‘I’m so excited we can do school differently’: how online education really works

With all the usual hubbub, the school day begins – pupils chat as they file in and teachers welcome them before everyone knuckles down to work. During breaks, young people might play on swings, sit on the friendship bench, or just hang out together in the playground.

But this is school with a difference – students are switching on their cameras and logging in from around the world. They are learning at King’s InterHigh – an online school for children and young adults aged seven to 19 (the playground and friendship bench are virtual).

Today students might take a stroll around the solar system or ancient Egypt, take a deep dive into the world of the Romantics, or create their own interactive book.

This is not the dispiriting online schooling that many pupils experienced during the Covid pandemic. At King’s InterHigh, teachers are specifically trained to teach using bespoke technology, which the school has been refining since it was founded in 2005. Lessons are live, interactive and keep children on their toes, with quizzes, polls and group discussions.

“We are a proper school, children attend proper lessons, and sit in proper ‘classrooms’ – we just happen to be online,” says Penny Alston, the head of primary school. Until three years ago she taught in physical schools “but this has been the highlight of my career”, she says.

She is, by admission, quite strict about attendance and appearance – pupils can’t arrive unkempt or in their pyjamas, or learn with their feet up. “Our parents really support that,” she says. Alston “drops in” from time to time on lessons to keep up to date with pupils around the world and with the staff, who are largely UK based and regularly meet up in person.

Students attend King’s InterHigh for a range of reasons; they might be golfers or tennis players competing at international level or pursuing the arts – there are ballet dancers and even a young TV presenter currently studying at King’s InterHigh. Some might have special educational needs. “Traditional classroom settings can be overwhelming for students with sensory sensitivities, common among those on the autism spectrum,” says Alston. “Our school eliminates the noise and visual distractions of a typical classroom, creating a more comfortable learning environment.” Others may have had a bad experience of conventional school and therefore prefer to learn online. “We offer a non-threatening environment – we can be the right fit for many reasons,” adds Alston.

From primary school through to sixth form, King’s InterHigh teaches a UK curriculum, with all lessons recorded and available around the clock for students to access. Class sizes average just 20 students, and teachers use online “break-out” rooms – where students are divided into smaller groups – while chats, polls, quizzes and virtual simulations are utilised to encourage student interaction. Parents have many opportunities to meet teachers, with induction days, lunchtime drop-ins and direct contact.

This year, the use of virtual and augmented reality has caught students’ imagination across the school, says Anthony Peters, head of educational technology. He has crafted projects and resources in collaboration with the teachers. But for tech to be deployed in school, it must meet essential criteria, he says. It must enhance learning, add value, and be truly engaging. The last one is the easy bit, he says. “We can bring things to life, from ancient Egypt, to space, to 20th-century culture.”

He’s particularly proud of a lively 3D gallery of interactive and fantastical creatures – the end result of a project that tapped into the creative minds of his tech club students. They wrote pieces describing the beasts in their imagination, he then used artificial intelligence (AI) to transform their writing into interactive avatars. “The pupils can have a conversation with them. That’s incredibly engaging.”

Teaching methods and materials are underpinned by educational theory. Students absorb more if they experience subjects in interactive and immersive environments, says Peters.

Pupils are also able to practise and improve upon areas they might not have understood in class through the use of AI-driven programmes, which assess each child’s strengths and weaknesses and present bite-size exercises designed to fill the gaps. Teachers also get a comprehensive view of where their students may be struggling. “It’s much more efficient because students are not wasting time going over stuff they already know,” says Peters.

Children can join King’s InterHigh at any time and those who join in the middle of a school year are supported to catch up. “Sometimes parents will contact me at their wits’ end about how their child is managing at their current school, and 99% of the time we can help,” says Alston. “I’m just so excited we can do school differently and reach so many more children.”

The myths and reality of studying at an online school

Myth: You miss out on school trips.

Reality: King’s InterHigh organises meet-ups and trips for pupils in certain countries – in the UK, for instance, pupils have recently visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour London: the Making of Harry Potter, and the British Museum. It’s a thriving community of students and parents who also arrange their own local meet-ups.

Myth: You can’t make friends at online school.

Reality: Teachers allow time for online collaboration and exploratory learning. As well as interacting in small groups and during circle time – which mimics the part of the primary school day when pupils sit in a circle and discuss things, students can attend a wide mix of clubs, from Lego to debating. There is even a virtual playground, with swings and benches to enjoy. Pupils are also encouraged to keep up with personal hobbies outside school.

Myth: Parents don’t know what their children are up to in school.

Reality: Parents can keep in touch with teachers through regular online drop-in sessions and email – teachers will also flag any worries about participation in class. “Our teachers have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves to see if children are paying attention,” says Alston. Parents can also check online “to-do” lists to keep track of homework and see if their child is completing their work.

To find out more about King’s InterHigh, visit kingsinterhigh.co.uk