I WANTED to publicly congratulate Holy Trinity CofE Primary School in Taunton for their phenomenal response to caring for the students during the coronavirus pandemic.

I am a mum of two children at Holy Trinity School, in Year 2 and Year 4. As a secondary school teacher and therefore a key worker, Holy Trinity offered both my children each a full-time place at the school, but my husband and I decided to keep them at home for a great deal of the lockdown.

During this time, the wonderful Mrs Saunders and Mrs Caldecott have been working around the clock to provide online lessons via Google Classroom. They have conducted weekly Zoom meetings to ensure the children feel included and still able to socially take part with their peers. They have also offered instant feedback, praise and encouragement to the children whenever they have completed work.

Recently, my older child, who has high functioning autism began to really suffer with anxiety and I felt that spending time with his peers and under the expert guidance of his teachers would really benefit him.

The head teacher, Jeremy Handscomb, could not have been more understanding or accommodating. Both he and the deputy head Mr Morton went above and beyond to show my son around the school to experience the changes needed to adapt to making the school covid-secure.

WANT TO WRITE? Click here to submit your letter

What I witnessed was incredible - the staff were kind, calm and totally organised. The school was arranged in safe 'bubbles' and the atmosphere was lovely. The children were clearly happy and enjoying themselves.

It was especially refreshing to see Mr Handscomb himself teaching Year 4s.

Every member of staff has played their part, from the wonderful receptionists, to the brilliant teaching assistants and of course the wonderful teachers.

I know from speaking to other parents, that Holy Trinity's dealing with this crisis is not perhaps typical of how other schools have coped. This is why I feel Holy Trinity needs to be applauded.

They have risen to the terrible challenges faced by education and have absolutely shown themselves to be exemplary in adapting and truly caring for the needs of each individual child under their care.

Well done Holy Trinity!

ARAN VINCE