MELVYN ROFFE
PRINCIPAL, GEORGE WATSON’S COLLEGE
THE ADDITIONAL RICHNESS THAT HAS COME TO LEARNING IS REALLY TO BE WELCOMED AND IS NOT SOMETHING WE ARE LIKELY
TO LOSE
MARITAL STATUS Married CHILDREN Two grown-up children MAIN SUBJECT English
The overall progress that we have all made in understanding different forms of learning and using technology in different ways – a sort of flip classroom approach – has been positive amid the pandemic.
Different types of interaction have meant we have been able to bring in academics from far and wide to talk to pupils online, in a way we would never have thought of doing before pandemic. For example, our Higher and Advanced Higher students doing RMPS had a whole range of half-hour online interactions with religious leaders from across different faiths and Christian denominations in a way which would have been technically possible before with visits to the school, but we would not have thought it something we could have done.
So the additional richness that has come to learning is really to be welcomed and is not something we are likely to lose when we are all back to “normal”.
We have also seen different ways our school community has pulled together. We have a huge former pupil community around the world. We have had a series of get-togethers with our senior pupils and former pupils – we tend to host them at 1pm our time, which is late at night in Australia and early morning in Canada. They talk about how our school is, and we get something which has been enriching for everyone.
Locally, we have got to know our neighbours much better. We have been part of a scheme to have young children writing to lonely elderly people and there has been a significant number of volunteering opportunities as well, which have brought people together.
In the first lockdown, the school’s Design, Technology and Engineering Department donated PPE to Marie Curie hospice staff and former pupils at various hospitals in the Central Belt got in touch and we were able to help them as well.
The school’s car parks have also been open to NHS staff working in this area of Edinburgh to allow them a safe and free place to leave their vehicles while they are at work.