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Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth II

We know that our whole community will be touched by the sad announcement of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Her Majesty devoted her life to the service of her country and, for most of us, has been the only monarch we have known, a steady presence throughout our entire lives. 

We talk about the Queen often in whole school assemblies and think about the example she sets for us. We especially enjoyed the celebrations of the Jubilee this year, which cheered us all up after the trials of the last couple of years and enabled us to reflect on the important role she has played in our country’s life over the last 70 years. 

Today, children shared some thoughtful time with their class teacher, reflecting on the Queen’s life. Some watched the Newsround special report about the Queen and some watched a slideshow of pictures reflecting her life and reign. By observing this in classes, children were able to be supported the first time they discussed the news together. The staff and children also observed 2 minutes of silence and next week we will have a reflective whole school assembly together.

During the period of national mourning, we will cancel our usual singing assemblies and children will be given time instead to make a contribution to our school book of condolence; they might draw a picture, write a poem or share their thoughts about Her Majesty. The book will join our school archive as a reflection of their thoughts and feelings at this time. 

We know that for some children this event may be particularly difficult and if you need to talk to your child’s class teacher about anything surrounding this, they can be contacted in the usual ways and will be happy to support you. The DfE has also recommended that if children and young people are upset, parents may find Minded to be a source of useful and supportive information.

While we welcome Charles III as our new King, we also send our condolences to the royal family who have lost a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother and to all of those in royal and local households who are affected. 

E Crane