London headteachers tell worried pupils: keep calm and work hard at home

Pupils face at least six weeks of teaching away from the classroom
PA
Anna Davis @_annadavis8 January 2021

London headteachers have urged students to keep their spirits up and ask for help when they need it, as pupils faces weeks away from friends and teachers.

School leaders spoke out to inspire and motivate pupils during the difficult days ahead, as fears grow that closures will harm some children who are already worn down by nearly a year of the pandemic.

Emma Pattison, head of Croydon High School, urged students to seek help if they need it.

She said: “Pupils across the capital, please ensure you reach out. Your teachers and the support networks at school want to help you and they want to know what you are going through so they know what they can do to help.”

David Goodhew, head of Latymer Upper School, said to pupils: “There are some things right now that are out of our control; but we can control how we respond. A time is coming this year when schools, and life, will return to normal. We need to stay safe, keep well (sleep, exercise, nutrition), look out for each other and work hard. This will put us in the best possible position for when that time comes.”

James Handscombe, principal of Harris Westminster Sixth form, said: “Young people will be worried about their future but they needn’t be - it will still be there when we emerge from lockdown; instead they need to make the best use of their present - they should read widely, study as hard as they can, and practise kindness with their friends, relatives, teachers, and others with whom they have contact.  

“In the lifetime they have ahead of them, two months of lockdown will not weigh heavily, rather more than an after-dinner anecdote, but much less than the years they have spent in school already, or will when the pandemic is just a memory.”

In a message directly to pupils he said: “If life is a journey, then this bit is uphill through the dark and we can worry that we’ll take the wrong turning and hit a dead end - we can persuade ourselves that there’s only one route to the goal and if we miss it that’s it.  

“Life isn’t that kind of journey, though. We’re not headed for a hotel where we can put our feet up; instead we’re out for a ramble and there are a myriad of paths, each one bringing beauties and joys and each one linking up with others - every path has choices and opportunities and in our backpacks we carry our skills and talents, our natural brilliance that nothing can take away from us.”

Bethany Dawson, head of Sutton High School said: “Schools are not buildings or confined by walls. Schools are communities of pupils, staff and parents pulling in the same direction of learning. As we face another challenging term, find comfort in that community and work together to overcome any difficulties. School staff will always put students first and support them throughout any challenges.”

In a message to young people, Vicky Bingham, head of South Hampstead High School, said: “Things are really hard right now but all your teachers want to ensure you keep learning whether you are at home or in school. There is light at the end of the tunnel and we’ve got to keep remembering that.”

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