Tuesday March 23rd marked the first anniversary of the first UK lockdown. At Sugar Hill Primary School children wore bright clothes and the staff wore rainbow ribbons, as activities were completed that helped everyone reflect on the last year in their own way.

When arriving at school the children were greeted with showers of bubbles and it was so lovely to see the children of all ages trying to capture a bubble! It was a temptation some parents and carers could not resist and it certainly led to a positive start for the day when adults joined in the fun capturing bubbles! Lots of giggles and cheers!

Throughout the day classroom staff had planned a range of activities that provided opportunities for all children to pause and reflect on the last year. The whole school fell silent at 12 noon as we thought of all the people across the world who have lost their lives through Covid 19. Senior Leaders spent the day visiting classrooms talking with children about their memories of the last year. Although the children can identify the things they have missed this year like seeing family and friends, no birthday parties, no holidays (to name a few of their endless lists of things they have not been able to do) they also recognise that they have had other opportunities to spend more time with their parents and carers and siblings at home. Many children have reflected on the things they have been doing that they enjoyed. Some have started new hobbies and some have been involved in helping family and friends by delivering shopping, writing cards and letters and baking cakes! The acts of kindness are endless!

One activity that all the children were involved in was blowing bubbles. Yes, even our oldest Year 6 children had their very own pot of bubbles and had great fun blowing their bubbles at their friends. The children have been taught in their ‘bubbles’ following the first lockdown and with separate lunchtimes and breaktimes school is now living a ‘new normal’ as we do all we can to keep everyone as safe as we can.

It was heartening to receive an e mail from a parent who drove past school at the time the children were outdoors blowing their bubbles who said, ‘I think by the activities you have organised, you’ve marked a very traumatic year with positivity, hope and appreciation for everything we hold dear. The things we took for granted just over a year ago’.

Support from parents and carers, as we have navigated through the last year and faced challenges none of us would ever have anticipated, has been recognised by Senior Leaders, Governing Body and the whole school staff. This day in school was a time to talk with the children about the importance of still following the rules and doing all we can to stay safe.

It was a focussed time that allowed staff, children and our wider community to pause and reflect. Staff recognise that the last year has impacted on families in different ways and that moving forward there is much work to be done in supporting each other as we tentatively follow the road map to easing restrictions. Our school gardener, Gail, has planted an ‘Ascot Rainbow’ at the front of school- a symbol of hope for the future and a timely reminder that it has been an incredibly tough year- a year like no other.

As always, we want to ensure that parents and carers know that Sugar Hill staff will do all we can to support our families. We recognise that although there is hope for brighter days ahead with the vaccination programme, that for many personal challenges on top of Covid19 mean difficult days too.

For our children we know that special days in school, where everyone is involved, help them remember key messages and events. We are incredibly proud of the resilience shown by all our children and sincerely hope they remember the activities they completed on this first anniversary when they are adults, so they have good memories too.