Letter to students from Miss Murray

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

I just want to say a few words before we all break for the summer. It has been an extraordinary time since March for us all.

The school building has been bereft without our students, it is an empty shell that is waiting impatiently for BTG students and staff to reunite together again in September.
 
As parents and carers you have done a stirling job in supporting the hardworking staff in educating your children. This must have been daunting and a huge challenge, yet you mustered the courage to engage in school tasks that you may have relinquished long ago to help your family. We are eternally grateful for your perseverance and promise to take over where you left off with your precious children.
 
To the children, thank you for all your hard work and effort in taking your work so seriously and trying your best. It cannot have been easy.
Keep safe, look after each other, take care while online and remember that we will be here ready for you all in September as we jointly build and return our fabulous school to the normality and success of before. We will do our best to ensure that you all succeed and achieve your true potential, so do not worry. 

It has been so heartening to hear that you miss school and your teachers, as at heart you value your education and hopefully appreciate what BTG tries to do to educate you all. It may be difficult to get back into a routine but you will settle before you know it.

Finally, to reignite your love of learning, to reengage you to routines, to reassure you that you will succeed and to recover from the long separation are the primary aims of the school for each of you.
 
I hope you all have a happy and safe summer and enjoy a deserved break from school work.
 
We cannot wait to see you all in September.

God Bless 
Miss Murray

Message to Year 7 from Mrs O'Donovan

Dear Year 7,
What a very unusual start to secondary school you have experienced this year. When we all met together last September none of us had any idea that we would be facing a world changing event, you have lived through an incredible period in history. You have been amazing, you have now all had to deal with your own challenges this year due to the pandemic on top of transitioning to secondary school. We had a wonderful first term together culminating in your first staff pantomime. I can genuinely say that from that first term you were already establishing yourselves as one of the loveliest Year 7 groups I have ever had the pleasure to support. You made a fantastic start to your time here and I have been so impressed with how you have engaged with your remote learning (particularly when you know how I struggle with computers myself!) some of the work you have produced at home really has been in so inventive and outstanding. I have missed you all dreadfully. I know that you have missed so much this year but do hope that our time together was enough to ensure that you realise that this is a great school and that we will have many joyful experiences going forward. Have a restful summer and I hope you come back refreshed and enthused for Year 8 I cannot wait to see all your smiling faces. I know our time together was short and I may no longer be your Head of Year but I am always here for you all!

My love and prayers,
Mrs O'Donovan

Message to Year 8 Parents and Carers from Mrs Pagnier

Dear Parent/Carers,
I would like to thank you for showing such resilient support for the school during this unprecedented time.  It is extremely difficult for you to parent, be the teacher, friend and counsellor all in one, as well as doing your own work!  
Please look at the Year 8 Rewards assembly on show my homework, exhibiting some of the creative work your children have produced over the last four months.  We could not have achieved this without you.  
We are all very much looking forward to having your children back in class, hopefully in September.  I wish you and your families a healthy, happy and safe summer.  
God Bless, 

Mrs Pagnier

Message to Year 9 from Mrs Osei

Dear Year 9,

I would like to congratulate each and every one of you for hanging in there and working to the best of your ability. None of us could have anticipated the difficult and testing time ahead of us. Through it all, God has watched over us and clothed us with his Grace and Mercy. These have been very challenging times for us all, but you have been very good to adapt and perform to the best of your ability engaging in remote learning.

I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you and all the hard work you have put in.

You are about to move to Year 10 with your chosen option subjects and all your hard work from remote learning will pay off.

I know that you have missed so much this year, especially being in the company of your friends. Enjoy your well-deserved summer break and be rest assured of the love and support of our Bishop Thomas Grant community. I cannot wait to be back in school and to be your Head of Year in September.

I leave you with this bible verse of the reassurance of God’s love.

Romans 8: 38- 39. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, [39] Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord”

Stay safe, be blessed,

Ms Osei

Message to Year 10 from Miss Gardner

Dear Year 10, 

Now that we have reached the end of term, I want to congratulate you all on your resilience during this time. So many of you have shown a great level of maturity in developing a variety of different personal skills to become effective home learners over the last 17 weeks! 

During June some of you attended very successful face to face meetings, I was particularly impressed with how reflective you were about your experiences of 'lockdown' life, both with regards to your education and your personal life. So many teachers fed back to me about how much they enjoyed talking to you, as you really embraced the opportunity to discuss how the lockdown had impacted your life and your school work; as well as how you were able to evaluate your experiences and think about your futures! I have particularly enjoyed hearing about the new skills that you have learnt, such as cooking, game designing and learning new instruments. 
 
Since then I continue to be proud of you and how you have been so positive about being back in school for the workshops and how much you have enjoyed seeing your peers. For me as your Head of Year, I also loved being able to see and interact with you once again. 

I wish you a happy summer holidays and I hope that you come back to school in September rested.

Miss Gardner

Message to Year 12 from Miss Tice

Dear Year 12,

Wishing you a wonderful summer break. 

I am so proud of you all for working so hard during lockdown and taking your studies so seriously. 

Enjoy the break from studies but remember to stay safe and I very much look forward to welcoming you back in September. If you have any concerns or worries over the summer, please contact me so that I can support you.

Kind Regards,

Miss Tice

Messages for Year 11 and 13 Students

Don't worry, you have not been left out, please check the school message board, and also the leavers message books that your Heads of Year & teachers have put together for you.