This is a difficult time for everybody. Old priorities are no longer valid and we are now facing into a period rather horribly named the ‘new normal’.

There is no magic formula at our disposal at this precise time by which we can plan for or predict the future. Our last 8 weeks of teaching was conducted entirely online for students, where it was possible to do so. It was difficult. None more so than for teachers, many of who saw a doubling in work hours preparing lessons and then also preparing additional supporting video material.

Because we are as yet without a state funded school, for some teachers there has been a terrible price to pay and they have had to give up on the dream of working and living here, and instead return to the homelands just to survive.

But it has not all been doom and gloom. We learned a huge amount from this period. We learned that children do in fact learn just as well, in most cases, from a properly prepared video lesson. Their lives are already different to our own. They have screens as part of their everyday, where as many of us staff found it a new experience with all of the challenges that brings. Having access to supporting videos also meant that there was a greater consistency in the practise. All in all it was. Revelation for us all and definitely lifted our spirits.

What September brings we do not yet know. We have prepared multiple scenarios to ensure that we will return to music in whatever guise is both safe and effective. It may well require some sort of blended approach for the short term until things are declared fully safe. No matter which option we present you can be certain that it will be with health and safety taking central place in that decision. We will not compromise on the health of staff or students.

We also offer for your consideration a range of documents that are helping to inform our decisions. As more become available we will update these so do check back. Proper information is our greatest ally in this fight.