I don’t know about you, but I have yet to use a lot of things I was taught during school. Not once have I come close to using a protractor, never have I been asked to help change a tire by playing a rendition of Hot Cross Buns on the recorder, and the one time I brought a Bunsen Burner into work, it didn’t go down too well. This is a very roundabout way of saying the current school system – its 9-3 structure, curriculum, and exam process - has remained relatively unchanged for multiple decades. But have we outgrown it? Like Alice in Wonderland when she grows to a point where her arms and legs are sticking out of the windows and doors of a house, have modern students outgrown the confines of a school system that was made for a world that is no longer our reality? It can be difficult and intimidating to even entertain the thought of changing a system that has been embedded in and vital to our culture for so long, but Benbridge Academy is taking on that challenge.
‘We offer a combination of live, interactive online lessons and guided, independent study sessions, with a focus on key 21st century skills, such as collaboration, independence, time management and resilience. Our ‘Flipped Learning Model’, gives students ownership of the learning process, encouraging them to be proactive, rather than passive recipients of information. We need to move away from an over-reliance on teacher-led delivery of content and be prepared to engage in dialogue with our students. ‘
That’s Emma Bennett, the Principal at Benbridge Academy. After a career of working within education systems both at home and abroad, she observed traditional schools do not always address the constantly shifting challenges for young people growing up in a changing modern world and decided to do something about it.
‘We’ve wanted to do this for a very long time and last year, we took the plunge, bringing all of our educational experience and ethos to a new platform, where we can focus on flexible educational choices for families and children.’
The online academy, which has just completed its first academic year, offers a full UK style, national curriculum from Year 3 to 13, with fully qualified, highly experienced teachers. The class sizes are small (maximum of 15), to facilitate positive interaction between teachers, students and peers, while ensuring individual learning for every student. There is an emphasis on flexibility; families can design an educational pathway that works for them and fits into their lifestyles.
‘There is no doubt that for some, the traditional system does not work. We need to think beyond the one-size fits all model. We are breaking the mould and challenging the traditional model; educating students in batches, determined only by their date of birth does not benefit every child and – in many cases – sets our children up to fail. It is clear that children mature and develop learning skills in different ways and at different paces; we are firm believers in the highly successful vertical grouping approach that enables students to share the learning space with like-minded peers who are working at a similar level. At Benbridge, we have moved away from the idea that you must learn a certain thing at a certain age and treat all children as individuals, providing the education they need and deserve, wherever they happen to be in their learning journey,’ Emma tells me enthusiastically.
Benbridge is designed to be more bespoke to the needs of each individual child not only in an educational sense but in a personal one.
‘Many of our families reach out to us due to the changing culture of physical school environments – increasing class sizes, disruptive behaviour and a rise in incidents of bullying.
Our young people are dealing with a massive increase of pressure at school, not only in navigating the environment but also academically, where they are over tested and led to believe that their exam results are going to affect the entire course of their lives. It’s too much. Parents, you do have a choice - you don’t have to send your child to the local school, just because it’s in your catchment area. We need to raise awareness of the alternative – that parents have the right to choose something else. There needs to be a societal mind shift away from believing that you are not doing your duty as a parent unless you battle every day with your child to send them to school, even if they are desperately unhappy.’
With the creation of Benbridge, Emma set out to provide a positive alternative to traditional schooling, for forward-thinking families – for example those who live an unconventional lifestyle, families that travel or those who have chosen to home educate and need support. However, it has also become a safe haven for those children who don’t fit the traditional school mould and has helped relieve the pressure on families who are struggling to find a solution. It’s about providing a new opportunity and a different choice when children feel as though needs are not being met, and they have nowhere else to turn.
‘We’re aware that online learning might not be for everybody but it’s about giving people a choice. And for families who do come to us, it is a brave step for them to take. Sometimes parents find themselves having to justify their choices to other parents and those around them because they’re stepping outside of the societal norm. But it can have such a huge, positive impact, and the feedback we’ve had so far from our families has been incredibly heartwarming.’
Adaptability is at the heart of Benbridge and its success is built on a foundation of strong communication between teachers, students and their families. Where, in traditional schooling, hands can be tied by policy and procedure, Benbridge is free to adapt to the needs of its families and students, and work to design education models around them. Although students are encouraged to engage with a broad range of subjects, they have more control over their own learning journey and are not forced to sit through lessons they either find too challenging or simply do not enjoy. We all learn best when we are interested in the subject matter, don’t we? Traditional schools are hampered by the necessity to deliver overwhelming curriculum content to all students regardless of their ability ranges and developing interests. In turn, this piles the pressure on students to absorb more and more information, memorise, and regurgitate it in unrealistic exam settings, which isn’t necessarily going to be useful after leaving school.
Whilst still having high standards and expectations for students – striving for the academic successes necessary for further education and supporting and challenging students to achieve their full potential - the mental health and well-being of students is at the heart of everything.
‘Once they start moving into year nine in school, students are hit with having to pick a ridiculous number of options and absorb a huge amount of content for exams. At Benbridge, we cover the content required to fully prepare students for GCSEs – but how many they choose to do, is up to them. With our support and guidance, and in collaboration with families, students opt for the number of GCSEs that suits them and their families, and that they can realistically manage without being overwhelmed; there is rarely a need for anyone to show they have passed 9 or 10 GCSEs and by working together to make a more realistic choice, we can alleviate the pressure in that way. Over testing is another unnecessary pressure. As experienced educators, we don't need to give students a test or mock exam every week to be able to tell that they are working at the expected level, whether they need support, or whether they need to be pushed and
challenged further. Of course, exam practise has its place, but we don't need to put our young people under such constant pressure; it’s a major contributor to the rise in anxiety that students are currently battling with.’
Innovation in education is needed but it’s a difficult thing to achieve when society still relies so heavily on being successful in traditional systems. It’s like spreading your wings and taking off but not quite being able to fly freely. You’re still tethered in some capacity to how things have always been. But when adhering to traditional criteria, Benbridge shifts the focus from simply memorising information to creating healthy and lasting learning behaviours.
‘The underlying point is that it's not about the subject but about the study skills, the life skills, the ability to collaborate with others. It’s about learning how to be disciplined, manage your time, know how to conduct research and present it, speak confidently, organise yourself, and be resilient. These are the skills children need to be successful in all areas of their lives. Whilst content is important in order to cover a specific course, and achieve success at GCSE and A level, the only way to ensure a positive outcome for all learners is to develop and embed core learning behaviours; that is what we do at Benbridge Academy’.
From speaking with a lot of different families, Emma has found a common theme to be parents’ increased awareness of – and concern for - their children’s wellbeing.
‘I speak to so many families who describe how their child’s needs are not being met in school or how unrealistic expectations are placed on their children academically; this is a sadly familiar story and one that is causing untold stress. Benbridge Academy is committed to creating Personalised Education Plans for all students; whether they are high-flyers who need academic challenge or reluctant learners who need encouragement and support to build confidence. This is where our Flipped Learning model comes in; it allows us to provide those individual learning opportunities and differentiated resources that ensure all students can access the curriculum and make progress.
One argument Emma hears often is that online school may impact on the social aspects of education; her response is that, rather than lacking in opportunities for socialisation, online learning creates a safe and nurturing environment in which positive and meaningful interactions can take place.
‘A number of our students have come to us having experienced bullying, or anxiety related to disruptive behaviour inside, and outside, the classroom; it can be overwhelming. Social life at school, especially in those teenage years, for both girls and boys, can be a minefield. The question to ask is, how much quality socialisation is your child experiencing at school anyway? We’ve found that our most successful families are the families that have a rich and varied life outside of school; those who encourage children to join clubs and follow interests completely separately from their formal education.’
And Benbridge is not only a place of peace for young people who are unhappy in the school environment but also caters for those who have particular needs.
‘There's a lot of talk currently about schools failing to meet the needs of children with ADHD and Autism. The environment we nurture ensures that our students with ADHD and autism have more control over their learning journeys. The time given and wide range of asynchronous learning activities- before, after and during live lessons- allows for individual learning processes free from the pressures of mainstream classes. This allows creativity to flourish without
students worrying about conforming to traditional classroom expectations. All of our staff have experience with students with a wide range of special educational needs; the key is getting to know them really well and understanding their needs, so that we can support them to get the most out of their educational experience’.
As Emma mentioned, the positive impact this transition to a different environment can have goes further than the student. It creates a ripple effect that carries into the whole family.
‘A recent email from the parent of one of our students with autism, really struck a chord with me. She said ‘our family is unrecognisable now. You haven’t just changed our daughter’s life; you've changed our family's life’. Before joining Benbridge, she would barely leave her room and was too overwhelmed and anxious to enjoy anything; to hear that they're going on a family holiday this summer and that she is happy, settled and able to socialise again, makes it all worthwhile.’
Whether or not you are looking for an alternative right now or are just interested in the concept of Benbridge Academy, Emma is looking to connect with more young people and families in the community to simply let them know that there are other options. If you need guidance or support, they are here to help.
‘Our underlying mission is to provide students with a positive learning environment, where they are free to be themselves and develop the self- confidence to believe that they can do anything they put their minds to. Our world is changing rapidly and our approach to education needs to evolve. We founded Benbridge Academy to give parents and students a choice: if you want a high quality, broad and engaging curriculum that meets the needs of your child, that fits in with your family’s lifestyle, and allows children to learn at their own pace, from the comfort of your own home, then you should be able to make that choice.’ Emma tells me, her enthusiasm tangible.
‘Online learning frees children from the constraints of the traditional classroom and creates the time and space for them to enrich their lives in so many other ways. It is proving to be a great success so far and I am very proud of our school; Benbridge Academy is evolving every day, as our community grows, and we are excited to see what the future holds.’
And, forming the cherry on top of an innovatively educational cake, Benbridge isn’t just supporting students but the island community as a whole by sponsoring Isle of Man Today at the Island Games, which is attending and reporting on all the events. So, keep an eye out for their ads on all Island Games coverage. You can also find out more about Benbridge Academy by heading on over to https://www.benbridgeacademy.co.uk