Here for our girls, no matter what

Our Junior School was in a much stronger position than most when the Government announced, on Friday 20 March, 2020, that all schools were to close due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Here, each pupil has their own personal iPad, and they use it in the classroom everyday as a key learning tool. Even our youngest pupils in Year 3 are adept with ‘Firefly’ – our school’s digital learning platform – so we are able to move seamlessly into virtual learning from our homes during lock-downs.   

Using Zoom the teaching staff provide a full timetable of live lessons, across all subject areas including music, PE, maths, science and English. We also ask that the girls wear their uniform at home during the 'school day' to help with their routines, and we take a register at the beginning of every lesson to ensure we have full attendance.  

In addition to timetabled lessons, we also enjoy whole-school assembles, ad-hoc challenges and a range of creative arts initiatives. For example, in the Spring of 2020, Year 4 took part in the Getty Museum challenge, which invited them to re-create a famous painting – in this, they absolutely excelled themselves!   

The lock-downs have also given our staff an opportunity to develop their digital skills to ensure the girls continue to make progress and achieve. Equally important, is how this daily contact allows the teaching team to monitor the girls’ mental and emotional well-being during what is, for some, a challenging time.  

With this in mind, and to support the pupils’ well-being, we use remote learning to make things fun! We can actually use the lock-down time to do things we wouldn’t normally do – such as ‘bring-your-pet-to-school’ days, online Scratch-coding or rainbow dress-up days.  

As Deputy Head Mrs Edbrooke said, “Whether it's murder mysteries in maths, or mirror-mazes in science, it is this kind of creative thinking that kept our girls engaged, stimulated and connected throughout this pandemic. 

“While we know the girls would always rather be in school, and that nothing can replace the benefit of face-to-face learning, we have fine-tuned our remote learning provision.  We have been able, once again, to roll the virtual programme out at a moment’s notice. 

"In these uncertain times, we hope that’s one thing parents can take great comfort from."