Staff and students at the Alun School in Mold have their say on lockdown education

One of the biggest and complex areas has been in education, as schools adapted for the return of their students back in September, and then made further adjustments as remote learning became a longer term reality.

While the politics of it all continues to make the headlines, we checked in with a few schools to get an insight into how things are for those experiencing a whole new way of teaching and learning, starting with staff and students at the Alun School, in Mold.

If staff and students at your school would like to take part in our lockdown learning Q&A, please email claire.pierce@newsquest.co.uk for more details

• Jane Cooper, headteacher

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of teaching?

Ensuring that, as teachers, we all have the skills to provide the best possible remote teaching and use the available IT to support and engage students in their learning.

What, if anything, do you miss?

Meeting students and colleagues around the school building.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

I have learnt lots of new skills that will be useful even when schools return to normal. I have also seen that lots of students and teachers have learnt new skills and that students have developed as independent learners.

Any thoughts on the direction of teaching in the future?

I really appreciate the value of the communication and learning that usually happens in the classroom. I think incorporating the skills that teachers and pupils have learnt through remote teaching into classroom teaching will help us to be even better.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

My lockdown watch is Hidden Figures.

• Kate Rogers, teacher of Humanities

Kate Rogers, teacher of Humanities.

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of teaching?

The biggest challenge has been the amount of time taken to update resources to make them suitable for online learning. Going through each lesson and meticulously preparing for every lesson taking in to consideration the needs of all pupils.

What, if anything, do you miss?

I really miss the face-to-face interaction with the pupils and seeing their reaction to what I am asking or showing them. Talking to a screen is not the same.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

The level of engagement from some pupils who might be quiet and shy in a class has been really positive. I think some have gained confidence answering questions from their computers rather than speaking out in class.

Any thoughts on the direction of teaching in the future?

I think we certainly need to utilise the digital skills we have all gained and put them to good use for future lessons. Since the first home learning began in March, and since returning to school in September, I have only set homework through Teams, rather than ask for paper copies of work in. This has enabled me to monitor and track pupil progress far more efficiently and provide feedback that has been prompt and in more detail.

Anything else you would like to share?

I am suffering from a bad back from being hunched over a laptop all day and my eyes are certainly going square!!! On a serious note, let's hope we get back in to school sooner rather than later.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

Bridgerton and The Queen's Gambit (both on Netflix – thank God for Netflix!!!)

• Lauren Cox, 17, Year 12

Lauren Cox, Year 12

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of learning?

Staying motivated to complete schoolwork is very difficult at times with the current situation. A lot of students are working from their bedrooms, so there is no sort of separation between learning and relaxing, which can be quite frustrating. Also, a lot of students don't have easy access to a printer, which can make organising notes/note taking difficult and stressful.

What, if anything, do you miss?

I really miss being with and having proper communication with friends. I also miss the school environment; doing work from your bedroom rather than a classroom can make it difficult to be in the right frame of mind for working.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

I feel like I have a lot more time in the day, especially in the morning, which is great to fit in a workout or do some work before class starts.

How do you think things will be different in the future at school?

When school closes or pupils are unable to make it into school, there is the option to complete lessons online. This would be reassuring to many students; especially those preparing for exams.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

If you have the energy, there are tons of free home workouts on YouTube, which are great fun for all fitness levels. Alternatively, Dunkirk, Mamma Mia and The Crown are fab to curl up on the sofa and watch with some snacks.

• Alys Winstanley, Learning Support Assistant

Alys Winstanley, Learning Support Assistant

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of teaching?

Having to adapt quickly to the continuous changes and figuring out how best to support students virtually.

What, if anything, do you miss?

I miss being with the students at school and catching up with staff on a regular basis. Nothing will be able to replace the energy and cheerfulness of the classroom.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

Not that have surprised me necessarily, but I'm in awe of how mature the students have been in dealing with the impact of the pandemic. It's a difficult and disruptive time to be a school student and they have been working incredibly hard and shown a lot of grit and independence. I hope they give themselves the credit they deserve.

Any thoughts on the direction of teaching in the future?

All staff and students have shown a lot of resilience making online learning work efficiently, so much so that snow days may be a thing of the past.

Anything else you would like to share?

Charlie Mackesy, artist and author of The Boy, the mole, the fox and the horse, shared a new artwork recently with the inscription "This storm is making me tired," said the boy. "Storms get tired too" said the horse, "so hold on".

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing on BBC iPlayer and the NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts on YouTube (there are loads of artists to choose from) for some nostalgic live music sets to listen to whilst dreaming of concerts again.

• Michael Newland, Head of English

Michael Newland, Head of English

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of teaching?

The things you take for granted in 'normal' times. For instance, addressing literacy issues is obviously important in English lessons (and across the school) and one of the most effective ways to do that is by circulating the room, looking over students' shoulders and catching the mistakes as they occur. But the two metre social distancing made that extremely difficult and remote learning makes it even tougher, so you have to completely reconsider your approach to something you have done for years. Fortunately, the profession is wonderfully generous and so many teachers have shared tips and advice so, eventually, a solution crops up.

What, if anything, do you miss?

It has to be the interaction with students. From teaching your classes to supervising break times to just being out on the corridor, we're used to interacting with hundreds of people each day. And now I'm stuck in a room staring at a screen! It's those little chats or the running jokes that I've really missed.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

I think many of our students have shown just how resilient they are. I honestly don't know how I would have managed lockdown and remote learning if I was a teenager. Yet, the vast majority of our students have just got on with things and are still producing fantastic pieces of work despite the challenges that have come their way. I think they will be a lot stronger for this. And a lot more politically engaged, but that's a whole other story.

Any thoughts on the direction of teaching in the future?

I worked in England for six years before moving to Alun School and what struck me then was how much more collaborative the approach was on this side of the border. I can only see that growing in strength. Remote learning on this scale is completely new and teachers have been at the forefront of discovering new approaches and strategies. They haven't jealously guarded what works, but instead shared it so that as many students as possible, right across the country, can benefit. Twitter means that a novel approach to teaching English in Mold can be shared and used by a teacher in Newport within hours and I think this collaboration will keep growing into the future.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

The best book I've read in lockdown is Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff. It's a non-fiction account of the lives of the first astronauts, although it reads like a novel at times. I believe there's a small screen version on Disney+, but as an English teacher, I must insist you read the book!

• Nia Jones, 15, Year 10

Nia Jones, 15, Year 10.

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of learning?

This term I think that the biggest challenges I have faced are not being able to see my friends in school and having to learn online through a computer screen.

Although I do not see them in person every day, my teachers have been really supportive and have helped me and my friends learn through these tough times. I miss my friends, but I also miss being in school itself.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

I have learnt that I need to be conscientious and work very hard throughout the year, not just for exam preparation.

My teachers have always been on hand during our virtual lessons but also via email if I have any worries or questions. They have also given me feedback on my work each time which is always constructive.

I think that my ICT skills will have improved much more as I have to use various platforms in order to access and present my work.

I have also enjoyed working from home because I can spend more time at home with my mum and dad who also have to work from home on some occasions.

How do you think things will be different in the future at school?

In the future I think, children will be learning online more often, maybe using ICT for homework tasks and during lesson time.

Due to the 2020 and 2021 exam changes, the exam system may also change for future year groups.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

During this lockdown I have enjoyed watching Bridgeton on Netflix and lots of different films. I have also enjoyed Zoom training sessions with Mold Netball Club.

• Lauren Winning, Head of Clwyd House

Lauren Winning, Head of Clwyd House

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of teaching?

Constantly adapt our planning every few weeks. The school has had to adapt hugely to Covid-19 guidelines with regards to the layout of the building and structure of the school day and it seems every few weeks we have had different news, whether it be the firebreak, full lockdown, changes to examinations. We have had to take things day by day and it gets hard to reassure students when you don't quite know what is coming, especially those in exam years. Planning anything for the medium to long-term is hard as things have to change when there is another announcement in the news.

Another challenge has been trying to support vulnerable students whilst school has been closed. We have the 'Hub' but not all students take up our offer, so we try and work really hard to make sure we keep in touch with our most vulnerable students to let them know we are always here for them.

What, if anything, do you miss?

At the moment, it's just seeing the students' faces. Teaching relies on seeing faces for that 'penny drop moment'. You can judge how much they understand and adapt and tailor your approach within the lesson. Pastorally, we have really tried to measure student's mental health as we have been teaching online. It is too easy for students to say 'fine' over the computer but when you see their faces, you can tell straight away if they are ok or not. By seeing them face to face they feel they can share more and trust you with their concerns. Our school is normally, so busy it isn't the same without the noise of the students along the corridors.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

Staff in school were already quite advanced in using Office 365 applications alongside their teaching but for me, this has forced me to try new and innovative ways to teach online to keep the students engaged and motivated. Staff have been great at sharing anything they have found online and it means we can all try a few new approaches. I think some of these will stick within our teaching in the future

The biggest positive I feel is that there is an appreciation for the benefits of school by the whole of the community. People have understood that school is more than a place to learn, it is a safe space where friendships are formed, memories are made and students feel safe and supported. Without school, the students can struggle massively and unfortunately, we are seeing this along with implications on their mental health.

Any thoughts on the direction of teaching in the future?

It has been a strange academic year so far in that we are teaching exam age students without knowing what or how they will be assessed in the summer. Perhaps in the future there will be more of the continual smaller assessments as it sometimes is hard to grasp that two years of exam studies it measured in a set of examinations, especially if the students are having an 'off-day'. Who knows?

Anything else you would like to share?

I am proud of the way the Alun has adapted to online teaching. We offer a full timetable of live lessons which means that students are busy learning and there should be no pressure on parents to have to teach when they are also busy working. I have spoken to many parents over the last few weeks who feel anxious, overwhelmed and are struggling to motivate their students. All we ask is that everyone tries their best so that when they return to school we can push them to reach their full potential.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

The Crown.

• Tom Seddon, PE Teacher

Tom Seddon – PE Teacher

What have been the biggest challenges in terms of the current way of teaching?

As a PE teacher, it's taken lots of creative thinking to come up with ideas to deliver PE lessons through a laptop screen. Some students do not have access to equipment or space, so the challenge has been to make sure all pupils are able to access the activities we set, even if that means substituting weights for tins of baked beans!

We knew that access to technology and having good WiFi would present challenges for pupils and staff at times too. For me, in addition to this, finding a quiet space in the house with a newborn baby has proved tricky.

What, if anything, do you miss?

I miss the interaction with the students and the lively discussions you would have with a class full of pupils during a face-to-face lesson. Going from spending my working day outdoors to sitting behind a laptop has been hard, as you can imagine as a PE teacher, I never quite imagined working on a laptop so much during my working day.

I'd best mention my colleagues too – I'm missing not seeing them as much and having a chat over a morning coffee.

Have there been any surprising positives to come out of this?

I think students and staff have adapted fantastically to online learning and those who are engaging well are progressing which as a teacher is all you want for your students. Some older students have fed back that they actually prefer this way of learning as it has increased their independence having to take responsibility for their own learning – a taste of how learning may be in college or university. I think students enjoy completing their work at their own pace and in a more comfortable learning environment too.

Any thoughts on the direction of teaching in the future?

I think that there are lots of opportunities to be had from online learning in the future and integrating elements of this current way of teaching could prove effective when schools return to normal. However, the face-to-face interaction of teaching is invaluable and being in the classroom is where our students learn best.

Recommended lockdown read or watch:

Quizzes on Zoom with family and friends have really taken their toll – I now find myself willingly watching The Chase to improve my general knowledge so I don't embarrass myself too much when taking part.