Virtual Learning


Remote learning quickly become a way of life for pupils across Stonyhurst when the pandemic hit. Teachers, parents and pupils swiftly adapted to learning away from the traditional classroom. At Stonyhurst, the focus has been on safely ensuring a continuity of education for all pupils across academic, vocational and co-curricular studies.

Thanks to the introduction of Stonyhurst Anywhere, we have been able to provide remote online lessons, virtual assemblies, live-streamed masses and virtual weekly challenges. The Stonyhurst teaching and support staff have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure that the remote learning on offer is the best possible. Pupils of Key Workers were also supervised and supported in school, accessing Stonyhurst Anywhere lessons online and taking full advantage of the beautiful outdoor environment during ‘recs’ (break times).


What is Stonyhurst Anywhere?

The ‘Stonyhurst Anywhere’ virtual learning environment recreated the cohesion provided by the daily shared experience. The reassurance of a shared academic and pastoral routine, including daily contact with teachers, deeply committed to their needs is essential to a child’s learning and personal growth. All being fundamental to the core purpose of education in our Jesuit tradition – the improvement in living and learning. We believe that the children and the wider school family benefit from the guidance, stability, structure, commonality of purpose and anchorage to a school community from which all derive strong support.

Once we returned to the classrooms, pupils were pleased to see their friends and teachers and couldn't wait to get back to their 'normal' lives within the Stonyhurst family.

 

 

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Sample virtual learning schedule

Virtual Learning Provision  PP2 PP1 FS2
Daily live lessons for English, maths and other academic sessions (FS2) x x x
Daily Pre-recorded English and maths lessons with differentiated activities; including weekly spellings and daily phonics practice x x  
Weekly pre-recorded phonics lessons linked to Read Write Inc   x  
Daily Pre-recorded English and maths lessons with differentiated activities     x
Daily academic support clinic x x x
Daily recorded storytime with Pre-Prep staff x x x
1:1 academic support (delivered on a needs basis) x x x
1:1 sessions for all children for pastoral or academic needs x x x
Constant email support for parents throughout the school day x x x
Weekly pre-recorded lessons and supporting activities for RS, Humanities, Science, PSHE, French, Music, Drama and Games x x x
Paper based handwriting support posted to children’s homes x x x
Weekly self-evaluation x x x
Weekly recorded Pre-Prep assembly with Head of Pre-Prep x x x
Weekly live assembly with St Mary's Hall Headmaster x x x
Live weekly Mass x x x

Academic

The timetabling and nature of our remote learning, Stonyhurst Anywhere, has been carefully considered and tailored to the developmental requirements of each age group. 

The full breadth of the St Mary's Hall curriculum continued online with art, drama, music, games, science and languages, and teachers ensured that lessons continued to be engaging and creative.

 

Stonyhurst Anywhere is fantastic and is clearly the result of significant investment and planning. Both of our children have been fully engaged and occupied, with zero requirement for intervention or 'home school' support from a parental stand-point.

Current Parent

Pastoral

Pastoral care or ‘Cura Personalis’ (care for the entire person) remained a strength of St Mary's Hall, for every pupil, even when working remotely. Weekly tutorials in Primary Phase, alongside PSHE lessons, masses and assemblies all helped to make the pupils feel included and involved and, most importantly, allowed us to monitor their wellbeing.

All pupils completed a self-evaluation form weekly, which provided a snapshot of how they were feeling. These evaluations were monitored by tutors and teachers and acted upon swiftly. The weekly Pastoral meetings between key staff for every age range continued and enabled us to support pupils and their families fully.

Chaplaincy

Chaplaincy provided comprehensive support and resources for pupils, families and staff during this time, mindful of the particular challenges posed by the pandemic and the increased need to feel connected and spiritually nourished.

 

Safeguarding

Safeguarding at St Mary's Hall remains at the forefront of everything we do. It is the first item on any meeting agenda and our policies and procedures remain as robust as ever. We have carefully considered the wide-ranging implications of remote teaching and have adapted our protocol accordingly and shared it among the school community: pupils, parents, and staff to keep everybody safe online. To further support pupils, we provided a range of contact details for internal and external agencies, including the school counsellor, who can be contacted if required, as well as resources and materials to support and promote wellbeing. 

Key Contacts

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