Adapting and thriving in the new normal
Independent schools have ensured minimal disruption to education and pupil wellbeing during the pandemic, writes Nick Drainey
The global pandemic which brought fear and sorrow as it turned everyone’s world upside down has also ushered in a time of doing things differently, making the best of what is available – and at times discovering new and exciting things to do.
Independent schools are no different to any other part of society and have had to adapt to the challenges which come with lockdowns and restrictions. There has been a need to keep the academic side of education progressing by moving online and using new technology, often with a change in teaching techniques from a classroom model to a digital programme.
And all the time there has been a need to keep a close eye on the mental health of pupils, who cannot be left staring at a screen all day with no fresh air, exercise or socialisation. Indeed, the very presence of a global pandemic, and the anxiety that can bring, has meant schools have been alert to the mental toll it can take on young people, staff, parents and other members of society.
But with it all has come opportunity – some schools have been able to engage more speakers as video call technology means they can speak to a whole school from the other side of the world, and it takes less than an hour. Others have embraced digital challenges such as a virtual collective run to a city on another continent. And, at the same time, the digital technology used in teaching has enabled a sense of normality, with the pupils interacting with classmates and teachers.
John Edward, director of the Scottish Council of Independent Schools (SCIS), thinks teachers and pupils have coped well with everything thrown at them.
He says: “As the first full lockdown proved, schools have been able to get their own remote learning systems set up. They worked well over the course of last year so it’s been quite easy for them to repurpose and get things up and running again after Christmas.
“The evidence shows the pupils are benefiting, it is meeting their needs. They are getting one-to-one contact time, live teaching and lots of pastoral care surrounding mental health – there is a lot of focus on the whole child during the time that they are physically distanced from the school.”
He adds that the autonomy of independent schools has allowed them to operate successfully and “send out the message in a time of pandemic and global uncertainty that they are safe places to be”.
“In the bigger international picture, Scotland is a safe country to come to, these are big green campuses with a big focus on pastoral wellbeing, on the outdoors and all sorts of things in terms of a place for a child to be safe and nurtured during the pandemic.”
The SCIS represents 74 independent schools, including the vast majority of mainstream institutions out of just over 100 in Scotland. Its member schools educate around 29,000 pupils, or about 4 per cent of Scottish children – and they teach around 6 per cent of all secondary pupils – with 90 per cent being day pupils.
These numbers have stayed strong in recent years and the sector, which is worth about £35 million per year, remains positive about the future – especially after the way it has handled the impact of the pandemic.
For Edward, there are many reasons parents send their child to
There has been much innovation in how schools present all they have to offer
an independent school: “Usually what they are looking for is choice – in subject area, in a broader curriculum, in extra-curricular activities, such as music, drama, outward bounds or sport – and also a real focus on individual learning and teaching.
“So you are very much tailored to what the pupils’ needs are when they join the school, making sure that they are followed individually through their academic career and dealt with on a one-to-one basis to meet their needs.”
Open days are another regular fixture of school life which have had to change, becoming a virtual experience for parents, but remaining as important as ever
when deciding which institution best fits the child.
Edward says: “Obviously, every school wants people to be able to feel the school in the sense of the atmosphere, but the provision they have been able to provide [virtually] seems to have been satisfactory to parents.
“One of the advantages is you can book an online slot with the head of department or teacher of a particular subject and are guaranteed a one-toone discussion.”
While schools would much prefer to be welcoming prospective parents and pupils in person, there has been much innovation in the way they are presenting all they have to offer in the classroom, across the campus and beyond.
Ali Kinge, headmistress at Ardvreck School in Perthshire, says that they have made the best of the situation.
She says: “It is very difficult to capture the essence and magic of our school online. While our location and buildings are spectacular, the spirit of the place is very much defined by its people: the bright-eyed, rosy cheeked children; the adventurous teachers and the enthusiastically supportive parents. Our virtual open days will involve videos of the school in action together with live, face-to-face meetings with key members of the community.”
Edinburgh’s Merchiston Castle School says the individual needs of parents and families have to be catered for when planning virtual open days. It has produced a series of webinars covering different aspects of the school’s life, as well as online tours and personalised online tours.
Director of admissions Kay Wilson says: “We know that choosing a school for your child is one of the most important and difficult decisions you will have to make as a parent, which is why we treat every application individually. No two families are the same, so there is no typical process.
“Our job is to make it as easy as possible for you. We are here to guide you through the admissions process and ensure you have all the information you need to work out whether Merchiston is the right place for your son.”
She adds: “All of our virtual events and personalised tour options are designed to allow you to ask all the questions you need to, the gamechangers and the little ones that really matter.”
Some schools, such as the Capital’s George Watson’s College, have videos online which can be accessed any time, offering an insight into the way the school runs.
Some virtual open events are coming soon with The Compass School in Haddington holding an online open day on Saturday, 6 March and Perth’s Kilgraston School hosting an event on Friday, 26 March.
Morrison’s Academy in Crieff says its objective is “to give parents the best of a live open morning from the comfort of their own home”.
Its virtual events allow parents to meet members of the senior leadership team, teaching staff, parents and pupils. Before the event attendees are sent materials that provide an introduction to the school including a pre-recorded guided tour and a series of videos from Principal Gareth Warren.
And at Edinburgh’s St George’s School for Girls, video conference meetings are to run alongside virtual tours, allowing parents to discuss their child’s education.