21 July 2020,
Dear Parents and Carers,
The school year started as any other school year. New classes and pupils set to face new challenges, full of optimism and hope. The Autumn term carried on as any term. Pupils settling into their routines, new friendships formed, a multitude of experiences offered to our students.
Those in the Primary Department continued to excel in developing their communication and play skills. Our ‘Primary Push for Play’ initiative saw all pupils enjoying more time outside. The primary playground was full of laughter, music and dancing. In the Secondary and Post 16 Departments, pupils were encouraged to develop their independence and resilience. We had a record number of pupils accessing work experiencing placements both inside and outside school and our ‘Secondary Options’ allowed pupils to experience a range of new activities, from archery to pottery.
The term ended with three amazing Christmas performances. We all adored the Primary Department’s interpretation of ‘The Wizard of Oz’. The Secondary Department wowed us with their dance skills in their telling of the story of ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’. The Post 16 department’s costumes and animals in ‘The Lion King’ were as good as any West End production. We finished the term exhausted but happy and with a sense of pride in our achievements.
In the Spring term everything changed. As the Coronavirus pandemic began to impact on our way of life, we formed our own ‘Jack Tizard Bubble’. We reduced the number of visitors to school; our trips and visits were halted; we began to plan for a possible school closure. When the UK went into lockdown, we needed to find new ways of working, teaching and keeping the Jack Tizard community connected.
As our community became more remote and we moved online we continued to keep those connections alive. Weekly calls, virtual meetings, home deliveries and online lessons ensured that we continued to support and encourage each other during the lockdown. It is through the determination, creativity and strength of every member of Jack Tizard, every family, every pupil, every staff member and every local authority that we have managed to keep our community together in these unprecedented times. We are immensely proud of every member of Jack Tizard and their courage, hard work and their resolve
As the Summer term approached, we began to plan for a different Jack Tizard. After many weeks of planning and risk assessing we were able to safely reopen to a small group of pupils at the beginning of June. We knew that Jack Tizard would feel different, that procedures and routines would be different. But, as our first few pupils arrived, as we saw the excitement and joy on their faces, we knew the Jack Tizard community was as strong as ever.
As we reflect on the school year, on the challenges we have faced and the obstacles we have overcome we are filled with gratitude and honour to be part of such an amazing community. We want to thank each and every member of this special group. We want to thank the local authorities and governors for their support; we want to thank the staff team for their hard work, commitment and creativity; and we want to thank the pupils and their families for their understanding, support and dedication.
As we look forward to next year, we are once again filled with optimism and hope. We are optimistic that whatever challenges we may face, whatever obstacles are in our way, the Jack Tizard community will continue to work together to overcome them. We are confident that together we can continue to provide a life enhancing education, that supports each pupil to achieve their greatest potential, always.
We wish you all a peaceful, restful and well-earned summer break
Yours sincerely
Headteacher
Deputy Headteacher
School Business Manager
Assistant Headteacher
Head of EYFS & Primary
Head of Secondary & Post 16
Head of Secondary & Post 16
BLINK Dance have created a free basic guide for parents and carers who may want to do some dance activities with their children from home, please find attached. They hope to follow these with some free tutorials and exercises on their youtube channel in the hope that this might be able to provide a small buffer at this challenging time.
The Sensory Projects have provided a number of links to resources that may be of use they can be accessed from here
