EDUCATION
KENT COLLEGE ARCHERY DOVER COLLEGE TENNIS
As an introduction to insideKENT ’ s special education feature in association with Whitehead Monckton , which shines a spotlight on the county ’ s best schools and educational supporters , Dr David Lamper , headmaster , Kent College , Canterbury ( www . kentcollege . com ); Simon Fisher , headmaster , Dover College ( www . dovercollege . org . uk ); Edward O ’ Connor , headmaster St Edmund ’ s School Canterbury ( www . stedmunds . org . uk ); and Francie Healy , headmaster , Bethany School , Cranbrook ( www . bethanyschool . org . uk ) share their philosophy of maintaining excellence in education , overcoming the challenges of pandemic impacts and the inspired positives for the future it has sculpted .
What are you most proud of last academic year ?
Dr David Lamper , Kent College
‘ There are many things to be proud of , particularly the sense of community which was so well maintained at Kent College ; the resilience and adaptability of students and staff to move to online live interactive lessons and blended learning ; and the determination of everybody that education could continue in spite of the difficulties .’
Simon Fisher , Dover College
‘ I would have to say the adaptability of our pupils and staff . Last year was somewhat of a roller coaster for
every school , with myriad changes to so many aspects of day-to-day life . Our pupils and staff took these in their stride , making the best of the situation and diligently observing new rules and procedures . The unexpected transition back to remote learning in January was unwelcome but provided an opportunity to show just how effectively embedded new digital ways of working have become .’
Francie Healy , Bethany School
‘ The last academic year has certainly presented its challenges , but it has been with huge pride that we have seen the Bethany community join together to adapt to the circumstances that we have been faced with . It has been a true demonstration of teamwork and we have all learnt the importance of trying new things , being bold and courageous , and working in different ways . We have been immensely proud of how pupils and staff adapted to working online when they needed to , and the ways in which we have developed our already advanced use of technology for our learning , for communication and for demonstrating our creative and collaborative skills .
‘ At Bethany , we are increasingly resilient and positive thinkers . The quality of our pastoral care and support has always been of paramount importance to us at Bethany but perhaps this year , more than ever , its value has become priceless . We could not have been prouder of our Year 11 and Year 13 pupils collecting their GCSE and A level results ; their outcomes are excellent despite the challenges thrown in their paths and this is testament to the positive attitudes and commitment to learning that they showed , and the support they were given along the way .
It is good to talk , and feedback is powerful . Online parent-teacher meetings have been a huge success as have our regular electronic parental and pupil surveys and these perhaps signal a way forward for the future . The care and attention Bethany teachers have put into supporting our pupils and upskilling themselves has been hugely impressive , and the positive feedback that our supportive parents have taken the time to provide has been invaluable .’
Edward O ’ Connor , St Edmund ’ s School
‘ The strong sense of common purpose that characterised the school ’ s response to the COVID crisis in general and to remote learning in particular . It has taken a massive collective effort by our teachers , pupils and parents to minimise the disruption and ensure effective learning has taken place . This year ’ s excellent A-Level results underline the success of that response .’
How can parents best prepare their child for the new academic year ?
Simon Fisher , Dover College
‘ I urge parents to try and find a balance between reassurance and caution as they talk to their children about the new academic year . Whilst the latest operational guidance for schools from the Department for Education mandates a return to a more normal way of operating , the rapid emergence of the Alpha and Delta variants has shown us how quickly things can change . We must remain agile in our response to cases , both within our schools and
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