Leadership Likes: Mrs Raja

So here we are again. Lockdown 3.0 and back to Guided Home Learning. Whilst we have done this before and so there are many aspects that are familiar, there are also some added challenges this

time around, namely the dark and cold days. I remember commenting during Lockdown 1.0 that we were so incredibly lucky with the weather. Not only did it make my daily walk an absolute pleasure, it boosted my mood and made getting up and completing the long commute to the dining room table more bearable. I am sure I was not alone in that. But the situation this time around is so different and some of the positive habits we adopted the first time around are harder to maintain, and this has got me thinking about how fortunate we are to still have our wonderful Croydon High community to combat some of the challenges of lockdown.

Reduced interaction with others is one of the undesirable consequences of the current situation. However, here at Croydon High we have structured our whole Guided Home Learning provision to ensure that pupils can still enjoy the benefits of face to face time with their teachers and peers. Whether it be through live teaching, small group work, Tutor 1:1s or co-curricular activities, there are plenty of ways for us all to keep in touch with others. In addition to this, in the Junior School, we have also considered ways to stay in contact with people outside of our school community. As part of our Jolly January theme of ‘Connecting,’ every girl in the Junior School has drawn a picture or written a card or letter to a local care home resident. We will deliver them in batches upon our return to school in the hope that the positivity in our school community can pervade our local community.

Another issue that I am sure many of us have grappled with, has been the necessary increase in our daily screen time. Hours in front of our devices not only affects our eyes, but can also play havoc with posture, causing neck, back and shoulder pain. To combat this particular effect of lockdown, we have tried to strike a balance between time spent in front of and away from the screen each day. Regular breaks are planned to allow a change of scenery, or even time outside if the weather allows, and as well as a mixture of live and recorded lessons for pupils the PE department have also created their daily challenge.

On the topic of screen time I include here a link to some family friendly resources, provided by CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command) to help open a conversation with your child about online safety. Pupils, by and large, are fully aware that use of devices in school needs to be within the rules, but with the distinction between home and school being much more blurred at present, you may wish to use these resources to talk to your child about the issues involved.

And if in doubt, you are welcome to use the phrase “What do you think Mr King/Mrs Raja would say about that?” if it is at all useful!

Finally, you may have seen last week’s Top Tips for Guided Home Learning, but they are included in News Links again today in case you did not have the chance to review them.

So despite the gloominess – in the news and outside the window – I am reassured that we will continue to keep our spirits up, doing all that we can to look after ourselves and each other and taking comfort from the fact that Spring is, indisputably, on the way.

Mrs Sarah Raja

Head of Junior School