The principal of Broadoak Academy, Kathleen Mcgillycuddy, is keen to reassure parents by revealing the school’s plan for students’ return to in-person learning on Monday.
Broadoak, in Weston’s Windwhistle Road, said its live lessons this week have been reduced in a bid to support and prepare pupils for their return to school next week, while the academy digests the Government’s logistical reopening and Covid-19 testing guidance.
Kathleen said: “Excellent attendance is key for a successful reopening and Broadoak is getting ready to bring in students who had poor attendance last time and/or were Covid-anxious early, to prepare them for the return of all students on Monday.
"Staff reduced live delivery of lessons this week so students can prepare for the all-important first day back next week. Previously, the academy staged all live lessons, for all year groups, all day.
“In addition to this, we also won’t be expecting staff to deliver lessons as usual. Instead, senior leaders will encourage the use of videos to ensure all students can hear clear explanations, while leaving teachers free to support the students who greatly need it.
“To prepare for this change, teachers will be filming examples of high-quality work, with precise explanations of key concepts and overviews of curriculum units on Microsoft Stream between now and Monday to use in class. These videos will also be a resource which we will encourage students to watch in their own time.”
Broadoak adds that parents ‘should not worry’ about how much children have managed to achieve during home learning. Kathleen said students and staff were ‘exhausted’ early in September and the academy is ‘determined’ to avoid that happening again.
Kathleen added: “Parents should be reassured that instead; the academy wants an understanding of where we want students to get to in their learning as soon as possible and what the staging posts on that pathway might be to close the gap on lost learning.”
“We are calling it our Return 2 Strategy, couching it in terms of colleague mental and physical wellness.
“As well as looking at classroom readiness, we’re also encouraging everyone to sign up for a Cabot Learning Federation Trust-wide big walk/run to incentivise people to up their daily steps and exercise.”
Staff will continue to utilise the technologies they have been using during the lockdown to enhance learning.
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