Headmaster’s Reflections on the Christmas Term of 2020 - ‘Adapting to Uncertainty’ 

I wrote in my last Headmaster’s report to the Governors that this term seemed to be ‘the term that time forgot’. The School started planning for this Christmas term in late July, while, at the same time, we were working hard to support the girls who were transferring to us after the sad closure of St. Mary’s, Shaftesbury. With changing guidelines from the Government, our planning was an exercise in adapting to uncertainty and trying to ensure that we could open the School effectively but safely. With all decisions, we had to quickly adapt to new circumstances until eventually we had all our C-19 systems in place.  

It was wonderful to welcome the School community back for the Christmas term after a summer of remote learning. However, the pressure on the whole School community has been palpable this term and I am very proud and grateful for the hard work put in by all our staff to ensure that we have been functioning as near to normal as possible.  

I think it was the right decision to play as much team sports fixtures as possible, whilst always following the national sport governing bodies’ guidelines. This meant that when lockdown 2.0 came into force after half term, a lot of our pupils had benefited from team sports and this certainly helped boost their sense of wellbeing. 

Playing cricket in September proved a great success, and this is one of the many examples of how we adapted to the uncertainty. As we go forward, once the pandemic has passed, it makes me suspect that we have lessons to learn about how we function in the future. I would not be surprised if schools continue to play cricket in September, as we gradually phase in contact rugby over the course of the Christmas term. More importantly, our digital teaching and learning capacity is on a completely higher level than it was in February 2020. 

We have had to adapt in all areas of the School, and this was probably most obvious in the Dining Hall where we have had to introduce separate pupil bubbles, and packed lunches for staff. We probably enforced C-19 rules that were too strict, and so made it hard for the Catering Department to maintain quality, and therefore, we have again adapted and made sensible changes to ensure that we maintain safety but also provide staff and pupils the best possible meals. I don't think one should underestimate the increased workload for our caterers, and indeed for all our staff, as we are trying to set up the right systems under very challenging circumstances.  

These challenges were also evident for our Music Department, given the restrictions on music practice and performances. Through ingenuity and creative use of The Queen Elizabeth Music School, we have managed to maintain a rewarding music programme culminating in the high quality Winter Concert and Carol Service.

Strangely, the second lock down probably gave us the impetus we needed to continue with the C-19 restrictions, as the imposition of face coverings refocused the minds for everybody. I was delighted that the whole School community adopted face coverings with such good  humour and responsibility. It is to the great credit of the whole School community that we only had one positive pupil case and one positive staff case, and neither required pupil isolation outside their immediate family. Indeed, last year, we had 72 pupils off school ill with a ‘bug’ in November 2019, and hardly any pupils off school ill this term. We have prepared well for quarantine in January when we will welcome 22 pupils at Mill on the Brue. 

I was well aware that the School restructuring plan would add to the uncertainty, and I am confident that this restructuring will further strengthen the School. Our School community has shown amazing resilience, initiative, and attention to high quality teaching and learning throughout this term, and we will hopefully return to normal school over the coming months. We will learn lessons and we will review how we function, as some of our accepted norms may now change. I also appreciate the impact of this pandemic on many of our families, both financially and emotionally, and I personally, cannot wait to get through to the other side.  

I can reflect back on how the School community has adapted so well to uncertainty. As Richard Branson aptly commented, “the measure of every success story is a tale of constant adaptation, revision and change”. I am prouder than ever before of having the honour of being the 31^st Headmaster of King’s Bruton. We have definitely successfully adapted to uncertainty this term. 

Ian Wilmshurst - Headmaster