Day 88...

Hello everyone, 

88 days...fast approaching 3 figures...in two blogs' time - I'll have the depressing task of recording over 100 days without 'normal' school life. Upsetting as it is, we have to look for positives!

So...here goes: 

1. 25% of you have had some normal teaching in the last week! We expect this to increase soon as capacity increases and we get creative with timetabling and availability

2. Next week is due to be sunny

3. Primark is open

I may have been clutching at straws with number 3...it's not a huge consolation to attempt socially-distant shopping in Primark - but it is a sign that the country is beginning (slowly) to return to normal.

Those of you have been following the news will see that there is a sudden agenda to try to reveal the plans for reopening schools as quickly as possible. It's not my place to speculate but I imagine the plans in place at the college currently (25% of students in school) will stay relatively similar between now and the summer holiday (don't quote me on that). That said, the plans appear to change quite frequently - so it may be that I am posting something profoundly different next week. Such is life.

Here is the LRC (remember it). You'll notice that the staff use the rows of seating infinitely more respectfully than you used to! It was eerily quiet. I'm used to snatching a few surreptitiously bought sausage rolls and coffee cups as soon as I emerge through the double doors - so it was a bit of a novelty to see just a few sensible adults in the space. In all honesty - I slightly missed confiscating (and eating) student's food - and barking orders about when to get to assembly.

Grade Collection

You will all have a grade collection before the summer - this will be communicated soon. All my advice from previous blogs apply. There is no secret formula for doing well - just hard work. I do have, perhaps, one piece of new advice. Don't be an ostrich. Some of you are guilty of burying your head in the sand and not recognising what needs to be done - so let me be explicit.

• Attend all your Teams lessons
• Hand in homework on time
• Check the UCAS blog every week...
• Read your emails thoroughly...
• Make a timetable of work that is due each week...
• Email your teachers when you are struggling...
• If you have a burning question during a Teams lesson - ASK IT!

UCAS

You should have been following Mrs Elmer's blog at the address above...by now you should have submitted draft 2 of your personal statement on Unifrog and be waiting for feedback from your tutors over the next fortnight. https://salesianucas.blogspot.com/ 

You should also have selected your teachers on Unifrog - this will kickstart the reference-writing process in September.

The latest from Chateaux Matthews

We have been experimenting with some more regular meals for Alice and George. I have learned why all parents look at me with pity when I tell them this - because it means that our table, and their faces, end up covered in various bland-tasting purees...and an increased demand on an already struggling washing machine.

Apart from wrestling two five month olds and trying to convince them that blueberry and pear porridge is definitely something they want to eat...we have been doing our best to get them out in the fresh air and down to the river where possible! I discovered that we had walked over 100 miles in the last month - all with a pretty heavy double-buggy...which I was quite proud of.

The calm before the storm...

Pineapple Time...

Everyone who has been in college this week - on time, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I wanted to bring pineapples for all...but it is firmly against the safeguarding policy to hand things out to you at the minute...even if I sprayed each one with disinfectant!

As ever, very good health and happiness to you and your families. Don't be strangers.

Mr M

Saint John Bosco...