EDUCATION New term, new start

Students at Exeter School are feeling bouncy

TESTING TIMES

The current shifting landscape has meant employers have an extra duty of care towards their employees. But what if you’re responsible for hundreds of children, teenagers, and a team of teaching and admin staff? We chatted to a bunch of Exeter schools to find out how they’re rising to the challenge of a new term in a new world By Harriet Noble

“We witnessed a joyous occasion when our doors opened”

EXETER CATHEDRAL SCHOOL James Featherstone, headmaster What has the big return to school been like? Our aim in all of this has been to allow the children to return to as ‘normal’ an experience as possible. There’s been an awful lot of work over the summer to get us to that point, but what matters is that the children return safely and happily. We’re doing things a little differently now, of course, but what a joy it is for everyone to be back.

How did you manage virtual teaching during lockdown? Pupils spent time with their form teacher and friends each morning before undertaking a full curriculum of live and pre-recorded lessons. Assemblies and meetings happened too so that vital sense of community and engagement wad maintained, and we even kept our choristers singing. One of my favourite stories happened during a Year 7 maths class, when a pupil disappeared off camera to go and help deliver a baby calf in the garden. Then he came back and carried on with his equations!

What’s in store for this term? Joyously, our music department has sprung back into life with a (noisy) flourish this week. We have a new head of Drama and English who is running our new creativity hub with our Music and Art teams, and we’re looking forward to broadcasting some performances via our social media platforms.

How about the nurturing side of things? Recovery conversations are a key part of us re-opening safely. Our form

“During a maths class, a pupil disappeared off camera to go and help deliver a baby calf in the garden”

The kids from Exeter School hanging out

tutors and our heads of section provide time and space for this every day, and we are encouraging colleagues to meet in small groups and to take time to reconnect over a coffee and some fresh air. Crucially, Bishop Martin Shaw has joined Team ECS as our new chaplain to make sure that mindfulness, wellbeing and worship are available to everybody. Exeter Cathedral School, The Chantry, Palace Gate, Exeter, Devon, EX1 1HX; www.exetercathedralschool.co.uk

EXETER SCHOOL Ms Louise Simpson, head School’s just begun and you’re the new head! How’s it been? Having spent the last six years in Brazil, it’s all change for me and for my family and we could not be happier to be in Exeter. It is challenging to return to school in the midst of a pandemic, but the senior team at Exeter School are a fantastically able and committed team and we have been planning for our return to school for some months. It feels excellent to be back and all Exonians, adults and children, are settling in well into the term.

FAMILY LEGENDS During lockdown Exeter School siblings Berenice and Ptolemy Rydin-Orwin, in Years 6 and 10 respectively, assisted their father Phil in producing PPE during lockdown. They not only crowd funded and produced the masks using their own 3-D printer but then sourced injection moulded parts for larger scale distribution and supplied almost 500 visors in a short timescale to many organisations such as local doctors surgeries and care homes.

“I really enjoyed working with my dad during the lockdown period and feeling like we were doing something useful to help the local community,” says Berenice.

What positives have emerged from this surreal time? Our recent investment in digital learning and technology could not have come at a better time, and has influenced the way that we operate now that we are back in school. Tablets and remote learning tools had been rolled out in the previous few months, and these proved to be invaluable in ensuring that the pupils continued to learn effectively online at home, and keep connected with each other. Now that we are back in school, classrooms look and feel different, with a more innovative, technology-based approach to the teaching and learning, and a confidence to use digital resources to great effect to enhance the school experience further.

Any bits of exciting news… We embraced the opportunity to do things differently with our speech day recently. Our guest speaker, Claire Harvey, inclusion and diversity campaigner and Paralympian was with us for three days, working with the pupils as well as awarding prizes to our prize winners. We embraced technology by combining her visit with a virtual event which was shared with the whole school community. Exeter School, Victoria Park Road, Exeter, Devon, EX2 4NS; www.exeterschool.org.uk

THE MAYNARD SCHOOL Mr Matthew Loosemore, assistant head (safeguarding and welfare) How’s the new term going so far? Despite all of the media coverage about children’s anxieties about returning to school after being away for many months, we witnessed a joyous occasion when our doors opened on 3 September. Initially it may have been quite daunting for the students to come in through designated gates and doors, in single file, following one-way systems into zoned sections of the school to exist as year group ‘bubbles’. But within 20 minutes the chatter, buzz and excitement took off and the school felt pretty normal by 9am. Young people are wonderfully resilient beings as long as they are given lots of reassurance and structure so that they feel safe and cared for.

The staff were wonderfully buoyant as well and there was clear happiness on their faces as they finally got to teach in front of their classes again rather than in front of a screen.

What mental safeguarding measures have you put in place? The school has won awards for its focus on student and staff wellbeing and was the first school in the South West to win the wellbeing Award for Schools. Of course, this expertise is particularly important at a time such as this, but what’s most important is that we have a happy, family community and our key ethos of kindness means that everyone supports one another. We have a wellbeing committee and breakout spaces in the school if students need some time to themselves and everyone knows that someone will be available to talk in our wellbeing hub.

Any stories from lockdown? A highlight for me was the brilliant virtual sports day our PE department ran and the online screening of the school musical; these events really bought everyone together and made me very proud to work in such a vibrant environment.

What positives have emerged from this time? Our pupils have become even better independent learners having had to organise their time and application to their studies from their home desks for so long and, in most cases, this has made them realise that they are actually pretty good at it! The Maynar d School, Denmark Road, Exeter, Devon EX1 1SJ; www.maynard.co.uk

COLYTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL Tim Harris, headmaster What’s it like being back at school? It has been wonderful to be in school and to see so many students engaging with their learning in such a positive manner. Their conduct has been exemplary, especially as they are getting used to new procedures and systems.

Winning team from Taunton School

The kids at the Maynard School are glad to be back

How are you ensuring a level of peace of mind for students, teachers and staff? We’ve had an extremely positive start to the term and students should be commended for the mature and adaptable way that they have followed the new routines. Our pastoral staff based in our new wellbeing centre are always on hand to off er support, we have actively drawn their attention to the new campaign ‘Every Mind Matters’ that has been launched by Public Health England. Staff and students are sharing the delights of ‘albums of the week’ and online book clubs. Colyton Grammar School, Whitwell Lane, Colyford, Colyton, Devon, EX24 6HN; www.colytongrammar.com

SHEBBEAR COLLEGE Caroline Kirby, head What’s it like being back at school? The pupils are so excited to be back and it’s been lovely hearing them laughing and chatting in the corridors and making the most of all our outdoor space!

Mr Charlie Jenkins, senior deputy head What’s in store for this term? We are aiming to “Covid-proof ” our activities on off er as much as possible and, whilst outdoor education has always played a big part in life at Shebbear, we are making the most of our amazing location and getting our boarders out at the weekends as much as possible. We currently have surfi ng, mountain biking and sailing activities planned to keep our pupils active and enjoying the outdoors – which is not only great for their mental and physical health but also means the activities should still be able to take place should further restrictions be applied locally or nationally. Shebbear College, Shebbear, Beaworthy EX21 5HJ; www.shebbearcollege.co.uk

A WORD FROM THE THE KIDS What’s the best thing about being back at school? James Fenwick, Year 7 pupil, Shebbear College Seeing my friends! I really missed being with them during lockdown and over the summer. It’s great to be back with everyone playing sport in person rather than on a screen! I also missed my teachers so it’s really nice to be learning in the classroom with them again – my mum was a bit of a rubbish teacher! Oh, and the lunches are better than at home too – I was getting a bit bored of sandwiches and jacket potatoes! TAUNTON SCHOOL Ed Burnett, deputy head What’s new this term? We have just opened our new dining room which is a wonderful space for our students to relax and socialise whilst enjoying freshly cooked food from our in-house catering team. Importantly in the current situation, it is a bright, airy space with huge glass doors opening onto a green area. This has enabled us to also create a ‘heart of the school’: a pedestrianised area which links all schools and means all students have an extended safe space to socialise with their friends.

Any stories from lockdown? Many of our students took part in philanthropic endeavours during lockdown which we are hugely proud of. These include four-yearold Monty who took part in a mini triathlon to raise money for our local hospital.

What’s the best thing about being back at school? Having everyone – students and staff – back together and seeing the school full of life again. ■ Taunton School, Staplegrove Rd, Taunton TA2 6AD; www.tauntonschool.co.uk

OCTOBER EVENTS

Doctor Patrick Vernon OBE

ALEX RUMFORD ©

BLACK HISTORY MONTH The University of Exeter Business School will mark Black History Month this October with a programme of events that celebrate and refl ect on black history as well as promote dialogue around diversity, inclusion, cohesion and equality (DICE).

Students, staff, alumni and the wider community will be able to attend a range of talks, panel discussions, workshops and Q&As addressing issues such as racism and curriculum diversifi cation.

Every day throughout the month the Business School will highlight a Black Briton on its website and on social media, ranging from the pioneering nurse Mary Seacole to Joseph Junior Adenuga (aka the grime MC and producer Skepta). The profi les will serve as inspiration for a writing competition in which students research and write about a Black Briton of their choice.

The competition will be launched by Dr Patrick Vernon OBE, author of the landmark 100 Great Black Britons list, a campaign recently relaunched in an updated book with new role models and little-known historical fi gures.

The programme has been organised by Oliver Young, senior lecturer at the University of Exeter Business School. “During October we are keen to promote a positive peer learning environment where staff and students can develop together and learn from one another,” says Oliver. For more: www.exeter.ac.uk

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