWlRROVVFSk5DTVQyMzA2TkUyNzEyVy4u

Message for Year 11 Parents and Carers

rwaslin

Dear all

Please note that school will be closed to Year 11 students tomorrow. Mrs Feast, Mrs Ryles-Dean and I have just spoken to the students and explained that we do not want to put them through another day of sitting in lessons that seem somewhat pointless at the moment given that they will not be sitting exams any time soon. We have explained that this is absolutely not a ‘goodbye’; whatever happens, we WILL hold a proper leaver’s day, with a proper leaver’s assembly, shirt-signing and all the rest of it. There will also certainly be a Prom at some point – they deserve nothing less. It will also help the school cope in the light of staff absence at the moment.

We will be in touch with more information for Year 11 soon. In the meantime, I just want to say that they have been absolutely incredible in the way they have handled today. I cannot remember a time where I have been more proud of a group of young people. I should also add that we very much consider them all to still be in our care and we will be doing all we can to support every single one of them over the next few weeks and months.

A very similar message was delivered to Year 13 earlier in the day. We do not expect them in school tomorrow but, amidst all the uncertainty, one thing is certain: we will get them all back together for a suitably positive leaver’s day and Prom.

School will remain open to Years 7-10 and Year 12 tomorrow as planned.

Kind regards
Gwyn Williams

Message for Year 11 Parents and Carers

rwaslin

Dear all

Please note that school will be closed to Year 11 students tomorrow. Mrs Feast, Mrs Ryles-Dean and I have just spoken to the students and explained that we do not want to put them through another day of sitting in lessons that seem somewhat pointless at the moment given that they will not be sitting exams any time soon. We have explained that this is absolutely not a ‘goodbye’; whatever happens, we WILL hold a proper leaver’s day, with a proper leaver’s assembly, shirt-signing and all the rest of it. There will also certainly be a Prom at some point – they deserve nothing less. It will also help the school cope in the light of staff absence at the moment.

We will be in touch with more information for Year 11 soon. In the meantime, I just want to say that they have been absolutely incredible in the way they have handled today. I cannot remember a time where I have been more proud of a group of young people. I should also add that we very much consider them all to still be in our care and we will be doing all we can to support every single one of them over the next few weeks and months.

A very similar message was delivered to Year 13 earlier in the day. We do not expect them in school tomorrow but, amidst all the uncertainty, one thing is certain: we will get them all back together for a suitably positive leaver’s day and Prom.

School will remain open to Years 7-10 and Year 12 tomorrow as planned.

Kind regards
Gwyn Williams