In a week in which the Beast from the East dominated the media, I was reminded of George RR Martin’s now famous words: “Winter is coming.” Perhaps more accurately for the UK, winter has not quite finished.
All of the Lyonsdown staff, and particularly Mr Sheridan, once again worked tirelessly to ensure that Lyonsdown remained open. It is, of course, impossible to keep a school operational if the correct preparations have not been made, in terms of salt, heating and so on. However, preparation and readiness for the challenge ahead is vital in any walk of life. When Shakespeare wrote “all things are ready, if our mind be so” he could have been talking about a Lyonsdown pupil sorting themselves out for the school day ahead. Said day could entail a test, a sports match, group work, a concert… the list is exhaustive, but there will always be surprises meaning it is impossible to prepare for every eventuality. What is important is that we help children develop confidence when facing any challenge.
As you might expect, I was very interested in snow this week. My research reminded me that all snowflakes have six sides and are the same in that sense. However, even though many snowflakes may look similar, when you study them more closely it is clear that they are all unique. I have often said how each child has their own strengths (and areas for development), niches and special abilities and it is up to parents and teachers to value what makes them individuals.
As a School, we are constantly looking for ways in which we can both celebrate all of our children and inform our parents. The imminent launch of our official Facebook page compliments our weekly newsletter and Twitter feeds, providing another way for us to communicate openly with parents, and allows our whole community to engage with the Lyonsdown story.
I leave you with the good news that the forecast for Monday, and beyond, looks far brighter. I will be spending my weekend preparing for a very exciting Monday (details to follow).
C. Hammond