BHGS new Covid-19 Lateral Flow Testing Centre has processed 700 results in 5 weeks

I have been working in the Education sector for over 20 years, and I never thought I would see the Main Hall of any school turned into a COVID testing centre…

The week before Christmas last year, the Government made an announcement that would change school halls and gyms up and down the country. They announced that all Secondary Schools were going to be sent all the equipment and PPE needed to begin asymptomatic mass Covid-19 testing of staff and pupils. This announcement must have given Headteachers a headache. Not what they would have wanted just before Christmas!

As the Christmas festivities began, rumours of The Army going into schools to set up these mass testing centres started. Here at BHGS, I am yet to see one single soldier!

We returned to school on the 4th of January, just as Lockdown 3 came in. As we are always open for vulnerable children and those of critical workers, we had to set up our own testing centre. In less than a week, we turned our Main School Hall into a safe, clean testing centre and on the 8th of January we opened our doors. At the start, the recommendation was to test all staff and pupils, who consented to testing, once per week. By the third week in January, this recommendation had changed to twice per week! But we took this change in our strides!

As a small team of up to 10 people working every morning from 8:30am – 10:00am, with 3 private testing booths, we have conducted and processed just over 700 lateral flow tests in the 5 weeks that we have been open. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the school staff and parent volunteers who have stepped up and taken on testing roles that none of us thought would be possible within an education setting this time last year.

As I write this, we are still uncertain about how mass testing will work once schools return ‘to normal’ and like all schools, we await the Governmental announcement due around the 22nd February to see what it brings.

With half term on the horizon to look forward to, I hope you all get the chance to have a rest and relax after this weird start to 2021. Take care and stay safe.

Mrs Martin

Student Equality and Diversity Committee 2021

In November, we launched a student Equality and Diversity Committee to promote and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusivity at Bishop’s under the guidance of Miss Maisey, who is the lead teacher for equality and diversity this year.
As part of our initial plans, KS4 and KS5 pupils were invited to volunteer to become members of the student committee to lead on this new initiative. Many of the pupils had taken a leading role in our celebrations for Black History Month 2020. In liaison with our Head Girls, who are working with the School Council, the committee has planned events for the year by taking into account wider pupil feedback and suggestions.
So far, the committee have organised successful assemblies and whole school activities for World Religion and Culture Week in January 2021 and LGBT+ History Month this February 2021. We would like to congratulate the committee members for all their hard work, dedication and leadership!

Year 8 investigate the famous Niagara Falls as part of their work on Rivers

In Geography, Year 8 pupils have undertaken an independent investigation into the way in which Niagara Falls formed, and how the amazing waterfalls now attract tourists from all over the world. Their investigation took them on a virtual visit to research attractions such as the Maid of the Mist, and they discovered more about the the geology and erosive forces of the water have created this dramatic scenery.
The projects created were fantastic and showed how hard working, resilient and creative Year 8 pupils are. We certainly have some future engineers, attraction designers and geologists among our pupils!

Young Carers continue to meet this half term

Young Carers’ Drop In is a club held each Thursday lunchtime, to get together pupils who have a caring role at home. It is a place to relax, chat and usually we do a craft activity.

Thank you to the Young Carers currently in school who have continued to meet on a Thursday lunchtime. We have had chats on Google Meets with the Young Carer Ambassadors, Delilah and Alice, as well as continue to do some crafts together. We have also had lots of contributions from Young Carers on their personal caring roles, in preparation for an assembly.

Many thanks to Mrs North and Ms Neesham for their support.