ASSEMBLYWINTER 2020 From the Headmaster Not since the Blitz in the early 1940s has the organisation and day-to-day running of the School been so affected by external factors beyond our control. I’m sure the fact that we managed to have all year groups in school, albeit on a rota, in the last weeks of the summer term contributed greatly to us hitting the ground running for the start of the school year in September. Ensuring that we were as ‘Covid secure’ as possible without
making school feel an unwelcoming or unpleasant experience for the boys was constantly in the forefront of our minds and we also needed to be ready to switch to remote online learning at the drop of a hat if a significant positive Covid case arose. It is in the tougher times that you can truly measure the strength of personal relationships and collective sense of purpose in an institution. Everyone is having to deal with the consequences of
this pandemic on a daily basis both in our home and working lives and we have yet to come through the other side of it. But if the Michaelmas term is anything to go by, I can say without reservation that we are succeeding in keeping the Arnold House spirit alive and, as Headmaster, I couldn’t be more proud and thankful for everyone’s exceptional efforts to get through these difficult times. Viv Thomas
AH in Covid Times When lockdown started back in March, we couldn’t fathom the impact COVID-19 would have on the education of every child in the UK and around the world. This was very much our moment in history and life was about to change. The Summer Term in any school is always a busy one. Numerous events and trips were cancelled. The senior boys didn’t have their Teamwork and Leadership trips to Devon, the Year 4 boys missed out on their Canons Park camping trip and the Year 8 boys missed out on their trip to Arnhem in Holland to learn about the story of Operation Market Garden in WW2. The cricket and tennis seasons were curtailed and we missed the sound of leather on English willow up at Canons Park, as well as Sports Day, Junior and Senior Prize Givings, the Leavers Party and many other usual celebrations at the end of the School Year.
lockdown, including the holiday period, AH continued to provide school for key workers. We were able to successfully do this in partnership with Sarum Hall, and for the first time in 70 years AH welcomed girls into the school. It was a huge relief all round that school could return at full capacity in September. School would however be very different. Mrs Ruda had the unenviable task of producing a school timetable which would mean that each year group would have to be in a bubble and could not mix with other year groups. The school benefits enormously from owning Canons Park and having classrooms up there has allowed for two year groups to be taught there each
All the boys and staff adapted to The Guided Home Learning programme which required the boys via gMeet to ‘attend’ their lessons every day. They did a remarkable job ‘going’ to each lesson. Teachers had to be creative, whilst everyone got used to having their work marked and then sent back to them via the gClassroom. Form tutors would speak to their boys in their class individually every week. However, nothing will replicate being at school. So much in a school is learnt outside of lesson time and this was something the boys missed terribly. Throughout the Spring and Summer ASSEMBLY
Year 3 Boys performing at the Michaelmas Concert
day. The boys have thoroughly enjoyed this experience especially given the beautiful surroundings and for them more importantly a bigger playground at break times! Although the boys haven’t been able to have their regular football fixtures, go on trips, or take part in so many activities their positive attitude has continued and the feeling and sound of school life has certainly returned. Canons Park has also been the venue for many of our adapted productions this term. Boys in Years 3 to 8 took part in the combined Michaelmas and informal concerts, performing year group by year group. While this concert was recorded and did not have an audience in attendance, the focus provided for the boys in their