March 20th 2021
As we approach the end of this term, much thought is going into the planning of the Summer term. Further Government guidance may be released over the holidays, although it seems very likely that the restrictions we will be working within next term will be broadly similar to the current regime.
I know that many Moulsford families will be keen to know what the Summer term may ‘look like’, so I thought it would be useful to give you an overview of our thinking at this stage. This comes with two very large caveats: first, everything is subject to change at short notice; second, we have not addressed the finer detail yet on many events and we would ask parents to be patient on this. There are so many different scenarios which may present themselves and for now, we think it is more constructive to formulate plans in principle and then address the finer detail nearer the time when it is clear that an event can take place in the form envisaged. In addition to live events, we are planning to run plenty of virtual events including a Senior Concert and Moulsford’s Got Talent.
As things stand, the Summer term will loosely fall into three blocks:
- 20th April to 28th May (half-term)
- 7th June to 21st June (the latter date being when all Covid restrictions are lifted in theory)
- 21st June – 7th July (end of term)
For the first period (20th April to 28th May), we anticipate the school operating in a very similar format to now (8th March to 24th March). However, the one major alteration is that we are planning inter school fixtures for Year 3 and above. As not all prep schools will be playing fixtures in the first half of next term, we may play home and away matches against the same schools. The aim will be to involve as many boys as possible in the fixtures. There is an agreement on the prep school circuit that to reduce the risk of transmission, these matches will be spectator free, and that all travel to and from fixtures will be by school transport.
Adjustments that we may be able to make for the period from 7th June to 21st June are dependent on Government guidance we receive over the next couple of months. This period may look very similar to 20th April to 28th May, or alternatively we may be able to relax restrictions in some areas.
If we can assume all restrictions are lifted from 21st June, this gives the school the opportunity to run a number of normal events. However, we do need to be mindful that there are only so many events that can be sensibly scheduled into a short time frame. During this period, we are currently planning for the following, all of which would take place outdoors or in the open marquee:
| Monday 21st June | Year 7 Play (evening performance) | Parents invited |
| Tuesday 22nd June | Year 7 Play (evening performance) | Parents invited |
| Thursday 24th June | Year Group Step Up Day & New Boys Day | |
| Thursday 24th June | Year 8 Workshop Informal Play production (evening performance) | Parents invited |
| Friday 25th June | Pre-Prep Awards Assembly (morning) | Parents invited |
| Friday 25th June | Whole School Sports Day (all day) | Parents invited |
| Monday 28th June – Friday 2nd July | Residential trips for Years 5 to 8Taster Boarding experience for Year 4Activities Week for Reception to Year 4, with assembly to parents on Friday 2nd July (afternoon) | Parents invited |
| Monday 5th July | Boarders and their families evening BBQ | Parents invited |
| Tuesday 6th July | Prep School Summer Concert (evening) | Parents invited |
| Wednesday 7th July | Prep School Prize Giving outdoors (morning) | Parents invited |
| Wednesday 7th July | Year 8 Leavers’ and families event (12 noon onwards, details TBC) | Parents invited |
Please note that all of the above are subject to change, and at present we have not planned the fine detail of many of the events. We will send out much more detail nearer the time and as guidelines make the situation clearer. I am sure that some parents will have questions relating to next term, but I would please ask that you wait for further information from us before you submit these.
Should restrictions not be lifted as envisaged, the focus for the end of the Summer term will be on aiming to ensure that the Year 8 Leavers and their parents are given an excellent send-off from Moulsford.
