Dear parents, and all in the community of Mougins School.
After a busy (very busy!), happy and productive first half of term, I am writing with a short update on what has been going on here at school over the last couple of weeks, and one or two bits and pieces of advance notice.
Primary School Harvest Festival
The annual Harvest Festival celebration by the pupils of the Primary School on Friday 16th October was a wonderful occasion. Mrs Bearman writes:
‘All classes prepared some poems and Mrs Kellner had worked extremely hard preparing songs with different class groups. Many thanks to all of you for the amazing amount of produce that you sent in, Chantal Roux was incredibly touched by your generosity. Thank you also to members of the PTA who came in very early Friday morning to set up the wonderful display. This celebration was also a perfect opportunity for students and parents to say a thank you to Nurse Marian who retired in the summer term after thirty-three years working in school!’
I am sorry that parents were unable to attend in person this year: Mr Hallett has made a super video of the occasion, which we have put on a protected part of the website, and parents will be sent the link, and the password separately.
Autumn Concert
Although the ongoing Covid-19 situation meant that the ‘live’ concert had to be cancelled, Ms Gossedge and Ms Kellner have curated a brilliant programme, and I was privileged to see some of it being filmed on Wednesday afternoon. Once we get back to school we will finish off the filming of the acts and publish it on the website. There is some colossal musical talent at the school and I hope that everyone will enjoy the film.
House Sport: Football
After the House Cross Country, the opening rounds of the House Football are being played! We are now half way through, Jérome tells me… It is, after all, a game of two halves. I’ll keep you up to date with house scores.
IGCSE, AS- and A-level mocks, Spring Term 2021
There is still a degree of uncertainty regarding next summer’s examinations at IGCSE, AS- and A-level. It is thus crucial that students work hard and produce good, reliable objective evidence of their progress. I wanted to include early warning of ‘mock’ (i.e. practice) examinations in years 11, 12 and 13.
IGCSE (year 11) mock examinations for Year 9 will take place for two weeks from the start of week 2 next term, i.e. 11 – 22 January.
A-level (year 13) mock examinations will take place for a week from 8 – 12 February. The year 13 Parents’ Evening will be rearranged in order to give parents and students very clear feedback together following the mocks, so that students can maximise their chances before they take their final examinations in June.
AS-level (year 12) mock examinations will be held in class time, in order to minimise time lost from the course, in the early part of the second half of term, in time for feedback in reports, so that students have time and focus over Easter.
Covid-19 update
In the last two weeks we have been informed of two students in Year 13 and one parent who have tested Covid+. We followed our Covid protocol very carefully in all cases, contacting close contacts, ensuring that testing was done in the correct time frame and that those concerned, including siblings, self-isolated, informing the parents of the year groups affected. In school we will do everything possible to protect students, families and teachers. We rely on parents keeping us informed formally if a member of their family is unwell or tests positive.
You must email Alison Vibert, the school nurse (a.vibert@mougins-school.com), immediately, if a member of your household tests positive.
It is not enough, indeed it is unhelpful, to post on a PTA Whatsapp group, which the school does not monitor routinely. We also rely on families affected not to send siblings to school before they test negative, informing us. As a community we all, parents, students and teachers have a role to play in limiting the spread of the virus and protecting the vulnerable.
Homage to Samuel Paty
Finally, we were all horrified by the death of the teacher, Samuel Paty, in Conflans-Sainte- Honorine, a suburb of Paris, on 16 October, and moved by his remembrance service at the Sorbonne on Tuesday. In line with French schools, we will be standing for a minute’s silence to pay our respects at 11am on Monday 2 November.
With very best wishes from all of us at school for a restful and safe Half Term.
Simon Hollands