This term was not what we expected and required staff to respond very quickly to changing circumstances: teacher learning new technology and techniques so they could continue to deliver high quality lessons as far as possible, remotely; the site team working tirelessly to keep us safe; our pastoral and support teams checking in with families to support them however they could, organising laptops and dongles and so much more.

Everyone adapted quickly, without complaint, always striving to find out to do something in a different and better way.  As a school, we wanted to support our students and their families through another period of remote learning, and then support them to adapt to the return to school which caused both excitement and anxiety amongst our community.

To acknowledge this, and to celebrate our staff community, we started a new initiative this term requesting colleagues and parents send in a ‘Thank you’ message which we share with staff every Friday in an email of positivity.  It has been so lovely reading the messages and trying to include as many as possible for staff to read each week.

Please do keep them coming in, as it makes a tough job a little bit easier. If you would like to mention a member of staff that has helped you and your family in some way, or has inspired your child to do better or develop an interest in something, then please do send that to: Thankstaff@thequestacademy.org.uk

A selection of these messages is below.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank parents too.  We simply could not have done this without your support.  It is so good for our students to know parents and Academy staff unite to support them to achieve their best.

Mrs Elisabeth Dean
Assistant Principal

 

Thank you, Mr Barnard, for supporting my daughter through her online classes when we were confused by the timetable changes.  So grateful!

Year 7 Parent

 

Thank you, Miss Berry, for being so helpful trying to resolve my daughter’s issue.  She made the time to call and discuss it; simply talking has helped.

Year 8 parent

 

As parents we have been busy navigating our way through this pandemic and trying to figure out a new normal; one thing that has stayed constant is teachers’ commitment to our children’s education and well-being. Many have taken this for granted forgetting that you are also navigating this pandemic too.  So I would like to say thank you and may God continue to bless you and keep you and your families safe.

Year 12 parent

 

Thank you, Mrs Atkinson, for working tirelessly each day, monitoring the attendance of key worker and vulnerable students, and chasing up on daily absence.  And always with a smile on your face!

Colleague

 

Thank you, Ms Alba, for the dedication, support and commitment given to me and my daughter during these very difficult testing times.  Every time I have had cause to contact her she has always been extremely responsive and helpful.  Her follow-up and follow through has been fantastic.  She is an asset to the school.

Year 8 parent

 

Thanks so much to the staff that are running the covid testing; it’s really reassuring to have this going on.

Colleague

 

I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU! to all of the amazing teachers in YEAR 9. I think you are all doing an amazing job with keeping our kids on track to achieve and be the best they can be. The Live lessons are brilliant! The feedback you all give after work is completed is great. So THANK YOU ALL! You are an amazing team and we are very fortunate to have you teaching and supporting our children.

Year 9 parent

 

Thank to Simon Peel for being a diamond individual: a fantastic tutor, an inspiring teacher and an exceptional leader of our community.  Can-do approach to everything and genuinely cares about the students.  We are lucky to have you.

Colleague

 

I would like to say a huge thank you for welcoming my son into your classrooms. Since starting Quest in September, he has been like a different child to how he was a year ago. He was very unhappy, full of anxiety, lonely and dreaded waking up every morning to go to his previous school. It was heart-wrenching for us having to send our child into a school where he was obviously so unhappy. We were so thankful when Quest gave him a place. Our son was also very delighted, excited and nervous all at the same time. For the first time since September for us it feel like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders and we can relax and breathe again as our son is happily settled in a school that he enjoys going to and has made friends which he never found in his previous school as he felt like he did not relate to his peers and did not have any sense of belonging. Totally different story today, he has lots of friends and feels like Quest was the school he should have always gone to. He has a sense of belonging and felt a part of Quest from the very first week and is always telling us how nice and kind his teachers are to him so thank you all so much from the bottom of our hearts for making the transition process for him to Quest a breeze with your kindness and support. It’s wonderful seeing our child smile again.  A million thank yous will never be enough but we sincerely appreciate everything you have all done in welcoming our son into your wonderful school and into your classrooms where we feel he will excel.

Year 8 parent

 

A big thank you to Simon Trehearn and James Wareham for their working in organising and setting up all the laptops to support our students learning remotely.

Colleagues

 

Thanks to Mrs Dean for her parent’s well-being email in January. It was so useful that I’ve been able to recommend parts of it to my friends & work colleagues.

Year 10 parent

 

Remember: Our Health and Wellbeing page is always available, should you need it, at Mental Health and Wellbeing.

 

Thank you, Team History.  Teamwork makes the dream work, and the creativity, passion and drive to do right by our students is always apparent. Sharing is caring, and the innovation and strive to support in mutual planning and sharing of best practice is great, and the fact that you’re all still looking beyond the immediate, and still thinking about our approach medium and long-term is great.

Colleague

 

I am grateful and thankful for every assistance that was given to me and my family and dealing with difficult times. Thanks, and please continue to do your excellent and professional job. Thank you all.

Year 11 parent

 

For the hard work and support received during this lockdown. Thank you for making sure we were ok, thank you for the laptop we received, thank you for the calls we received. Naming one would not be fair on the others, because we were all in this together and this is why we made it. As a parent, I am happy to say that the Quest Academy has proven to our family how much were are valued and for this we will be forever grateful.

Parent of students across the Academy