January 2021 has not been particularly brilliant, and I know that this has got people down, who were specifically hoping that a new year would bring new hope. But as we enter this new year, we have to look at the hope.

For a start we are leading the way with our vaccination programme, and whilst the Government has endured much criticism for the way it has handled parts of this pandemic, surely the vaccination programme is a cause for hope. Secondly, there are new testing processes coming online that should enable easier and more accurate mass testing, thereby enabling institutions like schools to reopen in the future with a greater degree of safety. Thirdly there is the next generation and the way so many of them are handling this pandemic and making the most of opportunities.

The media focuses heavily on the negative impact that has been done to children with regards to their learning and mental health over the last 12 months, and as always there is genuine concern around this. BUT… it is not all bad news. I am absolutely thrilled at the way so many of our students are adapting to being confident independent learners in lockdown 3.0. The journey so many of them have been on since March last year is incredible and their ability now to demonstrate the attributes of OPEN MIND, is months if not years ahead of where it would have been if COVID had not occurred.

Students, who have really struggled to access the learning at home either through lack of appropriate equipment or because of specific learning barriers, have readily accepted the invitation to attend, alongside children of keyworkers, provision at the College to help get them back on track. We have over 150 students now in provision and the attitude to learning in each year group learning zone is excellent.

Bearing all this in mind then I thought for my January blog we would celebrate some of the inspirational work being completed remotely by our next generation!

Across all years we have had work submitted by very proud teachers and in this blog I have chosen to share work from PE, English, RE, catering sociology, photography, and art. The curriculum in all these subject areas and for each year group has been adapted for remote learning, so does not specifically follow the original curriculum plans for the academic year. However, you will see from the Aesop’s fables work in English in Year 7; to the challenging comparative work between two world religions in RE; the focus on investigating the style of key artists in Year 11; to the complexities of considering family structures in sociology in Year 10, there is no shortage of challenge in the work that students are being asked to complete. Likewise, you get a flavour of how students are taking on board the feedback given by staff in green font, to amend and improve their work further in the red font.

Enjoy!