Dr Ingate's Blog - Monday 22 June 2020
Dear Parents / Carers
I hope you and your families are well.
Since my last update a week ago, a lot has happened. The Government have announced that they would like to see all students back in school by September. Further advice to schools will be published within the next two weeks and I will update you once I am apprised of this.
At Birchwood, we have been working hard to ensure that all students will have the opportunity to come into school for a 1:1 before the end of term – details are scheduled below. The DfE have requested that schools focus on Year 10 and 12, but we feel that aiming to see all students will be of benefit prior to the Autumn Term commencing. We have already completed 1:1 sessions for Year 10 and Year 12 which have proven to be very successful, with over 80% attendance.
We have also gathered feedback on what is working and what needs to be improved. For example, we learnt that SMHW and virtual lessons on ‘Teams’ is working well but seeing subject teachers for 1:1 mentoring would be useful. Therefore, we have put on 4 days’ worth of Year 10 intervention this week and next, bookable on-line by students. We learnt that some Year 12 students are struggling to find somewhere to study at home, so we have responded by opening the library on Mondays and Tuesdays to give them a study space and internet access. In addition, we learnt that some students are getting a little behind with homework, so we have introduced two catch-up days where no extra homework or lessons will be set. Those students on top of their work can enjoy a three-day weekend and those who are behind can have the day to catch up.
Timescale and events
| Date | Event | Detail |
| Mon 22nd June | ||
| Tue 23rd June | ||
| Weds 24th June | ||
| Thurs 25th June | Year 10 1:1 | 1:1 opportunity to see English / Maths / Science teachers – bookable on-line |
| Fri 26th June | Year 10 1:1
Catch-Up Day |
|
| Mon 29th June | ||
| Tue 30th June | ||
| Weds 1st July | ||
| Thurs 2nd July | Year 10 1:1 | 1:1 opportunity to see Option subject teachers – bookable on-line |
| Fri 3rd July | Year 10 1:1 | |
| Mon 6th July | Year 9 1:1 | General Academic Review meeting with Form Tutors |
| Tue 7th July | Year 9 1:1
Year 12 Virtual Induction Day |
Further information for Year 11 applying for Sixth Form place |
| Weds 8th July | Year 7 1:1 | General Academic Review meeting with Form Tutors |
| Thurs 9th July | Year 7 1:1 | |
| Fri 10th July | Catch Up Day | |
| Mon 13th July | ||
| Tue 14th July | Year 6/7 1:1
2-7pm |
1:1 meetings with new tutors and tours of school |
| Weds 15th July | Year 8 1:1 | General Academic Review meeting with Form Tutors |
| Thurs 16th July | Year 8 1:1 | |
| Fri 17th July | End of term | |
| Wed 19th August | GCSE Download | |
| Thurs 20th August | GCSE Results | Post 16 / Sixth Form confirmation |
As stated, once I am clear about plans for September and arrangements as specified by the DfE, I will write to inform you. I know that our staff are desperate to get things back to normal and ensure that all our students receive a great education. However, we have to abide by the health and safety restrictions currently imposed.
Finally, thank you for all your help and support at home – parents I have spoken to have said that they have felt like they have ‘gone back to school’ helping their son/daughter with their homework. One father told me that his maths had certainly improved!
Take care and keep safe
Yours sincerely
Dr Chris Ingate
Principal
Dr Ingate's Blog - week beginning 15 June 2020
Dear Parents / Carers and Students
I hope you remain safe and healthy and are enjoying the lovely weather – I was reflecting over the weekend that Lockdown has been tough on everyone but it would have been so much worse if the weather had been poor – we have had one of the sunniest Springs on record which means that at least our vitamin D levels will be good!
Last week, we invited all Year 10 students into school with their parents for a 1:1 meeting – these were highly useful with 80% attendance and we were able to maintain social distancing by having the meetings in the Sports Hall and School Hall. From these meetings, we learnt that most students were coping well with on-line learning but would benefit from some further 1:1 coaching support from subject teachers. We are reflecting on this and will look to put some 1:1 coaching sessions on 25/26th June (English / Maths / Science) and 2nd/3rd July for Option subjects – further details to follow.
This week, we are repeating the exercise with Year 12 students and again we will see what is working and what needs to be improved. This incremental way of working is ensuring that we are meeting student needs whilst at the same time respecting health and safety regulations.
We have also been focussing on increasing the amount of on-line teaching through Microsoft Teams for all year groups to complement the more traditional work being set on SMHW. Teachers have also prioritised student assessment over the last month to ensure that they receive diagnostic feedback to help them progress and improve.
Last week, we completed a student survey which yielded over 600 responses - thank you very much for taking the time to fill this in. What we learnt was:
- 91% of students say they are coping OK with not being at school
- 81% of students say that they are doing nearly all or all of the work they've been set.
- Only 1% said they don't have enough work to do. 34% said there is too much to do and 50% said it was just right
- 74% said they have ready access to technology (23% say they have to share or there are connection problems. 2% have limited access to technology).
- 76% are spending more than 2 hours a day on schoolwork. 20% are spending more than 4 hours a day on it.
- 90% of students completing their work in the morning and afternoon rather than evening.
- 58% have had communicated directly with their teachers (this is an area we are looking to improve upon)
- Where progress in subjects has been good, students identify the speed of teacher response and the quality of explanations as the main reasons.
- Where progress has been less good, students identify the excessive quantity of work and lack of feedback as being the main reasons why.
- 59% say their progress has been as good or better.
- 37% say they have made less progress whilst in lockdown.
- 71% have used parental help often or occasionally
- 53% have used the help from other students often or occasionally
- 62% of students feel ready to come back to school.
We will reflect on this feedback and respond accordingly. On the last point, I totally understand why over 60% would like to come back to school – school is more than just learning facts and figures. It is about social interaction, after school clubs and routine. I can speak on the behalf every member of staff by saying that we miss our 1400 students and would far rather be our usual busy and vibrant selves.
It is difficult to know what September will bring. I would imagine that it is one of three scenarios:
- A return to normal, with a full school and no social distancing
- A percentage of the school returns on a rotation basis with work being set on-line as well
- A continuation of the current arrangements
I do hope that option 1 is where we are but we are preparing for option 2 and 3 if required. As soon as the government has decided, we will let you know how we wish to proceed.
As a quick reminder of current provision:
- Year 7-9 Work will continue to be set on-line and students are not expected to come into school other than for Key Worker / SEND and Vulnerable students. We are exploring the potential to offer 1:1 meetings with parents and students in July.
- Year 10 1:1 Meetings have taken place on 9th and 10th June – 80% parents already signed up for this. Teachers will continue to set work on SMHW and we are looking to extend our virtual lesson platform on Microsoft Teams. We are also looking to run 1:1 coaching sessions over the next two weeks
- Year 11 1:1 Phone Calls have been completed and Sixth Form Induction is being planned. GCSE levels are being submitted to the exam boards this week and exam results will be published on 20th August.
- Year 12 1:1 Meetings have been set up for 17th June alongside work set on SMHW. On-line lesson delivery is being extended and we are looking to plan lessons or 1:1 meetings where socially distancing can be applied.
- Year 13 1:1 phone calls have been completed. GCE and BTEC grades are being sent to exam boards this week are exam results are published on 13th August
- Furthermore, with our 240 Year 6 students enrolling in September, we are currently liaising with Primary Schools and will look to organise individual meetings with families in July.
I hope you understand that our main priority has to be the health and safety of students and staff. Whilst Covid-19 is still in the community, we have taken cautious measures to ensure that your child’s education can continue as much as possible from home or in socially distanced environments.
Thank you for your continued support during this difficult time.
Dr Chris Ingate
Principal
Dr Ingate's Blog - week beginning 8 June 2020
Dear Parents / Carers and Students
As we begin this second week in June, the good news is that the health threat from Covid-19 does appear to be slowly receding. This is allowing the Government to relax some lock-down measures and get the economy moving again. Most political commentators are saying that we are in a delicate position as there is a risk that the infection rate could go above 1 again leading to an increase in infection rates. Let’s hope not. We have all worked so hard to adjust our lives, keep socially distant and washed our hands relentlessly.
As far as schools are concerned, we are being encouraged to ensure that Year 10 and 12 students receive some 1:1 teaching. At Birchwood, we have responded by organising 1:1 meetings for Year 10 this week and Year 12 next week. Once we have completed these, we will be able to assess how well on-line learning is working and to what extent we need to provide additional learning opportunities. The concept of putting on lessons in school does seem to be difficult under the current legislation – at Birchwood, corridors in B and C block are not wider than 2m and keeping students apart at break and lunchtime would be tricky. The lack of advice around students and staff wearing PPE does not seemed to have helped.
We have also undertaken staff training to increase the number of teachers who can run virtual lessons. These will run alongside work set through Show My Homework. We will be sending all our students an on-line survey to complete this week to find out what is working and what needs to be improved.
Looking beyond this academic year, I sincerely hope that we will be able to return to normal in September but this is becoming increasingly unlikely as time ticks by. It will, therefore, be important to plan for a mixed palate of in school lessons, 1:1 coaching and on-line learning.
As a quick reminder of current provision:
Year 7-9 Work will continue to be set on-line and students are not expected to come into school other than for Key Worker / SEND and Vulnerable students
Year 10 1:1 Meetings have been set up for 9th and 10th June – we have already had 79% parents already signed up for this. Teachers will continue to set work on SMHW and we are looking to extend our virtual lesson platform on Microsoft Teams. We are also looking to run some key workshops in July once we have completed the 1:1 meetings.
Year 11 1:1 Phone Calls have been completed and Sixth Form Induction is being planned. GCSE levels are being submitted to the exam boards this week and exam results will be published on 20th August.
Year 12 1:1 Meetings have been set up for 17th June alongside work set on SMHW. On-line lesson delivery is being extended and we are looking to plan lessons where classes can be socially distanced later this month.
Year 13 1:1 phone calls have been completed. GCE and BTEC grades are being sent to exam boards this week are exam results are published on 13th August
Furthermore, with our 240 Year 6 students enrolling in September, we are currently liaising with Primary Schools and will look to organise individual meetings with families in July.
I hope you understand that our main priority has to be the health and safety of students and staff. Whilst Covid-19 is still in the community, we have taken cautious measures to ensure that your child’s education can continue as much as possible from home or in socially distanced environments.
Thank you for your continued support during this difficult time.
Dr Chris Ingate
Principal
Dr Ingate's Blog - week beginning 1 June 2020
Dear Parents/ Carers/ Students
I hope you are well and enjoyed the lovely half term weather.
With some children returning to primary schools this morning, I thought it would be helpful if I clarified our position with regards to our students
Year 7-9 Work will continue to be set on line and students are not expected to come into school other than Key Worker / SEND and Vulnerable students
Year 10 1:1 Meetings have been set up for 9th and 10th June – we have already had 74% parents already signed up for this. Teachers will continue to set work on SMHW and we are looking to extend our virtual lesson platform on Microsoft Teams. We are also looking to run some key workshops in July once we have completed the 1:1 meetings.
Year 11 1:1 Phone Calls have been completed and Sixth Form Induction is being planned. GCSE levels are being submitted to the exam boards this week and exam results will be published on 20th August.
Year 12 1:1 Meetings have been set up for 17th June alongside work set on SMHW. On-line lesson delivery is being extended and we are looking to plan lessons where classes can be socially distanced later this month.
Year 13 1:1 phone calls have been completed. GCE and BTEC grades are being sent to exam boards this week are exam results are published on 13th August
Furthermore, with our 240 Year 6 students enrolling in September, we are currently liaising with Primary Schools and will look to organise individual meetings with families in July. We are looking to plan a double induction day in September.
I hope you understand that our main priority has to be the health and safety of students and staff. Whilst Covid-19 is still in the community, we have taken cautious measures to ensure that your child’s education can continue as much as possible from home or in socially distanced environments.
Thank you for your continued support during this difficult time.
Dr Chris Ingate
Principal
Dr Ingate's Blog - Half-Term Break, May 2020
Dear Parents / Carers and Students
I hope you are all well and coping with these uncertain times.
Just a few updates and reminders:
- The school will be closed next week for half term – students are not expected to complete tasks and I would really like them to take a well-earned break.
- We will not be planning for any classes of students to return on 1st June, other than Key Worker and Vulnerable students.
- 1:1 meetings have been set up for Year 10 students (9th and 10th June) and Year 12 students (17th June) – time slots are being organised so that there will only be a small number of students in at any one point, meeting their tutor in the Sports Hall for a general review meeting.
- We have managed to contact almost all Year 11 and 13 students to have 1:1 conversations with them about their next steps. We will be writing to you after half term with further information regarding Examination Result collection (13th August for Sixth Form / 20th August for Year 11), Sixth Form and University enrolment. We have been very impressed with the number of Year 11 students who have started to prepare for their A-Levels using our starter packs
- We have nearly completed the process of finalising each Year 11 and 13’s Centre Assessed Grades for GCSE, A-Level or BTEC. These will be submitted to the relevant exam boards and then to the DfE. Teachers have worked meticulously on this to estimate that each student achieves a grade which truly reflects their ability in each a subject. I am sorry that we are unable to share any grades with you until the 13th or 20th August.
- We are looking to expand our on-line teaching capacity through Microsoft Teams – so your child can interact with their teacher directly
- We will continue to set work using SMHW and this is working very well – we will also be looking to celebrate outstanding work in June’s Birchwood News as we did for the May edition
- We have no plans to re-start lessons at the present moment. Teachers are being consulted about what they could offer – particularly with Year 12 in mind – but I am mindful of not forcing anyone to do anything which compromises their health and safety. We will await further guidance from the DfE with regards to Secondary School provision as this has not yet been published.
- For children in Year 7-9, we will continue to set work on-line, give feedback and look to ways to improve virtual lessons. I hope you understand that we need to prioritise Years 10-13 as this Covid-19 pandemic continues. There are clear signs that things are improving and that the SE England is well past the peak of infection but we do not want to contribute in any way to the spread of the infection by allowing younger children into school as they are not very good at socially distancing!
Have a safe and restful half term
Dr Chris Ingate
Principal
Dr Ingate's Blog - week beginning 18 May
Dear Parents/ Carers / Students
I hope you and your family are well. Aside from reviewing the proposals set out by the DfE in terms of getting students back to school, I managed to see my elderly mother yesterday for the first time in 8 weeks. We managed to meet in an outside environment and stand at least 2m apart with my two daughters exchanging some cakes they had baked for her. It was a small but important step. Whilst the Covid-19 pandemic ‘drags its feet’, being able to see a close relative outside one’s family hopefully helps towards our eventual journey of getting back to some kind of normal.
As a school, we are looking carefully at how best to support Year 10 and 12 students. We have written to Year 7-9 parents to explain that we do not expect to see their child until September and will continue to set work and give feedback through Show My Homework.
With Year 10 and 12, we are looking at expanding on-line lessons and give 1:1 opportunities in school before the end of term. Mr Phillips and Mr Torrance will be writing to you later this week with further information. The problem we have in maintaining social distancing and running normal lessons is shown in the photo on the right. We spaced our chairs in the School Hall 2m apart – the school Hall can normally accommodate 240 students – but under this guideline we could only manage 20 chairs. Applied to a classroom situation, the maximum number we could fit in was 8! We will be exploring as many options as possible but a return to normal timetables seems a bit of a distant shore at the moment.
I hope you enjoyed reading our May edition of Birchwood News celebrating the very best of our students’ amazing lockdown homework. We will repeat this formula for June.
Finally, can I thank all the Mums and Dads for supporting us and helping your child complete their homework. Whilst I’m sure this has its frustrations, I have received a number of emails from parents saying how much better their French, Algebra, and Biology was now!!
Best regards and keep safe.
Dr Ingate
Principal
Download: Birchwood News April/May 2020
Dr Ingate's Blog - week beginning 11 May
Dear Parents/ Carers/ Students
I hope you enjoyed the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. For me, I found watching the turbulence and trauma that my parents went through between 1939-1945, as young children, very sobering. It was to be a 6-year war that many expected us to lose. We were ill-prepared and had no clear battle plan – and yet – in the face of tremendous adversity, we managed to defeat the Nazi ‘war-machine’ with help from Allied forces.
There are broad parallels with the current Covid-19 restrictions. Most political commentators agree that the Government’s initial planning was too late and under-estimated the risk to the nation’s health. The fact that the NHS has coped has been down to our fantastic medical personnel and the public’s open support for doctors and nurses. There is no doubt that the inadequate provision of PPE has led to too many deaths in Care Homes in particular. The good news is that the number in critical care in hospitals is coming down and along with the number of fatalities. Unfortunately, this virus is unlikely to die or take its own life in a bunker in Berlin! We will need to find, firstly, an effective anti-viral treatment and, secondly, a vaccine.
There is no getting away from the fact that Covid-19 is having a profound effect on our way of life. We will get over this and I hope that we will become a friendlier, more supportive and more environmentally aware society. I would still argue that this pandemic is nothing in comparison to the 250,000 British Soldiers and 70,000 Civilians who died in WW2. However, over 30,000 people have so far died from Corona Virus in the UK and each death is someone’s family tragedy.
I am not sure what you made of Boris Johnson’s speech on Sunday? It was pleasing to see a plan moving forward where restrictions are being eased but there seemed to be a lack of detail about the specifics. I will read the 50-page report when it is published and will let you know any specifics for your child. My understanding at present is that we will continue to allow Key Worker and vulnerable children into school and then set on-line work through Show My Homework for all other students. We have made contact and talked with almost every Year 11 and 13 student to make sure they are aware of their next steps and offer support as required. Year 10 and 12 students have been mentioned by the Government as the first cohorts to come back to school, which is understandable, but the detail of how this is to be done remains unclear. At present, I am planning for a normal September but even this is becoming a little unsure.
At the end of WW2, the British economy was severely damaged through the war effort – yet the Clement Attlee government at the time managed to set up an effective welfare state including the NHS and a state-funded education system for all children. These two institutions have largely remained in place ever since and thank goodness they have – we would be in a far worse situation today without them.
Best regards and keep safe.
Dr Ingate
Principal
VE and VJ Day Challenges
Mr Morton has produced a PowerPoint presentation for a virtual assembly on VE and VJ Day. The presentation includes a range of challenges, with a collection of resources and activities including bunting making and WWII style recipes. The full presentation is available in Show My Homework. If you just wanted to see (and try) the challenges for yourself, please download the VE and VJ Day Challenges.
Here is a piece by Mr Morton.
This Friday is a bank Holiday celebrating "Victory in Europe" when, 75 years ago, Germany surrendered and World War Two came to an end. During the war, which had lasted almost 6 years, 85 Million people worldwide had died and in the UK alone 450,900 civilians and servicemen had died.
At home in 1940, it wasn't loo rolls, or indeed just flour that people struggled to buy in the shops; from 1940 onwards rationing was commonplace with an adult being allowed to buy just 50g of cheese and one egg a week. Butter, bacon, chocolate and even clothes had to be rationed in order to avoid starvation, then as now, Britain was not self sufficient and we relied on shipping supplies from abroad, however all supplies had to dodge German submarines in order to get their cargos to our shores. Additionally, on the “Home Front” children were evacuated from cities and the bombing of cities and even of towns like Stortford meant that people lived in constant fear of attack. There is a bomb shelter in the cheese shop on North Street and Hockerill Teacher Training College (as it was then) was hit by bombs on 10th October 1940, leaving three studens dead.
As "Key Workers" soldiers, airmen, members of the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy as well as medics had been away from home and separated from their families for months at a time. Many of those separated (such as members of the Women's Land Army) were volunteers, however conscription (forcing men to join the armed forces) had been introduced in 1939, so large numbers of those involved in WWII, including Bishop's Stortford's own Cyril Banks, who visited Birchwood in 2018 to help mark the centenary of the end of WWI, and talk about the importance of Remembrance, were "enlisted" to help the war effort without much choice.
The war meant that families did not know when or even if, they would see loved ones again and the risks they took were huge, two years ago, Cyril told a group of our students what it was like serving in Minesweepers in the Russian Convoys and during the preparations for D Day and so it was with understandable joy that parties and celebrations broke out nationwide on VE Day. It meant that the end was in sight and that normality, or at least, a new normal, would return. As it happened, the events of World War Two changed Britain forever with the invention of the NHS in 1948 as a result of the WWII Beverage Report, conscription lasted until 1960 and rationing was not ended until 1954.
In Year 8 many of our History students undertake Family History Projects and it is always fascinating for their peers (and our History team) to see their research and find out how our students relatives were involved in conflicts from the War in the Desert in WWII, or fought on the Eastern Front for the Russians or as part of the Chindits in Burma. As we celebrate our Bank Holiday on Friday, it is perhaps a time to remember and reflect on what this day is for and to commemorate and remember the sacrifices of our Grandparents and Great Grandparents. It’s a huge event historically and one which I hope you take time to remember, indeed if you do have a socially distanced “Stay At Home Tea Party” in your front gardens (Carrot Scone Recipe available on SMHW) please share any pictures with wmorton@birchwoodhigh.org.uk and we will try to use them in a future edition of Birchwood News.
Dr Ingate's Blog - week beginning 4 May
Dear Parents/ Carers / Students
I hope you are well and coping! The longer this lock-down persists, two things seem to be ‘trending’. Firstly, and positively, the NHS seem to not only have coped but managed the challenge of Covid-19 well. The key worker children we have in school at the moment are mostly the sons and daughters of nurses, paramedics and doctors. They say that their parents are tired but, in their eyes, the worst seems to be over for the time-being. Secondly, more and more of us seem to be suffering from ‘cabin-fever’ – a desperate need to reconnect with friends and families and get back to some sense of normality. This is, of course, a very natural thing as human beings are naturally social animals.
We are all aware that there will be a formal review of lockdown on Thursday and an announcement of measures to get the economy re-started on Sunday. Within these measures will be some clarification about opening schools again. It is difficult to speculate what this might look like but I must admit to some concerns about keeping over 1000 children at least 2m apart. By next week, I should be clearer on what the DfE are stipulating and how this affects Birchwood.
With setting work to do at home, we have ensured that every class is being set work to do. We can see which students are working hard and completing work. Heads of Year and tutors are contacting students who have not had high completion rates – sometimes this is due to IT access issues – if you have any problems, please email itstudentsupport@birchwoodhigh.org.uk and let us know if we can help you. We recognise that marking and assessing student work is more challenging than when we are all in school. We have not seen our students for 4 school weeks, excluding Easter. We have asked all our teachers to have made sure that they have sent feedback to students over the this week and next. You can contact your teacher directly as well through Show My Homework or through the Contact-Us section of the Website.
Staff continue to work on providing accurate and reliable GCSE / A-Level and BTEC grades. This is part of a long process including exam board and DfE moderation. It may seem a long time until 13th August (Year 13) and 20th August (Year 11) but rest-assured, this process will be done professionally and best reflect each students’ attainment in each subject. We are continuing to phone each and every Year 11 and 13 student and have been able to offer support and guidance as required. It was pleasing to note that virtually every Year 11 student applying for A-Levels has decided to stay at Birchwood and not travel further afield which is understandable in the current climate. A-Level packs will go live this week to help any Year 11 student with taster lessons for their Sixth Form subjects.
Finally, Mr Connor wanted me to let you know that the Year 8 options process was continuing well and that the vast majority will be studying their subjects of choice next year. I also met with staff today to look at how best to induct 240 Year 7 students for September. We may have to resort to a two-day induction in September rather than the usual July day. We shall have to wait and see the lie of the land.
Best regards and keep safe.
Dr Ingate
Principal
Career Resources to Use at Home
Success at School have made their series of subject related career guides available free to access from home. These guides can help students make links between their favourite subjects at school and the world of work.
For more information, please download this guide: Success at School subject-related career guides