During this period of remote learning, it is of vital importance to ensure that we all remain connected and that our Foresters continue to feel recognised and valued as part of the Forest family.
Pastoral care is at the heart of life at Forest and our regular Google Meets have ensured that we continue to be in close contact with children at this challenging time. Pastoral and Class Time on Google Meets gives the children and staff regular contact, which provides familiar and reassuring support as well as a sense of connection with our school community. For us as a staff, it is heart-warming to see our Foresters and hear all the important bits of news which they usually cannot wait to tell us in the classroom. In Reception, we have celebrated birthdays, losing teeth, proudly shown off pets- from butterflies to guinea pigs and dogs-it is lovely to see the children interacting with each other; enjoying listening to one another so intently.
This week it is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme is 'kindness'. Kindness is deeply embedded in our school culture: we frequently praise the children for being a 'true Forester'. There seems to be an intrinsic set of values which underpin our teaching and pastoral care and we see these every day in our children; whether it is a smile, asking a friend what they have been doing, or a simple 'how are you Mrs Thomson?' The message of 'kindness' flows through Forest not only when we are together at school, but also in our virtual school through listening, interacting and caring for one another. It is 'The Forest Way'.
Mrs Thomson
Pastoral Leader and Reception Teacher
