Pandemics, Revolutions and Reflections: Portsmouth Point 2019-20


by James Burkinshaw

We have all undergone an extraordinary, historic and possibly transformative four months, a significant chapter in the history of the school and our wider community.

Dr Cotton’s request, several weeks ago, for pupils, parents, grandparents, OPs and staff to send in reflections on their own experiences of this challenging period has been met with an enthusiastic response. We are, therefore, delighted to announce the online publication of ‘We Are PGS: The School Community During the Pandemic’, with articles, photographs, film-documentaries, cartoons, musical recordings, diaries, vlogs, paintings, interviews, poems and other contributions from members of the PGS family, aged 3 to 93, from Portsmouth to Prague, Australia to Arizona. 

A collaboration between PGS Archive and Portsmouth Point, it has been edited by John Sadden and James Burkinshaw.

As Dr Cotton notes in her introduction: “There are vivid memories of past crises, poignant celebrations of NHS and care workers, fascinating reflections on the social and cultural implications of the pandemic, and wonderful accounts of the efforts people have made, collectively and individually, to entertain and support one another and their communities from home and in school.”

We certainly hope that all members of the PGS community find this special publication interesting and inspiring. You can read it here: https://issuu.com/tgdh/docs/we_are_pgs_pandemic_archive?fr=sMzJlYzE2Mzk1MTY

'Mirror' and 'Revolution'

In December, we published our Christmas issue of Portsmouth Point: 'Revolution'.

At the end of June, we launched our summer issue: 'Mirror'. If you were unable to receive your printed copy, please click here to read 26 articles by PGS pupils, ranging from the glamour of motor sport’s golden age to the mystery of the Golden Ratio, the predictive genius of ‘Black Mirror’ to the critical under-funding of the NHS:

To launch 'Mirror' we held a multi-location Garden Party - from socially distanced celebrations in the Neil Blewett Memorial Garden at PGS to remote parties in gardens and on verandahs across Hampshire and Sussex.

We wish all of our readers, contributors and editors a recuperative summer of relaxing reading.





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