REVEALED: 36% of pupils awarded A-C in exams for Highland Virtual Academy class
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ONLY 36 per cent of pupils in one Highland Virtual Academy class achieved an A, B or C in their exam.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed a decidedly mixed picture for pupils in the Virtual Academy, an online model dubbed ‘highly successful’ by many politicians.
The Virtual Academy is facilitated by University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), and offers distance-learning for secondary school pupils. Amidst cuts to staff and resources, more pupils are left it as their only option.
For example, Kinlochbervie High School cannot offer Computing, Modern Studies, Home Economics and several other subjects, at any level. Similarly, Gairloch High School does not have the resources to provide Modern Studies or History - both popular subjects in most schools. It has gaps also in English and Biology due to limited capacity.
An open letter launched in February, titled Save Our Rural Schools, highlighted the issues impacting four west coast schools in particular. The open letter has amassed over 900 signatures, and calls on politicians to take action on what they call the dire state of rural Highland education.
Leader of Highland Council, Raymond Bremner, responded to the open letter’s concerns about limited subject choices and staff stretched beyond capabilities by citing the “success” of online learning provision as a solution.
READ MORE ON THE SAVE OUR RURAL SCHOOLS CAMPAIGN:
•Ullapool High School pupil shares 'detrimental' reality behind virtual learning
•Ross-shire MP backs 'abandoned' constituents as Save Our Rural Schools campaign is stepped up
•West Highland parents say their high schools "are beyond breaking point"
•Ullapool and Gairloch schools' crisis: Education Secretary responds to concerns
However, figures from Highland secondary schools suggest that the Virtual Academy is not the fix-all solution.
The figures, from 2020/21 to 2022/23, reveal that for multiple Virtual Academy classes, the majority of secondary school pupils who entered exams did not achieve an A, B or C grade. Classes where the majority of pupils received a D, E or F on their exams are: National 5 Business Management, Higher Business Management and Advanced Higher Computing Science.
Based on the figures supplied by UHI North, West and Hebrides, on average pupils have just a 65 per cent average of achieving an A, B or C in their senior phase exams.
The figures also revealed that compared to the 2020/21 school year, the 2022/23 school year saw a 64 per cent drop for Ullapool High School's enrolment of pupils into online classes at the beginning of the academic year.
In an earlier interview, S6 Ullapool High School pupil, Poppy Lewis-Ing, shared her experience of using the Virtual Academy: “In sociology, we had three weeks without any tutor, and by the time we had a tutor again it was too late to catch up.
“We had three different teachers for psychology over the year, none of them knew what parts of the course we had learnt, so it was our responsibility to tell them what we had been taught – there didn’t seem to be any communication.
“I had to put so much more effort into my virtual learning courses than I did for in-person subjects. I thought: ‘Am I spending too much time on this? Will this be detrimental to my other subjects?’ I spent so much time teaching myself the basics that it affected my grades in other classes – I had to drop the course.
“I was getting migraines triggered by the stress, I was losing confidence, we hadn’t been taught about major deadlines like the assignment yet. It was too much. Virtual classes might work for some, but for the majority it doesn’t – virtual learning cannot replace in-person learning.”
Pressure from the Save Our Rural Schools open letter has seen Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth agree to meet the parents behind campaign, with Ms. Gilruth also agreeing on behalf of Cllr Bremner. A date is yet to be confirmed.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to ensuring all of our young people have access to an education system that works for them and under Curriculum for Excellence, schools are able to offer a wider range of course choices than ever before.
“Local authorities are able to supplement this by extending subject choice through school-college partnerships, local digital platforms and collaborative approaches to timetabling. This includes accessing e-Sgoil who provide a range of online provision for national courses.”
MSP Maree Todd said: “While these figures are concerning, it’s important to consider the context in which they are set. Young people have experienced significant disruption due to lockdowns and industrial action.
“Virtual learning can support equity in curriculum opportunities and serve as an alternative for students who find traditional classrooms challenging. In previous years, we have seen positive exam results from online courses, showing it can be an effective learning resource.
“However, I fully understand that parents will have concerns about this, particularly in light of last year’s results and these concerns must be addressed.”
A UHI North, West and Hebrides spokesperson said: “Thanks for the opportunity comment further on this subject – please attribute to UHI North, West and Hebrides.
“Firstly, we’d like to stress that we constantly monitor and review the attainment results of our students to ensure that we are supporting them to reach their full potential and that the learning we provide is of the highest standard.
“Our Virtual School partnership approach with Highland Council has been nationally recognised as sector leading. This is part of our overall senior phase offer which includes in-school delivery and on campus delivery. We work closely with head teachers, guidance teachers and councils to plan our senior phase offer supporting pupils of all abilities over the one-year duration of their National 5, Higher or Advanced Higher programme.
“Success for pupils depends on this close working partnership with both the school and each individual pupil. This includes making sure they are enrolled on the right course for them, they understand how they will study, and the right support is in place to support them – both from the college and in-school.
“Our full senior phase programme broadens young people’s curriculum choice in a wide range of subjects and qualifications, enriches their educational experience, enables them to develop their knowledge and vocational, practical, and academic skills, and supports progression from school to further education, higher education, apprenticeships, and employment. Without it, young people in our rural and island communities would not be able to access such a wide range of subjects and qualifications.
“By delivering some qualifications online via a virtual classroom, in our Virtual Schools programme, we can connect very small numbers of pupils across our rural and island communities to provide a viable offer, which builds on our long-standing experience and leadership in high quality online delivery. With this method of study, we are also equipping our students with digital skills for collaborative learning and working; skills which are highly valued and endorsed by employers.
“Our online Foundation Apprenticeship offer, which has been recognised by Skills Development Scotland and Education Scotland as exemplary practice involves working with many employers to give students practical hands-on experience of an increasingly common mode of working in the 21st Century.
“98 per cent of our senior phase students said they were satisfied with their student experience in our recent Early Student Experience Survey 2023-2024.”
Soraya Lunn is a former Ullapool High School pupil who studied Higher Business management during Covid, and she now studying History and Psychology at Dundee University.
Soraya said: “I took business management as a crash higher in S5. I had just moved up to Scotland and didn’t know anything about virtual school at the time. It was a very new thing for me. I actually loved having the online lessons because I loved the flexibility of being able to go back to the lecturers, go back to the notes and take down my own notes whether I am at home, in school or moving around the place in general. I have not struggled with Business during Covid 19. Everything has been a bit weird but with this Higher I can easily go back to the lectures, and I can easily access all my learning and all of my work that I have done over the past couple of months and I would definitely, definitely recommend it as a subject because I find it so interesting.”
An anonymous Highland high school pupil said: “I wanted to share my positive experience with the Higher Business Management course offered by the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI). Given that my school lacked a business management course, UHI's online option has been crucial for me to pursue this qualification.
“Living in a region with limited access to various courses, the online format has proven invaluable. I must commend my lecturer for his exceptional support and teaching. His guidance has made the online learning experience both engaging and effective.
“Thanks to this course, I now possess the qualifications necessary to enrol in university, saving me from an additional year in school and allowing me to focus on preparing for my future.
“One noteworthy aspect is UHI's inclusivity. The online platform not only caters to school pupils but also extends its reach to independent candidates. Currently enrolled in both Higher Business Management and an FA in Creative and Digital Media, I've experienced the flexibility firsthand. Even while learning French and Spanish abroad, I could seamlessly attend classes without interrupting my education.
“In conclusion, I am grateful for the opportunity provided by UHI's Higher Business Management course. It has made education accessible to students in regions where traditional courses may be unavailable. I am confident that this positive experience will contribute to a brighter future for many students like myself.”
