The Jedburgh Grammar Campus has hosted a new remote learning programme to demonstrate the role of digital technology in e-learning.

A UK-first programme, called Inspire Learning, was created by IT company CGI specifically for the Scottish Borders Council. Currently, over 90% of students are using the system to access learning resources and experiences on iPads.

The school, which replaced Jedburgh Grammar School and the Parkside and Howdenburn primary schools, was supposed to welcome its first pupils a year ago. However, the onset of the coronavirus pandemic required the school to instigate a remote learning programme.

Since the campus had not officially opened when lockdown came, the school was able to accelerate the rollout of devices so each of the 350 secondary school pupils received a device to do their work on. A further roll-out took place between July and October, where devices were issued to all 225 P4-7 children.

The programme has proven transformative despite a tumultuous 10 months, ensuring that pupils are catered for by the 70-strong teaching staff despite their more unfamiliar surroundings.

Head teacher Susan Oliver explained that implementation of Inspire Learning has proven to be a game changer following the initial teething problems of the first lockdown.

She said: “At the start of our remote learning, primary children were using Microsoft Teams, and initial uptake of remote learning was around the 50% mark. However, the rollout of Inspire Learning and the devices was transformational. Things very quickly got better for teachers and pupils, engagement was increased, and the whole process of delivering learning was much improved for all.”

Teachers have been trained and supported by the Inspire Learning Team in how to use the technology to enhance learning, teaching and assessment.

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Deputy Headteacher Grant Kearney noted: “The value of the programme during this lockdown has been magnified by more than 97% of secondary pupils accessing learning resources and experiences via their iPad.”

He added that teachers have been working longer hours than ever planning lessons and delivering online to pupils during the lockdown – but that Inspire Learning has made that so much better.

“Staff are working even harder than they were when children were in school, but Inspire Learning provides staff with a vehicle to deliver core learning activities.

“There is one overarching, crucial factor to this success, and that is every child from P4 upwards has their own device. They are not having to share a device between multiple family members – they have a dedicated digital resource for their own learning.

“This provides pupils with true equity of learning, and allows teachers to ramp up the quality of the digital educational offering to pupils,” he said.

The programme uses software such as Glow 365, Satchel One, and SeeSaw. This helps staff deliver live lessons as well as one-to-one sessions for children. Teachers can also record and upload their lessons on to YouTube or OneNote for anyone who may miss a lesson.