As with all children and young people, this has been a difficult year. 

In academic year 2019-20, as the country went into the first national lockdown, the pupils who were studying for the certificate, already had half a year’s learning outcomes completed and their results recorded. Whilst still having to face the stress of remote working, they completely avoided the uncertainty of their peers in other schools around GCES and A Levels and went on to continue their year of study and assessments.

Similarly, in the current academic year 2020-21, pupils experienced a term of learning and assessment in school, and continue to complete their work and hand in assessments from home, with group and one-to-one support through zoom, Skype, google classroom and phone calls.  

Working remotely from zoom and google classroom has not been ideal for any pupil, and there has clearly been an impact on wellbeing. However, the process of continuous assessment that forms the basis of the certificate, has been able to continue throughout all the uncertainty, with very few modifications required. 

Pupils studying for subjects such as Art, Drama, Textiles and Movement were perhaps most affected. For movement learning outcomes, pupils were able to create choreographies, film themselves practicing and receive feedback via LOOM. Those who engaged in this process achieved at a high level. A number of pupils were disadvantaged through not having a suitable or private space and these pupils were unable to achieve.

The drama students, instead of acting in a play with other class members, resorted to monologues. Art students were provided with materials they needed for their work and supported through one-to-one zoom calls and through uploading their work to google classroom for the teacher to look at and provide guidance. 

Pupils doing music performance were able to take videos of themselves performing their music. On occasion and where necessary, the music teacher provided a recording of the music they required as backing music. 

In Maths exams, the small number of pupils were able to do their exams live on zoom, with the camera on so that the teacher could email papers, give the students time to print and then sit down and start the exams. At the end of the exams, the students had to scan and send their papers straight back to the teacher. 

In the final weeks of term, the pupils who were doing Chemistry, were able to come in one at a time for a day in order to carry out experiments in quantitative chemistry, enabling them to complete this module.

Throughout the pandemic, the school has continued to make sure that it has contact with each and every pupil. Phone calls and individual zoom meetings have been in place where pupils needed extra support. We have supported pupil wellbeing and mental health through weekly sponsor meetings, where topics such as ‘how to stay healthy/safe/get help’ have been covered. Pupils were also invited in for socially distanced picnics with their peers in June/July 2020 to support their mental health and wellbeing.

No estimated grades were issued to students.  This means that pupils from Norwich Steiner School, studying the NZCSE, have grades that they have genuinely achieved through their own effort in each subject and learning outcome. Every result is a reflection of actual pupil performance and is not based on previous results, teacher-given grades or any algorithm.