Schools within the Rutland and District Schools’ Federation (Catmose College, Catmose Primary and Harington School) are delighted to have this week welcomed the return of students in years Reception, Year 1, Year 5, Year 6, Year 10 and Year 12. Since the start of lockdown, the schools have continued to be open for vulnerable children and children of key workers, offering much needed support to many families.  Stuart Williams, Executive Principal said ‘it has been a busy period for everyone, whilst working from home has become the norm for most students, ways in which teachers have delivered lessons has been inspiring.  The strength of our offer is its diversity; teachers are offering a range of lessons using Microsoft Teams, voice overs on presentations, YouTube video lectures, one-to-one telephone calls, alongside more traditional worksheets and online platforms such as through the BBC.’

With regards to students who were due to sit their A level and GCSE exams, grades have been submitted for every Year 11 and Year 13 student.  Each teacher was required to determine both a grade and mark which were scrutinised by middle and senior leaders. The schools also used a national benchmarking system to check the fairness of the grades. Alex Emmerson, Vice Principal said that she was confident that the grades submitted were a fair reflection of the work and effort that students put into their studies over the two years.

Whilst the Year 11 prom had to be cancelled this year, the College is hoping to host a Winter Ball to celebrate all of Year 11 students’ achievements during their time at the College.

Stuart Williams remains hopeful that in September the schools will return to normal, which is currently the plan.

To watch a guided tour of the current one-way system in place in the College please click here.