Banovallum School Headteacher reflects on a difficult academic year

How difficult was it planning for the return to school in September?

Mr Edgar said: “Planning for the start of term was a huge job with a large number of variables. Normally, you are planning on speaking to the staff about the exam results, staff changes and any developments you are planning as well as the usual housekeeping notes for a normal return.

“This year there were no exam results as such to talk about and the priorities were the health and safety of all stakeholders.

“Key to this was ensuring that there were arrangements in place for social distancing, ensuring the integrity of the Year Group bubbles and 
ensuring that there were protocols in place for keeping classrooms clean throughout the day as well as maintaining the cleanliness of the site.

“This is a huge job and credit has to go to Paul Bushell and the premises and cleaning teams for guaranteeing the site is as sterile as possible.

“Planning for the return would not have been possible without the input of the leadership team and the staff body at Banovallum.

“Everybody contributed to the return to school plan and this is one of the main reasons why our return was relatively smooth.

“During lockdown, the heads of all the schools in the Horncastle Education Trust met weekly to discuss the safe return and produced a comprehensive risk assessment which in turn made it easier to plan than if we had been standalone academies.

“It was a mutually supportive operation which meant that all schools could return in September in a relatively safe manner.”

How well did the students and staff cope with the return in September?

Mr Edgar said: “I cannot praise the staff & students highly enough for their calm and good-humoured approach to coming back to school.

“Thankfully, parents and students had engaged with the plan and understood what was required and this meant that there were relatively few hiccups when we came back.

“Staff also quickly adapted to the new normal and have been absolutely brilliant in dealing with the demands we have placed upon them.

“We have had to adapt our teaching in certain subjects but we have continued to teach the whole curriculum.

“Perhaps the biggest challenge staff have had to face has been when the weather has necessitated wet break and lunch arrangements which has meant the students having to be supervised in their form rooms as we cannot compromise the bubbles by having the students mix as normal around the school buildings.

“Kelly Harrison and the catering team have also made sure that hot meals have been provided in the canteen.

“ Not all schools have done this, but we felt it was important to offer hot meals, particularly as furlough and the contraction of the economy began to bite.

“Our student support team have also done a fantastic job, supporting families during lockdown and also helping students and parents on the return to school.

“Coming back to the students, their behaviour has been exemplary since their return.

“We have been so impressed by their good humour and their attitude to learning has been outstanding.

“Our new Year 7 students have also made a great start.”

Are there any positives to take out of the pandemic?

Mr Edgar said: “What has been a real positive has been the way in which the Trust schools have worked together to face the problems posed by the pandemic.

“For example, during the first lockdown, the secondary schools shared the QEGS site which meant we were able to pool resources and staffing whilst ensuring that the students were looked after in a supportive environment.

“From a Banovallum perspective, the response of the entire community has been exceptional.

“The behaviour and attitude to learning of the students cannot be faulted and we have been impressed by their adherence to all the protocols and the social 
distancing requirements.

“As always, the staff have risen to the challenge and despite some early concerns, have done what they always do and provided the best possible education to the students under the most difficult of circumstances.

“Our support team have been the real heroes of the piece, ensuring the school is clean and safe, providing hot meals for the students and ensuring everything runs as smoothly and as close to normal as possible.

“I really would like to pay tribute to the admin, site and cleaning team and the canteen staff.

“At various points throughout the term, there numbers have been depleted but they have covered one another without complaint and made sure the school ran like clockwork.

“Parents, too, have been unstinting in their support.

“They have been particularly supportive when it came to our plan for returning to school, ensuring their sons and daughters understood what we were trying to achieve.

“In recent months they have been particularly supportive with the isolation protocols and letting us know when people are ill or isolating and this has helped keep infection rates within the school relatively low.

“One positive has been the response of everybody to the re-launched BanoBank which aims to provide support to those families who are 
struggling as the economic downturn and furlough starts to bite.

“The response was truly humbling and indicative of the strong civic feeling within the Banovallum community and from local businesses, such as the Factory Shop and The Tower, Friskney who contributed items to BanoBank.”

What are your hopes for the New Year?

Grant said: “Nothing too complicated really.

“For school: a return to a more “normal” normal where we can do all the things that make a school – clubs and 
activities which enrich the lives of the students and turn them into the well-rounded citizens that will make a contribution to the modern world.

“In a broader sense - I want people to be fit and healthy and to be able to start to enjoy quality time with friends and family again and a return to all the 
activities which complement the working week.”