While there’s more to life than school grades, there’s also no doubt that great exam results can set your child up for a world of opportunities.
That’s why it’s so important to find a school designed to help students achieve their best without all the stress and anxiety. For thousands of young people today, online school is proving to be the top choice.
Online learning has been growing in popularity for years now, but what many parents still don’t know is just how beneficial virtual schools can be for teens who are aiming for top IGCSE, A Level, or IB Diploma grades. Each year, numerous online students around the world achieve outstanding results in their exams and score places at leading universities — and there are so many reasons why.
- Online learning makes revision easyWorking hard throughout the year is important, but that period of study right before exams (also known as “revision”) can make or break a young person’s grades. Of course, revising for exams is often easier said than done.In the case of world-recognised qualifications like IGCSEs and A Levels, students often take most or all of their exams at the very end of their two-year study period. Even if your child has taken lots of notes, remembering the finer details of topics they learned years ago can be tricky.
Many online schools, however, have figured out the key to bridging the memory gap. At the very best online schools, you may find a blend of real-time learning over video link and on-demand lesson content that can be accessed at any time.
Having a combination of live, interactive classes and recordings of all of those lessons gives online school students one of the best “study hacks” around. Instead of relying solely on patchy notes and Google searches when revising, students can rewatch their classes (complete with all their teachers’ explanations and discussions) to brush up on complex topics.
It’s a method so useful, online school student Katie Jones — who achieved the highest mark in the world in her Cambridge A Level Psychology exam last year — credited lesson recordings as one of the biggest reasons for her success.
- Online learning is flexible and personalised
Every child has different strengths and challenges. Your teen may breeze through maths, for example, but struggle to remember dates in history. This is completely normal, even for the highest achievers, and it doesn’t have to prohibit your child from acing all their subjects.The problem, however, is that students in a traditional classroom environment all have no choice but to learn at the same pace. Once the teacher moves the class onto a new topic, your child may not get the chance to revisit it again, even if they haven’t fully understood the material. This can be a particularly big problem during the exam years, as students often have no way of knowing which topics will show up on an exam paper.The beauty of online school is that it’s inherently far more flexible than most in-person schooling, which means learning can be tailored to each individual student. Lesson recordings, for example, aren’t just great for revision, but also for going over topics a learner needs more time to grasp. Online schools may also use innovative technologies designed to help each child master their learning — from virtual reality for visual and kinaesthetic learners to personalised activities tailored to a student’s pace. - Online learning supports wellbeing
As a parent, there are few things harder than seeing your child feeling down, which can make exam season heavy on the whole family. It’s natural for teens to feel stressed over their grades, but for many young people, that stress can quickly turn into higher levels of anxiety and depressive moods.During the exam years, when the pressure is at its highest, its crucial for students to have as much support for their wellbeing as they can get. While many great schools today (both traditional and online) have mental health programmes in place, online learning is able to go a step further in promoting positive wellbeing because of its flexibility.Online classrooms are inherently more focused because they lack the typical distractions of a physical classroom, like chatter and behavioural issues. As a result, this means that online classes are typically shorter or fewer, as teachers can cover all the lesson content in less time.In turn, this gives online IGCSE, A Level, and IB Diploma students far more time to maintain that healthy balance between studying for high grades and looking after their mental and physical health. Between classes, your teen could go out for a walk, read a book, make a healthy lunch, or even just chat with friends. All of this self-care and relaxation helps students cope with the intensity of revision sessions, which makes them more likely to perform their best in their exams.
- Online learning provides continuity
While continuity isn’t a concern for every family, it’s particularly important when you’re living abroad. From job promotions to military deployments, you’re not alone if you have to change locations on a regular basis. Moving to a new city or country can be challenging for any family with children in school, but the impact is often greatest on teens in their exam years.If you have to move during the school year, there’s often no telling how long your child will need to wait for a place at a new school. Even if you’re able to line moves up seamlessly, exam syllabi often differ between schools, which could leave your child forced to learn new material at the last minute — all of which makes it difficult to stay on track for top grades.Online school eliminates that risk entirely. When your child learns online, their education goes with them wherever they go. No matter when and where you have to move (and even in the airport lounge between trips), your teen will have access to their daily lessons and full continuity in their education. Wherever you are in the world, they’ll be able to work towards the very best grades without interruption.
King’s InterHigh: The leading online school where students thrive
King’s InterHigh is the leading British international online school, where numerous students each year achieve top results in their IGCSEs, A Levels, IB Diplomas, and university applications. With expert teachers, innovative live learning, study help, and the utmost flexibility, King’s InterHigh brings your child a personalised learning experience in a supportive school environment.
