Consistent communication is the biggest challenge of staggered school return, say teachers and school leaders
New research from Renaissance, which creates educational software tools to improve outcomes and accelerate learning, has revealed that consistent communications (31%) and supporting the mental health and wellbeing of pupils (23%) are the biggest challenges to teaching during the school return. The research asked almost six hundred (598) senior school leaders, department heads, and teachers about their experience of teaching during this period of blended learning. But the period of remote education means that now nearly two-thirds (65%) of teachers and senior leaders say they are more confident using edtech compared to pre-Coronavirus. This is positive as three-quarters (75%) believe online remote or blended learning will play a continued role in education after lockdown ends. How schools deliver online learning will therefore continue to be a key consideration. With such a variety of online tools available, experts at Renaissance are encouraging schools to take advantage of teachers’ improved edtech confidence and expand their digital offering so they can set consistent learning for pupils in-school, and at home. Renaissance’s latest research found that during remote learning the online tool that teachers cited as the most effective was quiz-style formats with instant feedback (24%). The government has announced a Covid-19 catch up fund, and a number of organisations have expressed concerns about learning inconsistencies during lockdown. When it comes to successful learning, over a third of teachers and schools leaders (34%) believe that the input from parents will have the biggest impact. This is followed by a quarter (25%) who say feedback from teachers, and 16% who believe the ability to set tailored work, would make the largest difference to learning achievement during lockdown. To enable schools to help their pupils keep reading all summer long, Renaissance is offering free access to around 6,000 enhanced digital books and articles from myON and myON News for schools who register here. Renaissance’s other practice and assessment solutions like Accelerated Reader and Star Reading can help teachers to track, monitor and improve their students’ reading for those at home and in the classroom. For those looking to assess student progress at the end of this academic year, or the beginning of 2020/21, it offers complete comprehension quizzes giving teachers invaluable data to track pupil development and guide future learning. Margaret Allen, Curriculum and Education Specialist at Renaissance, said: “We have been so impressed by how quickly pupils, teachers, and schools have adapted to these exceptional times. No technology can replace the role of a teacher in a classroom but it can help teachers to enhance the educational experience for their pupils, and effectively and consistently track their progress. Our tools are designed to help teachers stay on top of their pupils’ performance, and encourage their love of learning, wherever they’re doing it. Education technology can transform pupils’ outcomes now more than ever, and we’re committed to supporting schools to make the process as easy as possible.” Kate Jennings, Head Teacher at Mission Grove Primary School said: “Every school will be experiencing challenges as we try to navigate a staggered school return. We’re determined to provide tailored learning and structure to every child’s education and Renaissance’s products have enabled us to do this over the last few months. It’s been great how the products have been adapted to enable pupils to use them at home during Covid-19. Our teaching staff have found it invaluable to be able to track the progress of each student at home. The pupils get so much enjoyment reading and quizzing on Accelerated Reader and it’s a brilliant way for our teachers to identify which children need different levels of support, both now and for when they return to school full time.” To further support schools and trusts in providing students with uninterrupted access to a full suite of tried-and-tested practice and assessment solutions, Renaissance has created the Continual Learning and Assessment Solution (CLAS) for MATs at a reduced rate. Find out more at www.renlearn.co.uk/clas-for-mats/
Leading activists still don’t trust their government to address racial discrimination
New research from One Young World’s global network of the young leaders highlights how far we still are from achieving racial justice – with 74 per cent of its Peace Ambassadors stating they have no trust in their government to address the issue in the long-term. Reinforcing this lack of trust in existing leadership, the findings show that over half of the activists surveyed do not think their government will use the current civil rights movement to make meaningful progress in addressing racial discrimination. The survey was undertaken with One Young World’s Peace Ambassadors – a global network of young leaders on the front line of peace-building around the world supported by the European Commission and Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. An overwhelming majority of the young leaders surveyed do not have faith in the school system or the media (84% and 85% respectively) to educate and report on racial equality properly – highlighting the need for change across every corner of society to achieve real social justice. The findings also highlight effective means of change making and found two thirds of young leaders believe social media is the most important tool for activism in 2020. In the wake of sustained police brutality in the United States of America, the world has been forced to pay attention to racial injustice. However, 1 in 4 of the young activists surveyed do not believe equality will be achieved in the next 5 years – and 1 in 5 do not believe we will ever achieve equality globally. The One Young World Peace Ambassadors surveyed include: Satta Sheriff, Liberia – Founder of Youth in Action for Peace and Empowerment, an NGO dedicated to defending and protecting the rights of Liberian children and vulnerable groups. Achaleke Christian, Cameroon – Founder of Prisonpreneurs, a rapidly-expanding initiative that was established to counter one of the biggest causes of violent extremism: poverty and lack of economic opportunities. Hyppolite Ntigurirwa, Rwanda – Hyppo witnessed his father’s murder during the Rwandan genocide at just seven years old, but has chosen to forgive the killers and dedicate his life to advocating for peace. His Be The Peace initiative promotes inter-ethnic friendships, working educate and unite the post-conflict generations in Rwanda. Zar Li Aye, Myanmar – A human rights lawyer in Myanmar working to give people a fair trial in a system where 90 per cent of defendants are not allowed a lawyer. Ahlem Nasraoui, Tunisia – A nominee of for the UN’s Intercultural Innovation Award, Ahlem is fighting the causes of terrorism in Tunisia through the Young Leaders Entrepreneurs – a nationwide campaign promoting the economic empowerment of at-risk young people. Ella Robertson, Managing Director of One Young World, said:“in the past month we have seen racial injustices brought into the spotlight as people globally call for action on inequality” “At One Young World, we believe that at the heart of every global threat is a failure of leadership and the findings in this recent research from our Peace Ambassadors reinforce just that. We are proud of our global network of young leaders working hard to create a better world – with more responsible, and more effective leadership. The continued support of One Young World peace programmes supported by the European Commission and Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs mean we can connect leading activists around the world who are all changing their community, and the world, for the better.
Headteacher’s pride as Bradford primary children embrace changes driven by Covid-19 crisis
The executive headteacher of two Bradford primary schools has praised the resilience of her children throughout the Covid-19 crisis for the way that they have embraced the changes brought about by the pandemic – including socially distancing, outdoor learning and home schooling. Both Thornton and Wilsden have remained open since lockdown was announced in March, with teaching and support staff forgoing the usual end of term holidays in order to accommodate a number of children, including those who form part of key worker families. The schools have now opened their doors to more children including those in years 1 and 6, Nursery and Reception who returned on June 8th in line. Yet despite the difficulties posed as a result of the strict measures introduced in response to the Government’s rules to help slow the spread of the virus, Executive Headteacher Liz Davison said the children have ‘truly embraced’ what she calls ‘the new norm’. She said: “Since lockdown was announced children across the country have been through so much change. Not being able to see friends and family, and for some, having to adapt to home schooling and being taught by parents and carers instead of teachers. “For the most part, the press is reporting on the doom and gloom of it all, and yet in my experience the children and their families have adapted brilliantly to what is our new norm. For now at least. “We’ve tried to keep learning as varied and enjoyable as possible and we’ve even celebrated different events such as VE day. All in a socially distanced way, of course. Thanks to the fantastic weather we have also taken advantage of outdoor learning and our garden has never looked so good.” Mrs Davison explained that staff have been at school from 7.45am until 6pm each day in order that parents can continue their work as key workers / critical workers. And while most children have not been in school since March 20th, teachers have been busy planning and sending them learning activities to keep them involved. She said: “All of our learners took home a workbook so that they would have something in which to record all the activities that teachers sent to them. They have also been using an online platform so that they can communicate with each other through their teacher, as well as contribute to a class blog and complete different set activities. “Our teachers have also been phoning children every week to check if they are getting on with their learning or if there is anything they need. “Of course, it has been different, and it has required a lot of hard work from both our teachers and support staff, and our children, but for the most part it has been a positive experience. “I am incredibly proud of everyone and the way they have embraced the changes, and we can’t wait to welcome back more of our children as soon as it is safe to do so.” Wilsden and Thornton Primary Schools operate as part of Focus Trust, a charitable multi-academy trust which is based in the North West of England, with a vision of providing an engaging and challenging learning environment where the children are happy.
Back to school (and nursery) from August 12
Following the announcement by Depute First Minister John Swinney on Tuesday 23 June, Aberdeenshire Council is now hoping to welcome all children and young people across the local area back to school from August 12. Laurence Findlay, Director of Education and Children’s Services for Aberdeenshire Council, explains: “We are in the process of finalising our Local Phasing Delivery Plan for the return to school and this will now be in place to support contingency arrangements should these be required. We are carefully considering the announcement made by the Scottish Government and the implications of this for Aberdeenshire.” The aspiration to welcome all pupils back is dependent on successfully reaching or being well on the way to Phase 4 of the Scottish Government Routemap. Local authorities including Aberdeenshire may well still need to enact the contingency arrangements put together to support a blended learning approach at some point and Councillor Gillian Owen is keen to reassure staff, as well as families, that the detailed work which has gone into planning has been very worthwhile. Cllr Owen who chairs Aberdeenshire’s Education and Children’s Services Committee said: “It is absolutely vital that plans to enact a blended learning approach are ready in case they are ever needed. I’d like to thank all of our staff who have gone above and beyond to deliver detailed contingency planning at the same time as continuing to support children and young people across Aberdeenshire. Our unsung heroes have also been delivering much more than simply childcare to the children of keyworkers and have taken great strides in innovative approaches to learning and teaching, all the while supporting their own families and communities.” Education Scotland is expected to review all local authority Local Phasing Delivery Plans later this week and following that Aberdeenshire Council will make this publicly available via its website. Various other announcements were made as part of Mr Swinney’s speech in relation to funding for Newly Qualified Teachers and IT equipment, as well as a commitment to considering a new timetable for the rollout of 1140 extended early learning and childcare. It is anticipated that more detail will be forthcoming in the days ahead so that this can be shared with all of those this will impact upon. In relation to the expansion of early learning and childcare specifically, Cllr Owen added: “We are carefully considering how best to proceed with the expansion of early learning and childcare hours given what Mr Swinney has highlighted. We have written to funded providers to explain our position and we will keep them fully informed of our plans as and when decisions are made at national and local levels. We appreciate these are uncertain and unprecedented times for everyone and we thank you for your patience during this period, where change occurs very rapidly. “We are committed to ensuring that the expansion will still be delivered in full, but when this will be possible remains unclear.” Aberdeenshire’s Local Phasing Delivery Plan, which will now be considered and agreed as an appropriate contingency arrangement, was put together in line with the Scottish Government’s Re-opening schools guide. Vice-chair Cllr Rosemary Bruce is keen to acknowledge that the aspiration to see all pupils back in school full-time in August is likely to raise many new questions for parents, staff and young people. She added: “I’m keen to reassure everyone that health and safety, and wellbeing will always be a core consideration for us. We look forward to seeing more detail from the Scottish Government in the coming days and we will share the implications of that with you as soon as we can.” Cllr Gillian Owen and Laurence Findlay will be leading a Facebook Live session from the local authority’s Facebook @AberdeenshireCouncil page on Monday 29 June from 2pm to field questions. Parents and carers are encouraged to submit their questions in advance, by emailing education@aberdeenshire.gov.uk Further details on Covid-19 education arrangements are on our website at: https://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/schools/schools-covid-19/
Top tips: how to make the most of digital education platforms
Both G Suite for Education and Office 365 Education are intuitive to use and already successfully used daily by thousands of schools of all sizes across England with pupils from 4 – 18 years old. Evidence shows digital education platforms can make a significant difference to schools by improving learning outcomes, particularly for pupils who are struggling, prompting better knowledge sharing, reducing teacher workload, and streamlining processes to save time and money. Local authorities, academy trusts, individual schools and other relevant organisations overseeing schools can apply to get free help to set up a safe and secure digital education platform with Google or Microsoft. Digital education platforms have the potential to transform how schools operate even when their doors are open to all. Adopting these platforms now will unlock whole new ways of working to enhance educational outcomes and school operational efficiencies for years to come. There are some tips from teachers using these digital education platforms every day. We’d recommend sharing with your network to help ease their transition in to virtual teaching: Keep it feeling human: Give personalised and audio feedback to pupils. This will help with motivation and keep an open line of discussion and connection between teachers and pupils. Run a school timetable but be flexible: Having structure is important for the wellbeing of both staff and pupils. In the current climate there’s an obvious need for flexibility but, by setting a weekly timetable – as opposed to a daily one – it gives teachers and students more freedom to balance home and work life. Stay connected and support wellbeing: Encourage staff to schedule virtual ‘coffee catch-ups’. Now more than ever its important time is made for 1-to-1 meetings with line managers and colleagues to check in on one another, particularly if they think someone might be struggling. Upskill your staff: Encourage staff to watch online training videos and take part in the training offered by your digital education platform. If teachers feel more confident navigating the software and utilising all it offers, pupils will have a more engaging learning experience. Get feedback from parents: Parents see how the children respond to activities first hand so ensure they have the option to share their thoughts and suggestions for alterations. Record lessons: This particularly benefits siblings in different classes who have to share one device at home. Children in the same home can alternate between live attendance and watching catch-up videos during gaps in the day. Teach effectively, remotely: The digital education platforms allow you to use effective teaching principles that you would in a physical classroom – so you can give feedback, set homework, to check to see if work has been completed and monitor performance. To take advantage of the free support, and help your pupils now and in the future, visit: covid19.thekeysupport.com There’s further guidance available on the DfE site here.
How schools can access support
The Government has announced a range of measures so teachers and pupils can access support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic and introduction of social distancing, schools have adapted quickly to continue to provide their pupils with education and support at home. To help them to do this, the Government is investing over £100m to support remote education. This includes up to £2,000 per school to help them set up effective digital education platforms, and improve outcomes for pupils now and in the future. To ensure teachers feel confident in using digital education platforms, the Government is funding expert training and support for schools to set up the free-to-use platforms, G Suite for Education or Office 365 Education. The Key is also offering free impartial information and guidance on the platforms available. To support a phased return of pupils this term, a combined approach to using face-to-face and remote education will be needed. Digital education platforms enable teachers to design and deliver tasks for pupils both attending school and those continuing to learn remotely ensuring a quality learning experience for all our young people. Thousands of schools across the country are already currently accessing digital education platforms and the remainder are being urged to follow suit now. To find out more, and get impartial advice on which platform is right for their setting, schools should visit The Key. To ensure schools continue to get the most out of using their platform the Government is also funding training and peer-to-peer support from demonstrator schools, who are already leading the way in using digital education platforms. Schools can find out more about this free support here.
Teacher feedback crucial to better student performance, reveals new Cambridge International research
Teacher feedback is crutial on their work and are not receiving enough, which is having a knock-on effect on student performance, according to new research sponsored by Cambridge International. The Great Teaching Toolkit: Evidence Review, authored by Professor Rob Coe and colleagues from UK-based research organisation Evidence Based Education, sets out four key priorities that teachers should focus on if they want their students to learn more. Based on reviews of hundreds of existing research studies and frameworks of effective teaching, the report highlights four key ‘dimensions’ that can help teachers improve their practice. These are to: Understand the content they are teaching and how it is learnt Create a supportive environment for learning Manage the classroom to maximise the opportunity to learn Present content, activities and interactions that activate their students’ thinking. The key to great teaching is to have all four elements interacting, and to remove barriers that are preventing teachers from being able to create these optimal conditions, such as requiring them to teach unfamiliar subjects. While many teachers and school leaders want to improve their practice, it’s not always easy to know where to start. With school resources so precious and budgets stretched, many are asking how they should prioritise professional development and what the best bets to focus on to make the most difference to students are. This is exactly what Professor Coe and his team aimed to pinpoint with this review, which highlights the common areas that have been proven again and again, around the world, to really have the most potential to transform learning. ‘When great teachers want their students to learn complex tasks, they don’t only describe what those tasks look like,’ said Professor Coe. ‘They break those tasks down into small chunks, support their learners and provide constant feedback. If we want teachers to learn how to do great teaching, we need to do more than just describe what that looks like – we need to give them constant feedback and a practical toolkit. This review is the foundation for providing teachers with feedback on their own development. ‘If we get professional development right, the impact it can have on the culture of a school and the quality of learning is transformational.’ Dr Tristian Stobie, Director, Curriculum and Qualifications Development at Cambridge International, said: ‘Teacher autonomy, creativity and trust have been eroded in some educational systems by a drive toward compliance. Feedback to teachers has not been as supportive and informative as it should be to give them control and ownership over their professional development and practice. ‘Right now, the educational world is in turmoil caused by the Covid-19 crisis. Teachers have had to learn quickly to adapt, teach online and support learners in new ways. In such a climate, the evidence-based insights provided in the Great Teaching Toolkit: Evidence Review are even more significant. Its universal and timely principles will be an invaluable resource to teachers and schools around the world. ‘The principles and practices outlined in the report reflect the principles Cambridge International uses in developing our own professional development services to schools, with the aim of helping teachers become confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged. ‘The Review summarises a lot of existing evidence. We hope that a systematic, authoritative and accessible presentation can give teachers a clear overview of the things that make a difference to student learning. But it is also the foundation of a system of feedback that will support teachers in developing their practice, whatever the phases, subjects or types of school they teach in.’ EBE is following on from this report with the Great Teaching Toolkit, a project to provide teachers with evidence-informed guidance and personalised diagnostic feedback for their long-term professional development. The Great Teaching Toolkit Evidence Review can be downloaded on the Cambridge International website here: https://www.cambridgeinternational.org/support-and-training-for-schools/teaching-cambridge-at-your-school/great-teaching-toolkit/.
A quarter of UK parents want to homeschool after the pandemic – here’s how to do it full-time
When Covid-19 closed schools in the UK, millions of parents were suddenly faced with the unfamiliar world of having to homeschool. While the new routine has certainly had its challenges, a new study has revealed that nearly a quarter of Brits (24%) are considering home-educating their children even after the pandemic is over. For those who are thinking of homeschooling full-time, Greg Smith, Head of Operations at home education provider Oxford Home Schooling, has provided five tips on how to make the transition as smooth as possible. 1. Make sure you notify your child’s school You do not need to ask permission to home educate from either your child’s school or your local authority, but you must let the school know in writing about your decision. If you are removing your child from a special school, then you are also required to inform the local authority. Some councils will provide guidance and free course materials. Occasionally they will also make informal enquiries to make sure your child is getting a sufficient education, so be ready to provide evidence such as work samples or reports. 2. Consider how long you’re planning on homeschooling Some parents may want to trial homeschooling for a few months, or even a few years, before returning their child to mainstream education. If this is the case, you should definitely choose a provider or system that closely follows the national curriculum. One of the benefits of homeschooling is that parents have flexibility with the content they teach, but if there is any chance that the children will go back to school in the future, you should not deviate too much from the standard syllabus. This will make it easier for your child to readjust should they eventually decide to return to school. 3. Identify the best teaching style for your child If your child is over five years old, you are legally obliged to provide a full-time education, but you can decide what that involves. Every child learns at their own pace and in their own way and the beauty of homeschooling is that you can cater your teaching to complement this. Some homeschool students respond best to structured learning, with timetables and routines, while others will thrive in a less rigid environment. If you think the latter may be most suitable, allow your child to explore their interests and shape their learning around these. You may find that active or practical exercises are more productive than traditional textbook tasks. 4. Think about the logistics It is important to consider who will be doing the majority of the homeschooling and whether they can realistically devote enough time to make it effective. The flexibility of home education means it is possible to do it while working full-time, but this is naturally a bit more challenging. Consider sharing teaching responsibilities with your partner, a family member or someone else from the homeschooling community. Alternatively, you could homeschool on an evening or a weekend, or think about changing your work shifts. 5. Remember you won’t be alone Our latest research found that homeschooling in the UK has more than doubled in recent years. Virtually every local authority has seen large increases and there are now homeschooling communities all over the country that frequently meet up. These communities are always willing to welcome new members and answer questions, so before you commit to home education, check out your local group’s Facebook page. People sometimes doubt whether homeschooled children develop social skills at the same rate as those in traditional education. However, in reality, they can often surpass their peers in this regard, as by attending local homeschooling events, students socialise with a wider age-range of children and this massively helps with confidence. For more information on what is required from homeschooling parents, visit: https://www.oxfordhomeschooling.co.uk/general/home-schooling-the-law/
Schools and parents turn to virtual tuition as children risk falling behind
Schools and parents across Britain are urgently turning to virtual tuition services to prevent pupils from falling up to a year behind in key subjects like maths. It is widely accepted that the COVID-19 pandemic, which has forced many pupils out of school since March, will produce substantial losses in learning that will also be impacted by school closures over the summer months. Education experts believe that this will accumulate into substantial and permanent learning losses as many children fall further behind over the summer and never catch up. A recent report from RISE Insight revealed that the time spent at home during lockdown could result in more than a full year’s worth of learning loss because pupils will be behind the curriculum when they return to school and will fall yet further behind as time goes on. In addition, experts say maths knowledge normally regresses by two to three months over the summer break due to lack of practice. This loss of learning is known as the ‘Summer Slide.’ It means many schools will potentially face chaos in September – with pupils struggling to catch up from the impact of the coronavirus lockdown. Richard Marett, CEO of global learning company Whizz Education (www.whizzeducation.com), said his company has seen usage rise by up to 50% in its interactive tuition programme. The company says this highlights the importance of a cross-party initiative in Westminster to ensure children from low-income families have internet access. “We have seen an increase in usage of up to 50% in some schools in the UK since the onset of the school lockdown. Many parents are rightly concerned about their child’s education. They need professional support if home schooling is to be effective,” said Mr Marett, an Oxbridge maths graduate. “There is strong evidence that a gap in teaching a subject like maths can actually result in a pupil’s knowledge of that subject regressing. It’s a double whammy, because not only does the child stop learning, but their progress can actually go backwards. “For this reason, schools normally face a challenge catching up even at the best of times in September, but this year things will be far more difficult. Schools will need to deploy remediation programmes to reduce long term lost learning following reopening. There are huge benefits to schools and parents if they are able to take advantage of online learning between now and the start of the new school year.” Research shows that just 60 minutes of online tuition per week over the course of a year can boost a child’s maths ability by the equivalent of 18 months learning. The Maths-Whizz programme (www.whizz.com) uses interactive learning and games in order to tailor virtual maths tuition to each pupil’s learning needs. It uses AI to teach children, mirroring the behaviour of a human tutor, allowing for parents and teachers to provide feedback and support. Maths-Whizz has been certified by kidSAFE, the independent certification service that reviews and certifies the safety practices of child-friendly websites and applications. The programme is being used by many schools throughout the UK (see notes). However, not all children have access to home learning facilities – hence Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh recently submitted a bill with cross-party support in Westminster that will ensure 1.3 million children on free school meals are given internet and devices to help them to study. In addition to schools, Parents are also able access the Maths-Whizz platform on an individual basis with a week’s free trial and a monthly cost of £19.99. The award-winning company was formed 16 years ago and has since partnered with schools, ministries of education and development agencies to deliver individualised learning to over a million students (including the most impoverished) worldwide.