I have been captivated by news coverage of the United Nations Climate Change conference in Glasgow this week. World leaders are working hard to balance the interests of their individual countries with the needs of the planet. A daunting task. It has generated discussion in my house and I would guess that many of you are having conversations at home, too. In my experience, children are natural crusaders for the planet and children need to see tangible actions that aim to make things better. As world leaders work on promises, I propose our St Christopher’s community works together on actions.
What can our families do to reduce their negative impact on the planet? I think we all know the answers by now. Drive less, recycle more, waste less (of everything), eat lower on the food chain, lower our food miles, compost if you have the room, and motivate others to do these things as well.
Many St Christopher’s families already walk, bike or scoot to school. In conversation with the children this week, I have also heard about composting, electric cars, meat-free meals, staying away from single-use plastics, thinking about where our food comes from and food miles. I know we are all trying to do our bit and, this week, inspired by the Climate Conference, I urge families to try to do a bit more. By working together, I know we can make a big difference. What will your action be?
A few additional messages:
Exams are on the horizon for Upper School, and they are well underway with their preparation and revision, both in lessons and at home. Exams become part of life as you prepare to move on to Senior School, and we aim to get our children into good habits via the process of internal exams such as these. Children should sees these assessments as an opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them, using the Growth Mindset. High attainment will always be celebrated, but developing new skills by learning from past errors is an equal reason to be pleased with yourself. Form Tutors have spoken about the importance of a good night’s sleep, a proper breakfast even if you have a tummy full of butterflies, and restricting screen time in the hours before bed. All of this will stand them in good stead for Common Entrance, GCSEs, A Levels, and beyond.
We were hoping to be able to relax more of our Covid protocols after Half Term, but owing to several factors we have taken the decision to remain cautious.Therefore, we are continuing with our Covid 19 restrictions for at least the next two weeks but are reviewing regularly. It is our sincere hope that we can all be together for the Carol Service at the end of term.
Happy Diwali to all who celebrated this week; it was great to see fireworks over Brighton last night.
Bonfire night tonight! Enjoy and stay safe.