Message from Mr Martin 03-04-2020
Good Afternoon,
Thank you for making me so proud!
The end of term is usually a crescendo of assemblies, house point collation, musical performances, assessments and reports squeezed into the space of a few short weeks.
The change to our end of term plans is something beyond our control, but you have all worked so hard for your parents and teachers and now you all deserve a rest. I hope the weather is good, I hope your loved ones are well.
Parents, well done with all the work and activities you have your children doing. A lot of us are balancing our own work with entertaining and teaching young children, which is not ideal. Please do not fret over the workload.
Enjoy a peaceful and happy Easter break.
Best wishes
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 02-04-2020
Good Afternoon,
After speaking with staff, families and a few friends, it seemed like yesterday was a difficult day – the tenth since the Prime Minister’s plea to stay indoors and social distance.
Ghyll Royd children are always so active and sociable – getting the most fun out of their break times, lunches, house assemblies and fixtures, surrounded by their peers. This situation is not ideal for anyone but it makes one consider why we must stay inside.
In times where we may feel frustrated, we must follow another one of our values and be considerate to those being asked to do more than just ‘stay indoors’. Next time you go to the shops, thank the shop assistants. Send your family friend who works in the NHS a card to say thank you. It will mean a lot. Or tonight, at 8.00pm, we ask you to join your neighbours in applauding all the key workers.
We must also be considerate to each other. Thank you for those lovely messages you wrote to key workers, thank you for the rainbow pictures bringing smiles to people passing your house and thank you for completing Mrs Beeson’s challenge and helping your mummies and daddies.
We will continue to support you and your learning – including fun activities and ideas, to make this period a little easier.
Mrs Picken shared a delightful video with me which helps explain the situation to our younger children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DA_SsZFYw0w&feature=youtu.be
Have an enjoyable penultimate day of term!
Best wishes
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 01-04-2020
Good Afternoon Parents, Staff, Governors and friends,
Over the last week Teachers have been setting the children various challenges and we have been amazed by the overwhelming response. Or should we be that amazed?
A Ghyll Royd child always, always rises to the challenge. That’s why Challenge is one of our 6C’s and it goes a long way to describing why our Year 6 children are always so in demand from Senior Schools – they challenge themselves to succeed at everything.
Challenge is also about the high expectations of our teachers. On the wall in Mr Nicholson’s classroom it reads ‘Challenge + Effort = Learning’. Without challenges set by the teachers and the effort that is required for children to challenge themselves, learning cannot grow so readily.
As Homer Simpson once said: ‘The greater the challenge, the greater the feeling when you succeed.’
Best wishes and keep looking after one another,
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 31-03-2020
Good Afternoon Parents, Staff, Governors and friends,
Thank you all for such a brilliant response to yesterday’s messages. The letters your children have written to key workers and the amount of work, photographs and videos I am seeing from home make me very proud! Please keep sending these in.
This brings me to today’s message all about our second value – Co-operation. The next few weeks will require a lot of co-operation as emails are exchanged to get fully up and running in our virtual classroom.
Teachers have been setting work remotely and as a staff team we have had our first ‘meeting’ to train ourselves up, ready to bring lessons to your homes after Easter.
This is an exciting time to demonstrate what an adaptable and forward-thinking School we are, as praised by the Independent Schools Inspectorate.
In School, the children never shy away from asking questions or sharing ideas with their peers. We ask that they continue to do the same over email – tell us if you need help, do not shy away from making suggestions!
Please keep co-operating, keep sending in those smiling faces and let’s all work together.
Best wishes,
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 30-03-2020
Good Afternoon,
I have been reminded this weekend that how we handle adversity tends to have a greater impact on character than how we handle the ‘good stuff’.
It’s incredible just how creative the Ghyll Royd children have been at this recently.
Creativity – one of our 6C’s – requires resourcefulness and improvisation; the confidence to challenge assumptions and take risks, and the resilience to build new connections.
Looking through all the work that they have been doing this weekend, it is clear that creativity is an area in which our children have a tremendous advantage, since they have an endearing habit of always questioning the status quo.
Long may it carry on!
Best wishes and keep looking after one another,
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 27-03-2020
Dear Parents,
I think we can all join together in saying ‘What a week!’.
Firstly, I hope that you are all well and looking after each other, and have had the opportunity to enjoy the sunshine. I have been overwhelmed by the messages and photos that keep coming in of how our resilient children (and parents) have been dealing with the situation.
It makes me think about Ghyll Royd’s own 6 C’s – creativity, cooperation, consideration, challenge, care and courtesy – and how these core fundamentals are needed as much as ever.
Please keep these 6 C’s in mind as we head into the weekend and toward what is the final week of the Spring Term. I have set some optional weekend challenges for your children to try – best of luck!
Behind the scenes the teachers are working around the clock in preparation for going ‘live’ with our remote learning for next term. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them, and the rest of the staff, for working under difficult circumstances and continuing to provide support, guidance and familiarity to our little School community.
Best Wishes,
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 26-03-2020
Good Afternoon,
Thank you to everyone who has been keeping in touch. Every email, photo and video you send is so encouraging – please continue to share with us.
It is clear that Ghyll Royd Children are extremely resourceful. I have loved seeing the ways you have been filling your days at home – from teacher-set work; joining in with our fun online challenges; precious time spent with family to making your own adventure playgrounds!
We do not expect your child to sit at their desk working all day. After all, at school we are in and out, active and creative! Go on those walks and bake that cake!
Your child’s Mid-Year Report is being sent out tonight by post and will be with you in the next couple of days. The grading and comments encompass your child’s progress over the Spring term and provide a mid-year benchmark from which your child can jump beyond themselves even more during the Summer term.
Tomorrow we will be sending out a newsletter, in replacement of our Friday morning Achievement Assembly. I have asked teachers to send in commendations and pieces of work.
We are also keen to have any Moz Moments (acts of kindness) – please email Miss Wilson if you have anything else you would like to share.
One more day until the weekend. Let’s hope the glorious weather continues.
Best wishes and keep looking after one another,
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 25-03-2020
Dear Parents, Good Afternoon!
I hope that all your weeks have gone well so far and that daily routines are beginning to be established.
I understand that the next few weeks are going to be a very strange time for all of us, but want to reassure you that the wonderful staff at Ghyll Royd are doing everything they can to help – not only providing a stimulating and fun range of learning activities online but also bolstering our School community during a time that I am sure can feel quite isolating.
Alongside the teacher-set work, we are sharing useful tips for home learning, as well as excellent free activities and ideas on our social media pages.
At school this week the teachers and pupils have been enjoying the wonderful weather and been using our grounds for den building, slack-lining and orienteering, as well as getting our blood pumping with Joe Wicks!
We would love to continue to hear your unique stories, your own tried and tested methods for home-schooling and what you have all been up to! The power of the community is what makes our School so special; let us carry this on together online!
Please send any updates to Rebecca (rebecca.wilson@ghyllroydschool.co.uk) and she will share as much of your news as possible.
Best Wishes,
David Martin
Message from Mr Martin 24-03-2020
Good Afternoon,
I hope you are well and have been able to enjoy this weekend’s warm weather either out in your garden, or on a safe walk.
For the last two days, the teachers and I have been in School to care for the children of Key Workers. The teachers are also busy writing reports which will be sent out later this week.
Each child has received access to our whole-school reading programme which brilliantly combines online reading with fantastic print books and tools for individual assessment. Our priority right now is to provide all our children with not only with continuous education, but with a focus.
Learning related queries should be directed to class teachers. All other enquiries can be sent to Gilly in the School office (information@ghyllroydschool.co.uk).
Best wishes,
David Martin
