Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)

What is the VLE?

The VLE is our Virtual Learning Environment. It acts a little bit like an intranet but is solely dedicated to teaching and learning across the Academy.   The VLE is essentially a teaching and learning tool that can be accessed internally or externally by students, staff and parents. The best thing about the VLE is that it relies on functions that young people are very familiar with such as forums, messaging and downloading.

What is the VLE used for?

It is becoming more and more commonplace for students of all ages to access resources, share ideas, seek support and submit coursework through a Virtual Learning Environment and here at the Academy we want to provide the very best opportunity for students to do these things

Here are just a few examples of what the VLE can be used for:

• Messaging facility – students can communicate with other students, teaching staff and anyone else connected to the Academy in a very secure way
• Coursework assignments – coursework can be set and submitted through the VLE.  This makes the whole process, including sticking to deadlines, much more simple as work can be submitted from any PC without the need to come into school
• Group projects – groups of students can work together remotely via the VLE and contribute to team projects and group coursework without the need for regular meetings
• On-line assessment – the VLE can accommodate online testing, mock exams and much more.  All work/ exam answers etc can also be marked online for a much faster return of feedback

Some examples of use in school:

• A group of Sixth form students have set up their own Sixth form VLE within our whole school VLE and they are using this to broadcast Sixth form news, advertise jobs, provide job-seeking advice, provide study advice, student/teacher forum and message boards and much more.  These students are now actively working with CALs to involve them in this area of the VLE
• Media have launched their BTEC course with the Y10s on the VLE, they have provided all KS4 media students with access to course materials, assignment briefs, online homeworks, model work examples etc
• Business Studies in the Sixth form now sets all coursework via the VLE and all coursework is submitted via the VLE and marked online.  This has meant that students who are absent for any reason never miss the work set and also that marked work is quickly returned to students
• Business and ICT across the school have offered ‘teacher talk’ times where a member of teaching staff will regularly access the VLE at weekends or in the holidays for 1 hour to deal with questions, give advice on work etc via the messaging facility
• PE have launched their BTEC course in the Sixth form in the VLE, they have used the VLE to set, submit and mark work and have made all the course materials available to the students.  The PE BTEC group also uses the project and messaging facilities to support group work.