Dear parents, carers and colleagues,

As the end of term draws to a close, on behalf of the Diverse Academies Trust Board I wanted to take this opportunity to write to you and give our thanks.

The last four months have been unprecedented – a phrase we have heard a little too often perhaps, but an accurate description, nonetheless.

As parents and carers, you have been charged with overseeing home schooling – adjusting to new technologies and ways of working, which for many of you will have been in addition to your own home working arrangements. We recognise this has been a significant undertaking and for which we want to say thank you for the support you have given both your child(ren) and your academy during this time. I know I speak on behalf of all colleagues when I say we have greatly missed seeing our academies full of life and able to deliver the usual mode of teaching and learning. We very much look forward to seeing all children return to school in September.

To our colleagues, we also wish to recognise that you have also continued to work throughout this time – whether on-site providing essential childcare for key workers, delivering free school meals, supporting the NHS with PPE provisions in those early days of lockdown, or from your own homes, ensuring our pupils have access to the remote learning provision, as well as carrying out many other essential business functions. We know you too have juggled your professional responsibilities alongside home schooling your own children or caring for other family members – and have responded so positively to the many changes in working practices and expectations that have been asked of you. So, our thanks also go to our very dedicated colleagues for your resilience and continued hard work.

As a Board, we hope that all of you, and your families, remain safe and well over the summer holiday, and that you are able to take some time to rest and recoup.

Yours faithfully,
Mike Quigley MBE, Chair of Board and Trustee