Column: For the past year, North Primary School headteacher Alan Garnett has been writing a weekly diary for the Gazette, providing a fascinating insight during what has been a momentous 12 months. This is his final entry
Monday, March 22
WEEK 12 of Lockdown Three.
Week three of the full reopening and the final week of the spring term.
A whole year since all the pupils at North were first denied their right to attend school.
In assembly this morning, I gave the children the opportunity to reflect on the pandemic.
Using photos, I reminded the children of how school life had changed over the course of the past year.
It was an opportunity to reflect on bravery and loss and individual acts of kindness and thoughtfulness from children, parents and staff.
It showed our community at its best.
The morning conference call was also spent in reflection, which quickly turned to consideration of the path forward.
The LA is establishing an Education Recovery Task Force and the unions each have their own visions for recovery.
There was agreement that the LA’s inclusive model of leadership which has evolved over the past year should continue.
Everything stopped at 4pm. We all tuned in to BBC Essex as (author and project manager) Laura Davison, (author and historian) Claire Driver and Jessica Dines (last year’s chair of the school council) were ready to promote CXXV (a new book celebrating 125 years of North Primary School).
No visit to the recording studio in Chelmsford, of course. Each sat in their kitchens with their mobile phones, managing their nerves on their own.
They did brilliantly. BBC Essex also played a recording of our oldest living former pupil – Margaret Gilbert.
Now 106 - she was born on Christmas Day in 1904 - Margaret was a sprightly 104 she was interviewed in her home by former pupils Jacob and Gaby, now both at secondary school.
It was lovely to hear Margaret’s voice again.
Headteacher - Alan Garnett
Tuesday, March 23
HOW can we make the summer term special for our Year Sixes in what will be their final term in primary school.
Their residential trip is looking unlikely but we still await the decision from the DfE.
After school clubs will resume and the Year Sixes will be prioritised.
One boy said to me “thank you for letting us play football next term, Mr Garnett.”
Wednesday, March 24
IN Good Work Assembly this morning, one of the Year Six classes shared their beautiful words and pictures.
They had been looking back on the past year and then thought about their hopes for the coming months.
They had produced stunning art work – trees of hope, using not just Klimt’s painting as inspiration but also Kandinsky’s circles which became flowers on the trees.
The children shared their personal hopes.
Leah’s simple wishes captured the mood perfectly.
She wrote: “I hope that soon enough I will be able to go on family outings again because I don’t get to see them much and I miss my cousins. I also hope that I can start having sleepovers with my friends since I miss watching films and joking about something silly.”
They finished their presentation by saying “your hopes might be blossoming, just like ours”.
Poignant message - Amber Szabo’s beautiful Easter bonnet. Amber’s mum works for the NHS
Thursday, March 25
A YEAR three class wore their favourite party clothes to school today.
They missed the end of the autumn term because children and staff were isolating so their class Christmas party was postponed.
They have been looking forward to it all term.
Friday, March 26
THE final day of the spring term. Governors Awards presented and the Easter Parade.
Normally, the 440 children are squeezed into the hall and classes take it in turns to parade in their Easter bonnets. It is a magical sight.
No squeezing and no catwalk this year, but the children were still excited to be showing off their bonnets in their classrooms.
At the end of the day, every child left school holding eggs gifted by the North School Association.
This year the school will be closed over Easter.
Sitting at home with a glass of wine, looking back on the past 12 months.
The school is in its 127th year.
It has experienced two world wars, a general strike, a three-day week and entering the EEC and leaving the EU.
Two Queens, four Kings and eight headteachers!
This past year has been extraordinary.
How an organisation manages a crisis is a test of its strength and character.
North Primary School and Nursery has survived. In fact, in many ways it has thrived.
Paradoxically, separation has brought us closer together and that is due to the remarkable efforts of remarkable people – staff, governors, parents and the children.
Let us hope the coming year is just ordinary.
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