Holiday greetings, end of year updates and thank you!

Posted: 16 December 2020

With the 2020 soon to be a thing of the past, I want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to the Heads, Reps and faculty members across the RS community for the positivity and inspiration you have radiated over the past 12 months, and the moral and practical support and involvement that you have extended to Round Square and to one another.

It would be an understatement to say this has been “quite a year” but amidst the anxiety and loss there have been so many unexpected moments of excitement, revelation and delight as we were reminded time and again that in the face of a seemingly insurmountable challenge, there really is more in us than we know.

As we move into 2021 we will be taking with us some of the standout experiences and initiatives of 2020, with a continuing focus on incubating, facilitating and supporting collaboration and virtual exchanges between RS schools. We will also be continuing with online programmes including the RS Zoom Postcards, research projects and IDEALS Challenges, with the first completion certificates for all six challenges due to be presented in January.

Whilst we are hopeful that 2021 will see the beginnings of a return to physical conferences, we are excited to be planning, with 14 host schools, a programme of Virtual RS Conferences for the first few months of 2021, and a virtual RSIC2021 in September. We are also looking forward to convening five online Round Square Forums for Heads, Reps and other teachers in RS schools in the first three months of 2021.

I am also delighted to share some personal news from the RS Management Team, that our RS Conference and Projects Manager, Emma Fordham and her husband Chris are expecting a baby. Currently covering for Katie’s maternity leave on Digital Communications, Emma will be heading off on maternity leave herself in March 2021. Please join me in congratulating Emma on her joyous news.

2021 has some exciting new initiatives to look forward to with Round Square – our pilots for the Round Square Heroes of Discovery Early Years’ Programme will begin in February. In the New Year we will also be launching with UCL (University College London) registration for a new five-module course on Values-Led Leadership in RS Schools that will be available to SLT members and teachers in all RS schools starting from September 2021. And finally I look forward to sharing plans, in the first part of 2021, for a broader structured programme of Professional Development within the Round Square community.

With hope for a happier and healthier 2021, in which we might meet face-to-face again, best wishes from all at Round Square for a joyful and restful holiday.

Back to all CEO blogs