Learner Billie Murrum, studied vision2learn's First Steps in IT, Next Steps in IT and Web Entrepreneur. Here's her inspirational story:

"I was bullied at school and found I just couldn't learn in a classroom environment. I didn't tell anyone. I just made excuses for not attending. I had a home teacher for a while but this didn't help me to sit any exams. Then I discovered vision2learn. It was great! I actually had work I could get on with, I didn't have to wait for the next 'class', I could work my own hours and take my own breaks and I wasn't alone either - my online teacher provided support along the way.

I had no qualifications to my name and certainly no career prospects but I just worked away and discovered how easy it was to study with vision2learn. I've achieved three qualifications and I'm now studying for a fourth (Wizard on the Web) in a "normal" educational environment at Kingston College and my goal is to be an IT teacher. I can hardly believe it. Vision2learn truly changed my life."

Tanna (15) from Nottingham is studying on vision2learn’s Essential Sports Coaching Skills course. She says:

“The course is really good because you can use it to work at home at your own pace. You don’t have to do it all in one go and it's easy to save work and find it again when you want to”

Andrew Seymour, Assistant Head Teacher at Henry Mellish School commented:

“Tanna is one of our success stories. The vision2learn course helped her to achieve, and helped us to provide a personalised learning programme for her”

Learning about healthy eating on an e-learning course is boosting the self-esteem of boys attending Coombe Boys’ School, Surrey, which in turn is helping them to believe they can achieve more in their GCSE subjects. ‘Healthy Eating’ is just one of a series of practical vocational courses available to the school online from Creating Careers, through its ‘vision2learn for schools‘ e-learning service (www.vision2learnforschools.com). The Key Stage 4, Year 11 pupils at the all-boys school in New Malden have achieved 100% success studying for their ‘Healthy Eating’ qualification, which leads to a Level 2 Certificate in Nutrition and Health.

Initially the School was looking for a learning solution for a small group of 12 boys who were at risk of low achievement and potential exclusion. However, introducing online learning and enabling the boys to learn independently with staff support, has proved so successful that many other pupils are now interested in the course. Senior Leader at the school, Mrs Deborah Walls explained why:

"The boys really like learning online on computers. Boys in particular like to be active learners. It really seems to enhance their self-esteem when they can take control of their learning, completing work and seeing the results of their efforts straight away. In the ‘Healthy Eating’ course they like exploring the content in the interactive study sessions but also researching the answers for their assessed work. Unlike classroom learning they don’t have to listen to the teacher for a long time but can get on with their studies at their own pace. Also, in a GCSE there is a time lag between studying and getting results, which can be dispiriting for some boys. Getting a more immediate outcome helps them to believe in themselves as learners, which in turn gives them the confidence to try harder in their GCSEs."

The School is currently working towards accreditation on the Government’s Healthy Schools programme and is keen to encourage learners to appreciate the link between healthy eating and better school performance. A school theme is "Eat better, Do better". The vision2learn ‘Healthy Eating’ course includes online units on diet, nutrition and food issues including a wide range of healthy eating tips, information and ideas. There are online sessions on healthy eating for vegetarians and allergy sufferers, malnutrition and eating disorders such as anorexia, food labelling and food additives. The boys have written their own healthy eating plans and menus to help them to eat a healthy balanced diet. Deborah explained:

"The course is helping the boys to make connections between this subject and their other studies in food technology, PE and science. When they can see that the subject matter has relevance to their everyday life it really motivates them. They are realizing that having crisps for breakfast will not help them to concentrate at school!"

Government research studies have found that poor eating habits can lead to obesity, anaemia, tooth decay and diabetes. The British Medical Association predicts that by 2020 over 1 in 4 children will be obese and that children will have a shorter life expectancy than their parents (www.bma.org.uk).

In addition to a proactive approach to healthy eating education, Coombe also has specialist schools status* for maths and computing and is proactive about using IT in innovative ways. Using an e-learning solution such as ‘vision2learn for schools’ has proved so successful the school is opening up opportunities to other groups of learners, including lower year 10 and very able learners who will study to achieve a range of BTEC WorkSkills qualifications through e-learning.

Perry Beeches School in Birmingham is helping to prepare its students for further education and the working world by offering dedicated Edexcel WorkSkills courses through vision2learn for schools. It is one of the first schools in the UK to offer these new online vocational courses with units including ‘Preparing for an Interview’, ‘Working in a Team’ and ‘Preparing for Work Placement’.

Darren Foreman, Assistant Headteacher at Perry Beeches School, commented: "It’s been an amazing year for our school &nash; alongside our glowing OFSTED report we’ve also been crowned the most improved school in the UK. We strive to continue improving and to equip our students with everything they may need for the future, so we introduced WorkSkills as part of our Pathways programme. This programme offers vocational courses for our 14-16 year old students. The pupils’ response to the WorkSkills courses has been fantastic, they’ve taken to them quickly and enjoy learning skills they can apply to a world both inside and outside of education."

Fazakerley High School introduced vision2learn for schools courses in September 2007 and has already seen great results in the first year alone. The schools overall pass rate of five A* – C grades at GCSE in 2007/08 was an impressive 78%. As all of the courses offer qualifications at Level 2, pupils can achieve the equivalent of five GCSEs at grade A-C in addition to working towards a nationally-recognised vocational qualification. The vocational courses Fazakerley are currently using include ‘Healthy Eating’, ‘Practical Problem Solving’, ‘Working with Others’, ‘Improving Own Learning and Performance’, ‘Key Skills in Communication (Journalism)’ and ‘Enterprise Skills’. Over 20 vocational qualifications are available helping learners to develop practical skills in job, life, computer and sport-related subjects.

James Walshaw, the teacher responsible for overseeing students taking vocational courses at Fazakerley, believes they have opened doors for those students who may not have done so well had they taken GCSEs: "The courses are particularly good for students who are less academically inclined or have behavioural problems. Because the courses are web-based they can study anytime, anywhere, whether at school or at home. In the last year, the attendance rate of these learners rose and they all gained GCSE equivalents at B grade and the opportunity to continue onto further education."

Vision2learn for schools provides each learner with their own individual online learning space, with a unique password to access resources, receive and complete assignments and communicate with peers and teachers via the internal email system. Online quizzes enable them to test their knowledge and receive instant feedback on their progress and an e-portfolio allows them to store all of their work.

"The students have gone from strength to strength with these courses", says James. "They really enjoy learning skills that they can apply to future work roles." James recalls one student in particular who reaped the benefits of the courses: "One of our autistic students really excelled using vision2learn for schools and was able to engage with the course in a way he had not been able to previously in other lessons. The courses allowed him to work in his own time at a pace he was comfortable with. He passed with flying colours – one of the top marks in the year."

Fazakerley High School believes that preparing pupils for the working world is as important as giving them skills and knowledge, so every student taking vocational courses at the school spends at least one week on a work placement. Indeed, a survey conducted by educational foundation Edge found that 26% received a pay rise as a result of their vocational qualification compared to 13% following an academic qualification. The school also organises an annual careers convention welcoming over ninety different business representatives to discuss their job roles with students. Fazakerley is one of the first schools in the Merseyside area to achieve the Recognition of Quality Award (RoQA) for its career work.

Karen Pollard, Head of Personalised Learning, SBS Cherokee Project at the Link School

E-learning through vision2learn for schools is successfully re-engaging teenagers in Bath and North East Somerset who were once considered unruly in the classroom. Like other specialist units, the SBS Cherokee Project at the Link School was looking for new ways to captivate the attention of teenagers who, for a variety of often complex reasons, have developed serious aversions to learning, particularly in the traditional classroom environment.

Twenty Key Stage 4 pupils from the SBS Cherokee Project have been enrolled in a range of vision2learn for schools courses since September 2007. As all of the subjects are Level 2, it means pupils can receive valuable GCSE equivalence points as well as working towards achieving nationally–recognised vocational qualifications. Among the vision2learn courses that have proved popular with teenagers involved in the project are Working with Others, and Improving your Learning and Performance, as well as Healthy Eating, Healthy Living and the Essential Sports Coaching Skills course. All of the vision2learn for schools courses can be completed online from start to finish, with teachers and tutors available to provide invaluable feedback to learners directly via the system’s internal email system.

With the number of truant school children in England still as high as a decade ago, Karen Pollard, Head of Personalised Learning at the SBS Cherokee Project, knows how important it is to find new ways to captivate disengaged teenagers who have fallen out of mainstream education. She commented:

“Many of our learners are kinesthetic learners and so e-learning, particularly the vocational courses from vision2learn for schools, allows us to meet the development needs of our pupils, both from an environmental and intellectual standpoint. It offers ready-for-work skills which are really important for our students, most of whom are interested in entering the workforce or pursuing apprenticeships.”

As all of the learning material and assessment is online, Ms Pollard said the vision2learn for schools courses and qualifications have proved popular, particularly with learners who struggle with group learning.

“The pupils like the idea of working independently. As the courses are all online, it means learners can also do the work from the comfort of their home. They love the fact that they do not need to be told how to do something and when to do it. The quizzes that are provided are also great as it allows pupils to obtain instant feedback, and if need be, resubmit work.”

Ms Pollard added:

“A lot of pupils like the fact that they don’t have to be dressed in a school uniform and because they are able to work from home, have access to their own music. They don’t have to worry about bullying or anything, which has been a real problem for a couple of them. It means that learners are not distracted by the things that can normally cause disruptions in a normal school environment. Not being in a classroom, we have also found that their behaviour improves markedly and, consequently, they begin to get on better with their family. Because of the positive impact of vision2learn for schools courses, some learners will not even entertain the idea of group work anymore, because they know that working independently with these online subjects means they are staying out of trouble and getting their work done.”

Karen Pollard said there are also clear advantages to working online for teachers and tutors overseeing learners at the SBS Cherokee Project. She commented:

“What I like about vision2learn for schools is that it provides educators with everything they need. You don’t have to have a large volume of resources upfront, which means unlike the old days; teachers do not have to spend hours preparing teaching materials. Monitoring too is so much easier as all of the learning is logged meaning you can track a pupil’s progress from day to day or week to week. Plus the quizzes are self–marked, so learners can check their own progress.”

More than 100 schools across the UK are now using vision2learn for schools . It has evolved out of a demand for more vocational alternatives to traditional subjects. All of the courses lead to nationally-recognised vocational qualifications and contribute to GCSE points scores. Please click here to contact us.

Accrington Moorhead Sports College in Lancashire has diversified its curriculum with flexible e–learning from vision2learn for schools. The school is offering the new online vocational courses to learners who are less academic, those whose first language is not English and very able teens who complete their GCSEs early.

Learners at the school achieve nationally recognised qualifications – accredited by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and forming part of the National Qualifications Framework – and all vision2learn for schools courses carry GCSE equivalence points and contribute to a learner’s overall achievement.

Accrington Moorhead Sports College began working with vision2learn for schools in 2007, and over 65 learners have since completed five of the 20 courses on offer, including Healthy Eating, Healthy Living and Key Skills in Communication (Science).

Learners can complete the online courses from school or home, with teachers able to support and track learner progress.

Deputy Headteacher Andy O’Brien said: “We have a whole range of learners doing the courses, from the most able, to those who do not always suit the academic subjects offered within the curriculum and are sometimes at risk of exclusion.

“A number of pupils who have already finished their science GCSEs in year 10 did the Key Skills in Communication (Science) course, to give them an extra qualification. The pupils have certainly enjoyed them – young people are engaged by ICT.

“As the courses are available online, they can be accessed anywhere which is extremely convenient and it means they are encouraged to keep learning outside of school hours.”

Accrington Moorhead is one of three schools in Lancashire currently offering the vision2learn for schools e–learning programmes. To find out more about running vision2learn for schools in your school or learning centre please click here to contact us.

He’s got the vision! – Barry Morgan, 14–19 School Improvement Consultant, Rotherham LA

"I was impressed by the very flexible, ‘hands on’ and professional approach of vision2learn for schools. I think vision2learn for schools will contribute to raising attainment at Key Stage 4 across Rotherham schools. It gives schools an alternative method of teaching and learning. For pupils it gives greater flexibility to access a qualification."

Year 10 pupils Ayesha Martin and Emma Phillips are completing vision2learn for schools online WorkSkills courses at Outwood Grange Academy, Wakefield. They are also studying for an apprenticeship in Hairdressing alongside their GCSEs. Ayesha commented:

"Using WorkSkills, I have learnt about working in a team, self-management and setting myself targets. The ‘Problem Solving’ unit was particularly helpful as it teaches me how to deal with tricky situations that may come up in the salon – because I feel more prepared, I feel more confident when I’m training"

Emma added: "I really like being able to work on my own on the computer, at my own pace, and having help there when I need it. It’s satisfying to work through the units, send my finished work to my teacher and get quick feedback, and it’s helped me in other subjects too, like Maths and English. I also found the units on money management very helpful, both for work and managing my own money."

The Albion High School in Salford is motivating pupils by introducing a vision2learn for schools Healthy Eating online vocational course alongside their GCSEs. The school began working with vision2learn for schools to help to re-engage pupils and personalise their learning opportunities.

The key to a healthy future

With vision2learn for schools, pupils can learn at their own pace on computers, completing units and submitting work via the online learning environment. Pupils can choose units from a broad selection of modules to build a flexible, personal course of study, which meets their individual needs.

The Healthy Eating course incorporates units on diet, nutrition and food issues, including a wide range of healthy eating tips, resources and ideas. Pupils complete exercises, such as researching and creating their own healthy eating plans and menus to help them to eat a healthy balanced diet, while teachers can track the students’ progress as they go, receiving assignments and sending feedback via the internal email facility.

Pupils celebrate fantastic results

Diane Wood, Deputy Headteacher at The Albion High School commented: “The vision2 learn for schools courses have worked really well. We were able to personalise learning to suit our pupils and they have achieved fantastic results. What motivates the pupils most is being able to work at their own pace and receive feedback on their work quickly. Once pupils receive their marked work and can see that they are doing well, it spurs them on to complete the next unit.”

She added: “The Healthy Eating qualification has opened doors for our pupils, giving them options they may not have had if they had only relied on a traditional curriculum. Over the next year we aim to introduce further online courses to our pupils including Equality and Diversity and ITQ, a vocational qualification in IT User Skills.”

To find out more about vision2learn for schools please contact us.

Nurturing the next Jamie Oliver?

Budding chefs at Stockland Green Technology College in Birmingham are on their way to Michelin Star status having achieved 100% pass rates in their vision2learn for schools Healthy Eating vocational qualifications. All vision2learn for schools courses carry GCSE equivalent points and can contribute to students’ overall achievement.

The vision2learn for schools Healthy Eating online course, mixed with practical sessions, has re-engaged the college’s learners by replacing the traditional GCSE in Design and Food Technology.

Helen McKiernan, Food Technology Teacher and Head of Design & Technology/Art Faculty at Stockland Green, commented: “The students’ reactions to the online delivery of the vocational qualifications have been really positive and they particularly like the fact that they are assignment based rather than exams. Now they are as motivated for the theory sessions as they are for the practical lessons. We recognised that pupils were becoming less and less engaged with the traditional format of revision and exams so decided to introduce vocational qualifications as a way to attract the students’ attention back to their lessons and motivate them to achieve their potential.”

A self-confident future

The Healthy Eating qualification has invigorated many of the college’s pupils to pursue a career in catering; some of whom now have plans to continue their education in Food Technology at University College Birmingham.

Helen continues: “We have been really pleased with the standard of work the students are producing and the level of interest they are now showing in their course. It is important to acknowledge that pupils have different learning styles so they achieve their full potential and ensure they leave school with as many qualifications and skills as possible. When pupils who have previously struggled with a particular format of learning, begin to see great results and start to believe in themselves, the impact this has on their self-confidence and their development in other lessons is fantastic.”

To find out more about vision2learn for schools please contact us.