2009-2010

Tideway School used its learning platform to deliver a 2 week programme of online curricular activities for the whole school community (650 students), over 2 weeks in February 2009, when students were not allowed on to the school site as we moved from our old buildings into our new school. This project (February Online) minimised learning loss and gave the whole school community (teachers, non-teaching staff, students and parents/carers) the opportunity to explore and experience what personalised, flexible, anywhere-anytime learning might look like and the implications for future development.

Year 10 students are using Netbooks around school to explore the impact that 'always-on' connection to the learning platform has on learning.

The project has transformed learning in a number of ways.

For flexible learning to become embedded in school culture we need to ensure that out-of-school access to technology is available to students. We are now piloting a Digital Access Project, giving KS3 students who do not have the hardware at home, a laptop and Internet access (this as a result of February Online).

The challenge of building anytime-anywhere learning into the formal curriculum (where the school day and timetable are not flexible) has been taken up in our ICT Department where Year 11 students are being given the opportunity to study in a blended way (some face-to face teaching, some online work out of school or at place and time where students feel they learn best, through negotiation with their teacher).

Flexible learning is a high priority in the consultations taking place over the school 5 year Development Plan, with 2a KS4 timetable/curriculum that is radically different to what is on offer at the moment.

We live in a society dependent on science and technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology. Sagan