Back to school takes on a whole new meaning this year amid the pandemic and blended learning. With the new school year set to begin in a few days, watch this exclusive Gulf News webinar to find out what parents, students and educators can expect in the new term and how schools are working to make this a success despite all the challenges.
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NewsTranscript
00:00:00We'd like to welcome Dr Neil Hopkins, the Executive Principal from St Mark's School
00:00:04in Dubai.
00:00:05Good to have you along.
00:00:06Amol Vaidya, the Senior Director of Operations from the Global Indian International School.
00:00:10Naomi Etheridge, the Registrar from the Amity International School in Abu Dhabi.
00:00:16And Mr David Williams, who is the Acting Principal of the Regent International School in Dubai.
00:00:21Thank you very much for joining us.
00:00:22This has certainly been a very challenging time for everyone during the summer as we
00:00:27adjust to what is the new normal and some of the things that we are looking to be covering
00:00:32on today's webinar.
00:00:33We're going to be looking at some of the precautions and the safe measures that you've been going
00:00:38through, some of the teaching mechanisms, the admissions in the time of COVID-19, how
00:00:44each school and their parents have been supporting the community.
00:00:48And then at the end, we'll be looking to take some of the Q&A from your audience as we also
00:00:52look to wrap up.
00:00:54So thank you very much for joining us.
00:00:57As we look at the first of our questions, I'll send the first question to you, Amol.
00:01:04Looking at the return to 2020, how has this returned to students at school?
00:01:10What is it going to look like and how is it going to be different at your school in the
00:01:13shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic?
00:01:15OK, thanks, Gish.
00:01:18See the times are completely different.
00:01:21There is no precedent to which we can relate to.
00:01:25What we are building on is a situation where we want all parents to basically send their
00:01:32child to school because we believe that schools exist to manage children, to help children
00:01:40manage their learning process.
00:01:43And the way children learn, it is essential that they attend the schools.
00:01:47On the parent side, we understand that there are apprehensions and we have taken adequate
00:01:52care to ensure that they are properly addressed.
00:01:56Physical distancing, the need for social and personal hygiene, how that is to be conveyed
00:02:03to the child and the family, and all the basic precautions for entry and exit of people who
00:02:10are concerned with the learning process has been taken.
00:02:14The school as an entity is ready to receive the children and we just hope that life returns
00:02:20to normal for all our children in both our campuses in Abu Dhabi as well as Dubai.
00:02:26Dr. Neil, as the executive principal of the Sun Marks School in Dubai, how are things
00:02:31looking, how are things going to be different for you and your students this coming semester?
00:02:35Well, I think things are going to be clearly very different, but things are also going
00:02:40to be substantially the same.
00:02:43And I think that's an important point for every parent to be reassured by.
00:02:51People have endured a long period of lockdown in their children's absence from school and
00:02:55of course their primary concern right now is that their children are safe and they're
00:03:01entering a healthy environment.
00:03:03And so there are many things that have changed, temperature sensing cameras on entrance, very
00:03:09strict and limited pathways around the school that will enable contact tracing for us if
00:03:14necessary.
00:03:17We have a five-story building here and so we've reorganized secondary classes so that
00:03:22students remain just on one floor rather than moving between several floors for different
00:03:26subjects.
00:03:27So there are clearly a number of changes and there are many more, of course.
00:03:31We have fantastic UV filters, a whole protocol for how children, especially young children
00:03:38will learn how to better manage hand-washing, don't forget to sing happy birthday twice,
00:03:45and the whole process around a different lifestyle change.
00:03:51So there are many changes and it will take time for students and parents to become familiar
00:03:58with the new normal.
00:04:00But I think we shouldn't lose sight of the fact that schools exist to provide outstanding
00:04:05education and here at Sunmark that's what we do and we will continue to do that.
00:04:10So within the new normal, there'll be a whole bunch of old normal as well where interactions
00:04:19between teachers and students that really are the hallmark and the foundation of a fantastic
00:04:25education will stay the same.
00:04:28We'll still be interacting with our students and driving them forward.
00:04:33Students will still be able to interact with one another, albeit socially distanced and
00:04:38under new behavioral protocols, but nevertheless they'll be with their friends.
00:04:43And I think for those of us, I have three children, and for those of us that have endured
00:04:47a period of lockdown with our three children at home whilst we work, actually the return
00:04:54of any kind of normal and any kind of familiar setting is one that's very welcome and very
00:05:01well received.
00:05:02So yes, there will be a change and we've made many changes here to ensure safety, but there'll
00:05:07also be a large degree of familiarity and I think probably a collective sigh of relief
00:05:14across Dubai and Abu Dhabi as parents say, thank goodness the children are back at school.
00:05:21Yeah, Dr. Neal, it's a good point speaking to a lot of parents having to go through most
00:05:25of the year with the children at home and then also the school holidays while they've
00:05:28been trying to do their work from home as well and help the kids.
00:05:32It's been a time certainly like no other.
00:05:35I'll throw to you, David, the Acting Principal there at the Regent International School in
00:05:39Dubai.
00:05:40Dr. Neal made a great point that we've got all these changes, but at the end of the day,
00:05:45it's an academic learning system that should be our main focus.
00:05:50How have you found that balance hard where you've got to adhere to all these changes,
00:05:53but at the end of the day, you need to remember what we're here to do and that is to educate
00:05:57the children.
00:05:58Yeah, absolutely.
00:05:59And first of all, thank you very much for setting up this opportunity and I hope everybody
00:06:03watching is safe and well at home.
00:06:05It has been a challenge to ensure that all children are receiving that quality education,
00:06:10specifically last term and moving into this term, but it's one that we've managed to achieve
00:06:14and I'm sure many schools across Dubai feel that same way too.
00:06:17It's about being adaptive and it's about being fluid to change and we're going to have a
00:06:22lot of families that feel two ways about sending their children back into school and whether
00:06:27they do want to continue with online learning.
00:06:30And it's about us being able to have the systems in place, which we have obviously heavily
00:06:34planned and invested for over the past few months to ensure that all children do have
00:06:39that capability.
00:06:40Will it be the same as being in a physical school?
00:06:42I think all parents are aware that there are slight changes and it's not as socially connected
00:06:48to the children in their class, but it is a valid, rigorous education system and we
00:06:53are able to reach children both in a physical school, which we are looking forward to welcoming
00:06:57everybody back, and also online as well.
00:07:00So it's been a challenge for teachers, it's been a challenge for parents, as you've said,
00:07:03as Dr Neil alluded to, but it's one that we're certainly ready for.
00:07:07I think the lessons are how easily kids adapt to so many situations.
00:07:10I think that we can sometimes even take inspiration from how quickly children can adapt to any
00:07:16sort of situation.
00:07:17Naomi, I'm going to throw to you, whilst you're there working as part of the registrar, I know
00:07:23you've been speaking to lots of parents and families.
00:07:27What is the main concern when you've spoken to parents and families going back to the
00:07:32school year for 2020?
00:07:33What has been that one thing that seems to have been their frustration or the main cause
00:07:37of anxiety?
00:07:38Hang on, I think you're on mute there, Naomi.
00:07:42Oh, sorry.
00:07:43There we go.
00:07:44Got you.
00:07:45One concern is being their children's wellbeing.
00:07:49The most important thing is they want their child to feel safe and secure as we welcome
00:07:55the children back in.
00:07:56I think parents are quite anxious still at the moment.
00:07:59So for us, the key thing has been that communication.
00:08:03So to keep the communication in the community of the priority, but parents just want to
00:08:08ensure that the children come in into a safe environment, they feel relaxed and comfortable.
00:08:16So we're really going to focus across the whole school from, you know, nursery right
00:08:20up to secondary, that the children's wellbeing is absolutely paramount within the community
00:08:25here at Amity.
00:08:26So that's going to be our key focus and having those parent communications.
00:08:33It must certainly have been a stressful time over the summer having parents that are being
00:08:37in contact with you.
00:08:38Have you found maybe parents of younger children who are maybe entering school for the first
00:08:42time?
00:08:43Did they seem any more concerned maybe than older parents whose kids are well into their
00:08:48academic studies?
00:08:49Yes, definitely.
00:08:50Because, you know, the younger children can be so absolutely, but I think the main thing
00:08:56is it's just that reassurance, you know, children need to be in the education and to continue
00:09:02their learning.
00:09:03So I would say yes, but that again, going back to the communication, that's been key.
00:09:09It's reassuring the parents, you know, in this ever-evolving process that everything's
00:09:14going to be fine and the children are going to be very well looked after.
00:09:17Well, thank you very much to everyone who's typing in some messages and some questions.
00:09:23We will get to your questions at the end of today's webinar.
00:09:25We will also be having some polls that we'll be putting up, looking for some questions
00:09:29to get some feedback for you.
00:09:30So if we can ask you to, if you're watching at home, turn off your VPN because it's going
00:09:34to give you your best access to today's webinar.
00:09:38I want to look at what are some of those precautions and those practical measures that schools
00:09:43have adopted to keep both students and schools safe.
00:09:46To you, Dr Neil, I know we've mentioned how we've got to educate the kids to not just
00:09:51wash their hands, but to sing happy birthday when they wash their hands twice.
00:09:56Of all the measures and the precautions that you've put in place, what do you think are
00:10:00going to be some of the most challenging to adhere to over this year?
00:10:06I think there's no doubt for us as a society at large that the most challenging protocol
00:10:12that we all need to follow, and we see it on our highways as we drive around, is that
00:10:18sense of responsibility.
00:10:20It's a collective responsibility, isn't it, our approach here.
00:10:24So we all have masks and the masks really are about protecting somebody else.
00:10:30It's about making sure that whatever you're breathing out isn't going over into somebody
00:10:35else's airspace.
00:10:36And I think, for me, that's a strong symbol for us globally, really, never mind here in
00:10:41the UAE and in schools, but just everybody, everywhere, that this particular virus is
00:10:48difficult to stamp out.
00:10:50We saw recently, didn't we, that New Zealand, after something like 100 days, suddenly had
00:10:57a case emerge from within its own country, not externally.
00:11:01So I think once you understand that this is something which is really very difficult
00:11:07to control, then it's clear what the problem and difficulty will be in schools, because
00:11:11it reflects the same problem in society at large, and that's about self-discipline.
00:11:17And there's been a lot of talk about the new normal since this all broke out, newspapers
00:11:23around the world were talking about the new normal that we will all emerge into.
00:11:28But I don't think I personally, and maybe others, had quite realised really the significance
00:11:35of that.
00:11:36It felt like a bit of journalistic speak.
00:11:38But I see now that actually what we're emerging into is a changed society.
00:11:44We are all going to have to operate differently for a considerable length of time in order
00:11:49to eradicate the transmission of this virus, and until such time, perhaps a vaccine is
00:11:55able to come and knock it on the head.
00:11:58So I think within the school, it's the same notion.
00:12:00It's actually making sure that every member of staff, every visitor to the school, every
00:12:07child and every parent understands that we all stand in this together, socially distanced
00:12:14obviously, but we all stand in this together to make sure that actually we're holding the
00:12:19line, because that person that takes their mask off because it's hot and they feel sweaty
00:12:25I'm permanently sweating in Dubai, but you actually just have to adhere to the protocols
00:12:31because if you don't, and if collectively a number of us don't, then it's all going
00:12:36to fall apart.
00:12:37So I think within schools, it will be, if schools have prescribed a certain pathway
00:12:42that children need to walk along to keep them within a bubble, whether that's because they're
00:12:47young children, whether that's a very small bubble, or if they're slightly older, it's
00:12:51a slightly larger bubble.
00:12:52What we're trying to do is to make sure that we're limiting the number of occasions when
00:12:58a potentially infected person could cross paths with someone who isn't infected and
00:13:04actually pass the virus to them.
00:13:06So a simple measure like that of understanding, I enter the school here, I follow this pathway,
00:13:13I go to my space, I behave in a certain way in that space and with the people in that
00:13:17space.
00:13:18And then I follow this pathway at the end of the day, and I go here, and my parents
00:13:23are also observing and following the rules, and they're waiting in a particular place
00:13:27to collect me socially distanced.
00:13:30I think that's important, but I should emphasize that what happens within school is no different
00:13:39to what happens at home.
00:13:42A few years ago, I was working in China when there was a measles outbreak.
00:13:47The schools all came under incredibly strict control, as you can imagine in China.
00:13:53However, when I was driving home from my workplace, I'd see many of the kids who weren't allowed
00:13:59into school playing with one another, and kids from other schools on a bit of ground
00:14:04playing football together.
00:14:06And so there's a sense of irony to that.
00:14:08We're jumping through all of these hoops, and yet people, families, perhaps aren't following
00:14:13sensible control rules at home.
00:14:16So I think, really, I would say the number one thing that is going to be difficult but
00:14:20essential will be about everybody being sensible, being altruistic, caring about others, and
00:14:27following the rules, and following the rules 24-7.
00:14:31If we do that, then we put ourselves in a good position to minimize the number of infections
00:14:36that occur.
00:14:37It's a great point, Dr. Neal.
00:14:39I can just envisage, you know, the schools working so hard during the day, and then,
00:14:43you know, come pick up time, too many parents are congregating and breaking the rules, and
00:14:48it would be frustrating for everyone to try and, you know, maintain the self-discipline
00:14:52of the kids.
00:14:53Amol, I'm going to throw to you, you've actually spoken about the importance, I think,
00:14:57of trying to get as many kids to school as possible, because that benefits the learning,
00:15:03and I agree with that, certainly, in principle.
00:15:05So having taken that path, what have you found really hard in having to have, you know, those
00:15:10practical measures?
00:15:11Have you got lines in the school?
00:15:13Have you got distancing spaces?
00:15:15How are you looking at having kids, you know, play and socialize during lunchtime?
00:15:19We are looking at it as a collective responsibility.
00:15:23We understand that the basic need of the child to grow is by attending the school.
00:15:28At the same time, there is a risk involved because of the COVID pandemic.
00:15:34So what we are looking at is putting it across to each and every person who is associated
00:15:40with schooling as a collective responsibility.
00:15:43And that means right from housekeeping, to teachers, to the support staff, to the parents
00:15:49and the child himself or herself is responsible for three things.
00:15:54Taking care of herself or himself, number one.
00:15:58Taking care of the group where he or she operates, number two, and taking care of the society
00:16:03at large.
00:16:04So what we have done in the last three weeks is we have come out with a series of communication
00:16:09on personal hygiene, the personal protection equipment and the care to be taken.
00:16:16And we have shifted the conversation from social distancing to physical distancing.
00:16:21Because as a school, we somehow don't like that phrase social distancing because we are
00:16:26all social human beings and we are a social animal.
00:16:30So instead of being socially distant from each other, you be physically distant from
00:16:35each other, stay connected heart to heart.
00:16:38So those silent practices we are encouraging in both our campuses here in Ewing.
00:16:46And the idea is to get all stakeholders together, avoid too much of crowding in spaces, put
00:16:52a lot of emphasis on physical discipline to group discipline.
00:16:57And we believe our children and teachers and the support staff are now ready to deliver it.
00:17:04See, Krish, we are all talking here and in conversation with each other and we're learning
00:17:10from each other.
00:17:11Even the children learn like this.
00:17:13So it is essential that they meet with their friends and, you know, interact with them
00:17:19to have better learning outcomes.
00:17:22So we're hoping after the campaign that we have run that children will be responsible.
00:17:29The parents will be more open to sending their child to the school and life will return to
00:17:35normal with some modification in the lifestyle.
00:17:38So that the family level, as Dr. Neel was mentioning, a lot of habits have changed,
00:17:45you know, personal hygiene habits and how we connect with people within the family and
00:17:51in the neighborhood.
00:17:52So I hope all those good habits will now come into school and the entire group will come
00:17:58out as a better, responsible group.
00:18:01Yeah, it's an excellent point you make, Amol.
00:18:04I think we're all finding this that as humans, we're social beings and we want to naturally
00:18:07socialize and be together in times of need.
00:18:10And we're going against human nature to some degree.
00:18:13So it is a challenge.
00:18:14The first poll has gone up.
00:18:16They're asking you, what would be your preferred mode of learning in the new academic term?
00:18:21What would be your preferred mode of learning in the new academic term?
00:18:25In-class learning only, e-learning or a blending of the two?
00:18:30So it'd be interesting to see your thoughts on that as we do look at the change in teaching
00:18:34mechanisms that are coming in place.
00:18:36I know we, you know, it just sort of started out towards the start of the year and Mr.
00:18:42David Williams, as the acting principal at the Regent International School.
00:18:46I see that the KHDA and the ADEK have given children the option for online classes.
00:18:53How much of a challenge is this to conduct the on-campus learning where the teacher's
00:18:57there with half the class and then the other class are at home individually at the same
00:19:01time, sometimes with parents leaning in, trying to make sure that everything is going okay?
00:19:06How much has this been a challenge for you?
00:19:08Well, first of all, we appreciate their support if they're doing that.
00:19:11That's great.
00:19:12The fact is, last term, as you said, it happened very, very quickly.
00:19:18We're put in a scenario whereby we went to online.
00:19:22Luckily for us, we've always had elements of flip learning whereby children are able
00:19:27to access lessons using a variety of platforms.
00:19:31So we really, we didn't have a standing start.
00:19:34We were very lucky here at Regent International School.
00:19:37And I think this will be different to what it was in term three, where we were very successful
00:19:41in conducting distance learning.
00:19:44But it won't be that difficult because we, as human beings, we don't forget what we've
00:19:49learned.
00:19:50We've gone this far.
00:19:51We've gone through this journey of learning how to use technology as a way of distributing
00:19:55lessons, a way of communicating with children, and a way of even allowing children to have
00:20:00social interactions with their peers in a safe and controlled environment.
00:20:04We're not going to forget what we've learned.
00:20:06And moving forward, what we've moved to at Regent International School is where children
00:20:10will actually have a physical desk in the school, where the teacher will be able to
00:20:14speak to them at times when they need to, but also be muted at times when they're speaking
00:20:18to other children, just as they would in their normal classroom.
00:20:22This will allow children to feel part of the physical space, even when parents are deciding
00:20:28for their own decision that it's best to keep children at home.
00:20:33And every parent's got that decision to make.
00:20:35It's not an easy one at all.
00:20:37And I think all schools are really working throughout the summer to ensure that we're
00:20:42ready for both sets of parents, parents who do want to send their children in and those
00:20:46who want to receive online learning.
00:20:49And like I said, I think that the underlying point is our staff and our teachers found
00:20:52new and incredibly innovative ways of teaching the curriculum through these different devices
00:20:57and online platforms.
00:20:59They're not going to forget that overnight, certainly not.
00:21:01It's already changed normal practice in schools.
00:21:04We're never going to go back to some of the things that we were doing before because there's
00:21:07just better ways of doing them now.
00:21:10And I think that will be reflected in the way that children receive online learning
00:21:12if that's what they choose.
00:21:13Yeah, I can actually speak from experience that I was distance educated for four or five
00:21:19years of my high school.
00:21:21And this was going back to my days of dial-up internet.
00:21:26So the work would come and then you do some lessons online.
00:21:28And I can only imagine when the parents are kind of looking over trying to make sure,
00:21:32I don't think your teacher's quite right in this, how frustrating it might be for some
00:21:36teachers.
00:21:37But just on that, David, you're looking at some of these hybrid models.
00:21:43What have you found just through your experience, what are the hybrid models that have really
00:21:48worked best in terms of trying to engage all students?
00:21:51So it depends on age and it depends on needs.
00:21:54So there's two things that we have to constantly look at here.
00:21:58For example, obviously, we didn't know how parents were going to interact with online
00:22:01learning when we went there in term three, or early term two, actually.
00:22:07And what we found quite interesting was, of course, the younger children wanted set activities
00:22:12that were online and a little bit of live interaction with their teacher, whereas higher
00:22:17school, we were basically live teaching all the time.
00:22:20So we use different models, different programs, such as Seesaw and OneNote and Teams, depending
00:22:26on the age appropriateness of those programs for the children.
00:22:30And yeah, we found that, to be honest, it really does depend on age.
00:22:36So lower down the school, set activities are more interacted with than live lessons, whereas
00:22:41higher up the school, we found that live lessons were the way to go.
00:22:45And parents really enjoyed that.
00:22:47And they liked the fact they were having that interaction with their peers and with their
00:22:51teachers as well.
00:22:53Now, Naomi, with you working in the registrar, I'll run you through the details of the latest
00:22:58poll we've done.
00:22:59What would be your preferred mode of learning in the academic term?
00:23:02E-learning has come up at 52%, followed by blended learning at 30%, and then in-class
00:23:07learning at 19%.
00:23:09Does that surprise you, given your feedback of speaking to a lot of parents, that one
00:23:12in two would prefer e-learning?
00:23:14It does, actually, because many of our students, apart from, say, the FS1 and FS3, are going
00:23:19to be remote learning and the secondary for the first four weeks.
00:23:23But mainly, the parents have opted for classroom learning to have their children back in, again,
00:23:29to meet the social, emotional needs of the child.
00:23:32So that does surprise me with, yes, yeah, our students wanting to come back in and have
00:23:39the element of socialising and those connections to rebuild, again, specifically with the young
00:23:45children.
00:23:47Yes, well, as we all know, part of school is predominantly academic, but it's such a
00:23:51great ground for social engagement and team building and interacting and learning how
00:23:56to work with people that you may not have initially connected with.
00:24:00And there's also those extracurricular activities.
00:24:02So the next poll that's going up, what's the one thing you miss about school during distance
00:24:07learning?
00:24:08Is it the energy of the classroom, the spontaneous interaction with teachers and friends, or
00:24:12the sports and the extracurricular activities?
00:24:17Just staying with you, Naomi, I mean, it must have been a really tough sort of period over
00:24:22summer looking at, you know, parents and teachers and so forth and trying to ascertain.
00:24:27Have you had to issue more feedback to parents?
00:24:30Have you had to issue them with more details about what's happening, or have they actually
00:24:35been quite open in the communication process?
00:24:38Absolutely.
00:24:40Communication has been a huge part of my role over the last, you know, several weeks, actually.
00:24:45So parents, they're just wanting to understand exactly what it's going to look like, how
00:24:51it's going to work for their child.
00:24:53So yeah, I've spent a huge amount of time just speaking to parents over the phone, arranging
00:24:59team schools with them, just walking them through what it's going to look like.
00:25:04But yeah, that's been a real key thing for myself, specifically in admissions.
00:25:11It's certainly a tough time, a challenging time, because we're going through this, which
00:25:15we haven't before.
00:25:16So thank you very much for everyone who was sending through some questions.
00:25:19We will get to your questions at the end of today's webinar.
00:25:22You can also answer today's poll as we're focusing on the challenge of reopening schools,
00:25:27what the new academic term will look like.
00:25:30So thank you, everyone who is joining the webinar online.
00:25:33And if you do want to catch up, it will still be posted on Facebook and the website.
00:25:37So if there's someone, you know, who might want to watch it at a later date, you still
00:25:40will be able to have access to it.
00:25:43With the teaching mechanisms, I'll throw to you, Dr. Neal, do you see having had your
00:25:49experience here between, I guess, parents having a greater input into their child's
00:25:53learning given that they've been at home and have been able to watch how their teacher
00:25:58and how their students and how their kids work?
00:26:03Do you see there's going to be more collaboration between the students, the teachers, and the
00:26:07parents going forward with the academic system?
00:26:11Well, I would like to think that that will be the case.
00:26:14I mean, I think that parents' experience has been mixed insofar as perhaps some parents
00:26:22have found it very challenging, as you were saying earlier, to juggle between their own
00:26:29commitments of work and their children's needs, especially if their children are younger.
00:26:33And I think the online experience is variable according to the age of the child for obvious
00:26:40reasons.
00:26:41So an older child is more independent and therefore perhaps requires less parental support
00:26:46during the learning, whereas a younger child who ostensibly, if they're down in the early
00:26:53years, the foundation stage of the school, they really are very, very driven by their
00:26:59movement around the classroom space and the interactions they have with their children.
00:27:03So your latest poll showing that 64% of people have been missing spontaneous interactions,
00:27:11I would imagine that a large proportion of those would be the parents and the children
00:27:18that are younger, because actually that's really what they need, the spontaneity.
00:27:23And so I think the parental experience is mixed, really, dependent on their child.
00:27:30So the reality is, I think, when we look at this situation and the fact that it's not
00:27:34going anywhere very quickly, is the fact that we are all going to shift into much more of
00:27:40a blended environment.
00:27:42And perhaps those of us that have had to work at home have discovered, hey, you know, it's
00:27:46not bad, actually.
00:27:48I can pretty much manage a lot of my job at home, and I never thought I did, or maybe
00:27:52more to the point, our bosses have discovered that we can manage our job working from home.
00:27:57And so if we are going to enter a period, and who knows, but if we're going to enter
00:28:02a period when we can move in and out of various degrees of lockdown, then actually we are
00:28:07all going to need to be more fluent in terms of either being in a space like this where
00:28:12you might interact with people or actually being in an online environment where you're
00:28:16using a different platform to interact like that.
00:28:18So I think it will be very interesting to see how parents engage.
00:28:23One of the interesting discoveries we made, and we absolutely didn't expect it, was during
00:28:30what we call parents' evening.
00:28:31So a parent consultation, when the parent comes in to say, you know, how's my child
00:28:35been learning this particular term?
00:28:37And of course, the one for term three occurred during the period when we're all in lockdown,
00:28:43and so they occurred online.
00:28:45And we had overwhelming positivity from parents about that.
00:28:49Many dads, I have to say, who said, this is brilliant, because I can turn up for my, you
00:28:56know, quarter an hour, half an hour interaction with the teacher talking about my child's
00:29:00progress.
00:29:01I don't leave my desk, and when I finish the meeting, I'm straight back to work, instead
00:29:06of it being an hour and a half drive over from wherever they are to queue up and then
00:29:10wait to meet the teacher.
00:29:12And so suddenly, the parents are saying, how marvelous.
00:29:15Now, it made me smile, because I remember trying to introduce this 10 years ago at a
00:29:22school I was working at, and parents absolutely hating it, and saying, isn't this terrible?
00:29:27We want face-to-face.
00:29:28So the changing context changes what people expect from schools and how they judge the
00:29:36level of service that a school is giving.
00:29:38So in this context, I think that parents enjoy the online interaction.
00:29:43And so I would hope that actually parents will feel they've had a bit of an insight
00:29:47in the last term.
00:29:48They understand maybe a little bit more about how their children learn, and that schools
00:29:52in turn will also understand a little bit better how to support parents so that they
00:29:57can support even better, regardless of the age of their child.
00:30:01So I wouldn't say that we're completely there yet as an education force in terms of supporting
00:30:08those parents.
00:30:09But I think on both sides that progress is being made, and I think it might change things
00:30:13for the future.
00:30:14Yeah, it's a very good point that you make.
00:30:17I think that a lot of people have found, certainly professionally in their work, how productive
00:30:21they've had to be because they haven't been pulled into an HR meeting because someone's
00:30:25had their lunch regularly taken from a fridge.
00:30:28And we have all this stuff that wastes everyone's time that allows us to be more productive.
00:30:33Amol, I want to get your thoughts on this poll, because I know you've been focusing
00:30:37on having students back in the classroom, you know, as a priority.
00:30:42The poll, what's the one thing you miss about school during distance learning?
00:30:4564%, that spontaneous interactions with teachers and friends.
00:30:49Have you found much pushback from parents?
00:30:52You know, have you found that there have been a lot of parents that have been wanting to
00:30:55have e-learning, or have they been overwhelmingly welcoming of having children back in the classroom?
00:31:00For me, the poll result actually is an indication that when we quickly shifted to distance learning
00:31:08in the last term, and the, you know, the speed with which everyone adapted, and the quality
00:31:16of education that was delivered, that is indicating here in the numbers, because parents have
00:31:22understood that this works.
00:31:25And with the risk involved of sending the child to the school, as pursued by the parent,
00:31:30they believe that why not continue with the option, now that we know that it has worked.
00:31:36So, the fact that all the schools in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, UAE, delivered a good quality education,
00:31:44distance, virtual in last term, is showing in the poll results here.
00:31:49I'm not surprised, because in Dubai, we are looking at about 30% only sending the child
00:31:55to the school.
00:31:56In Abu Dhabi, only 10% are willing, are keen to send their child to the school, 90% want
00:32:03distance learning.
00:32:04I'm talking of my school in Abu Dhabi.
00:32:07So I'm not surprised.
00:32:10And I think, over the last three, four months, parents have realized that teachers work very
00:32:18hard, and the kind of, you know, understanding that the parents have developed with their
00:32:24teachers and the learning system of their campers, that's being indicated here by their
00:32:31confidence in distance learning.
00:32:32That is why they are opting for it.
00:32:34I'm not surprised.
00:32:35And I go to all the parents as well as the teachers for that.
00:32:40Yes, I think that's the point.
00:32:42We all have to work on this and all work together.
00:32:45David, as the acting principal at the Region International School, you know, you've mentioned
00:32:50about looking at different forms of software and what would really work.
00:32:54I think the question that a lot of people, certainly with older children, are going to
00:32:57have is, how are you going to be conducting exams with some students being at home and
00:33:04some students being in the classroom?
00:33:06Well, I mean, we've got a few plans actually in mind for this.
00:33:10We were just looking at, for example, children can access most of the platforms that we use
00:33:15for testing and assessment online.
00:33:19So there is no issue with them doing it at home to a certain degree.
00:33:23We would encourage, I think, the use of an examination room if there was sort of end
00:33:29of year assessments, for example, and make that available to parents to use so that we
00:33:33can have the accurate data so we can support children moving forward.
00:33:37But at the end of the day, the most important thing for any school when it's looking at
00:33:41assessment is that teacher assessment at the end of every lesson.
00:33:47It's not about these set examinations.
00:33:49It's about teachers knowing their children inside out.
00:33:51That does not change on online learning.
00:33:55It does not change in the physical realm.
00:33:57It's the same situation.
00:34:00Teachers are able to obviously set work, help and support children throughout the lesson,
00:34:06give valid feedback using a variety of ways.
00:34:08I mean, even in the foundation stage, we're having children leaving voice notes on their
00:34:13work so that they were able to share with the teacher what they've learnt and the teacher
00:34:17responding to that.
00:34:18So incredible ways of assessment taking place.
00:34:21And it's not just about the examinations, which really don't need these four walls anyway.
00:34:25They can take place anywhere around the world.
00:34:29Teacher assessment is key and it certainly will continue to be, whether it's in blended,
00:34:33online or the physical school.
00:34:34Yeah.
00:34:35Back when I was homeschooled, a guy used to have to come to the house with the newspaper
00:34:39and he'd sit down next to you while you did your exam for a whole hour.
00:34:42I can only imagine you had to do that for every single one.
00:34:44I actually didn't do too badly.
00:34:47You know, you had someone and he was reading the paper, just making sure that you weren't
00:34:50cheating or doing anything.
00:34:51He came from Australia.
00:34:52He had the Board of School Studies.
00:34:55So he'd come out and mum would make him a cup of tea and a couple of bickies and there
00:34:57I would be doing the work and making sure I wasn't hearing everything.
00:35:01It was very intimidating, I have to say.
00:35:05So I envy the technology that a lot of the students have today because it certainly is
00:35:10remarkable.
00:35:11We spoke about how kids adapt.
00:35:15Is it really as simple as the younger kids just pick this up like a duct of water compared
00:35:19to some of the older students?
00:35:21Again, we're lucky.
00:35:22Again, it wasn't a standing start.
00:35:24We had this stuff in place before so children knew how to record their own work on Seesaw,
00:35:29for example, in the lower year groups.
00:35:32And so in many respects, it is.
00:35:34I mean, to us, we still see an iPad and we still see a computer as we gain in years and
00:35:40we think it's a special, incredible device, this game changing piece of equipment.
00:35:45Children come to school knowing how to use them and you put a programme on that they've
00:35:50never seen before and they do know how to access it if it's laid out in the correct
00:35:54manner in an age appropriate manner.
00:35:56And so children do pick up.
00:35:58And what was quite interesting, of course, now is similar to what Naomi was saying.
00:36:03You know, when we're taking families, talking to families, meeting families, talking them
00:36:07through what we've done, it changes their perception because at the moment you've got
00:36:11to consider when you're dealing with children who are even five, six, seven, six months
00:36:15is a long time out of their life.
00:36:17This isn't the new normal for them.
00:36:19A lot of it feels like the normal.
00:36:21So they when they come into school and they see that these things are taking place and
00:36:26that the physical school is safe and they're ready to come back, it does change their perception.
00:36:31But as far as my learning goes, they picked it up so quickly.
00:36:35They were able to access the curriculum the same in many respects as they would in the
00:36:40physical school.
00:36:42So to answer your question, yes, really, they did pick it up very quickly with the support
00:36:46and with the expertise of the teaching staff behind them.
00:36:49And which subjects have you found the hardest?
00:36:50I'm understanding that maybe some music subjects or some of the physical health subjects would
00:36:54be really hard.
00:36:55Maths and English, I could understand might be easier, but which subjects have you found
00:36:59the most challenging to set the curriculum for?
00:37:02Quite interestingly, we have a fantastic music department, a fantastic PE department
00:37:08here at Regent International School.
00:37:09We kept getting retweeted by the KSGA and all the fantastic things that we were doing
00:37:12here.
00:37:14Of course, it's a challenge, but you've got to be innovative and creative.
00:37:18I think as far as take up and as far as actually progressing with the curriculum, science was
00:37:25a challenge because a lot of the parents don't have the equipment at home in order to conduct
00:37:29the equipment, the curriculum, efficiently, plus so thinking out of the box on how we
00:37:35actually did that was a lot of videos and a lot of things that we wouldn't normally
00:37:39do.
00:37:40We want children to experience these things.
00:37:41And of course, lower down the school where you're still at that concrete, that physical
00:37:45stage of counting and needing resources to do that, that could also lead to a few challenges
00:37:51as well that we had to tackle.
00:37:53Literacy was absolutely fantastic.
00:37:57Teachers were able to give a stimulus, whether that be a story or a hook of some description
00:38:02to get the children engaged and then set the task online and the children just upload their
00:38:07work at the end.
00:38:08And again, as I've said, we were not going to go back to everything being the same as
00:38:12it was before.
00:38:13We found that the audio feedback led to greater adaptation from the children and their knowledge
00:38:21on how they can progress their work forward.
00:38:23So yeah, very different depending on the subject, but overall, I found anything that
00:38:29needed physical equipment and anything that needed preparation and planning in class times,
00:38:33for example, you're doing a science experiment, it can take up to an hour to actually organise
00:38:38that and set it up for the children.
00:38:40They could be the challenging areas.
00:38:42Yeah.
00:38:43And sometimes the kids can teach the parents at home.
00:38:46I'll bring you in, Naomi, on that subject.
00:38:49How have you found that, you know, in dealing with parents that, you know, they want to
00:38:52take part in science, but we don't just have bunts and burners at home and we don't have
00:38:56all the, you know, all the different equipment?
00:38:58How has that been challenging for you to communicate to families?
00:39:01I think the key thing is, like you suggested previously, was just being about creative
00:39:06and coming up with different models and how they can access that curriculum.
00:39:11So just speaking with the tutors, the teachers, just adapting, constantly adapting to what
00:39:19they're able to use at home and just changing any methods.
00:39:22So the final outcome is, you know, come up with a solution, but getting there through
00:39:27a different way.
00:39:29And that's ensured that the child's actually thinking in a more creative way at home as
00:39:32well, which may be in a school setting, they wouldn't have done because it's all been placed
00:39:37there ready for them.
00:39:38So it's allowed for them to think outside the box independently.
00:39:42So I think that's been a positive thing.
00:39:44Absolutely.
00:39:45Yeah, I think there are some parents happy that they don't have a recorder at home when
00:39:48it comes to music class, but that could just be from my own personal experience.
00:39:52Have you got any examples, though, from your time of maybe some of the more creative examples
00:39:58of what parents have had to go to to help their kids adapt?
00:40:01Or is that really something you're probably going to find in this next coming trimester?
00:40:04Yeah.
00:40:05So just, though it has been in the last semester, so I'm just speaking directly for my son,
00:40:10for example, that I've had him at home, as well as working myself from home.
00:40:15So, you know, they've done so many fantastic things to keep the children engaged.
00:40:19So my son was in FS1 last year here at Amity, and they did so many creative things from
00:40:25cooking, making things, you know, arts and crafts and certain experiments.
00:40:31And again, it's the teaching remotely that's caused, that created my son to think more
00:40:37independently, which was fantastic.
00:40:42And now, just staying with you, I want to move on to how things have changed in regards
00:40:47to admissions, how, looking at this next semester, how has the admission process changed because
00:40:53of COVID-19?
00:40:54Yeah.
00:40:55So very quickly, we had to adapt our approach, you know, because normally we would have parents
00:40:59coming in.
00:41:00It was a very face-to-face process.
00:41:02Parents are wanting to come in, they're wanting to get a feel for the school as they walk
00:41:06around because that tells a parent everything when they're seeing children in the setting.
00:41:12So we had to quickly adapt, and we did that very well.
00:41:15So the whole process of applying for their child, their son or daughter, they could complete
00:41:21the whole process from application to, you know, us accepting them and submitting them
00:41:26all remotely.
00:41:28We were testing students at home, so they were doing the CAT4 assessments remotely.
00:41:32It was all done and all accessible.
00:41:35Even now, we're in the final phase of getting all of the documentation for parents.
00:41:39Again, it's all being done remotely.
00:41:42They can upload and be self-sufficient with everything.
00:41:45What I've tried to really reiterate is just keeping that communication, not being behind
00:41:50the computer screen all the time, so arranging webinars for our new parents, talking them
00:41:55through what's expected, what they're to expect in the coming few weeks.
00:42:00So it very quickly adapted.
00:42:02Parents were able to access documentation that normally they would come in and get.
00:42:06There was a system in place, the TAM system, so children are able to access their leaving
00:42:11certificates and so forth.
00:42:13So we very quickly adapted and in light to make things a lot easier for parents through
00:42:18that process.
00:42:20Amol, at the Global Indian International School, how have you changed the admission process
00:42:25because of COVID-19?
00:42:28As Melanie explained, everything had to go online quickly.
00:42:34So we have been doing Zoom meetings, Zoom assessment.
00:42:39Every single step of the admission process has gone online.
00:42:44Interaction with the school team, interaction with the principal, interaction with the
00:42:49counselor, online testing or defining the baseline for the child.
00:42:55All the things have been done online and including the school too.
00:43:00So we always had a 360 degree tour of the entire campus, both in Abu Dhabi and Dubai
00:43:06that came handy under the circumstances.
00:43:11It hasn't really affected our enrollment.
00:43:15Numbers have increased in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
00:43:18Wow. So far, so good.
00:43:21But as I said, I will come back to the basic thing again.
00:43:25School is a very large ecosystem and very soon the virtual learning will run its course.
00:43:34I'll still recommend the parents to come back to physical schooling.
00:43:39Yeah, look at all of our parents, it's always the case.
00:43:45Part of me would like to be homeschooled because I know I wouldn't get attention for getting
00:43:49my sports shoes when it comes to PE.
00:43:51But at the same time, you know, that importance is there.
00:43:54We're there to learn with our peers and learn with our friends and learn from our students as well.
00:44:00A lot of things are simultaneously happening in different parts of the school.
00:44:04So child is not necessarily learning only in the classroom.
00:44:09Many other learning spaces in all campuses where many things are happening simultaneously
00:44:15and they all add to the learning that the child undergoes.
00:44:19And that cannot be any way replicated at home.
00:44:23While you have an additional safety and security or a sense of safety and security at home,
00:44:30that safety and security can be brought into the school, but the learning spaces and the
00:44:34entire regimen of learning process cannot be really replicated.
00:44:39I'm not saying it cannot be done by anyone at all, but it cannot be replicated by all
00:44:45families at home.
00:44:47That's the challenge.
00:44:50Allow me to put it, but over time, if only distance learning is going to continue, we'll
00:44:56have learning gaps happening for all children.
00:45:00That's what I'm more worried about as a parent myself and as a person who is leading
00:45:07schools. That's what I wanted to put across to the audience here.
00:45:12Well, how challenging is that, Amol, just interrupting you to get more on that point.
00:45:17You know, we as teachers, we know there are some students who don't pick up certain
00:45:23parts of the curriculum as quickly as others.
00:45:25And if they're at home, how hard is it to hold up the rest of the class in order to
00:45:31make sure that that student who is not being able to apply the lessons is able to be
00:45:36brought back to speed with everyone else?
00:45:38That's the challenge, isn't it?
00:45:40Engagement is a problem.
00:45:42However hard you may try to engage with all the children virtually, you know, many of
00:45:47the nuances, including the body language and the silence before a child responds to
00:45:53questions, all those cannot be fully grasped virtually because when the teacher is doing
00:46:01a virtual lesson, he or she is not able to watch all the children, you know, which
00:46:07happens in the classroom.
00:46:09So even if a child is not participating in the learning process, the physical classroom,
00:46:14the teacher will quickly notice that and then alter the lesson plan or the lesson plan
00:46:22delivery accordingly. That somehow is a grey area.
00:46:26And while we have had novelty of virtual classes, it's a matter of time before the
00:46:33deficiencies and the limitations are understood by the parents.
00:46:37What has happened in the last three, four months is parents have understood very
00:46:43properly that teachers do a lot of things in the class.
00:46:47So the perception that teachers do nothing and the entire transactional relationship
00:46:53that many parents had with the school, that is now gone because they have understood
00:46:57that teachers do many things.
00:46:58But beyond that, now, when you come to the basics of learning and the long term
00:47:04learning outcomes, I think we are walking on a thin line.
00:47:10If we don't chart our way forward properly and I'll recommend that 100% educators
00:47:19like Dr. Neel and they are the ones who can possibly throw more light on this.
00:47:27But this is what I have understood in last five, six months of virtual learning and
00:47:33teaching that I have monitored in two campuses here in UAE and other 20 campuses
00:47:38outside UAE for global school.
00:47:41Well, thank you for that point.
00:47:43We'll go to the poll.
00:47:44Would you like the blended learning model to continue beyond the COVID-19 pandemic?
00:47:49Yes, 46%.
00:47:50No, 54%.
00:47:51So that really does go back to Amol, some of the things that you were saying.
00:47:55We'll get to your questions very quickly, but I do want to focus on the topic of how
00:47:59many households, you know, we know we're going through such an economic crisis and
00:48:03so many families are struggling to meet their financial commitments, you know,
00:48:06there's job losses, redundancies, there's furloughs.
00:48:10Dr. Neel, how are you looking to help families during this economic crisis, you
00:48:14know, with so many households suffering from this financial strain?
00:48:19I think it's very difficult, isn't it?
00:48:21It's being the world's largest independent schools market.
00:48:28The UAE has a very significant issue there because all expatriate children are fee
00:48:35paying and with the difficulties that parents have with their employment, as you say,
00:48:41perhaps furlough pay, that places them in a difficult situation.
00:48:44But of course, it also places the school providers in a difficult situation.
00:48:49These are also businesses that are also under significant stress.
00:48:54And so I think it's a complex system that, you know, the start point is this, and I'm
00:49:00sure that Naomi would, in her role, would resonate with this.
00:49:04We want to be sympathetic to parents and do whatever we can to help.
00:49:08We recognize that these are difficult times.
00:49:11And so whatever the school can do, it will want to do.
00:49:16And so, of course, that's all about relationship.
00:49:18It's all about making the connection with the parents, understanding their particular
00:49:22hardship at school so that we can make sure that we can make sure that we're putting
00:49:32the provision of support to those parents that need it the most.
00:49:37So I think it's based on community and it's based on that sense of working with our
00:49:43families to understand their context and to understand how we can support them and
00:49:48offer that sort of financial relief, whilst at the same time being pragmatic and
00:49:52recognizing that the schools still need, in order to be able to offer outstanding
00:49:58education, still need to be able to actually afford to operate.
00:50:02And so it's about striking a balance within there.
00:50:04So all of our families are able to speak to our admissions colleagues and have
00:50:11conversations around their particular financial circumstances so that we can have a
00:50:17personal and bespoke conversation with them to decide how best we can support them.
00:50:25We're going to get to some of your questions very soon because I'm sure that the time is
00:50:29upon us. But Naomi, just on that, you know, how have you found that process in regards
00:50:33to admissions, you know, with parents that are struggling with their financial
00:50:36commitments? It must have been some tough conversations you've had to have with
00:50:40people. It has been difficult, you know, with parent situations, their household, they've
00:50:46had to make some hard decisions.
00:50:49Their employment benefits have changed somewhat.
00:50:51So again, it's about supporting the community, which is everything that we have tried to
00:50:55do within Amity.
00:50:57So we set up a team and set up a hardship fund.
00:51:01So parents that needed it the most, it was all very much on a case by case basis.
00:51:06We'd assess the situation, try and support them in every way we physically can.
00:51:10Just to keep, you know, to keep that relationship.
00:51:14But it has been difficult for parents.
00:51:16But I think like I kept touching on a few times, that communication and that relationship
00:51:20with them has been absolutely key and just supporting that community that we hold here
00:51:25at Amity.
00:51:27Looking at some of your questions, thank you very much for coming in and for them coming
00:51:31in. And also, please feel free to get your question in.
00:51:35David, I'll ask you the first question here.
00:51:37Children who have to go to school for the first time this September, do you think it's
00:51:41more advisable to get them started in the second trimester rather than now?
00:51:47Totally up to the parents.
00:51:49They've got their decision to make.
00:51:51I really suggest, as I said before, come and see the schools.
00:51:55Come and speak to the leaders and the teachers that your child will be working with and
00:52:00see how you feel.
00:52:03There's no right or wrong answer.
00:52:04This is an ever-changing scene.
00:52:06And I'm sure that I don't just speak for Regent, I speak for all the schools.
00:52:10We're prepared to support you in your decision.
00:52:13And like I said, there is no right or wrong.
00:52:15Come and speak to us.
00:52:17Look online, see the videos that are being put up by numerous schools, including Regent
00:52:21on Instagram, and that will help you inform your decision.
00:52:25I think if I think the biggest thing to consider really is the social impact on children,
00:52:32which Naomi alluded to earlier.
00:52:34And if you do feel that it is safe and you do feel confident, I would start in term one.
00:52:39And we've got a lot of issues that are going to affect children as far as picking up on
00:52:44social cues, for example.
00:52:46As adults, sometimes we even struggle wearing masks.
00:52:48It's quite nice to be in this environment where we can actually see each other's faces
00:52:51safely. And it's quite difficult to pick up on emotions and quite difficult to pick up
00:52:55on how people are responding to you.
00:52:58Well, can you imagine being a five, six, seven year old and going through that?
00:53:01It's very, very difficult.
00:53:02And they've got enough challenges going on at the moment.
00:53:04So getting them into that physical classroom certainly would help with that social
00:53:08development, that social interaction.
00:53:10So that's one thing I would say, though things can be replicated online, as I've said,
00:53:14I've been very positive about that and I stand by that.
00:53:17However, if you do feel that it's safe to bring children back to school, then I would
00:53:21recommend bringing them back in term one.
00:53:24Amol, you've been very vocal about having kids in school.
00:53:28One question that's come from Madhuri, during the pandemic, hygiene is very important.
00:53:32Certainly restrooms is an area where kids can get infection.
00:53:36So how are you instilling the right protocols so that the children can remain safe at
00:53:43school?
00:53:45So, you know, we need to go beyond the systems and protocols, because ultimately the
00:53:50responsibility of personal and social hygiene rests with the individual.
00:53:55And therefore, what we did was we have been running a campaign on personal hygiene and
00:54:02physical distancing for the last three weeks now.
00:54:05And we are emphasizing to the parents that right from now, you ensure that your child
00:54:10is aware of how to take care of herself.
00:54:15Ultimately, the individual has to learn to take care of herself.
00:54:19You see, this pandemic is not going to end so very early.
00:54:23I mean, even WHO is saying it will take probably about two years for the pandemic to
00:54:29turn south.
00:54:32And this is not the last pandemic that our society is going to face.
00:54:36It's important that as a family unit or in the school, we teach the children how to take
00:54:43care of themselves and live a healthy and sociable life.
00:54:48And it's a process.
00:54:49It's not an event.
00:54:51And that's what we are focusing on.
00:54:53Have the right kind of SOPs in place, have the right kind of processes on the ground
00:54:59working and also a very positive, healthy communication to the parents and the
00:55:04children.
00:55:07That's an excellent point.
00:55:08And I'm only just wrapping up there because I know we're pushing for time here, Amol, but
00:55:13it is interesting that you say that, yes, it is up to the students, but it's up to the
00:55:16teachers. And it's also up to that message at home in order to be taught these lessons.
00:55:21Rakeem has sent through a question that I want to throw to you, Dr.
00:55:24Neal. For very young children up to five and six, I say e-learning just doesn't seem to
00:55:29make sense. At the same time, it's very difficult to keep them from touching everything
00:55:33around them in a class setting.
00:55:35So how does a school deal with that guaranteed safety?
00:55:38Yeah, it's tough, isn't it?
00:55:39It's what a difficult choice that you have, really.
00:55:44I think, you know, for young children, the classroom is an essential part of their
00:55:49learning experience.
00:55:51And that's been recognized by the regulators insofar as there are stricter controls
00:55:57around the size of the group that the children can be in and also in terms of the
00:56:04pathways that the children have.
00:56:06I think we all recognize that very young children will just struggle to adhere to the
00:56:11rules because they're very young.
00:56:13It's part of who they are.
00:56:15They perhaps don't understand the significance or become more irritable with the
00:56:23restrictions. And so we have to sort of gather around the child and make sure that we
00:56:29put things in place that will allow for their use, whilst at the same time ensuring for
00:56:36their safety.
00:56:37And so having these much smaller bubbles, having very, very careful control about the
00:56:43adults that have interactions with them, and importantly, making sure the adults don't
00:56:48have interactions with other groups is an important part of making that bubble.
00:56:53It won't ever be an airtight seal, as we've said earlier.
00:56:57Who knows where the kids are going to go afterwards at the end of the school day.
00:57:00But within the school day, we can control who they're coming into contact with and
00:57:05making sure that's consistent.
00:57:07So that we're not denying them this crucial experience that your question alludes to
00:57:12really, Kip, that actually online learning is particularly challenging for younger
00:57:16children, whereas being in school is the best way for those children to develop.
00:57:22And so the reassurance that we give parents is not only all of the instrumentation that
00:57:27we have around school to ensure that it's extremely clean and is cleaned very, very
00:57:32thoroughly, very regularly, and everybody's screened all the way in and so on.
00:57:36It's also actually just about their hour-to-hour practice and making sure they stay
00:57:42within their bubble.
00:57:42We've kept it tight, and they understand that by following those rules and making sure
00:57:47that other adults aren't coming into that space and interacting with them, we've kept
00:57:51them safe.
00:57:54Naomi, a question has come in from Aldina, which you might be able to shed some light
00:57:58on.
00:57:59Online teaching for my kids in primary grades is an option I choose, but the pandemic
00:58:04situation I'm in now is that my company I work for doesn't really support it.
00:58:11So how are you helping working parents with that flexibility to support younger
00:58:15children with their learning journey?
00:58:19So we'll just encourage them to be flexible.
00:58:22So with the communication with the academic, with their teacher, you know, they're not
00:58:28having to be logging in at a certain time, just having that flexibility.
00:58:32So parents, they are going to be working the day.
00:58:34So that may mean, as a result of that, students are going to be having to do their
00:58:38lessons, you know, later on in the afternoon and the evening.
00:58:41And as long as that's achieved in that day, then that's fine.
00:58:45I think we have to adapt.
00:58:46We need to be flexible and understand the situation that our parents are in and, you
00:58:51know, support the parents in the best way that we can with their children.
00:58:56David, a question that's come in from Kusa, what are the strategies that can be adapted
00:59:01in blended learning?
00:59:02How can the assessment process be made more reliable in schools for students?
00:59:08So one thing that we did, obviously, we've talked about the sort of formalised online
00:59:13assessments. I think that's pretty clear.
00:59:15I think use of assessment rooms, use of teachers being online with pupils whilst those
00:59:20are taking place are all ways that we can ensure that there's more rigour there.
00:59:23The other thing is looking at different assessments that happen throughout the year and
00:59:29teachers being live in the room with those children.
00:59:32We've done this quite often, even down lower school with phonics, for example.
00:59:36We did it with reading tests and spelling tests higher up the school.
00:59:40Having teachers there and actually almost treating it like a live lesson, but using it
00:59:44for assessment was quite valuable.
00:59:46And we got some really good data from that and were able to show the children to move
00:59:50them forward.
00:59:52Well, thank you very much for everyone who has taken part.
00:59:55Thank you for your questions.
00:59:56Thank you for everyone who is logged on and watched with Golf News and taken part in the
01:00:01polls. Personally, I'd like to thank all of our speakers today.
01:00:04Mr Amol Vardia, the Senior Director Operations from the Global Indian International
01:00:08School. Thank you. Dr Neil Hopkins, the Executive Principal from the San Marquis School
01:00:12in Dubai. Mr David William, the Acting Principal from the Regent International School in
01:00:16Dubai and Miss Amy Etheridge from the School Register from the Amity International
01:00:21School in Abu Dhabi.
01:00:22Thank you very much for giving up your time this morning.
01:00:24It's been very beneficial and a learning process for everyone.
01:00:29My name is Lachlan Kitchen and we look forward to having you live and as a guest for our
01:00:34next Golf News webinar.
01:00:36Thank you very much to everyone for taking part.
01:00:38Thank you. Thank you.