Acting Head of the Prep School, Mr Myers-Allen, wrote to parents, pupils and staff this week:

“As Sean Connery wisely declared, “There is always a new challenge to keep you motivated.” We were all geared up for a staggered start to term and then, at very short notice, we had to switch and motivate ourselves to create a remote learning scenario. A challenge only becomes an obstacle if you bow to it and we didn’t. It is not in our DNA. I must congratulate our parents, pupils and every single member of staff for adapting to life in another lockdown.

“Using See Saw, Microsoft Teams, emails, reliable paper and buckets full of enthusiasm, we are, yet again forging ahead. And, as Fred Devito once said, “if it doesn’t challenge you it doesn’t change you.” This experience helps us all to grow.

“Ruth Steggles and her team opened the EYFS building from the start and it is bustling with nursery children and the full cohort of Reception pupils. At the time of writing, I have 15 teachers on site working from their classrooms preparing and delivering the best lessons that they can for the rest of the pupils.

“We will tweak our offering as we go along. We will continue to adapt, improvise and we will overcome the challenges we face and be better for it in the end. As we learn and work together in the days to come your patience and support will be important and it will mean a lot to us.”