“It’s important to talk, it’s important to remember, it’s important to take what we’ve learnt and move forwards.” – Mrs Lucy Davies – Head of Rydal Penrhos Prep School.
This week marks one year since Rydal Penrhos was forced into the first educational lockdown as COVID-19 concerns gripped the country. It was an incredibly uncertain time for all involved, with the pandemic becoming an ever-growing presence within day-to-day life over the last 12 months.
The school’s teaching staff was forced to adapt into a thorough online learning provision that ensured a minimal loss of learning, with pupils and parents also adjusting accordingly to what has fast become a “new normal”.
However, with all pupils now back on-site following the introduction of Years 7-9 on Monday 22 March, Rydal Penrhos lent their support to a national remembrance campaign to reflect on the past year and remember those who’ve been lost to COVID-19.
Rydal Penrhos marks one-year anniversary of lockdown.
The Whole School decided to join in with the yellow heart movement marking ‘one year on’ from the first lockdown which is taking place across the country.
A number of yellow hearts were created and placed on the school gates at both Prep and Senior sites to mark the first anniversary of the first lockdown, an idea which came from the Yellow Hearts to Remember Covid-19 support group’s #LoveForTheLost campaign.
The group was formed by a community of families bereaved during the pandemic to ensure their loved ones are recognised and remembered as more than just a statistic.
During the week, teaching staff at the Prep School will be holding informal discussions to encourage pupils to discuss all of their memories over the past year, including the good times such as being with their families, learning new games and playing more in the garden.
Of course, this is also tinged with sad memories for pupils young and old, which include people being sick, not seeing friends, being lonely and feeling scared with so much uncertainty across the country.
New words were also acquired to pupils’ vocabulary such as lockdown, social distancing and coronavirus, with the online learning provision coming with improved resilience and independence, becoming brilliant on their iPads and using Microsoft Teams every day during live lessons.
Next term, Rydal Penrhos Prep School classes will be working together on a multi-subject project to look at how we have changed over the past year.
At the Senior School, a minute’s silence was held at 12pm on Tuesday 23 March to remember those who have sadly died of COVID-19 and to reflect on the personal impact each pupil has experienced over the last 12 months.
We are enormously proud of the way the Rydal Penrhos community has come together to support each other through a difficult time. Not only with a fierce determination to keep improving from an academic standpoint, but also doing everything in their power to keep up spirits and maintain healthy wellbeing.
_____________________________________
Anyone wishing to enquire about Rydal Penrhos School can do so by calling 01492 530155, email admissions@rydalpenrhos.com or register your interest online here: https://rydalpenrhos.com/admissions/apply-now.
