Online learning can benefit so many

BEING over 70 years of age, I come from the dinosaur era of “11-plus” and competitive interviews for coveted grammar school education.

Although making the transition successfully, I do not believe that I am unique in having found my school years a real trial, and far from an enjoyable experience.

Not being a studious type, I was more interested in achievements on the sports field, than in the classroom.

Looking back on those difficult years, I fondly recall those teachers who were truly inspirational, but unfortunately some, for me, were poor and ineffective.

My considered average attainment of certification was mainly achieved by a realisation that I had to pull my finger out, and do a lot of personal hard work near final examination time, to make up lost ground.

It would have been wonderful to have had access to the full syllabuses in a series of online lessons, organised and authorised by the governing body (in my case, the University of London).

Just imagine the consistency of the lessons, the ongoing testing, together with the great convenience giving the opportunity to replay areas of non comprehension and difficulty, without embarrassment, or taking up teachers valuable time.

If organised properly, you can realise this is a massive opportunity to reduce the reliance on overpopulated classroom education.

Of course, the software needs to be readily accessible for home use but probably more importantly supervised school libraries.

Both have the benefit of reducing those adolescent distractions of school life. Teachers would have access to see in which areas pupils were having difficulty, and could concentrate their efforts effectively.

Of course this could only be achieved with the understanding and funding required by Government, and a major effort to ensure that those children from disadvantaged backgrounds do not fall through the “education net”. Geoffrey Turner Hewish, Somerset