As I write this message on Thursday the Government has just released the plan for all children and young people to return to school on a full-time basis in September. Without doubt, there will be some logistical challenges as to how we will need to organize the school during the next academic year and there will continue to be aspects of school life which will need to look and operate very differently to what we have been used to in the past. This will be – and it’s not a phrase I particularly like – “the new normal”.

What I would say to all members of our school community is that we will embrace this with the passion, determination and commitment which characterises our school. It has been wonderful to see so many of our students back on the school site in recent weeks even within the current restrictions. They have adapted to smaller classes, new routines and sometimes unfamiliar faces brilliantly and I am certain that this will continue when all students return in September.

As parents and carers would expect, we will need a little time to consider the guidance now that it has been released. As with our previous planning, we want to get things right and the health and safety of all members of the school community is of course paramount. As such, we will be in touch well before the end of term to explain arrangements for September and appreciate in advance parents and carers’ patience in waiting for this information.