In recent months, the nation has banded together and formed a singular team with one united purpose and, when we all coordinate our efforts, we’re capable of achieving great things.
But schools have always existed in something of a vacuum. We may share the odd experience or useful tools with one another, sure, but there’s always been a lack of opportunity for school leaders to truly enrich one another’s working processes.
Schools and MATs continue to be impacted by unique and unprecedented dilemmas in the wake of COVID-19. Many of those in school leadership have already devised incredible strategies to overcome the worst challenges the crisis has to throw at us, but considering the ongoing crisis, it’s difficult to share this best practice.
Overcoming obstacles
Before the coronavirus crisis, schools were already under enormous pressure to close a widening attainment gap – and all eyes were on school leaders to make provision for this. Now that school life has been so dramatically altered by the COVID-19 pandemic, this issue has been further compounded.
Students have been forced to study from home for months on end, and for some, this may have resulted in a significantly shallower breadth of learning. It’s difficult for a child with no home devices and no internet access to keep up with their digitally-connected peers.
We asked 434 school and trust administrative professionals about the greatest challenges they’ve faced during the pandemic. Unfortunately, 17% of schools are still unable to facilitate remote learning for students who are unable to attend school. However, no one could have predicted the magnitude of this crisis – remote learning tools simply weren’t needed before COVID-19.
As always, technology can provide a solution, but the only way to truly close this attainment gap is to work together to make this work to the benefit of all schoolchildren.
Teamwork is essential
It’s clear that we all have to work together to succeed. Cloud services are a great way to enable teamwork on a grand scale – however, only 18% of the professionals surveyed are looking to move their administrative services to a cloud platform. Clearly, we need some other way of coordinating our efforts.
It’s difficult and often impossible for teaching professionals to meet in person nowadays – especially in large groups. The planning involved in such an event would be a nightmare – let alone the ever-changing nature of pandemic laws and legislation.
That’s why we’re running a week-long online event aimed at bringing together leaders and thought leaders in education.
Join us for a week of teamwork
IRIS Education Live is here to support school leaders to look forward with certainty. From the 16–20 November, join us for a week of best practice, insight and – most importantly – teamwork.
COVID-19 has brought with it a host of new challenges for schools – so we’re turning to you, the best that UK education has to offer, to join in this knowledge-sharing event. It’s a fantastic opportunity to support each other through the next normal carved out by the coronavirus crisis.
We’ll cover innovative new ways to close the attainment gap, how to charge straight through the worst challenges that COVID-19 has to throw at us, and the provision of remote learning, amongst many other thought-provoking topics. The event aims to answer how to leverage new technology to transform the ongoing crisis into a time of opportunity for your school.
Your ticket to IRIS Live is free and you can join in from the comfort of your own home – visit the website to find out more and reserve your seat. We can’t wait to see you there!
