A fresh perspective on GCSEs for non-traditional learners

Monday, 28 October 2013

Are online GCSEs working for learners who don’t fit the traditional GCSE mould?

Last academic year vision2learn for schools launched a brand new suite of online GCSEs which were designed specifically to help weaker, low attaining learners re-enage and achieve good GCSEs. A year on, we are beginning to see evidence that our approach really works, and can prove very powerful with learners who may not traditionally have been considered ‘GCSE learners’.

Fernhill School in Hampshire is using vision2learn for schools online Leisure and Tourism GCSE resource to help a group of struggling learners to achieve. Let’s take a look at their experience...

“Confidence to believe their education is worth more”

Chris Beeken, Tourism and Leisure Co-ordinator at Fernhill School, says: “At the start of the 2012/13 academic year I began work with a mixed group of eight pupils that would definitely be classed as hard-to-reach for a range of complex issues. Working with vision2learn has been really beneficial to this group, as the course content contains appropriate material to provide any pupil with the opportunity to progress regardless of ability.”

Over the course of the last academic year Chris has witnessed positive change within the group, and he credits vision2learn for schools with helping to enhance their collective academic aspirations.

He adds: “Essentially what vision2learn has helped us achieve is an effective intervention for a group of troubled pupils. Not only are they still studying in Year 11, they now have the confidence to believe that their education is worth more. They have a chance.”

“A real qualification”

Fran Williams, Deputy Head at Fernhill, explains the approach taken at the school: “At Fernhill School we have been using the vision2learn for schools platform to address the needs of learners from the cohort at risk of not gaining five A*–C GCSEs. In terms of delivery, we have shifted our emphasis post-Wolf Report from Nutrition and Health and Equality and Diversity vocational qualifications to the new range of online GCSEs.

“Last year our first group from Year 10 began studying for GCSE Leisure and Tourism. After an initial period of acclimatisation, they have taken to the platform extremely well and enjoy the opportunity to learn at their own pace. The online GCSEs are ideal for this group of pupils, as they feel they are studying for a real qualification that will have a positive impact on their future. We hope that they will all find success they deserve when results day comes around.”

Is your school looking for a fresh approach to GCSE study to help hard-to-reach learners? Contact us today for a no-obligation demo, online or in person.