17th July 2020
Dear Parents and Carers
Well here we are - we have made it through and we have got here, more exhausted but I think, stronger than ever! I thought I would make this last email a thoughtful and reflective one and try to sum up the year in not too many words (you know how I like to waffle on....!!)
A huge public thank you to the staff at Westwood Farm - I am so proud of them all and grateful for how hard they have all worked, how positive they have been and how they have all come together to support each other and our families - even from our distanced bubbles in school and through our virtual contact with the website, phonecalls and emails. I have been spending some time recently looking back through all the staff blogs on our website and it is lovely to see how your families have got to know about the lives of our staff and their families more than ever before - that is definitely one of the lovely, positive things to have come out of this!
I never like to single any staff out as they have all been brilliant, but I am going to say a personal thank you to Mrs Ross for not just everything she has done, but for also keeping me laughing when times have been tough!! You will be seeing more of her next year and a bit less of me - I am not changing or reducing my time but I am going to try and work a bit more behind the scenes on the more strategic stuff! Very difficult for me to not be at the front of it all as my shy and retiring nature doesn't allow for that (!!!), but I am going to try!
A big thank you to you all too - not only for the fabulous presents and kind words you have sent us, but also all of the support you have given us and the gratitude you have shown us for what we have done here at Westwood Farm. Although it has to have been one of the hardest years of my career, it has definitely been one of the proudest and I know we have really 'done our bit' and done our best through these times.
And so to finish...... I would usually have been spending the last few days of term planning my silly end of year assembly and using my 'talents' to change words to songs and dress up in stupid costumes. (I did wear a silly wig for my end of year video for Yr6, but that was really just to cover up my white hair!!)
Today instead I decided to write a poem to sum up my feelings about all of this and some of it may just resonate with you!
I think one of the most used words during this time (apart from unprecedented 'your'e on mute'!) has been 'Strange' - this little poem is to sum up how 'Strange' it has all been ......
STRANGE
Strange how time has gone so slowly and yet how long ago does March seem?
Strange how we have had so much time, but completing all those tasks was only in a dream?
Strange how we wanted things normal again but now want the quiet back?
Strange how without the pollution of light, the sky turned a darker black?
Strange how our roles have changed from parent to teacher, catching even teachers off guard?
Strange how on some days even the simplest tasks seemed hard?
Strange how even the thought of Joe Wicks made us eat everything in sight?
Strange how my washing machine decided to make all my clothes tight?
Strange how some days it was so easy to get out of bed?
Strange how other days were just filled with a strange, uncomfortable dread?
Strange how previously, kids moaned about school every day?
Strange how once we closed, they wanted to come back and stay?
Strange how before, we found change so hard but now we have changed for the better;
We appreciate our friends
We appreciate hugs
We appreciate having a job
We appreciate going to school
We appreciate nature and its sights and sounds
We appreciate kindness and thank yous
We appreciate each other....... Strange
There are so many other strange thoughts and feelings we have all had, but the strange things can also be good things. A community like ours that has been through these things together can only learn from the experience and ensure we don't forget!
I do hope you have a lovely summer and a well-deserved break from home schooling. We look forward to having you back in September and look forward to seeing the current Year 6 when they are Year 7 and can come back and visit us! We will miss you all!
Take care, stay safe.
Love,
Mrs H x
Barbara Hunter
Executive Headteacher Westwood Farm Schools
