Thornton College has won two categories in the Independent Schools Association (ISA) Remote Learning Celebration 2021 for providing excellence in remote learning since the beginning of the pandemic, March 2020.
ISA launched a nationwide Celebration of Remote Online Learning 2021, in response to the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown learning. Each of the 559 member independent schools were encouraged to submit online learning lessons, (nominated by students), in four categories: Arts, STEM, Sports and Other.
Thornton College entered three recorded live online lesson submissions and won two of the four categories; a Year 11 Drama Lesson taught by Beth Rigby entitled Too Much Punch for Judy and a Year 4 Science Lesson taught by Leiba Sablon entitled Mrs Nerg – On the Line.
Miss Rigby, Head of Drama and Year 7, said, “I was incredibly touched when I found out that I had been nominated for this award by one of my Year 11 students. All of the staff at Thornton put an enormous amount of effort into online learning, continuing to deliver the full curriculum in an exciting and engaging way, so to know that the students really appreciated this made it so very worthwhile.
“I have been absolutely blown away by the resilience of the students and their ongoing commitment to learning from home. It is never easy to perform in front of an entire class, let alone on Zoom, yet my students still created such beautiful, moving and in many cases utterly hilarious drama pieces over lockdown. I am thrilled to receive this award and truly do feel it is also a reflection on my fabulous students.”
Mrs Sablon, Year 4 Teacher, said “Mrs Nerg and I are so honoured to win this excellence in remote learning award; it simply couldn’t happen without the incredible dedication and commitment from the entire staff body at Thornton who work tirelessly to ensure the remote learning provision is superb in every way. My biggest thanks go to my lovely, long-suffering class who always humour my terrible jokes and have endless enthusiasm for every weird and wonderful lesson I send their way – thank you 4C!”
Thornton College is absolutely thrilled to win these two categories and would like to recognise both Miss Rigby and Mrs Sablon especially, for winning, and also all teachers for their contribution to providing excellence in online learning. Thornton College would also like to recognise their students, all ages from three to 18 years, who have shown such positivity and enthusiasm during online learning.
Thornton College also won the Independent Schools of the Year Award 2020 for its Student Careers Programme and was a finalist (final three top schools) from hundreds of entries in the ISA Awards for Outstanding STEAM Provision. These recent online excellence wins for the school surely add to the success the school has achieved this year alone and cement the school’s position as the only leading boarding and day Independent School for girls in the area.
Thornton College consistently ranks in the Sunday Times top non-selective schools in the UK.
Val Holmes, Head Teacher, said: “I am delighted that we won two out of the three categories we entered, especially when considering ISA has 559 member schools. Special congratulations to our winners – Miss Rigby and Mrs Sablon – and to all the staff and our amazing students who did not miss a day of learning during lockdown and can truly claim to be remote learning experts!”
For more information about Thornton College contact Jennifer Walker at JWalker@thorntoncollege.com
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