How one Warrington school has survived a year of the pandemic

With the majority of pupils being asked to switch to online and remote learning for several months, vulnerable youngsters and those whose parents were frontline key workers remained in school spending their days in quieter classrooms.

The staff and students at Birchwood Community High School (BCHS) have risen to the challenges they faced and together, using the key values of kindness, well-being and gratitude, they have helped and supported everyone in the community through the difficult times of lockdown and school closures.

The school has remained open throughout each lockdown providing onsite learning for between 50 and 60 students in the summer term and around 100 students each day following the Christmas break.

Students have been able to enjoy music lessons thanks to plastic screens and visors

In the latest lockdown, students received a mix of live lessons and independent work to ensure they didn’t suffer from screen fatigue with some assignments requiring concentration and knowledge application away from the computer.

Staff had to balance the need for students receiving the full curriculum they would be following if they were in school while being mindful of spending endless hours in front of a screen.

Students’ resilience has been praised by their teachers with many adapting quickly to the new way of learning and remaining dedicated to their studies.

A mile for Captain Sir Tom Moore challenge

It’s not just the students at Birchwood who have been recognised for their efforts over the last 12 months.

During the first part of the spring term, headteacher Emma Mills asked for nominations in the school’s staff kindness awards and was inundated with letters of praise from parents and carers.

After giving out 112 awards to staff, she said: “It has been overwhelming to read so many fantastic nominations for our staff from our community.

“It makes me very proud of our school and very thankful to have such caring parents, carers and students who recognise how hard we are all working.”

One nomination read: “I would like to nominate you and your admin team for providing us all with crucial updates and information.

“You have made this situation a little easier to deal with and I as a parent feel that my daughter is safe and is being provided with the best care and support that can be offered at the moment.

“With all the bad press about schools failing and falling behind, I myself would like to say that I do not feel at all that my child is falling behind.

“I believe this is down to the good ethics and values that you have promoted so well.”

Ms Mills added: “It has been heart warming to see how a whole community can pull together and support each other in these most difficult times.”

VE Day celebrations for key worker children in school

During the latest lockdown, staff at Birchwood have increased their house visits, upped their welfare calls and visited the community with stationery provisions in the school minibus.

Social media proved a great way of keeping in touch with children and their families with the school posting regular updates including star learners and examples of good work allowing everyone to celebrate each other’s efforts.

The pastoral provision included daily form times online that also featured house assemblies and PSHE lessons with a whole school assembly on the last day of half term in February showcasing four members of staff tossing pancakes in a bid to win house points for their teams.

Students have returned to BCHS this half term with a “positive mindset and can do attitude” with everyone feeling relieved that they’re back in the classroom.

Ms Mills said: “All of our staff and students know that the remainder of the school year is going to be positive and productive and we’re looking forward to seeing what everyone can achieve when we all work together.”