Why is student community so important?
Student community is incredibly important for student wellbeing and growth as it brings together pupils from around the world and encourages communication, collaboration, and engagement through a range of activities. It’s important for every child to have a strong community and social opportunities so they can develop key communication skills, build confidence, and feel a part of the school community online. Having ample opportunities to make friends and meet peers with similar interests also makes school life more fun and encourages students to be themselves.
Our online school has a strong focus on student community both in and out of classes, offering extracurriculars, events, competitions, assemblies, and idea-sharing/leadership opportunities. We are dedicated to providing a learning environment that focuses on inclusivity and diversity, so that every child can grow and flourish into the best version of themselves with the support of teachers, tutors, and their peers.
What extracurriculars do we offer?
The extracurriculars listed below are examples of the clubs we have run in previous years. We let our students vote for the extracurriculars they would like to see in the next academic year, so this list is subject to change. We also consistently take feedback from our pupils on whether there are any more extracurricular activities they would like to see going forward.
Primary school:
- Creative Writing
- Book Club
- Drama Club
- Imagination Station & Art
- Book Club
- Debate Club
- Craft Club
Secondary school:
- Gaming Club
- Homework Club
- Chess Club
- Art & Photography Club
- Science Club
- Movie Club
- Newsletter Club
- Crotchet Club
College:
- Anime & Manga Club
- Debate Club
- Creative Writing Club
Social opportunities at our online school
Aside from our extracurricular clubs, our online school also offers additional social opportunities for students to take part in. These social opportunities include our social space and live lesson engagement.
Our social space was introduced by our student council for our secondary school students as another way for students to connect with their peers outside of lessons. It features a group chat, a forum for sharing ideas and discussions, and appropriate rule guidelines for respectful behaviour online.
Our live lessons also provide a great social opportunity, encouraging collaboration, teamwork, and communication in every lesson. We never pressure students to communicate if they don’t want to, but we always encourage interaction to help build key social skills and develop confidence.
Leadership opportunities at our online school
In addition to social opportunities, we also strive to give every child the opportunity to build key leadership skills. We do this through our student council, assemblies, and newsletters. We believe in ensuring every child has a voice and that their ideas can be heard.
Our student council is refreshed each year, with students submitting applications and being voted for by their peers. The council is made up of one student per year group in secondary school, and the same for our primary school student council. The student council discusses both their own ideas and their peers’ ideas, bringing forward opportunities for the school to grow and introduce new features that continue to better our student community.
Assemblies and newsletters also provide ample opportunity for students to take the lead and have their voice heard. Our assemblies often feature student guest speakers, achievement celebrations, and event announcements. Our newsletters also feature segments from our students, created in the newsletter club, providing a great opportunity for leadership and writing experience.
Live lessons and interaction
Our online school strongly focuses on student well-being, so we do not enforce a camera-on policy. Whilst we always encourage interaction, we have students with a range of learning requirements, including those with SEND, so we never pressure our pupils to engage should they prefer not to. All of our live lessons are still highly interactive and engaging for all students, without the pressure on children who prefer to attend more quietly.
As an online school with students from all around the world, we also continuously promote a respectful, diverse, and understanding learning environment that helps children become well-rounded and kind members of society with an adept understanding of the many facets of the diverse world around them. This helps them not only build key skills for school, but also for their everyday lives and futures.
