EDUCATION
Finishing on a
High
Kirsty Mackenzie,
head of Teesside High
School, reflects on
an unprecedented
academic year
Ten year groups returned to
Teesside High School in June
No-one could have predicted
a school year like 2019-20 - it
certainly will live long in the memory.
The coronavirus pandemic
has enabled schools across the country
to sit back and reflect on their working
practices. At Teesside High, we went from
delivering classroom education to our pupils
spanning three-to-18 years to creating and
implementing a virtual distance learning
programme, almost overnight.
The resilience, tenacity and flexibility of
our pupils and staff in adapting to working
and learning from home has been nothing
short of exceptional. The ability to innovate
and develop new ways of working, using
our expertise to meet the changing needs
of pupils, is something that will benefit our
organisation for years to come.
In 12 weeks of lockdown, Teesside High
School staff delivered more than 2,000
lessons using Google Meet, implementing
113 modified schemes of work using over 20
supplementary online learning platforms.
Student engagement was consistently
above 96–98 per cent for senior school year
groups.
We have worked with great foresight
to ensure our students will not be
disadvantaged by Covid-19 in the future. We
recently adapted our teaching timeframes
for A-level study for Year 12 and GCSE study
for Year 9, amending timetables to suit
option choices and ensuring we had plentiful
time to teach, recap and revise ahead of
examinations in two years’ time.
Similarly, we devised an online transition
programme for those heading to our sixth
form, aware they have a long stretch out
of education
over the summer months due to the sudden
closure of school.
I have taken great pride in the way our
school community has shone through in
often dark times. Through virtual VE Day
concerts, the weekly Clap for Carers, online
transition opportunities, daily pastoral
challenges and family quiz nights, the spirit
of Teesside High School has been at the
forefront of everything we have aimed to
achieve.
The last few weeks have provided
some elements of normality, with ten year
groups being able to return to school. It
has been wonderful to hear our corridors
and classrooms come alive once again, with
purposeful learning taking place and pupils
catching up with their friends and teachers
after many months apart.
We are determined to continue with
our phased reopening to welcome all year
groups back in September and are pleased
that recent government guidance will now
allow us to do so. We are fortunate to be
able to manage this safely with large, open
spaces and small classes.
Despite a tough few months, we are
starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
I cannot wait to see all of our pupils back in
school after the summer break. If one thing
is certain, it hasn’t been the same without
them.
Teesside High School’s friendly admissions
team is working to accommodate interest
in places for September 2020 and is now
taking requests for appointments and tours
(social distancing measures are in place).
If you wish to find out more, call 01642 782095
or email [email protected]
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