Teach Secondary Issue 14.7

Engagement, support and progress As the world’s leading education systems continue to invest in remote learning infrastructure, it make sense for us to do the same, says Alessandro Capozzi T hroughout history, innovation has solved society’s greatest challenges. The embrace of technology has brought comfort, communication and progress. While disruptive and uncertain at first, technological innovations have ultimately helped us overcome challenges and advance humanity. In education today, we face mounting pressures driven by persistent absenteeism, stretched budgets, teacher shortages and rising disengagement. Behind all these issues lies a common thread – the struggle to provide and access high quality teaching. There’s a growing global consensus that technology isn’t just an enhancement to education, but a way of addressing this common thread. Ascalable solution All around the world, governments are investing in edtech and remote education not just as a reaction to disruption, but as a strategic tool for expanding access and raising standards. At Academy21, we witness every day how live online learning connects young people with excellent teaching to keep students engaged, supported and progressing. For some students, attending a physical classroom isn’t possible due tomental health issues, medical conditions or past trauma. Remote education offers a flexible way of keeping these learners engaged with expert teachers andmaintaining a routine, helping them stay connected to their education while preparing for their return tomainstream school when ready. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Alessandro Capozzi is Executive Headteacher at Academy21; for more information, visit academy21.co.uk At the same time, many schools face persistent shortages of specialist teachers in subjects like science, maths and languages. Remote live lessons delivered by subject experts provide a reliable way of filling these gaps. Finally, limited staff and small class sizes can restrict the range of subjects a school can offer. Partnering with accredited online providers lets schools broaden their curriculum, provide students withmore choice and domore to support personalised learning, without overstretching their resources. Learning fromthe leaders The UK is no stranger to innovation, but in education, we risk falling behind. Nations like Singapore and Estonia are already integrating remote learningwith powerful results. In the 2022 PISA rankings, Singapore was the top scorer inmathematics, reading and science. Being a country that knows what educational progress should look like, it has a clear long-term strategy for educational technology, entitled ‘EdTechMasterplan 2030’ (see tinyurl.com/ ts147-A1). Under this plan, every secondary student is provided with a personal digital device. Schools have structured ‘home-based learning’ days integrated into their timetables, where students engage in remote learning from their own homes. Hybrid learning is embedded into Singapore’s system for its proven benefits with regards to digital literacy, learner independence and improved accessibility. Estonia, meanwhile, is one of Europe’s highest- performing education systems. According to the country’s Educationminister, Kristina Kallas, “ Education has been the social lift for Estonia to become a nation .” (see tinyurl. com/ts147-A2). This has involved using technology to remove barriers, and provide every student with access to excellent teaching. Virtual classrooms are used to replicate the traditional classroom experience. Estonia’s digital infrastructure includes a comprehensive national learningmanagement system that supports students, parents and educators by providing real-time updates on progress, assignments and learningmaterials. Achance to lead The UKhas already laid the groundwork for high quality online education. The DfE’s Online Education Accreditation Scheme (see tinyurl.com/ts147-A3) provides a robust framework for safeguarding and teaching quality that holds providers accountable. Even with this infrastructure in place, however, the national strategy has yet to realise its full potential. Schools across the country are grappling with rising pupil absence, strained in-school capacity, ongoing challenges with recruiting and retaining specialist teachers, and significant barriers to providing appropriate support for students with SEN. When integrated intentionally within a school’s wider provision, remote education enables timely intervention, maintains subject expertise and helps to close support gaps before they widen. As the Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, remarked at BETT 2025, “ The world of even five years ago is gone forever. ” A single model of daily, on-site attendance will continue to serve most learners, but not all. For those who cannot access full-time physical education due to health, emotional needs or other circumstances, live online teaching – delivered by qualified professionals, and built into the fabric of school provision – can provide a lifeline. It can strengthen the systemwith flexible, responsive alternatives that will ensure every pupil can access quality learning. 26 teachwire.net/secondary