Leadership Likes: Mrs Sarah Raja

Covid

Pandemic

Social distancing

Lockdown

Furlough

R number

New normal

A list of words that sum up 2020, some of which would have been completely unfamiliar this time last year (was I the only one who had to look up the meaning of the word ‘furlough’?) and none of which make for particularly uplifting reading. That said, the term ‘new normal’ could be considered to offer some positivity and a glimmer of hope of life returning to some semblance of order. But in school, the ‘new normal’ is thankfully very much like the old. Covid restrictions may have altered the practicalities of our daily routine, but there is plenty of the familiar Croydon High School ‘old normal’ to keep us going.

For example, the girls in Nursery made their own pancakes this week. However, not satisfied with ‘normal’ pancakes, these were made as self-portraits, complete with facial features! Having come into school equipped with wellies, the girls in Year 1 have spent time in our Forest School, not only exploring the environment but also using the opportunity for a spot of outdoor Maths. Year 6 have embarked on their Enterprise Challenge project – with sounds of whooping and cheering to be heard this week as their teams were announced! The Junior School Council have had their first meeting and have already begun to think about initiatives that they might run this year as well as sharing some ideas for fundraising. And, in what has been such a strange year, it has been a great pleasure for me to spend some time reviewing Year 6 House Captain applications this week – the job might be a little different for the moment, but the enthusiasm and determination of the candidates is certainly the same as ever.

In fact, in these uncertain times it is the pupils themselves who maintain our sense of normality. Ever engaged, creative and curious they bowled us over with their incredible resilience as we moved into lockdown and over to Guided Home Learning, and have adjusted equally as well to life back in school and the ‘new normal’. Whilst close physical contact may not be possible, the buzz and laughter around school is enough to generate the familiar Croydon High warmth, even as the temperature drops. The next few weeks and months are likely to bring their own uncertainty and challenges, but this warmth and sense of community will no doubt support us all and ensure that whatever the ‘new normal’ looks like, we will navigate it together and make it our own.

Mrs Sarah Raja

Head of Junior School