While we were in lockdown, we surveyed our parents and caregivers, students and staff. We’ve looked really carefully at the information and used it to help inform the right steps to take in returning to onsite operations at school, as well as to improve our approaches to wellbeing, teaching and learning going forward.

Parents and caregivers told us about the gains in flexibility and independence they saw from remote learning and that they’d like to see continued post-lockdown. Those gains included having the ability to study from home when needed, as well as access to self-guided lessons. Self-managing varying workloads and working for extended times on particular activities were seen as pluses too.

Flexibility of time and greater choice about what to focus on were advantages. This included choosing the most suitable time of day for study and which subject or activity a student was 'in the zone' for. The flexibility some parents appreciated was students making efficient use of their time, being able to work at a pace which kept them interested and involved, even being able to take a day off and double down the next day.

More personalised learning and conference-style teacher and student interaction was appreciated. Caregivers noted that remote learning demanded that students take greater levels of responsibility and initiative where they needed to keep up with what was required.

Parents valued the opportunity to keep in touch and to be more involved with their children’s learning. Some commented that during the lockdown they had learnt about how their children preferred to work and how to better assist them in learning. Previously, parents tended to only hear what their children chose to tell them about their learning, which several commented normally wasn't that much!

One positive aspect of remote learning several parents saw was centred on students’ growth in transferable skills. One parent commented that her daughter “had realised how much more self-sufficient she needs to be in the real world in terms of having things to do and making sure they get done in the time required. It's a skill she will need to have in the real world as an adult”.

What’s been missed by our students about Hagley not being open for onsite learning over the lockdown? This comment summarises what many parents and caregivers said:

“I definitely earned a new appreciation of the good things about going to school each day, as he really misses the structure, the social aspects and the face to face interaction with his teachers.”