Friday Headlines
the weekly newsletter from EHS
Head's Half Term Message
16 October 2020
I made a little mistake a few weeks ago; I was attempting to buy some inspirational postcards and was really proud of myself when I found some on a well-known online only store. They were perfect, just the right amount of motivational punchiness and I was excited to start using them. Only they weren’t quite perfect because when they arrived, they weren’t postcards, they were rather large posters... I learned that putting my reading glasses on when I was pressing ‘buy now’ was probably a wise thing to do. However, I like to look for the positives in any situation and so those posters will get used, not in the same way the postcards would have done, but I will find a way to put them to good use.
Adopting a positive outlook has been one of our mantras this half term. The girls and staff have risen admirably to the challenges that we have faced and we have laughed together, learned together and helped each other to navigate new ways of being in school. Although three year groups have had to self-isolate, the positive way they have responded to returning to Seesaw or Teams has been very pleasing. Welcoming year 2 and year 9 back after a period of time at home was lovely and hearing their excited chatter to be amongst their friends and teachers again was also heartwarming. We are looking forward just as much to hearing and seeing year 10 back in school after half term.
The positive moments have come thick and fast this term. I have enjoyed breakfast with each year 11 tutor group; they asked me great questions that made me think really hard on the spot, including what did I learn in lockdown? We have had virtual open mornings, and information evenings where the girls have, as usual, outshone everyone and were able to explain in such an articulate manner why EHS is such a wonderful environment. I have had the most fantastic conversations with Year 6; their interests, aspirations, and ambitions are as varied as they are fascinating. And there is no doubt that they love reading a variety of books, as well as writing the most gruesome mysterious stories! We have had assemblies ‘live’ from the music department, prep school, 6th form centre and other areas of the school. We cannot meet together in the mornings, but we don’t let that get in the way of celebrating what the pupils have achieved.
Recently an EHS old girl sent me a wonderful gift that sums up this term. She had taken something I had said to her, when life wasn’t going quite the way that she thought it was going to, and made it into a beautiful card that she then framed. The words on the card said ‘positivity is possibility’. As we move through the next few months, when a great deal seems uncertain, we should hold on to our positivity and know that there is endless possibility ahead.
- Mrs Macro
