Local schools in Jesmond will be continuing aspects of remote learning when they return to in-person teaching next month.

Newcastle High School for Girls, Royal Grammar School Newcastle, and Dame Allan’s School have all found certain parts of online teaching to be beneficial to the school community, aiding students and staff in terms of learning, communicating, and pastoral care.

Michael Tippett, Head of Newcastle High School for Girls (NHSG), said that the school’s home learning programme has shown the strengths of technology for teaching.

“Home learning has involved online live lessons as well as co-curricular activities and pastoral support, through the use of Microsoft Teams and other online software such as OneNote and Flipgrid,” he said. “These platforms have enabled pupils and teachers to easily share work and collaborate.”

Tippett added: “There is no question that the use of this technology will be an intrinsic part of teaching and learning here at NHSG going forward.”

While studying at home certainly changes pupils’ learning experience, technology has enabled any disruptions to be kept to a minimum.

Roger Loxley, the Deputy Head Academic at Jesmond’s Royal Grammar School (RGS), told JesmondLocal that staff have enjoyed the opportunity to experiment with new forms of teaching.

“Like all schools we have undergone a very steep learning curve during the pandemic, and we will certainly be taking forward the best features of the work that we have been doing to enhance our educational provision,” he said. “This might well include the use of technology and improved mechanisms for communication.”

Online learning has offered pupils a range of apps which allow them to interact with each other in new, creative ways. Kahoot quizzes, Google Classroom, and online polls encourage student participation and collaboration in lessons.

Natalie Shaw, the Vice Principal of Dame Allan’s School, told JesmondLocal that teachers will continue to use certain platforms they have found to be beneficial.

“Google Jamboard is something we will carry on using when we return to normal school given it is, in essence, a mini whiteboard, and so its use for immediate feedback from the pupils in terms of their understanding has, and will continue to be, helpful to teachers,” she said.

Shaw said that staff have found technology to be an effective form of communication with parents as well as pupils. “Through the use of School Cloud, we have been able to keep in touch with parents and maintain our sense of community. Parents evening, information events, and our Futures Fair have all become virtual events posted on our website.”

Shaw added: “We may well continue to deliver some information to parents in this way and we will definitely be looking to see if we can stream these events in the future for those who cannot attend in person, so they are still able to feel part of the Dame Allan’s family.”

All schools have said that feedback on remote learning has been generally positive from both students and parents. While they are eager for in-person teaching to resume, they are pleased that teaching and pastoral support have been able to continue effectively throughout the current lockdown.