Coronavirus Covid-19 Update
Despite many uncertainties, with their parents' support and that of their teachers, our pupils have dealt with all that has been thrown at them with a great deal of resourcefulness, resilience and adaptability. They have been a credit to themselves and their families.
We are certainly very proud of them! Nevertheless, we must also be mindful that the cumulative and multi-faceted difficulties associated with a series of lockdowns may have taken their toll on some children, who may have struggled at times and may also be uneasy at some level about their physical return to school – however much they are excited about all that is to come.
As ever, when considering how to best help the children after this last lockdown, it will be important that we put their well-being at the heart of everything we do. Unlike the national press, which seems to be dominated by the need to immediately ‘catch-up’, ‘fill gaps’ and ensure young people’s learning is ‘accelerated to make up for lost time’, we will not only be focusing on academic learning outcomes, but also children's mental health moving forwards. As talk around well-being can sometimes seem trite and woolly, what will this look like? Aside from a return to classrooms, what else are we considering to protect and boost our children’s well-being? Read more about this on the Head's Blog.
It goes without saying that we are continuing to make adjustments to ensure we are doing all we can to keep our community safe, as detailed for parents in our 'Return to School - March 2021' booklet.
Keep up to date with news from All Hallows via our social media and our weekly newsletter.
Boarding safety
Our boarding house remained open throughout the pandemic. We have hosted a number of very successful 'bubbled' quarantine programmes for international children coming to England as well as remaining open over half terms to allow these children to stay at school - by all accounts those taking part had a fantastic time.
We have subscribed to the BSA Boarding Schools Association COVID-SAFE Charter.
Read more about boarding at All Hallows.
Visiting All Hallows - a message from the Admissions Team
Our Admissions Office is always open during normal office hours so if you are interested in joining us, please call us now! We have places available in most year groups.
Please contact us if you would like to join us for our next open morning, for a socially distanced tour or to arrange for a one-to-one meeting with the Head, other senior staff and the Admissions team. Modified tours may be possible in exceptional circumstances (eg for immediate joiners or to allow a decision to be made prior to giving notice elsewhere).
All visitors to school are asked to complete a self-declaration form on arrival and masks will be required when inside buildings (if allowed) or at any time when a 2m distance cannot be maintained.
Some feedback from our parents
March 2021
"I just wanted to write to you to express our thanks for how you and your colleagues welcomed all the children back yesterday. It was so uplifting and a joyful return for them all (and for us as parents); and so typical of the ‘All Hallows way’. I know our children were not the only ones to come home so happy and excited after a day of fun. I think the fact they were all allowed to have so much fun together was brilliant thinking on the schools part and most likely vital to a successful return to school for them all. It was nice of the sun to make an appearance as well!
The provisions that were made for the children whilst they were off both at home (and at school when they returned halfway through the term) were great. We know the efforts to have made this work so well will have been spread across a wide team of you and your colleagues and we’d really appreciate it if you could direct our thanks to the right people. It seems you have a great team of people there."
January 2021...
"Dr. Richards, Mrs. Mewburn and the All Hallows team has been ever so supportive of the children (and parents). Mrs Jenkins (Y2) has found a way to provide instruction in a virtual environment that still "feels" like her classroom at school. The children are happy, supported and learning! As a parent, I couldn't ask for any more and applaud her efforts."
I think you’ve done a fantastic job in a very short space of time to turn around the last minute government directive into a safe yet vibrant learning environment for those at school, and a great platform of virtual learning for the rest of the students on the outside. Let’s hope it won’t be too long when they can all start to mix again.
"Online learning has begun seamlessly & our daughter has just had a full day of learning & online socialising with her classmates. Not quite normal (after all, she'd prefer to be in Cranmore), but utterly fabulous given the circumstances & so wonderful for her to have something resembling routine & familiarity in such uncertain times.
Well done to everyone who makes this all look so easy, as I know it's not. And, again, please pass huge thanks & a big "well done" to all our wonderful teachers; teaching under these circumstances must be such a challenge."
A heartfelt thank you from our Parents Association on behalf of the parents...
...we would like to say a very heartfelt thank you for doing such a fantastic job this year under such difficult circumstances. You have all ensured that our children have had a safe, enriching environment in which to be taught. We have all missed being able to say thank you to you in person...
Some feedback since November lock down
.... just wanted to send a little message to say that as a parent I’m so pleased with how well my son has settled in. The pastoral care goes above and beyond any experience we have had in the past. I can see him growing beautifully with the help of the school. Mr Roberts is a wonderful teacher who has a very keen insight into the children’s personalities. He has always responded quickly with any concerns I may have and put my mind at ease. I also feel the school is handling the Covid crisis in a calm manner which then reflects on the children. my son has come home explaining what he has learnt and doesn’t seem to have the anxiety that my older two children exhibit and I do believe that’s because of the way Covid is managed at school.
Sometimes it’s the smallest things that can make a difference . For me as a new parent I have noticed how smiley the staff are at all times which reflects a happy atmosphere. In particular there is one sport teacher at most morning drop offs in Spinney car park . Whether rain or shine he has a beaming smile and always ready to help my son with his bags. It makes for a pleasant start for the day when I know my son is entering school happily.
We are grateful for the positive feedback from our parents and pupils with the transition to remote learning...
At the end of term...
Sorry to write a blanket email but I wanted to thank all of you for so much effort that has clearly gone into this term. I’m so impressed that AH got all the children back to give them a little bit of the summer term and let them finish with their friends.
My son has literally LOVED being back. What’s not to like I guess, in a bubble of all boys, all of them he likes (lovely year group!), not as many lessons and back to sport. He’s really really enjoyed it and I’m sure will feel a bit sad that it’s over today. He said to me on Monday, he wished school was always like this!! Thank you Ed for getting them through all the online learning and dealing with my lack of expertise on sending large video files over!!
I just wanted to thank you for making my son (a new pupil) so feel so welcome these last couple of weeks, he has had such a great time and it was lovely to see some enthusiasm for school come back!
I appreciate how much hard work must have gone into getting the children back into school but it really has made such a difference to my two.
On school re-opening...
I just wanted to say how impressed I am at the return to school today. Not only in the logistics that are very clearly evident from all the comms, but in making it happen at all.
I recognise that this happens through persistence, belief & being solutions focussed to find a way to make it happen - I am sure that there have been many many barriers to overcome & policy hoops to jump through!!
The most important thing (which has been lost through the ongoing battle between unions & government) is that this is in the children's best interest.
Fantastic job, please pass on my thanks to the whole team that have made this possible - the domestic staff, the teaching staff & whoever kept pressing DoE to get the thumbs up. Our kids will be all the better for it.
On the prospect of school re-opening
We just wanted to say in view of real school reopening next week just how much we have appreciated all the work you have been doing for enlivening the children’s imagination …
Not only that but you have made the virtual schooling so personal and personable always looking fresh and welcoming; warm and calm…
Thank you for this amazing experience of Virtual Schooling.
Just before the half term break gets started, I wanted you to know just how amazing we feel the school has been during this period. I know (my daughter) feels very proud to be a part of All Hallows’, even from a distance and is grateful to have access to so much during these times, I heard her reflecting on the ease of working without the usual distractions! ...so the saying ‘always a silver lining‘ seems to ring true.
...
We are lucky to have you as a head during these times (and always) and I have full confidence in your decision making throughout. I feel that my child is still being taught, nurtured and heard. I sincerely hope you have time for a proper break before we enter the final furlong of the school year. Thank you for your strong leadership and human qualities which serve us so well, even now.
Home Learning...
I just wanted to say how brilliant you all were during lockdown virtual schooling. We were really impressed.
"Dear #amazinghomelearningteam,
We hope this finds you & your families well.
A very belated (I meant to send this email last week) message from everyone in our home to say "THANK YOU!" for all your wonderful lessons & support the past two weeks. We weren't sure what 'school' was going to look like once the summer term started but you have all risen to this massive challenge, brilliantly.
From inspiring art (who knew what you can achieve with tin foil!), the 'little bit emotional' Wellbeing sessions, engaging English. Music, Science, French (those Yr6 videos!), PE, Humanities (yr 8 presentations) and well-explained & illustrated Maths. You've all found brilliant ways and topics to engage, inspire & excite the children and then learned how to delivered it so well.
We can only imagine the massive amount of work you've all had to put in to achieve this. And, now the children are online, the sheer amount of 'calls' you have been receiving, but hope you all realise just how much it means to my girls to have that contact. It delivers a little bit of what feels like 'normality' back to their life, and a routine to follow has made such a difference. I know my girls' favourite part of every weekday - easily - is tutor time & we can't thank you enough for making 'live' contact with them possible, as it's made such a difference.
We appreciate you all, so much, each & every day.
Keep up the AMAZING work & we hope to see you all, very, soon."
As a business owner myself, I live by the rule that "People don't buy what you do, they buy why you do it" - I am not just buying an education for (my son) at All Hallows, so even whilst the school is shut he is still benefiting from being part of a community and culture filled with very good people that just so happens to be currently operating remotely, and there isn't a virus in the world can halt that sense of belonging.
"We just wanted to Thank YOU and your incredible Team for such a smooth transission into the first week of home schooling!
I won't lie we nearly reached for the gin bottle at 8.45am on Monday morning, mostly due to technical hitches & slow internet speed, consequently missing the first meeting but after taking a deep breath & making a strong coffee, we got there!
Every day we are incredibly thankful we are in a position to send (our children) to All Hallows. These unprecedented times have just reinforced that all of the sacrifices we have had to make are, without doubt, worthwhile.
...With our heartfelt thanks we wish you, and all the AMAZING staff a All Hallows, a well deserved break this weekend."
Thank you for looking after our children with loving eyes. I am very grateful to you for recognizing (my son's) efforts.
Even though he takes long time to understand online lesson in English, he is working hard.
He loves teachers, so that he can do his best.
Thank you very much.