As we are approaching the Hari Raya break and there seems to be a more reflective approach to the positive home life opportunities and an appreciation for perhaps being aware of the things around we can be thankful for, the school week for many can align with these thoughts.

A great highlight for all in the Secondary school was the ‘Teacher Day’ celebrations that were aimed for learners to recognise and appreciate all the hard work shown by their teachers in their role to facilitate the best learning experiences. On Wednesday, the teaching staff and learners wore ‘Red for Ed’, whereby teachers and learners could choose to wear something Red for education as a sign of appreciation. It was a very distinctive day that was enhanced further by the ‘Wellness Wednesday’ projects where learners could create something for their teachers to express their appreciation even further. I know that so many teachers and learners thoroughly enjoyed the day’s focus and the interactions that took place that underpins the great work being done by all.

As part of the Term 2 planning for Year 9 learners and their parents, a letter was sent to parents outlining the first steps towards the IGCSE selection process for 2021 choices and links to a form for learners to start thinking about their prefered option choices. These are just the initial steps and there are a lot more steps to make before decisions will be finalised. This year we are looking to confirm choices by the beginning of term 3, so there are many weeks available to ensure that all learners have gathered all the information they need to make informed choices.

We have received information from Cambridge on the data they need for this year’s June examination entries. This is currently being collated and as it stands we are feeling very reassured about this process and the data they are requiring. We have not received any information with regards to the November examinations that are currently planned and therefore we are taking the stance that at present, these are planned to go ahead as normal, although we are waiting to see if there is an impact on the coursework requirements as there has been limited time in accessing the school to complete some specific coursework elements. We will keep all parents informed once clarity is gained from information provided by Cambridge.

Additionally, you may be aware that we initiated a Merit system in January of Term 1. This is to award students for 'Excellence' when demonstrating our core RECIPE values both inside and outside of the classroom. We extended the period of awarding Merits into our online learning timetable and are now able to award Certificates for Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards.

Bronze Certificates = 5 Merits or more
Silver Certificates = 10 Merits or more
Gold Certificates = 20 Merits or more.

I am pleased to inform you that 77 Secondary students are being awarded Merit Certificates. These will be made available via soft copies for now but once back at school, we will arrange for a Hard copy to be given to the students which I am sure they will want to keep as a record of their personal success. We will continue to award Merits throughout our online learning period and look forward to announcing more worthy award winners next term.

Finally I want to wish all parents a safe and restful break and I trust that during this Hari Raya time you will get some time to reflect on the positive things that we can all be appreciative of.