Mr and Mrs Shah - Parents of Noah in Year 1

The school have always encouraged us to use online and digital learning tools ever since our child started. There at the academy almost two years ago, communicating with us clearly about the tools and how to access them. Miss Calver would often set homework on these platforms for our child to complete. During lockdown as parents we had lots of different concerns. One of our biggest concerns was what was going to happen to the education of our child. This was answered with lightning speed by the school and has been awesome! We receive a weekly learning pack with projects and ideas for keeping our child engaged. The Microsoft suite of tools that the school use to communicate and engage with both our child and us has also been awesome. He has three school lessons each day led by teachers he knows, incuding one lesson a day is with his own teacher Miss Calver.  There was so much more things to engage with: Flipgrid reading, work available on Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress and Education City, I’m sure I’ve missed one or two. The lessons are all done through Microsoft Teams and have been really good. The school even allows for some social time before each lesson begins where the children can talk to each other. Often telling jokes. 

If for any reason you miss the lesson it is available to stream and the link is provided in the team chat for that lesson. With each lesson comes an activity. Jumping from an assignment in Teams to Microsoft Word to complete the work and then just press hand in! So easy even a 5 year old can do it! Lessons are graded and dojo points awarded again all fed back through Teams. We worried at the start of lockdown how we would educate our child. Newark Hill Academy have made us feel connected at all times. Daily online reading, three online lessons a day, weekly learning packs,other ideas for activities at home and video messages from The Principal. We are blessed to have such a platform to help us. We appreciated last year but it has really been beneficial this year with lockdown as by using these tools our we have remained engaged and connected to schooling.
Thank you everyone at Newark Hill Academy.

Mrs and Mrs Croft - Parents of Ethan in Year 2

As a family we feel very grateful to be able to have the use of Microsoft teams and the online learning that is being conducted. The lessons are run so well and it really makes a difference being able to have video meetings for these, then there are always assignments for Ethan after the lessons. Then they get marked and in most cases are sent back the same day-how incredibly hard must all your teachers be working! It is amazing!! 

 

Added to this already amazing system there is all these valuable online tools that we appreciate so much-Reading Eggs, Education City, Flipgrid-which I have to say is just fantastic, Ethan loves reading into this and the feedback from your team is never generic or robotic-they ask him questions I wouldn’t even think about and really draw him out! We feel so lucky that Ethan is beginning his education at Newark Hill Academy! 

It is a strange and worrying time for everybody right now but what a weight has been lifted off my shoulders regarding schooling, so many of my friends in and out of Peterborough are concerned about their children falling behind in their education but because of the wonderful resources we have been given I honestly don’t have as much worry as them and for that we will be ever grateful!

I cannot praise the whole team at Newark Hill Academy enough-the communication and execution of home learning from the beginning has been outstanding!

Thank you so much.

Mr and Mrs Keeley - Parents of Robbie in Year 6 and Annabel in Year 2

On hearing the news that our children’s school was closing - we were concerned as to how any meaningful education could take place. We looked into how we could start home educating by using resources that we found. However it became apparent so quickly that the school was able to use technology such as Teams to put into place well structured and very valuable high quality teaching. As one would expect, the children took to it like ducks to water but the way the teaching staff and school itself has embraced a whole new way of working providing such a rich education standard with airhead, Teams, Outlook, reading eggs, flip grid etc has been amazing. Our children not only have been able to adapt to the technology but enjoy and look forward to the various services being used. The importance of being able to see and hear their teachers as well as friends has been truly great. It must be said that despite much of this technology being new (mainly to parents) there have been relatively few technical issues but as and when they have occurred alternative methods (emailing work, sending photos etc) have been options we can use. In the past we have been sceptical about technology in education but this has shown to us that it is essential not just for situations such as what the world is experiencing currently but going forward. Newark Hill Academy has really utilised these online lessons in a fantastic way which not only benefits the children now but I truly believe will equip our children with the knowledge, ability and confidence with computers and online services as the move on in life.

Mrs and Mrs Hutchcraft - Parents of Paul in Year 6

We, as parents, have been very impressed with the online lessons organised by Newark Hill Academy via Microsoft Teams during this challenging time. Our son has felt engaged and enthusiastic from the start, and the lessons have helped to revise the prior learning and provided extra challenges. Teachers have been supportive throughout. Time has been allocated for general chat before each lesson and this has helped enormously for the children to keep in touch with their peers. We would like to say a big thank you to all the staff for their hard work and dedication to support the home learning in these unprecedented times.

 

Mrs Faraz - Parent of Mawada in Year 4 and Ans in Year 5

Online learning is amazing throughout this pandemic. Being a very concerned mother, I was worrying about kids learning while they were at home. I was again astonished by how much the staff organises the learning Process. If for some reason children can’t do work on A team, they had word documents as well. We were able to print out work and send it via pics. Children were also encouraged by certificates for being good learners. They have been exploring Reading Eggs and Flip grid as well. We have recordings, if for some reason we miss something or if we need to understand anything again.

I take pride in telling you that Newark Academy and staff are well organised, well equipped, advanced and highly committed to learning no matter what. I also learnt a lot how to use Microsoft teams.

There is no one more deserving than Newark Hill Academy. They should and must be given the Award for all the hard work and dedication. They use the most advance system to communicate with our children and ensure ongoing learning as used by some universities. I really appreciate their Work. I feel lucky that my two children are part of it and are learning a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mr Leadbeater - Parent of Mia in Early Years

My daughter is in EYFS and is doing so well with her virtual schooling. Thank you to Mrs Worts and Mrs Davitt who have given her top quality learning from the first day of school lockdown. I would not have believed you could teach a class of children through Microsoft Teams but you do- three lessons a day! My daughter has even moved through phonics groups to show that her teacher is still thinking about her individual journey. 

The way of completing and submitting assignments has been so easy- nothing to print and activities that link to the lessons. We can access her schooling on our phone, the laptop or the iPad. If my child doesn’t understand something, she can go back and watch the recording of the live lesson to help. It’s given me the confidence to do more reading and activities with her at home as well. I’ve definitely been learning from the teachers! 

My daughter misses school and her friends and teachers, but what you have given us through lockdown is a lifeline to let her know that her friends are still around and her teachers still care. The teachers let the children chat before the lessons and this small amount of free time with her friends really lifts her spirits. 

Can I also give a special mention to Miss Bikarova who listens to my daughter read on Flipgrid and always gives helpful and encouraging feedback. My daughter looks forward to the comments and enjoys sharing her favourite stories with her. The bond they made in those first few months of school has continued from a distance. 

Thank you to the school for doing everything you can to help the parents too! The video demonstrations to help set up the programs and the admin team getting passwords to us quickly, eased us into this new way of learning. The days where our internet let us down didn’t stop our child learning, she completed work from the learning packs which she enjoyed. You can tell a lot of work has been put into this system. 

Well done to the whole team at Newark Hill for an OUTSTANDING way of teaching and enabling the children to learn and Thank you to Mrs Kendal for the daily communication keeping us fully informed throughout.

Mr Catinean - Parent of Luca in Year 2

During this difficult time we are grateful for the fact that the school has offered online lessons such as MIcrosoft Teams, Reading Eggs, FlipGrid and many others. With the students being able to see the teacher and the lessons live made the parents' jobs a lot easier as we only had to help out with the homeworks due to the kids seeing what they had to do. We would like to thank you and all the staff for making it possible to use all these apps. Thank you Newark Hill Academy for being a Microsoft school!

Miss Handley - Parent of Noah in Early Years

When the pandemic started and I was made aware that the school was closing, I was concerned. My son loved his school and being a parent to a 5 year old and just recently having a baby, I was In panic mode when I heard the phrase Home Schooling. How was I going to cope? I should not have feared, the school have been amazing sending packs out every week with fun activities to do, videos to watch and loads of this to keep him entertained but also learning. The live stream videos using Microsoft Teams are amazing.  All the children can talk to one another before the lesson and the teachers have been outstanding making sure all pupils understand and  getting them involved, it really is like having a classroom in the home. The interaction is incredible and the support network as well is one in a million. We do not have the best internet connection, so if we do miss the live lesson, the session has been recorded on Microsoft Stream and uploaded so we can watch it when we can.  All the resources like the Oxford Owl library and Reading Eggs really helps my son in his learning adventure and he is doing amazingly well. I really should not have worried as every teacher we come across has been wonderful.

 

Mr and Mrs Iqbal - Parent of A in Year 4

My child who is in year 4  has had the opportunity to continue her learning at home through this difficult time we are facing with COVID 19. The teachers have been supportive along this journey always prompt and ready to deliver the lessons online. My child has grown In confidence while learning at home this is due to the consistent standard of material prepared by tutors to help each child unlock their potential.

The whole school staff have been very supportive with any concerns and queries. Admin staff were very candid in advising the current precautions and procedures put in place with the return of some children in June,  making it solely the parents decision to send their child into school.

Mrs Kendal has shown great leadership in organising her staff, school safety and keeping parents in loop of development.

We as parents like to say a big thank you to all the school for their support and tirelessly working hard  to do what is right.

 

Stacey - Parent of Ellie in Year 5 and Bayley in Year 6

I would first like to say that I am very proud of the teachers and staff for taking the time to teach my children using Microsoft Teams during this awful time. My children are very excited to be taking part with the lessons and still be able to see their friends even if it is a bit different. We as parents have learned alot and the children have taught us about Microsoft Teams. We honestly don't know how we would be coping educational wise in this lockdown without it. Seeing the children laugh and enjoy doing their work this way makes it that bit more special.  The teachers are amazing by taking the time to have a joke and laugh with the kids too. My son showed his dog to all his friends and the teacher on Teams while the other kids showed their pets and it was so lovely to hear everybody asking questions about each others pets etc. So a big thank you without the online learning we would be lost. 

 

Miss Baranova - Parents of Irina and Emily

I’m very pleased to share that we were impressed by the way online learning and classes are arranged. We are very lucky to have such well structured and accessible mode of learning during the pandemic. Comparing to other schools, I can say with confidence that our learning did not stop and even improved.

Big ‘thank you’ to all the teaching and support staff. We are confident that children from Newark Hill Academy are getting quality education even from home.