There are plenty of things pupils might claim to have missed over the summer, but school is usually somewhere near the bottom of the list. At Culcheth High School, however, the new academic year has begun with what headteacher Mr Hunt described as a “delightful” return.
The transition from primary to secondary school can be daunting, particularly when the building suddenly feels enormous and the timetable seems designed by someone with a personal grudge against free time. Still, pupils have reportedly made an excellent start.
Mr Hunt gave a special welcome to the new Year 7 cohort, who have arrived from more than 35 different primary schools. He said: “They have made a great start to their time at Culcheth High School.”
The pupils themselves sounded equally positive. One said: “I can’t believe I’m actually saying this but I really missed school and the people over summer.” Another described the experience as “amazing”, adding that the school was much bigger and the classes very different from primary school.
Mr Hunt also praised the return of students and staff after the summer break, saying they had come back with “enthusiasm and anticipation” for the 2022/23 academic year. That is an encouraging verdict, especially after the disruption of previous years.
Most importantly, the school has been able to hold start-of-year assemblies without the added complication of COVID testing. Mr Hunt said this helped set the tone around the school's values and what it means to proudly say #WeAreCHS.
So, a genuinely strong start for Culcheth High School. The pupils deserve credit for settling in so well, while the staff deserve credit for creating a welcome that apparently made at least one student admit to missing school. That may be the highest possible compliment in education.
The report was written by Tom Bedworth, Community Reporter, for the Warrington Guardian. It also carries a notice stating that it was produced through an exclusive subscriber partnership with sister title USA Today and written by American colleagues, and that it does not necessarily reflect the view of The Herald.