Written by Lawrence Tubb, Head of Hybrid, Minerva Virtual Academy and Kate Meeks, Head of Hybrid Partnerships, Minerva Virtual Academy

Hybrid Learning is appearing as a hot topic ever more often at conferences and education summits. With all eyes on the future of education, hybrid solutions are being hailed by many as offering an excellent response to perennial challenges.

Schools constantly face competing pressures to cut costs while ensuring top-quality teaching, and attract and retain students by offering a wide range of subjects without running courses at a loss.

It’s easy to see why bringing the flexibility and breadth afforded by online education to the service of in-person schools has caught the attention of so many school leaders.

A ‘quick win’ in this space is offering additional subjects through an online partner, integrating high-quality online provision into the timetable or as part of an extended learning offer after school, ensuring schools can meet evolving demands while keeping costs and logistics manageable.

Here are some key things to consider when introducing a specialist online element into a physical school setting.

START SMALL

It’s often best to take a targeted approach in the first year of a partnership, introducing just one or two subjects per key stage. This allows for full feedback and reflection before any wider roll-out.

It might seem obvious, but some subjects are better suited to fully online delivery than others - generally, those based on understanding and application of theory and assessed by written examination are easier to manage than those with significant practical elements or coursework.

PREPARATION IS KEY 

Detailed discussions at the start save headaches later! From considerations like timetabling, reporting and safeguarding to details like notice periods for students changing subjects and representation at subject options events, the more that can be clarified in the early days, the better.

Your school has a reputation built over years and sustained through every interaction, and it’s important that an online offering only bolsters, never undermines this. A partner should be able to demonstrate high standards and rigorous recruitment processes, ensuring that all teaching is delivered by UK-qualified subject specialist teachers experienced in delivering engaging, effective lessons online.

ONLINE TEACHING

The most effective online teaching doesn’t always look the same as the most effective in-person teaching. Supported up by a robust and accessible platform for content delivery and assessment, a flipped learning element can free up time for more application and development of learning in lessons.

Some things you’d want to see in an online lesson include:

• Starter activities that knowledge-check flipped learning content
• Agile sessions with variety every 7-10 minutes
• Varied ways for students to demonstrate understanding and self-reflect
• Polls, discussion, problem-solving and extension
• Opportunities for collaboration/break-out rooms
• A range of low-stakes quizzes, interactive whiteboards and creative activities
• Personalised feedback to students

The online classroom, at its best, enables the teacher to interact with each student individually, to respond to their needs privately when necessary, and to use their overall insight to tailor the lesson to best help every student.

COMMUNICATION, REPORTING AND ASSESSMENTS

All schools will have their own cycles of assessments, reporting and guidelines for communication. An online partner should be able to align with all or most of your academic landmarks throughout the year. Where they can’t, it’s important to have transparency and for everyone involved to know what is in place to ensure the spirit (if not the letter) of the school’s approach is followed.

TIMETABLING

Will lessons for subjects taught by an online partner need to fit into your school’s option blocks, or will they be offered as an ‘extra’ during non-academic time (lunchtimes/after school)? This decision needs to be taken early as it can have profound impacts including uptake, physical spaces available and the sourcing of a suitably qualified and experienced teacher by your online partner.

DESIGN THE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT ON-SITE​

Where will students enrolled in online courses be when they join their online lessons? They’ll need a workspace, computer/laptop, webcam, headset (with the capacity both to listen and speak) and stable internet. Students of different ages and studying different subjects can each join their online classes in the same physical space, but that space shouldn’t also have an in-person class taking place. Supervision arrangements, behaviour expectations and access to support will need to be considered and communicated clearly.

FINAL THOUGHTS

There’s plenty more to consider, of course, but adopting a hybrid approach in a physical school isn’t just a short-term solution or a budget-saving measure—it’s a strategic investment in a more flexible, inclusive and future-facing education offer.

MVA Hybrid’s Lawrence Tubb and Kate Meeks are hosting a short webinar for school leaders looking to expand their curriculum this September and beyond. All are welcome. REGISTER HERE.

You can download MVA Hybrid’s introductory leaflet HERE.