Online learning is becoming more common than ever. With a multitude of benefits – such as allowing students to take classes from wherever they are – studying online has become a viable alternative to conventional learning. And there are many reasons why a student might choose to study online. From students following their dream careers, to those who struggle in mainstream school, and children from expat families who are constantly travelling, online learning allows young people to continue their education – and enjoy it.
Maddie Evans, recently seen on screen as Dyana in the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon, is a student at online school King’s InterHigh. “The flexibility of online learning has been a lifesaver. I did GCSEs last year, and without King’s InterHigh, I would have been a sinking ship.” All online lessons are recorded, so if Evans, who is now studying for A-levels in English language, business studies and film studies, needs to miss one because she’s on set, or at an audition, she can simply catch up later.
“It’s really accessible – the learning platform is so easy to use,” the 16-year-old says. “The teachers are great – they make sure all the lessons are engaging, and give you all the information you need.” Her acting coach and mentor, Dominique Moore, is full of praise for the way King’s InterHigh’s approach allows young actors to fulfil their academic potential. But for Evans, online learning has been about more than juggling a budding acting career with her education. “Until now, I hadn’t found a school where I felt I could properly be myself,” she says.
Personalised timetables allow pupils with special educational or additional learning needs to work at their own pace, while calm virtual classrooms eradicate the noisy chatter and other challenges that can disrupt students’ learning in a bricks and mortar school. And for young people afflicted by school anxiety or mental health issues, switching to online learning can be a life-changing step. Alison Manser’s 15-year-old daughter had experienced debilitating anxiety since primary school, suffering frequent panic attacks and struggling to sleep. Constantly missing lessons left her falling behind, but the family felt there was little understanding or help offered at her mainstream school.
When her daughter’s situation reached a crisis point, Manser decided to move her to an online learning alternative. “It’s been wonderful,” Manser says. “Immediately, she started to sleep better. She started to smile, she started to engage with us.” Her daughter benefits from being able to take a break during the day if necessary and catch up later with a recorded lesson, and she is able to join lessons with her camera and microphone off if she wishes.
“She absolutely loves it because it’s a very non-threatening environment,” Manser says. “The teachers are so kind. Nobody is put on the spot – their approach is so different.” Her daughter hasn’t had a panic attack since leaving mainstream school. “She’s thriving,” Manser says. “She’s free to just be herself. And that’s the most important thing for her.”
For table tennis player Anna Hursey, who, in 2018, at the age of 11, became the youngest athlete ever to compete in the Commonwealth Games, joining King’s InterHigh has made school manageable again.
“I used to go to a traditional school and I found it really hard to keep up with the schoolwork because of the travelling I did,” Hursey, now 16, says. “King’s InterHigh was really there for me. I wouldn’t be able to achieve everything that I do without them, because I can still keep up with my education and travel abroad to competitions. And I really enjoy it.”
Training for four to six hours a day means Hursey, who is studying for A-levels in psychology and Chinese, sometimes relies on recorded lessons. But if she has questions, there’s always support on hand. “I can email my teacher any time and they always get back to me really quickly,” she says.
Vegan TV chef Omari McQueen, the host of CBBC’s What’s Cooking Omari? – another student at King’s InterHigh – also has high praise for his teachers. “They’re very helpful,” the 14-year-old says. Plus, he adds, the lessons are fun: “You get to interact with the teacher a lot. You get to choose if you want your camera on. And then the teacher will always make a joke to liven up the classroom.”
The school has enabled him to balance his filming schedule and other commitments with his education. “I really love learning, so it’s important to me,” he says. “I don’t miss out on anything.” And that includes the social side of school life: “You get to make friends in the [online] classroom, but they also set these things up where you can meet each other face to face,” he says.
As well as A-levels, pupils at King’s InterHigh can study for a number of other qualifications online – such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. For Evans, continuing her education beyond GCSEs, alongside acting, was vital. “I want to know more about the world,” she says.
And she values the focus on self-discipline and the time management skills that come with online learning, too. “I like how we don’t get spoon fed,” she says. “I really like doing it myself, knowing that I’ve got the responsibility here. It feels more like life than just school.”
King’s InterHigh is a leading British and international online school. For an education that revolves around you, where every student’s unique potential is nurtured and fulfilled, visit the King’s InterHigh website to discover online study options or discuss admissions for September 2023.
