Creating a typical day to give kids normality
CEO and headteacher of Cornerstone Academy Trust in Devon, Jonathan Bishop believes live interaction with their teachers is important for his pupils.
And when Jonathan’s pupils log on for a school day, that’s just what they can look forward to. “I think that’s been a really key component for us,” he says. “We’ve received really good feedback because it creates a typical day, and that’s helped give the kids some normality.”
The schools worked quickly to identify which pupils needed support with devices or technology and helped ensure that could be delivered. But it doesn’t stop there.
“It’s more important to set up a process and work in partnership with parents, providing the support they need, than simply saying a device solves the problem,” says Jonathan. “And a lot of that is about training, so we offer a lot of parent training.”
He encourages pupils to take regular breaks – and welcomes the whole family on his Friday afternoon “Baking with the Bishops” cookery show. “It’s fundamentally important to be active,” he says. “Being isolated and sitting looking at a screen all day every day – even if it’s interactive like this – is soul destroying. I believe people need to be collaborative.
“Some families do artwork together. For us it’s doing some baking – measuring out the ingredients and following a recipe. Baking with the Bishops is about that interaction, that humour – and it’s an opportunity for me to say to all of the children in the trust, thank you for working hard.
“It’s a chance to bring families together, and it also allows me to pass on key messages.
“Our big drive is for purposeful learning. Finding out more about science, for example, can be fascinating if we have a thirst for knowledge.
“I think lockdown has pushed many families to view remote learning as just an isolated experience, with children sitting at the kitchen table or in the bedroom, trying to complete work to submit back to the teacher. For us, though, despite being under a lot of pressure, we’re in this together.”