This week I was delighted to be able to catch up with Year 7 Maple.

I felt it was important to touch base to hear the views of the Year 7 students journey so far at Bushey Meads. I really have felt for students over the past year, missing a huge amount of education and socialisation; however, students have inspired me by the amount of resilience they have shown towards our current situation.

Year 7 have had quite a difficult time transitioning from Year 6 to Year 7 as we went into lockdown in March 2020, then they returned to school in September, which meant it was straight into secondary school.

This year group has had such a positive attitude to learning and have really developed as individuals over the past months.

Some of the difficulties they discussed were finding their way round a bigger school, the amount of homework as some were not use to having any, meeting new friends,getting consequence points, however this has not deterred them from enjoying school life. Students enjoy travelling from class to class to have more specialised subjects than they had before, food served at school has definitely had a huge impact as students feel that there is such a variety of food and it is value for money, students have surprised themselves with the friendship groups they now have.

Maple students time in Year 7 will be coming to an end in the summer, how it that possible?

It only seems like yesterday when I met them on their first day; I remember their faces, some looking incredibly nervous, others full of excitement.

Since reflecting on their first day and their emotions starting Bushey Meads, they had some wise words to share with Year 6 students who will be joining the school in September and others that are new to the school:

Don’t be shy, talk to others

Ask lots of questions

Be organised

Students are very helpful and happy to help you when you need it and BE YOURSELF…

I am looking forward to watching these students continue to grow and flourish.