Virtual Environment

Haydon School is currently trialling a new Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) system.

To login to the system students should go to www.fronter.com/hillingdon and use their Hillingdon grid email login details with '.312' added to the end. For example; trobson002.312.

VLE systems provide a number of important benefits for a modern school. These include:

- More sophisticated methods of communication

- The ability to deliver more effective personalised learning

- Personalised electronic diaries and deadline lists to help students organise their workload

- Online assessment and marking

- The ability to allow collaborative work between students

- Controlled access to school resources

- The ability to set up links with other schools

- The ability for parents to gain more detailed information on the progress of their son or daughter

Trials of the new VLE are going on in all major departments and Sixth Form subjects. A trial project was also carried out in partnership with Coteford Primary school. During this project year 6 students in Coteford and their parents were able to access the VLE to view a range of content, including videos, which helped them gain a better understanding of what life at Haydon would involve for a new year 7 student. They were also able to communicate directly through a forum with selected current year 7 students from Haydon. They were able to ask questions about anything that was worrying them. A subsequent survey of year 6 Coteford students found very positive feedback on the usefulness of the VLE to help with the transition to Haydon School.

An official launch date for students, parents and staff will be announced when the VLE system has successfully completed its trial period.

Stuart McTiernan

Lead Teacher for VLE

smctiernan@hillingdongrid.org