It was great to welcome them to the school and have an opportunity for them to get their bearings on Tuesday, before the remaining students arrived back at school. The start of a school year is both an exciting and anxious time for our students, and the girls will be well supported by their Pastoral Leaders, myself and other students in their pastoral group. Week 1 is complete, and your daughters will have met most if not all of their subject teachers, trialed for GSV sporting teams, and experienced their first whole school livestreamed Assembly. It sure has been a big week, and I hope they’ve enjoyed it and shared their stories with you all.
One of the biggest concerns for Year 7 students is making new friends and connections at school. We will continue to support the students at school and within the classroom and hope that at home you can help too. Please take the time to remind them that friendships take time to build, and won’t form overnight. Having conversation about who they spoke to at school today, rather than asking if they have made a friend can be helpful too. OLMC offers a range of co-curricular activities both during lunchtimes and after school, which are additional ways for students to find connections with like-minded peers. The students will hear more about these opportunities through the pastoral program and many are advertised through SIMON notices.
As the students begin their secondary school journeys, each day is different. They will need to spend time establishing routines that work for them. The volume of information provided to them over these first few weeks can be overwhelming, but please encourage them to ask questions as the Year 7 Pastoral Team and I are here to help. We are also looking forward to meeting many of the Year 7 families at Pastoral Interviews next Thursday 10 February. Year 7 is an exciting year of transition, and growth, and I look forward to working alongside you in supporting your daughters this year.