With the online learning continuing this week, the importance of routine, continuity and consistency has never been more important.
In the last two weeks before the April break, the structure and learning process was rigorous and demanding for all stakeholders. The initiative to introduce Zoom Face to Face learning was thrust upon all, combined with the Google classrooms, this provided the main platform for delivering the ongoing syllabus and curriculum and we have been delighted with its achievements. The survey carried out with parents and learners indicated that nearly every participant was able to access the content and participate in the new learning environment. The only concerns expressed by learners themselves was that too much work was provided.
I am pleased to confirm that the school remains on track for effective syllabus coverage and curriculum content delivery, across all Year groups, especially Year 11. We have had to adjust the planning to meet the needs of the resources available and the limitations of the environment, like the science experiential learning obtained from exposure to specific experiments. The use of the Zoom sessions for Face to Face was partnered with the monitored and supervised activities placed in the Google classrooms, together these activities and learning opportunities matched the classroom time that learners had with their teachers. However there are still some concerns.
We are currently reorganising the planned activities for once the school is reopened. The activities for home based learning being mainly content and theoretical in nature have to be balanced with more opportunities for experiential learning. Therefore the planning will show this across all year groups. Essentially the syllabus is slightly out of balance. Because of the home based learning focus, some subjects will be ahead with content but behind with experiential learning, once we have been back in school for a couple of weeks, these subjects will be realigned.
Even though we are confident that the syllabus continues to be effectively covered, we are aware that some parents are concerned, particularly in the light of the upcoming examinations that may take place for Year 11 in November. At the moment, they are still planned and timetabled and until we hear from Cambridge we are aiming to ensure we are meeting the needs of learners towards this end. However we want to reassure all learners and parents that we are doing all we can, to this end, we will be reverting to the typical school timetable that our learners follow as if they were in school and these can be found in the Engage portal.
Next week we would consider it to be a Week B in our timetable, the academic lessons you see on your child’s timetable will be run as zoom lessons, with the exception of CCA and assemblies etc. There is a slot on a Wednesday afternoon allocated for CCAs however, we are asking our English and Maths department to add extra lessons for our Year 11 learners during that time, this means that they are unavailable to teach other year groups or run their CCAs etc. We are aiming to organise an optional wellbeing event/support session for learners not having academic support during that time. This essentially then balances out the missed CCA and assembly/PSHE slot that is usually timetabled for that same time.
Finally, I will be adding more “Coffee with the HoS” zoom sessions over the next couple of weeks, please check your emails in the portal for the zoom links if you would like to join.
As always, stay safe and well.
