Dear Parents, Guardians, Caregivers, Staff and Students
It remains a challenging time as we continue to navigate through these turbulent times.
I would like to thank all the parents for your continued support over the past several months. This has contributed to the ongoing sustainability of the school. The commitment and passion of our teachers operating our dual system of online and class education is equally appreciated. For our students, it has been a year with many missed opportunities and experiences which has added its own layer of frustration, disappointment, stress and anxiety. Our thoughts as parents are with them through this time and the school will make every effort to try and normalise the remainder of the year under the current Covid regulations.
Oakhill remains committed to providing online and classroom teaching for the remainder of this term and beyond as circumstances require. We care for our students and teachers first and foremost and we respect the decision of parents, based on their personal circumstances, whether their children remain at home with the online option or attend school. The Board are cognisant that there is a fine balance between doing what’s best for the students whilst not putting their health and that of their families’ (and the whole community) at risk. It is also important to note that even with more of the restrictions being lifted, the threat of the virus does not dissipate. We still need to continuously reflect on how our behaviour can contribute to the spread of the virus and its impact on the school and the broader community in months to come. We remain very grateful to all those who continue to responsibly adhere to the Covid protocols and restrictions thus helping us to mitigate the threat posed by this pandemic.
The school remains financially sound, cash flow positive and is able to meet all its commitments. Oakhill has served the local community for 28 years and will continue to do so. As a result of prudent budgeting and other cost saving initiatives the school has been in a financial position to assist several Oakhill families who qualified for financial assistance.
Whilst the Board does foresee numbers dropping at year end, we have adequately budgeted and planned for this scenario without the quality of our end product being compromised or fees increased. We feel that this is quite an achievement under the circumstances. In relation to other private schools we are faring better than many.
We have been very encouraged by the number of enquiries the school has received over the past few weeks with committed newcomers. This is extremely positive and is a reflection of the reputation of Oakhill and its unique ethos built on the foundation of its values.
The Board has not been idle during this pandemic and has taken time to reflect and review several aspects of the school. We will continue to streamline for greater operational efficiency and whilst the academic, music and arts offerings are being enhanced, the philosophy and long term vision of our sport is undergoing an in-depth review.
The correspondence from the Heads of the school have been frequent and detailed. I would ask parents to read all correspondence so as to remain well informed. The school management consists of James Cross, Wayne Purchase and Joy Beggs who are always available to respond to any enquiries.
As always the Board welcomes any engagement. We all remain committed to making Oakhill a happy and productive environment for the education of our children.
I would like to conclude by reinforcing the Oakhill Philosophy – “we strive to ignite the imaginations of our pupils by encouraging them to explore and discover, question and create – to experience the joy of learning. It is a unique journey for each child towards developing identity and reaching their potential”.
