Virtual Guest Book

Just want to say, I have been over seeing a lot of my daughters calls just to be able to help with lessons and all the teachers are doing an amazing job even if some of the students are being silly or not fully focused they have continued to get the children focused again. Thank you for all the teams hard work through this nightmare of a time.

We just want to pass on our thanks and regards to all the teachers and staff who are making this lockdown work for the children at home. The Teams lessons are just great, and having a structured set of online lessons is fantastic to keep them in a routine.
Thank you for all your hard work, dedication and commitment it’s massively noticed and appreciated.

Below is the letter I sent to Ofsted, after Gavin Williamson asked us to feedback to them about our children’s schools remote provision. I thought you would like to see it.
I just wanted to thank everyone at QEGS for all your continued hard work. Teaching can be challenging at the best of times, but you have all stepped up to challenges that no one would think of having to do when they decide to go into this underrated profession. My husband and myself have been extremely happy with the provisions (safety, educational and well-being) over the past 9 months and just wanted to you all to know that it is appreciated.
Keep QEGS being great!

Dear Ofsted,

Gavin Williamson has asked parents to report on how well our child’s school has adapted to online learning this week. My children attend Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Ashbourne – URN: 136972

I would like to state the following:

• The school have gone far beyond our expectations.
• Safety has been paramount through-out the pandemic.
• Bubbles were set up and managed well, with pupils well-being always in mind.
• Last term, cases were dealt with swiftly, with bubbles sent home to isolate – work being provided for them immediately.
• ‘Remote work’ is provided for every lesson – at the appropriate level for the children.
• Teachers reply to pupils emails quickly to help them with the work, whether it is their actual lesson time or not.
• All work handed in by pupils is marked quickly – mostly by the end of the day – and returned with feedback.
• Since school closures this week, interactive lessons have taken place for Year 12 students (even though this wasn’t required)  and all other year groups are starting this coming  week.
• We have ‘well-being’ phone calls regularly for each child.
• We also have praise/concern phone calls.
• We have, since September, had long weekly (if not more – depending on how many times the government change things) newsletters explaining everything the school is doing.
• As far as I can see, the senior leadership team lost the last few days of their holidays to begin setting up ’test and trace’ – which the government has failed to do successfully – which wasn’t required in the end, before then having to adapt to remote learning for most of the pupils, before then having that changed to all pupils learning remotely.
• The school team have answered our questions and helped us apply for ‘mobile’ data extremely quickly.
• From next week, they are going beyond providing interactive lessons – but are also providing virtual co-curricular activities for those who wish to participate (great for well-being).

In my opinion the school has worked extremely hard under ever changing circumstances and they should be praised by Ofsted/government. The teachers have risen to the challenges thrown at them and I am more than happy with the education my children have been provided through lockdowns.

We are amazed at all that the QEGS team is doing for our son’s education.

Thankyou

Thank you and Good luck!

Keep your chins up…We’ve every confidence in you all!

Thank you for your prompt communication. Positive, as ever!

Yr13, received a reassuring and kind phone call from his Form teacher, Mrs Hindes, this afternoon. They had a valuable chat.

Yr 10, is somewhat lost in it all. At some time we will all emerge … affected by Covid times, but hopefully wiser, and the world might be a better place.

God bless you, and all your staff, for the enormous efforts you go to. Thank you.

Keep well.

Yours very gratefully

New online school day with registration, structured timetable, live teaching, etc is working really well and so much better so huge thank you to all staff!!

I just wanted to say that I’ve spoken to my two children (in year 9 and year 10) about how they felt about today’s remote learning and they both said how much better it was. It gave them a much better structure to their day – and as a parent working from home it definitely felt like they were much better engaged and on task throughout the day – with appropriate breaks and a good mix of live lessons. One of the lessons involved “break out” rooms which was great. We’ve had problems last week with one child working a really long day (struggling to get all the work done in the time set) with the other struggling to fill their day so this was so much better!

Please pass on my thanks to all the teaching staff – I appreciate it takes a lot of effort to adjust to this way of working – it must be time consuming preparing teaching materials using different technologies. My daughter still said it doesn’t beat being back in school – and they both can’t wait to get back to onsite teaching.

Many thanks,

Well done everyone. I am so glad that adding breaks between lessons and a common break/lunch has been well received as an idea!

I want to also take this opportunity to thank all of the staff at Qegs for all their hard work in keeping things going to the best of their ability. Our eldest daughter was set to sit her Gcses this summer and we have been impressed with how staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic despite the challenges that have been imposed upon them.

I just wanted to take some time to provide some feedback on your efforts during this challenging time as everything you and the team are doing is so much appreciated.

My wife and I can only imagine the balancing act that everyone is going through to administer in school and online learning in a constructive and engaging way.  From our perspective we have continued to see our daughter grow and be challenged through the work that is being set and she seems to be very happy with schooling.  The recent alterations you have made to the timetable and lesson construct have been really positive and we love the idea of the ‘do something different’.

Keep going as you are all making such a difference!

As a new parent to the school this year, I have been very impressed with the school’s willingness to reflect, evaluate and listen in order to make adaptations.

Thank you for all your hard work at this difficult time, hopefully there is light at the end of the tunnel now.

Thank you to all the teachers and support staff for all the hard work that’s going into keeping the school open and the children safe. I’m sure all parents feel very proud of the school and the staff that make it what it is. You’re all doing a great job in such difficult circumstances.

We appreciate everything you do for our children.

Can I please pass on my thanks to all the staff and Mr Garrity. I am really grateful and impressed as to how you are all handling the challenges faced in school caused by this pandemic.  You are all doing a sterling job.  My two children (year 10 and 13) are coping really well and responding to your positive feedback from lessons; the issuing of merits and ‘well done’ cards really does help to motivate and encourage.  I appreciate that you are working in very difficult circumstances and have to rely a lot more on supply staff too and adapt to changes overnight, but please be encouraged that your efforts are appreciated and are making a difference.

Thank you and well done!

To you all;

I would just like to say you’re doing a great job of navigating your way through all of this…and you have our full support.  What a nightmare!!

Keep up the great work/support/communication.

Best wishes and kind regards,

I just wanted to drop you a note, as a parent to say thank you and well done for all you are doing for the health and safety and protection of our children at school. Several of us were saying how excellent we felt the school has been towards this hideous pandemic. My son is in Year 7 and having only just started at the school it’s been a pretty daunting but he has settled in well and I commend you and the staff for everything you are doing and all the precautions you are taking to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our children.

Sometimes we all get inundated with negativity especially in this particular tricky time – so please feel free to share with the staff- its tough out there but you are a doing a brilliant job and keeping our children educated and SAFE – thank you.

Best wishes,

Thank you for this latest letter.

Please pass my thanks and respect to all at QEGS who are dealing with such a difficult situation with so much efficiency and clarity.

It must feel like a constant mountain climb for all in the Senior Management Team, as well as for all staff members that support them.

As parents, we are very grateful for and impressed with all that the school is doing.

I just wanted to thank all of you for your efforts to continue to provide stability and education for our young people, often at the expense of being able to see vulnerable members of your own families. I can only begin to imagine the pressure you must be under at this very difficult time.

Please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

I want to commend you for your excellent communication with parents and response to a very challenging week in school.  As a new parent to the school with a child in Year 7, I am very reassured and comforted by the balance you are striking between safety, and care and compassion.  My child has settled in well to Year 7 and feels valued and welcome in the school, even in these difficult times.  I am very grateful to you all for what you are doing at QEGS.

Thank you to your staff this week.  The situation dealt with very quickly and with clear communication throughout the process.

I would like to say thank you to Mr Garrity and the team at QEGS for their prompt and effective communications with regard to COVID.

Talking to both children they are not only happy to be in school they feel safe. Both have given examples of the steps that have been put in place to meet the current guidelines.

Keeping children in school is pivotal not only for their academic achievements but also their mental health.

Thank you.

I just wanted to say how well I think you are handling this situation.   I think your approach is sensible and reasonable.

I would just like to say, I’m very impressed with the fast  and efficient response to your new cases of COVID  19 within the school.

Please keep up the good work, the safety of all your children and staff is essential in this current climate

Thank you for sending my daughter a lovely Well Done card. She was very proud of this and so were we. Its things like this that make all the difference to students and their experience of school life.  She appreciates this and thinks a lot of both teachers.  Even the smallest bit of encouragement goes a long way.

Mr Garrity thank you also for all your hard work, esp in these times of Covid, you have ALL had to sort out so much to keep the school as safe as possible.  They say “circumstances don’t make a man-they reveal him” well done you! Qegs is a great school .

A quick note to thank the staff at QEGS for the quality of communication in the run up to closure. Particular thanks to Mr Garrity for keeping the tone calm and clear in his daily missives.

It is greatly appreciated.

Good luck over the next few months.

I would like to take opportunity to say that the QEGS staff have conducted themselves in an exemplary manner.

You have sailed a clear path in the most difficult seas that I have ever known.

Well done.

Please pass on my thanks to the staff producing the updates via email and on your website.

They are very informative and helpful at this very uncertain time.

I also thank you for doing all you can to keep your pupils in school.

Thank you so much for the ongoing updates

I really appreciate all that staff are collectively doing to keep QEGS open and safe for our children and everyone.

It just shows what an amazing school QEGS is and how you all are committed to  work for best outcomes for our children

Please keep safe and well

With many thanks and kind regards

Please can you pass on our thanks to all your staff for all they have done and are continuing to do in these very difficult times.

It really is appreciated. We wish you all the very best,

Please pass on my thanks to the head, student services staff, teachers, catering staff and all those who work behind the scenes for all the effort that has been put in keeping children safe, parents informed and the continuation of keeping classes going over the last two weeks. I have been amazed with how quick the school has reacted to extreme daily changes. The communication between school to parents and school to pupils has been amazing.
So a big thank you. Your long hours and leadership as a school has and is very much appreciated.

Wishing you all the very best – can’t thank you enough for the calm and professional communications through this. I’m proud that my son attends QEGS.

I just wanted to pass on my thanks to you and the rest of the staff at QEGS for keeping us updated in this ever changing situation. I feel the communication has been consistent, and every decision made, in the best interest of the pupils.

Please thank the staff for everything they have done and continue to do for the education of our children; we are very grateful.

Best wishes to you all, and your families. Stay well.