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2,500 Live Online Lessons
Teaching our 2,500th Live Online Lesson
Since the start of lockdown in March 2020, our teachers have collectively delivered over 2,500 live lessons. These have been provided for pupils in all year groups and by the end of the Summer term there will have been over 2,900 lesson taught online. This has enabled pupils to interact with their teachers and peers.
Liz Lang, Head of School, said: ‘Our staff have been brilliant at adapting their teaching to ensure pupils have been able to continue with live lessons as part of their home learning diet. Pupils have been really positive about this experience too, although some were initially a little camera shy!’
Rob Carmichael, Teacher of Maths, has taught many lessons through Teams now: ‘Teams has been a fantastic tool to teach with, allowing real-time connection to pupils as they work. It has enabled instant feedback on work as well as providing the opportunity for pupils who are finding work challenging a source of immediate help and assistance. Pupils in all year groups have made use of the chance to set up extra Teams meetings when in need of help. The impact of this to tackle difficulties, compared with back and forth email/SMHW messages, has been phenomenal. It has already made me consider ways to utilise technology to enhance my practice in the future.’
Through Microsoft Teams pupils have been able to attend scheduled online lessons where they can talk with the teacher and each other. Teachers can share useful resources whilst teaching the classes and can quickly respond to questions the pupils might have about the work that they are focused on.
Joe, in Year 9, said: ‘I have loved my online Teams lessons. Before the online lessons started I was sometimes struggling to find motivation but now with my online lessons I find it a lot easier to do work. It has also helped me cope with lockdown as a whole because it gives me a daily routine: the lessons make me feel like life is starting to feel somewhat normal again.’
Tom, a pupil moving into Year 11 said: ‘I have to say I think its brilliant and because of it, I have been able to join my lessons like I would if I was in school, so I haven't got too far behind in my lessons working towards my GCSEs. With Teams I still felt connected to Deer Park School getting all the support from my teachers in the safety of my own home. I have loved it.’
I am immensely proud of our staff who have made an impressive commitment to maintaining the rhythm and momentum of learning at Deer Park throughout lockdown. Teaching so many live lessons is a real achievement and this has helped us secure and sustain high levels of pupil engagement.
Chiquita Henson, Headteacher
In September we plans on having all pupils returning to school, as outlined by the government; however, should there be a need to move to remote learning again in the future, the school is very well set up to move back to the provision it has been using in recent weeks. Learning definitely hasn’t stopped at Deer Park School and nor will it!