Bursar’s Review Summer 2020.

News 7 @the_isba Summer 2020 The New Beacon School community lends a helping hand Three Kent schools have been working together during lockdown helping to equip two local COVID-19 assessment centres set up by two local GPs to keep visits to their surgeries down to a minimum. The New Beacon School, Tonbridge School and Sevenoaks School sourced and delivered an extraordinary collection of protective clothing and cleaning equipment. One New Beacon parent was part of a group that helped to design face masks that were manufactured by Mr Biddle and his colleagues at Tonbridge School and Mr Barratt, head of design technology at New Beacon School, made visors. Sevenoaks School designed and produced respirators and surgical masks for frontline NHS staff. The New Beacon School community collected bum bags, thermometers, antibacterial wipes and mask components, further helping to get the assessment units up and running. ‘Alternative’ end to school education Faced with the unprecedented situation of the pandemic, Canford School wanted to offer its upper sixth group pupils a meaningful end to their school education, something which would broaden their horizons, provide focus and develop their skills in interesting, engaging and fun ways. So, they developed the Canford ‘College Programme’ for them. Styled along the lines of higher education ‘elective’ programmes, head of enrichment, Tom Marriott, devised a programme which changed each week based around six core strands of engagement: core academic extension, elective modules, fitness, activities and wellbeing, one to one tutor meetings, university and careers clinics and the Ivy House Award for leadership development. The academic extension element was made up of two of a pupil’s current A Level subjects and the electives complemented this learning, where each pupil chose a minimum of two of these each week. They were encouraged to learn a new skill, such as computer programming, basic Italian, gardening, baking, interview skills, student finance or car maintenance and to take advantage of broadening general knowledge interactive live presentations by external speakers. Pastoral support was integrated into the College Programme – as the pandemic will have impacted the mental health and wellbeing of each pupil. Bum bags, thermometers,antibacterial wipes and essentials ready for delivery Community kitchens Several schools have joined forces with Thomas Franks (TF) to work on a community kitchen project to feed those in need during the COVID-19 crisis. Rendcomb College was there from the get go. Bursar, Eleanor Sharman said: “On 18th March when the scale of the pandemic became clear our TF regional director, Vicky, happened to be at school and we were talking about what we could do to help. “I made a suggestion that we offer ‘meals-on-wheels’ to anyone who was vulnerable or self-isolating in the local community and Vicky jumped at the idea. By 3.00 pm that day I had emailed our parish council with details, within 24 hours posters were being put up around the parish, and by Monday 23rd March we were in operation. “We drove around the local area serving hot, nutritious meals right up to the point where children came back to school and our catering manager, Dean, has developed quite a fan base amongst the locals! “In addition, our kitchen was used as the hub for the Grace Network the following week to produce 1,200 meals, and that marked that start of what has now become the fabulous Feeding Communities project. Our kitchen has continued to be used as a hub for various other parts of the project and we are delighted to be able to support TF and the team throughout lockdown”. Dean,catering manager at Rendcomb College,playing a vital part in the TF Feeding Communities project