SCHOOL’S IN New term, new rules

LESSONS LEARNED

As if the start of a new term wasn’t testing enough, Bristol’s schools have had to rise to a set of unprecendented new challenges...

As a new school year begins, the overwhelming systems and enhanced cleaning regimes, while Clifton College deputy concern for everyone involved in education is head Alex Tebay confirmed that the school would be adhering to the keeping everyone safe. It’s a huge ask: kids are same protocols. naturally gregarious, and the concept of social distancing a very alien concept. From kindergarten TAKE IT ONLINE to late teenage years, young people like to socialise. Lockdown meant that suddenly, students would need to be taught using Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the coronavirus methods never before tried en masse in the long history of education. wants them to do. . . At Badminton, the school already had in place a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This meant that the move to remote teaching was THE ONLY WAY IS ONE-WAY reasonably straightforward. Traditional face-to-face teaching was out; Colston’s head Jeremy McCullough explains that year-bubbles have instead pupils were now learning with the help of uploaded worksheets, been introduced at the school. This PowerPoints with voiceover, and preworks on the principle of groups of recorded clips of teacher explanation. students being kept apart; separation is completed through having staggered “Young people like to The school told us that after the Easter break, more interactive teaching times for starting and finishing. If anyone in the bubble gets ill, everyone socialise; unfortunately, that’s was introduced. Tutor meetings became part of the school week, along else is sent home. “We’re fortunate to have such a exactly what the coronavirus with community conversations online. Similarly at Colston’s, investment wonderful amount of space across our grounds, enabling us to allocate wants them to do” had already been made into online learning, so that some semblance to outside space across our playing fields school life was maintained. for different year groups and bubbles,” Jeremy McCullough outlined the said Jeremy. “We have staggered break times and lunch times to allow evolution of the process as lockdown progressed. “Our students had us to continue to provide a cooked lunch for all our students.” access to a number of daily live lessons via our e-learning provision.

At Badminton, the senior leadership team have also set out their This helped them to maintain a sense of routine, and regular contact strategies, “from one-way systems in smaller spaces and different with their tutor, teachers and peers allowed them to keep connected venues, to access points for different year groups and hand-sanitising with the school community.” stations by entry points.” At The Downs, measures were taken immediately lockdown was

Tom Westray, assistant head at The Downs Preparatory School, told announced. Assistant head Tom Westray outlined their strategy: “We us that they’d be adopting the same principles of year bubbles, one-way had a three-day window to trial some ideas for remote learning. Pupils

main pic and below: Hand-sanitising and queuing: the new normal at Colston’s

educational institutes over the summer was that of exam grading. Did the government handle it badly?

a very complex problem. “What was most difficult for staff and pupils to deal with was the ever-changing message about the final grade to be awarded, as well as the appeals process,” they said. At Colston’s, the Government’s final decision to leave the grading of exam papers to teachers was welcomed. “We were confident that we knew our students really well, and would be in a strong position to ascribe Centre Assessed grades that would closely reflect those they would have achieved had they been able to sit their exams,” said Jeremy McCullough. AND NOW THE GOOD NEWS... Some positives did emerge from the lockdown. At Badminton, the adoption rate of new technology is seen as a definite plus. As the school puts it: “It’s true when people say ‘necessity is the mother of invention’.” For individual students, there were some Obviously, cricket must go on at Clifton College – or what would WG Grace say...? benefits, too. “Pupils enjoyed having one-toone academic and pastoral chats online; they checked in with form teachers and began completing their work online. spoke more fully, more freely and engaged more completely than in We learnt a lot from these three days and are proud to say that we personal meetings. It was as if by entering a space in which they feel began virtual live lessons from day one of the summer term.” native in communication we had struck a chord; we plan to harness this

But online tuition and e-learning has some clear drawbacks. A sense and retain online chats in our ongoing provision.” of isolation can develop when there’s a lack of social contact. Tom Westray at The Downs School felt that lockdown brought

At Colston’s, several steps were taken to help safeguard the mental about an even stronger team spirit at the school. “Staff have evidently wellbeing of pupils and staff. Jeremy McCullough told us that live daily been reinvigorated by the challenge it presented and will undoubtedly tutor sessions with the pupils helped them maintain contact with other use elements of the online learning platform in their future planning,” pupils and teachers. he said. “For the pupils it was a huge test of their resilience, something

“We also offered individual support to students when needed. Now often questioned of this generation.” that they’re back in school, daily tutor sessions continue to be an Jeremy McCullough at Colston’s also commented on the resilience integral part of the day in helping to ensure students feel connected. of students and staff, and he feels that the crisis strengthened the Our house system also plays a key part in our strong pastoral provision. community spirit throughout the school.

“For our teaching and support staff, we encouraged regular Colston’s is lucky to have an inspired design technology department, departmental catch-ups and held a although it’s doubtful if before March of series of ‘coffee and chat’ meetings to this year they would have dreamt they’d allow staff to get together and see each other socially, albeit online. This ensured “It’s been a real test of be making over 500 face shields. “These were distributed to local care tht our close sense of community was maintained throughout lockdown.” pupils’ resilience; something homes, GP practices and hospital wards, all over Bristol,” explains Jeremy. “Our At Downs School, staff and pupils completed wellbeing surveys. The that is often questioned of community supported us by helping raise over £1,000 to put towards the materials. feedback from these will allow everyone to talk openly about their experiences. this generation” Staff, pupils and Old Colstonians all got involved in sewing scrubs, bags and “Our school counsellor and all members masks for key workers, creating a real of the pastoral care team are always sense of community at a difficult time.” available,”said Tom Westray. “‘Not for oneself but for all’, where we Alex Tebay acknowledges that pupils missed all the things at school always help one another out.” that used to be taken for granted – mixing with friends, playing sports,

Innovative thinking has also been brought to bear on other activities. taking part in all sorts of activities outside the classroom, group Alex Tebay revealed that their school musical this year has been pulled, learning. But the silver lining is that the pupils have really enjoyed but an outlet still exists for musical talent. “We’re creating small groups returning to school, and the sense of community has become even who’ll take part in socially distanced rehearsals, and will then be filmed stronger. “It has also mean that pupils are more galvanised than ever for a performance evening.” to make a difference in what they do, from their activities with the THE GREAT EXAM GRADING DEBATE Community Programme,” she said. One of the thorniest and most controversial issues facing all We do like to go out on a positive. n Charity Committee to volunteering opportunities within Clifton in the

Badminton school is even-handed on the subject. “Clearly it was a YOU HAVE BEEN READING very difficult situation, and while some countries still made provision for badmintonschool.co.uk pupils to sit exams despite the lockdown, the UK government’s decision cliftoncollege.com was for those exams to be cancelled.” colston.org

The management team were aware that it was always going to be thedownsschool.co.uk