b'THE ELLESMERIAN32Lower SchoolThe Lower School Ellesmerian round up for 2019/20 proposed lookingadapted rugby training, netball, hockey and squash/table tennis - using forward to more normality in the academic year of 2021. We had beensanitised equipment. Christian Union Club plus Confirmation Class faced with constructing new routines to allow learning to continue andwere very popular too. Chess Club became fiercely competitive, and Ms pupils had admirably risen to the challenges that were posed.Rogers started a Craft Club. All at a social distance.We returned to school to even more new systems in place. ThisThroughout the lockdown online teaching phase in the Lent term, allowed classroom teaching to commence again, within safepupils were encouraged to enjoy the natural world and take and share environments. We worked and understood new terminology, such asphotographs. A number of pupils developed new photography skills and bubble groups, social distancing, flow testing etc and we washed andthis gave confidence to enter the Shropshire County Photography sanitised hands constantly. Face masks were a new uniform accessory,competition. It was lovely to report that three pupils were placed and for most pupils and staff. Sadly, like the rest of the country, we had tosecured prizes for their entries. Cameron Parry was placed 1st for his pause music performances and sport participation was adapted withentry in the Under 13 category. Sofie Glinos and Florence Sweeney inter-school competitions placed on hold. Nevertheless, we werewere placed 2nd and 3rd in the Under 12 category. pleased to be back in College and realised how much we had missed face to face interactions within lesson time.The Easter break allowed the country to take stock and it was good to come back to the Summer term in school. There were periods of nice weather which allowed a number of sports and activities to open up. Golf was popular at lunch times and the outside cricket nets were busy every lunchtime. A number of cricket and tennis matches were allowed and swimming training started to get back to some degree of normality.The Nation marked the sad passing of HRH Prince Phillip during the Summer term. The Duke of Edinburgh Award is an important qualification at the College and the John Muir award in Years 7 and 8 focuses on skills leading to the undertaking of this award in Middle School. To commemorate the link that we have to the Duke and to respect the work that he did, our pupils were set a challenge. They produced works of art to commemorate his life. We aim to display the Mass gatherings were not possible and Assembly/House time wasfinal pieces from the competition in the Lower School Hall. The pupils transferred to online delivery with pupils coming together in tutorproduced work of quality and the following pupils received a Prize for groups within form rooms. One of the main themes throughout thetheir specific entries. year was to look for the positives within the new regimes and a positive side certainly was the opportunity to spend greater time with personal tutors, who certainly got to know their tutees very well. It was good to see that academic standards continued to be high at the College, in spite of all of the obstructions placed nationally to learning. Jamie Stevens was awarded Star Reader for his achievements in personal reading levels. Pupils fared well in the Junior Mathematics Challenges and the Year 8 group enjoyed an Engineering day.Playtime and lunchtime were different experiences. Pupils had staggered break and lunch times to ensure Year group bubbles could be separate. Pupils followed one-way systems around school and many activities took place outside where possible. The lunch time activity programme was well used. We enjoyed cricket net sessions, five-a-side football,'