First Week Back
Hi All,
It’s been a true delight to welcome everyone to the Learning Centre this week. It’s been a fabulous first week! Our year 13 and 14 students have returned excited, and I’m convinced the majority have grown a few inches over the summer break. Our year 12 students have been full of smiles, honestly, I’ve never seen as many wide grins on the first week back!
The students have very quickly found their feet and are getting used to the College feel at the Learning Centre, becoming familiar with new routines and making new friendships.
Staff teams have been in contact with families this week to touch base, however, can I reiterate that the team are always here to support our families, so do call if you have any concerns or questions.
The new start can be a difficult time for students, so we have taken things at a steady pace this week, with the exception of Outdoor Education with Mr Taylor. Students have worked within their tutor groups whilst they settle in and begin to build positive relationships with their staff teams and peers. We hope our students are looking forward to starting their new timetables next week.
I’m delighted to be able to share a little of what students have been up to over what has proved a busy week…
CLAKE
“This is CLAKE. We are a mix of year 12, 13, and 14 students. This week we have done lots of getting to know each other activities.
The new year 12 students have settled in really well thanks to the support of the older students who have been here a year or two. The older ones have been making sure that their new friends know where to go for dinner and how to get back to the classroom afterwards.
Mrs Keane, Mrs Robinson and Miss Sorean are looking forward to the year ahead with their new group.”
Mr Blackman
“This week we have been harvesting tomatoes from inside the poly tunnel and apples from our orchard. We passed on the apples to Miss Kindons class and got a lovely apple crumble back. Well done to all involved.”
As you can imagine today has been a very subdued day following the sad news from Buckingham Palace yesterday about the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Staff have been supporting students, helping them understand the news and talking to their groups about what is happening. I would encourage families to talk to students about what happening.
It’s important to be calm and proactive in your conversations with students – check in with them to see how they are doing. Their emotions may change regularly, and you need to show them that’s okay.
Please find below a few links to some helpful resources.
https://www.ok.co.uk/lifestyle/queen-death-talk-to-children-27945095
https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/how-talk-young-children-queens-24970791
If children and young people are upset, Minded is a source of information to support children and young people to manage death and loss.
We have now entered a period of national mourning that will continue until the end of the State Funeral. I would like to assure you that the Learning Centre will remain open at this time, we will keep families informed about the arrangements for any closures for the Queen’s funeral which will be a national day of mourning.
Everyone at the Learning Centre shares the sense of loss and mourning felt by our nation. Queen Elizabeth II has been a constant in our lives and the epitomy of service, dedication, care, compassion and a tireless sense of duty and desire for unity. RIP Elizabeth II
Take Care
Dawn
