By T ALLEN
•
07 Nov, 2020
Dear Parents , It was with great sadness that i am closing the school and moving classes onto Zoom just for the time being. I will update everyone next week on the way forward. To me this is totally stupid as schools that teach dance are continuing to run and lots of other classes and activities. I really feel this is discrimination and segregating smaller ballet schools from the Educational schools even though we are teaching Ofqual monitored recognised examinations and ARE FAR safer than most normal schools (which we have been told by parents) . Nevertheless this is what i HAVE to do by LAW and NOT what i WANT to do! Which brings me to my 2nd point i have received some very harsh and unkind emails that have pushed me so far that it has made me quite ill .... moaning about about various things that are beyond my control. Which is why i have decided that I WILL NOT be RUNNING my Zoom classes tomorrow ( SATURDAY) and need a day to prepare things for the coming teaching week and to give myself some time to reflect as the stress this has caused me has really taken its toll on my own health. All i have been doing the last few days is worrying about how i can continue to teach the children not for my own gain, but to keep them happy and and enable the girls and boys that were supposed to be taking exams in December dancing to be able to be trained enough to actually take the examinations that they have worked so hard for. The RAD have been given the agreement from government that they can operate live exams throughout this pandemic , however we have been told WE CANNOT TEACH CLASSES ... which is then a totally impossible situation, where a student can take an exam but have no face to face actual training with their teacher! Zoom is NOT my choice but it is better to have some dance for lockdown than nothing which sadly some parents just cannot see and blame me as if it is my fault. I feel i have fought as much as i can for the sake of the children , I have written to the local MP and spoken to the West Berks council ... Miss Soumaya started a government petition. So hopefully something may happen soon ! some parents however, just need to realise I am doing my best and none of this is my choice or my doing which has made me so very upset. However , I would also like to add to this that there are other parents that have been wonderful too and i have received lots and lots of messages of kindness , thanks and support for the work my staff and I do for all our Allenova students and how they feel we have given them some stability and focus during these uncertain and surreal times...... to you my heartfelt thanks and it is you and your dear children that keep me going! (even after 38 years of teaching) LOL .... yes i am older than you all think :-) I can confirm that the missed week this Saturday 7th Nov will be added onto the end of the term and I will offer a face to face class on SATURDAY 12th December to make up. All my zoom classes will start using the links shown above from Monday 9th November 2020 onwards everyday. Meeting ID 270 4878 156 Password ( Please text me on 07887 848815 if you need the password and I am happy to text it to you) MISS SHELENE has also decided she will not be teaching her classes tomorrow and does not want to offer Zoom as she feels she cannot teach little ones when she has no face to face contact. She will be running her catch up classes on Saturday 12th and 19th December and we will sort out any additional classes if we have to remain closed. These will be updated on this website. If there are any Pre Primary / Primary / Grade 1 , 2 or 3 students that would like to join any of the other teachers zoom classes then please contact us. Miss Lydia , Miss Becky and Miss Soumaya will be running all of their ballet , Tap, Modern , Acrobatics , contemporary and Drama classes on Zoom from Saturday 7th November 2020. Please Also Not e ALL RAD EXAM coaching is POSTPONED at the moment until we know what is happening as are the RAD exams again! WE cannot expect the children and students to take exams when they are not allowed to train and coach in preparation for these exams. However I have written to my MP and local council and we may get some response and advice soon fingers crossed. All pupils will be sent a text or email message regarding the above. For more info PLEASE JOIN OUR ALLENOVA FACEBOOK PAGE . Stay safe and stay positive everyone xxx