Learning During Lockdown

Learn how we delivered the full and normal timetable through our innovative and exemplary use of technology (an average of 6 zoom live lessons per day) and how our staff have ensured there was no loss of learning during the lockdown.

At Grange Park Preparatory School and Nursery we are very proud of the way we have managed to maintain our very high academic standards during lockdown.

From 08:50 to 15:30 every day, pupils from Reception to Year 6 have enjoyed Maths, English, Science, Humanities, French, Dance and Drama, RE, PSHE, Sport, Computing, Music, Mindfulness and we have continued to prepare our pupils for 11 +.

As soon as we heard about the impending lockdown, we started to plan and prepare for remote learning. We were determined not only to teach a full timetable to all our pupils, but also to maintain as much normality as possible, to protect our children’s mental health.

As we already use a variety of devices and apps in school our children are technologically literate. This meant that they already had the skills and digital literacy to continue their learning online, without disruption.

While other schools emailed lesson packs for parents to teach, we concentrated on teaching our children directly via Zoom and video links. This enabled them to manage their work independently, which in turn allowed those parents working from home to get on with their job.

Our small class sizes have proved invaluable, so that we can give every child individual attention in every subject. During lockdown, we have continued to set differentiated work appropriate to the ability of every single pupil.

Our pupil progress data confirms that all of our children have met or exceeded their targets.

Every Monday and Wednesday morning, the whole school community comes together on Zoom for a full school Assembly. We have explored the themes of resilience and perseverance under lockdown. We have celebrated birthdays together, awarded certificates for achievement, and it has been a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate and celebrate that at Grange Park Prep School we have a strong, caring, supportive community. 

Weekly challenges have been set to give children the chance to compete in activities away from the screen; the children have done baking, puzzles, maze building, poster making, pancake decorating and many more.  The winners each week are announced in the newsletter and a prize has been sent to their house.  Just another way to keep the community spirt alive! 

For the parents who are key workers during this pandemic. We made the decision to provide whatever we could to support their vital work. The school has been open to key worker children every working day since the Prime Minister announced lockdown and we have provided flexible before and after school care from 7:45am - 5.00pm.

If there are future lockdowns, we know we are very well prepared to provide our children with an excellent education, even if it has to be at home again for a while. We have learned from the experience and have a strong foundation to build on in the future. During these last months, our pupils have been challenged, encouraged, motivated and inspired. We have watched them grow, learn, develop new skills and become much more independent.

We have shown we are a strong, supportive, caring school community. We have resilience and we will persevere!