Coping with Covid- TES reports Kilgraston School’s approach
Pupils returned to Kilgraston School’s Autumn Term, 2021, having lived with Covid 19 for a year and a half.
Noticing how this experience manifested itself in the youngsters’ approach to the pandemic, Headteacher Dorothy MacGinty has written about the old adage of a ‘problem shared is a problem halved’ in newspaper, TES.
“The seriousness of the disease is still very much emphasised,” she notes, “but with the reassurance that there is less likelihood of hospitalisation.”
Continuing, Mrs MacGinty comments: “So many more girls have the shared experience of knowing someone who has had Covid – or perhaps even having experienced it themselves – that they now have their own story to tell and discuss; the common bond (facing the enemy, if you like) is a lot less frightening. With the help of the school’s mental health ambassadors, discussion of guilt or concern is commonplace and encouraged both in and out of the classroom.”
The full Times Educational Supplement article can be read here
6.9.21
Kilgraston’s Headmistress discusses 2021 exams on Radio Tay
Kilgraston’s Headmistress, Mrs Dorothy MacGinty, featured on local radio station, Radio Tay, discussing the recent 2021 examination announcement.
You can listen to what Mrs MacGinty said via the link below, at around the one hour mark.
You can also subscribe or register to the Catholic Universe and read more about Mrs MacGinty’s response to the exam announcement and you can read some of our other press articles here.
Life during and after lockdown - Sixth Form Kilgraston pupil writes in national newspaper about her own experience
Many thousands of column inches have been written about pupils’ return to school, but few have come from the teenagers themselves. Kilgraston School English and poetry enthusiast Anna GH wanted to elaborate on the highs and lows of life in lockdown, her subsequent start of Autumn Term and ‘new normal’ elements that must now be embraced.
Her piece appeared in the national newspaper on 1 September 2020.
Read the full article in TES here
Kilgraston adopts BSA Covid-Safe Charter
Kilgraston is delighted to pledge its support to the BSA Covid-Safe Charter. The charter identifies clear objectives for schools to adhere to when we return in August. This includes what we will do before the School opens such as cleaning, and testing policies, but also details what we will do when we are back in session including social distancing measures and laundry procedures.
As always, our priority is the health and welfare of all our pupils, parents and staff so to ensure our robust measures continue, key members of staff are already back in School, preparing for the August return. Guidelines and advice are changing week-on-week as the COVID-19 declines so we will continue to monitor the situation and communicate our plans with the wider Kilgraston community.
In addition to what we are doing as a School, our hope is that by adopting the BSA charter, our families continue to feel supported and positive about their children returning in August.
You can read the BSA COVID-Safe Charter here.
Kilgraston sees surge in new pupils
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Kilgraston has continued to provide the first class education for which it is so well known. So, as we look at our return in August, we have seen a surge in new families looking at our School. Newspapers including The Times are reporting that this is because of ‘confusion’ surrounding a part-time return to normal classes in August.
For Kilgraston, our recent Virtual Open Day was testament to how much confidence parents across Scotland, and indeed around the world, have in our support of our pupils and their education with more than three times the usual number of families attending. Kilgraston’s Headmistress, Mrs Dorothy MacGinty said: “We have been hearing from a number of new families who have concerns surrounding the return to School and what this might look like. Kilgraston and our teachers have moved seamlessly from teaching our children in classrooms to teaching online so we are able to discuss with them how their children might progress here.”
This sentiment is one which is echoed by our parents. Susan and Simon from Fife said: “We have been very impressed with how Kilgraston School moved so quickly and effectively to online schooling. From day 1, there has been an excellent structure to the day which has kept our daughter engaged, challenged and happy throughout lockdown. There was clear guidance from the school for parents too. Of course we are looking forward to returning to school and the classroom but it has been a positive experience for our daughter.”
Over the last few weeks, we have been working on the final arrangements for returning to School in August, and as always our top priority is the health and welfare of all our pupils, parents and staff. Kilgraston is extremely fortunate in that our large countryside campus allows our pupils ample open space to run around. We have initiated clear plans and dates for the return of all our pupils to School in August.
Kilgraston is a School with a strong and rich heritage, one which stretches back to 1930. But this new world in which we live has shown how we can change and adapt whilst keeping our pupils and their education at our heart.
* If you could like more information on Kilgraston, please contact our Admissions Team via [email protected] or call 01738 812 257