Innovation and dedication are the key as city’s schools keep pupils learning during Covid-19 lockdown

17 April 2020

Aberdeen’s school pupils have been kept busy with their studies during the current Covid-19 lockdown thanks to the resourcefulness and dedication of their teachers.

From online dance classes to digital assemblies, a lockdown journal to home based art classes, a host of innovative learning have been introduced by inventive teachers and head teachers to ensure that schoolchildren are maintaining their learning and having fun despite not being at school.

Hazlehead Academy students - and staff - are being encouraged to maintain a Lockdown Journal via a Google classroom set up by English teacher, Sarah Murchison, who sends out daily prompts on possible themes. Submissions can include a piece of writing, a drawing, a video, a piece of music, a poem - anything at all inspired by the current circumstances.

Children at Orchard Brae School are keeping fit at home thanks to dance instructor Sam Stephen’s live streams of his dance classes while Primary 5 pupils at Culter School are turning to creating art at home based on lessons they received previously in class from artist Maggie Patience.

Education Operational Delivery Convener, Councillor John Wheeler, said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen numerous examples of people overcoming the limitations imposed by the lockdown through ingenious online solutions, and our teachers and pupils have also shown fantastic initiative in extraordinary circumstances.

“It’s fantastic to hear that, thanks to the imagination and dedication of our teachers, that pupils are able to engage with their classmates and tutors and take part in diverse online learning tasks that not only further their learning but are fun as well.

“My thanks go out to everyone involved for their superb work in such challenging circumstances”.

Other examples of innovative at-home learning devised by the city’s schools include:

Online modern languages classes and videos at Cults Academy Digital assemblies at Heathryburn School Holy Family pupils learning to make binoculars out of household items St. Peter’s pupils taking part in at-home Maths-based scavenger hunts Broomhill School asking pupils to make castles St Machar Academy pupils making colour wheels out of found objects Airyhall School pupils and parents being able to see the filmed rehearsals of the school show which had to be cancelled due to the pandemic Happy News newspapers being created by Scotstown School pupils A recipe book and mine craft school created by pupils at Stoneywood School STEM subject challenges at Fernielea and Loirston Schools with the latter also fund-raising for a brain tumour charity Wellbeing and outdoor learning challenges at Manor Park and Dyce schools St Joseph’s pupils taking part in end-of-term video chats with their pets An online project on Scottish inventions at Kirkhill School

Schools are also using a variety of tools to communicate with parents including Groupcall and school websites.