The challenges of 2020 were faced by young people, too, including year 13 student Matt Roberts. Harrogate Grammar School's head student, studying photography, economics and English language, reflects on his experiences in the last year.

I think it is safe to say this year has been a strange one. If you had told me at the start of year 12 that I would spend half of it at home, being required to not go out, I am not quite sure how I would have responded.

But here I am. Thinking back, just like you might be. Wondering what a crazy year 2020 has been, whilst also thinking about how far we have come. For me, one of the biggest challenges was adapting to remote learning. We were not allowed in school, and as a result we had to learn from home.

It started off incredibly challenging but as time progressed, we adapted. We learned how to do online lessons on Microsoft Teams through our school iPads, and as students, we quickly became proactive, wanting to stay on top of the work to put ourselves in the best position we could for our exams this coming summer. We are in a fortunate position that our full timetable of lessons can be held remotely, setting us up for our final year of school.

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However, things do remain challenging with some students across the country having to face repeated isolations. I myself had finished my third lockdown, and was hoping to come to school the next day. But unfortunately, due to rising cases in my year, on the eve I was set to return, we were all sent home until after Christmas.

Despite all of this, there have been lots of positives we can take from this year.

At school we have shown that we are able to adapt to change, and that we can pull together when we need to, and across the country this has been illustrated perfectly by the NHS. We were also fortunate enough to have Captain Sir Tom Moore to help us through those initial months, showing that there can always be something to smile about, while raising £32 million!

Although the light at the end of the tunnel may be distant, it is there, and getting nearer.

On behalf of the Harrogate Grammar School community, I want to wish you and your families a Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year. Stay safe, and keep smiling!