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If you haven’t tried our online school – with expert teaching, personalised lessons and small class sizes – you might be worried about how it works. More than that, you may have heard some of the mad myths and misconceptions about online learning!
So here are the Top 6 myths we hear about online learning – and the truth about why online schooling works so well at Wendover.
Myth No. 1 – learning is lonely at an online school
Learning online could make students feel isolated and alone, but at Wendover we ensure that our students have lots of opportunities to share time both in and outside lessons with their friends and fellow pupils.
We have a ‘classroom’ approach to teaching, which means that students learn online with a small class of up to six. Students get to know their classmates really well and often build firm friendships that last them through school and beyond.
Even if you choose 1-1 online lessons, we make sure that students meet a wide range of fellow students of different ages, and studying other subjects, during the school week. Our online school pupils mix and meet through:
- Whole school assemblies
- Weekly group tutorials
- Shared topics across age groups eg Science Week
- Broad range of after school clubs
- Enrichment programme, including trips and meet-ups
- School Council activities
On top of this, the structure of our school day at Wendover means that our students usually have afternoons completely free – giving them lots of time to meet up outside school with friends, practice their hobbies, train for sports events or travel.
Even before students start at Wendover, their Head of Year meets with the family to discuss local opportunities we have researched and which the student might enjoy, such as sports clubs, theatre groups, orchestras, volunteer and local groups offering programmes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
With all these opportunities to meet, share and learn together, our online students feel far from isolated.
Myth No. 2 – Online lessons are recorded, never ‘live’
Wendover’s online lessons are a hive of engaging, focussed activity targeted on the specific students and their capabilities. All of our teachers are experts in online teaching, and all of our lessons take place live, following a timetable agreed with the individual students.
Unlike lessons that students may have experienced from their traditional schools during the pandemic lockdown, our online lessons are tailor-made for online students. Wendover was built from scratch to teach online, using the latest technology and resources. As a result, we offer fully interactive teaching that encourages students to ask questions, push ahead with their learning and solve problems, building confidence as they go.
Of course, we make our lessons available for ‘catch-up’ if students miss a lesson, but we are proud to be a ‘live’ online school where student/teacher relationships flourish in support of an active education.
Myth No. 3 – You can’t do practical lessons online
You’d be surprised at just how well online schools can do practical subjects like music, art and even baking! From our primary school pupils right through to A-level, we give students the chance to work with their hands and their imaginations in practical lessons.
Using cameras focussed on their work, students can share their progress with painting or cooking, for example, and receive instant feedback without clamouring for the teacher’s attention in a busy classroom. Each student can easily ask questions as challenges arise, and outcomes can readily be shared with fellow students, giving a source of support and encouragement unmatched in bricks and mortar schools.
Here’s how some of our practical lessons work:
- Art lessons online – including an Art A-level pottery session
- Hands-on Science lessons
- Shared Elective projects – including time-lapse film of building a gingerbread house, a Lego stop-motion animation and handmade Christingles.
- Baking club – practical fun for all ages.
Wendover Science teacher, Rosie Barron, says “Looking just this half term in Key Stage 3, we have brought science to life with practical work that our students have relished. We have:
- Dissected flowers to see where the organs are
- Planned and carried out an investigation on the factors affecting seed germination, and an experiment (using paper helicopters) on factors affecting seed dispersal
- Used online virtual laboratories to simulate building atoms and molecules
- Investigated the effect of sugar solution concentration on the uptake of water in gummy bears
- Dissected a chicken wing to look at bones, tendons and ligaments
- Made a model of an arm to look at how antagonistic muscle pairs work.
Practical lessons like these in Science really help students engage with the topic – and remember what they have learned!”
For GCSE and A-level qualifications in subjects like art and science, we make arrangements to ensure that students have the practical experience they need. For example, Geography and Environmental Studies students may attend a fieldwork course, whilst Chemistry, Physics and Biology students may take a Practical Endorsement course to ensure that they can apply their theoretical knowledge in a practical setting.
Myth No. 4 – online schooling is easier than traditional schools
Some think that online lessons are less demanding than learning at a bricks and mortar school. We’re not so sure!
At Wendover, all of our staff are experts in online teaching and learning, and specialists in their subject. This means that they quickly notice if a student is not keeping up, or does not seem to be fully engaged in their lesson.
With one-to-one or small class lessons, teachers get to know their students well. Our relationship with the family, our assessments and feedback all mean that we know exactly where each student is and where they need to be to achieve their best.
We also know how to instil confidence in our students, and to find ways to help them engage with their learning. So, whilst our online schooling may not be ‘easier’ than sitting in a classroom full of pupils, we believe that every lesson online with Wendover will see your child working hard and making great progress!
Myth No. 5 – You need to be a tech expert to learn online
Online learning of course demands that students use the internet to log on to lessons at Wendover. They will need a camera too, so that we can check their identity and see what they are doing. However, we give students and their parents a thorough introduction to these tools, and to online safety, before the start of their course: we’re always here to answer your technical questions and support safe online working.
Our team uses a varied range of digital online tools to deliver lessons, help students do research and present their work. Even if parents are not familiar with these tools, we make sure that they are suitable for use by our students, and give them help and advice on how to make best use of them.
Further, many students of all ages now use AI to help them with their work, whether their schooling is online or based in physical premises. At Wendover, we maintain a clear policy on the use of AI by students and encourage our students to use AI to support rather than replace their learning.
So, you don’t need to be a tech expert, but we help all our online students to make the best use of the technology and tools that are now part of everyday life.
Myth No. 6 – online schooling limits your course options
On the contrary, studying at an online school can significantly broaden the choices of students at GCSE and A-level. We work with nationally and internationally recognised exam boards, and prepare students well for exams so that they can emerge with robust qualifications that demonstrate their ability.
At Wendover, we provide a British education for students aged from 7 to 19, including the full National Curriculum at Primary school, Secondary school and A-level or Sixth Form.
Our GCSE and A-level options include a wide range of study choices with the flexibility to choose almost any combination: we don’t force students to choose from narrow groups of options, as we are not limited by the timetabling restrictions of many physical schools and sixth form colleges. See our course options below:
- GCSE subject choices include Business Studies, Computer Science and Psychology
- A-level subject choices include Marine Science, Politics, Government and the Law, and Thinking Skills.
We offer taster classes so that students can get a flavour of a new subject, which can be important if this is something they have not tried before. We can also source suitable online teachers for courses outside these lists, depending on availability – get in touch to let us know what you’d like to study and we’ll see if we can make it work!
Online learning myths busted at Wendover Online School
As you’ve seen, these myths surrounding online lessons simply don’t apply to Wendover. We are highly experienced online learning professionals. Set up in 2016, we established Wendover from the outset as an online school which cares for the whole child, not just their academic potential. We provide individualised teaching, and our teachers are passionate, knowledgeable and engaging. In this supportive environment, students enjoy the experience of learning and learn well.
Our approach has always been to offer a highly personalised way of learning that works effectively around the rest of a student’s life. We are proud that our online school gives students:
- Plenty of opportunities and friendly support, so they don’t feel isolated
- Engaging, live online lessons
- Practical lessons, and support for practical examinations
- All the technical support they need
- A broad range of course options at GCSE and A-level.
At Wendover, our Head of Pastoral Care is responsible for ensuring that our whole school puts students first – and we’re always ready to help.
Please get in touch if you’d like to know more about our successful online school.
