Virtual Teaching and Learning

Once again, due to the national lockdown, we find ourselves in a virtual teaching and learning environment. We continue to use our suite of software packages (Teams, OneNote etc) and both staff and girls are becoming increasingly confident with the technology having learned so much in the Summer Term 2020. Our IT staff have been busy sending out tips and ideas to help everything to run as smoothly as possible and we continue to strive to deliver the best possible learning experience for our pupils. Some new innovations this time around include the decision to encourage the girls to have their cameras on for lessons with background blurred. This particularly helps teachers to respond to their needs. We have also discovered some novel ways of using Teams, such as the option of Teams 'Together Mode'.

Having ‘Cameras On’ and using ‘Together Mode’ have had the immediate impact of creating a learning environment where pupils and their teachers have the sense of being ‘together in person’ thus making the lessons more engaging.  We will continue to explore the potential of the software we use for online learning with the aim of enhancing the experience for all involved. 

Our teachers continue to use imaginative ideas to bring their online lessons to life.  For example, last week Year 7 pupils were practising the present tense in Latin by composing verbs visually using materials they could easily find around the house (see example pictured); Year 8 pupils made a great start to learning about computer aided design using Tinker CAD, an online CAD drawing programme; Year 9 pupils undertaking the HPQ (Higher Project Qualification) learned about how to plan their academic essay via a very clear pre-recorded video produced by the teachers running the programme.