Below is my termly newsletter,
Online teaching and learning webinar
We have been teaching online for 10+ years and stand ready to help any educators who are doing it for the first time. We shall be putting on a webinar, hosted by me and our Director of Education Ed Richardson, on Friday 24th April at 3pm to answer any questions you or colleagues might have about online teaching. Click here to register.
Ed has put together this acrostic summarising 10 tips for teaching online and this infographic with suggested ground rules for students. Please feel free to use them if helpful.
GCSEs and A levels 2020
We are trying to keep an FAQ on the changing picture, to the best of our knowledge, here. I hope it’s helpful; do get in touch if you spot any errors or want to discuss any implications.
Small group classes (free for children of key workers)
Branching out from 1-on-1 classes, we have been running live small group lessons to children aged 7-16. These have been priced at a considerable reduction of our usual rate, and free for children of key workers, so as to help the widest number of families. Do pass on to any friends or colleagues stuck at home with the children who might be interested. More details here.
Keystone University Scholarship Programme – going ahead
In my last Scoop, I mentioned that we are offering 12 fully-funded scholarships on our Top University preparation programme. Details here. As above, we have fully tested our online teaching capacity and so will be delivering this online if we are still in lockdown in the summer. Please do continue to forward on to anyone who might be able to put the opportunity in front of the right candidates.
Tutor News
Our English tutor Imogen is having her debut novel The High Notes, about a young singer struggling to make it in London, published by Bloomsbury after a 4-way auction. Well done her.
Other educational dispatches
- EdTech. Covid has led to much discussion of the future of education. I have found Ben Williamson’s research especially on point: he shows that the big technology companies are already using the crisis to disrupt the school and university sectors perpetually in their favour. I have also been really benefiting from Daisy Christodoulou’s newly published book Teachers vs Tech. This blog, on why remote learning hasn’t worked in the past, and this interview with Craig Barton, are especially good.
- I had long suspected that the Sugata Mitra’s research on the ‘hole in the wall school’ looked like wishful thinking, even to a Romantic like me. These articles demolished any lingering doubt.
- My colleague, Harriet, drew this beautiful Easter picture puzzle about London private schools. How many can you get?
- Two good pieces on children’s books: they’re still joyfully anachronistic but why are they so ugly?
- Ed Clarke has brought us this good-looking new Latin Common Entrance course.
- The amazing story of a wonderful school I’ve visited in New York that is ‘more English than the English’ and the plot to oust its much-loved headmaster.
Will Orr-Ewing 