Dear parents and carers,
I write to you this evening to share with you our end of term Pillars of Excellence Newsletter (attached), hoping that you may be able to find some time, once again, to celebrate more of our students’ brilliant achievements from across The Canterbury Academy Trust. After what has been a very challenging but incredibly rewarding term, I’m sure that you will enjoy reading about the achievements from our students at City View Pre-School and Nursery and The Canterbury Primary School, through to celebrations from The Canterbury Academy and its Sixth Form; also the fantastic work of our Youth, Community and Extended Services Team across the Canterbury and Ashford Districts, providing ‘wrap around’ care for thousands of young people across East Kent.
As you flick through this term’s Newsletter, there is so much to be proud of in our Trust community, with a vast range of opportunities provided for our young people through our Pillars of Excellence in Academic study, supported by The Langton; Practical Learning and Enterprise Education; Performing Arts and Sport. All provided, of course, by an extremely passionate and dedicated staff, who I remain incredibly grateful to for all of their hard work and commitment, despite the ongoing challenges of COVID.
As always my final words are for you, our parental body and Trust community of young people and families, who we proudly serve; it is you and your children that make our Trust what it is. It seems incredible that it is nearly two years since I wrote to you, as we approached the first national lockdown due to COVID. At that time, it would have seemed unbelievable to suggest that we may still be in this position two years later and, during those two years, much has changed for many of us; it is likely that we will all have been affected by the pandemic in some way. So, as we continue to edge carefully out of COVID restrictions and towards the warmer summer months, just as we have over these last two years, we shall stick together. We will continue to work closely and communicate regularly; we shall continue to help and support wherever we can; we shall continue to provide as much calmness and clarity in these ever changing times as possible; we shall continue to respect and appreciate each other’s differing perspectives and experiences; but, overall, we shall continue to listen and encourage your thoughts, feedback, observations, reflections and positive challenge. For it is all of this that shall continue to bind us together as an inclusive, supportive community, making decisions in the very best interests of our young people and all of our families.
You will also have received letters from our Heads of Schools, outlining timings and expectations for the start of Term 4, and we shall look forward to seeing all of our young people again then. Until that time, on behalf of all the staff across the Trust, we wish you a peaceful and relaxing half-term break.
With my every best wish,
Jon Watson
Executive Principal
