In this episode, Claire talks over the internet to Haylie Saunders, deputy head academic at St Swithun’s Preparatory School in Hampshire.
Haylie shares with Claire how, after leaving school herself, she had little interest in being a teacher. However, this changed following a conversation with an honest member of her family who pointed out how much she enjoyed teaching dance as a part of a local group. This prompted Haylie to enrol on a Bachelor of Education degree course and, having some experience of teaching through her dance class, Haylie excelled and qualified after only three years via the accelerated route the course offered.
After gaining her degree, Haylie taught in several different settings including spending several years in a small New Forest school and becoming the head of games in a very sport-focused top preparatory school in Hampshire. This role, in particular, was invaluable in gaining leadership skills which led to a deputy headship in an all-girls school in Surrey. Following this, Haylie moved to St Swithun’s Preparatory School where she is now deputy head academic leading curriculum development and assessment.
In this episode, Haylie and Claire discuss the challenges Haylie’s school has faced preparing and organising home-learning for their pupils, some of the issues that have arisen, and what might be around the corner for all schools and the education sector in general.
KEY TAKEAWAYS

PreparationAlthough school closures came about very quickly, and there is still no real idea of when things will return to ‘normal’, whatever preparation can be done using the information to hand is essential for leaders. Considering what can and cannot be realistically accomplished is important – particularly with so much relying on technology and busy working parents being able to organise things at home.This is also important for the future. While there is little indication of when schools will return, there will likely be areas that can start being considered and planned for ahead of time.
The importance of routineA key aspect for success with home-learning is having some sort of routine in place for children. However, it is equally important to allow for flexibility within any routine as all of this is taking place in real-life, where the unexpected occurs and things don’t always run to plan. Parents have reported that getting children started on tasks one of the most challenging parts of the day, so consider starting the daily routines earlier on, building in periods of down-time and breaks and using the afternoons for other less intensive tasks and family time.
Focus on covering just the key pieces of learningFull lessons are just not possible to achieve at home in the same way they are in school, even with a teacher remotely teaching a full lesson. What can be accomplished in a classroom environment cannot be effectively replicated via video or though bringing people together virtually with conference technology. It is far more valuable to make sessions shorter – maybe around twenty minutes of quality learning time – and have smaller achievable goals.This is particularly useful for parents and teachers who will likely have their own personal circumstances at home and who could, if the goals are too ambitious, end up feeling demoralised and as though they’ve failed.
Take time to consider what’s working and what’s been less successfulAs all of this is uncharted territory for schools, things will not always go to plan. However, do take time to consider what has worked well and where small adjustments could be made to fix issues rather than opting for wholesale revamps. This can be particularly important for schools who get complaints. While these will generally come from parents who want to do the best for their children, it is always worth keeping in mind how many complaints there might actually be versus any silent majority who will, probably, be more than happy with what is on offer.
TechnologyWhile technology has b