An unwell teenager at home with a temperature marked the start of my lockdown. Fast-forward five months and, after living in a house full of young adults, degree results, university offers and a lockdown puppy, I am now back in an almost familiar school environment.
In sharp contrast to the confinement felt during remote learning - Lathallan School is set in an awe-inspiring location in the north east of Scotland - we welcomed back our pupils in their new outdoor uniforms of red hoodies and navy tracksuit bottoms. The traditional Black Watch tartan skirts and dark blue blazers have been replaced by an explosion of colour.
There are new routines and restrictions in place but we are meeting all challenges head-on with a clear focus on social responsibility, looking out for others, keeping each other safe, and pulling together to reconnect as a school community.
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Every day our pupils make the most of our grounds. Outdoor learning is not new here and it is something we take immense pride in. One of the benefits of lockdown is the way dedicated staff and pupils have embraced the digital world and are now integrating these new-found skills into outdoor learning.
Digital outdoor learning
Our pupils are using their Chromebooks to capture their surroundings, photographing and identifying trees in our woods as a stimulus for creative writing. They are videoing their work and adding commentary in class.
Chromebooks are also being used to capture data to support conservation work, including sourcing and fitting an irrigation system into our polytunnels. And they are helping us to stay connected through video storytime for our new Junior 1s [P1s] and Google Meet assemblies.
Until we can all play together again in our wonderful walled garden, we are embracing the start of an exciting new digital outdoor learning era.
Pamela Hossick is head of junior school at Lathallan School, in the north east of Scotland
The lockdown lessons learned by other Scottish educators - representing every stage and sector - are featured in today’s Tes Scotland magazine
