
Rydal Penrhos received a big seal of approval from parents for their efforts over the last 12 months.
The last year will go down as one of the more disruptive in recent memory. Rydal Penrhos was forced to adapt quickly in the midst of COVID-19 concerns, which saw staff and pupils adjust to a new normal with remote learning that brought the very best out of everyone associated with the school.
Hopefully, with coronavirus cases decreasing and Wales now moving out of lockdown, the worst might well be behind us and pupils can return for the summer term safe in the knowledge they won’t be forced to develop key skills and boost academic development from the comfort of their own homes for the foreseeable future.
This is obviously a fluid situation that Rydal Penrhos is monitoring closely. The school’s COVID-19 response team has put every necessary precaution in place during the gradual transition of year groups back on-site in recent weeks, with a safe and happy environment to thrive in guaranteed when everybody returns from the Easter break.
Gaining feedback from parents to enable improvements to provision is something that is the cornerstone behind Rydal Penrhos’ success. The school values feedback as it provides real insight from the people that matter most.
The school recently asked parents about how things have gone from a learning and support perspective during the second educational lockdown over the spring term. This was met with an incredibly positive response and is a testament to the exceptional dedication of teaching and support staff during such an uncertain time.
Remote Learning
When asked the question “Are you satisfied with remote learning arrangements?”, a total of 91 per cent of parents selected the top-two answers, with 59% stating they were very satisfied.
A total of 92 per cent of those who took the survey agreed that pupils should have their cameras switched on at the start of each lesson and only switch them off when asked to do so by their teacher. This was a new implementation during the term to improve focus and add an essential social aspect to learning with a view to improving wellbeing.
Communication
When asked “How clear has the communication been from school during the current remote learning period?”, 91 per cent of parents checked one of the top-two answers, with 58% of the responses indicating that communication had been very clear.
Under three per cent stated that it has been difficult to contact individual members of teaching staff when the need has arisen.
Support
Rydal Penrhos asked its parent group “how satisfied are you with the support your child has received from the school?”. Again, 91 percent answered the top two answers within the survey and 63% chose the top answer of very satisfied.
Keyworker provision
Twelve per cent of current parents took advantage of the school’s keyworker childcare and learning provision during the latest lockdown period. Thanks to the incredible commitment of staff, 93 per cent declared they were very satisfied with the provision and 100% answers the top-two available.
It has not been easy for anyone over the last year. But the way each member of the Rydal Penrhos community has come together to ensure a minimal loss of learning and goals remaining unaltered has been inspiring.
Thank you to all our parents for not only their feedback, but also for assisting their children during online learning and ensuring their academic and creative progression continued.









