Since the start of lockdown teachers at Cirencester Deer Park School have collectively delivered over 2,500 live lessons.

These have been provided for pupils in all year groups and by the end of the summer term there will have been over 2,900 lesson taught online, enabling pupils to interact with their teachers and peers.

Liz Lang, head of school, said: "Our staff have been brilliant at adapting their teaching to ensure pupils have been able to continue with live lessons as part of their home learning diet.

"Pupils have been really positive about this experience too, although some were initially a little camera shy!"

Maths teacher Rob Carmichael said: "Teams has been a fantastic tool to teach with allowing real-time connection to pupils as they work.

"It has enabled instant feedback on work as well as providing the opportunity for pupils who are finding work challenging a source of immediate help and assistance.

"Pupils in all year groups have made use of the chance to set up extra Teams meetings when in need of help.

"The impact of this to tackle difficulties, compared with back and forth email/SMHW messages, has been phenomenal.

"It has already made me consider ways to utilise technology to enhance my practice in the future."

Through Microsoft Teams pupils have been able to attend scheduled online lessons where they can talk with the teacher and each other.

Teachers can share useful resources whilst teaching the classes and can quickly respond to questions the pupils might have about the work that they are focused on.

Joe, in Year 9, said: "I have loved my online Teams lessons.

"Before the online lessons started I was sometimes struggling to find motivation but now with my online lessons I find it a lot easier to do work.

"It has also helped me cope with lockdown as a whole because it gives me a daily routine: the lessons make me feel like life is starting to feel somewhat normal again."

Tom, a pupil moving into Year 11 said: "I have to say I think its brilliant and because of it, I have been able to join my lessons like I would if I was in school, so I haven't got too far behind in my lessons working towards my GCSEs.

"With Teams I still felt connected to Deer Park School getting all the support from my teachers in the safety of my own home. I have loved it."

In September Cirencester Deer Park School plans on having all pupils returning to school, as outlined by the government, however should there be a need to move to remote learning again in the future the school is very well set up to move back to the provision it has been using in recent weeks. Learning definitely hasn’t stopped at Deer Park School and nor will it.