The concept of being on the ‘same page’ while remote learning conjures up so many questions, challenges and opportunities. By choice, teachers prefer being face to face when teaching as much as students prefer it for learning.

As with all new or different situations, challenges arise and these present in a variety of ways for individuals. As a school, we are working hard to keep everyone connected and ‘on the same page’ through a range of activities and through a learning-focused environment to support connections with peers and learning opportunities, and to bring purpose to daily life which positively influences wellbeing.

Our girls are making a great deal of effort to engage with the SMC Remote Programme, for which we are grateful. We also appreciate the parents’ support for their daughters, especially through navigating some tricky situations with WiFi, and a change in family dynamics with children at home remote learning and parents remote working. There is a real team effort on display through this experience.

Resilience is our current wellbeing theme and this is being buoyed by our SMC connectedness. Each week our Prefect team have provided two optional activities to connect students, from a House event to bringing your pet to a Google Meet, to a cushion concert. They have also led the themed Wednesdays with Positively Pink our most recent event. Our pastoral team have done a stellar job at ensuring everyone is managing as best they can, from tutor teachers hosting Google Meets, Deans in Year level meetings and Heads of Schools running assemblies. The numbers connecting to the Livestream Chapel services with Rev Steph's wonderful messages and Mrs Patchett’s engaging assemblies also gives the sense of connectedness even though we don’t see all the faces of those who have joined. So while being connected is a significant influence on our wellbeing, it also helps maintain our resilience.

Feedback from the girls has been positive and so important in helping guide us in the most effective ways of remote learning - here are some comments:

• The videos teachers make are very helpful, explaining the work - thank you

• It is good when teachers present their screen with the work/task on it, and then explain it; they are really good with their IT skills

• The Google Meet calendar invites help us organise our days which makes sure we are not so stressed

• The late starts to the day are excellent; we like the relaxed start to our day because remote learning is quite hard

• I think my teachers are doing a great job at what they are given to do in such circumstances

As we watch and wait for news on how the next week will look, being ‘on the same page’ helps us to connect, have purpose and support each other as an SMC community. Please ensure you reach out to your daughter’s pastoral team if we can further support her connectedness with our remote programme.