Customer Story: Newcastle High School for Girls

• Enhanced Student Engagement: Access GCSEPod's content keeps students engaged and interested in the subject matter.
• Improved Academic Performance: Regular use of Access GCSEPod has contributed to better understanding and retention of historical concepts.
• Effective Lesson Planning: Integrating Access GCSEPod into lesson plans has streamlined the teaching process and enriched the learning experience.
• Positive Student Feedback: Students appreciate the clarity, accessibility, and interactive elements of Access GCSEPod.
• Scalable Approach: Stephen Lovell's methods can be adapted by other schools to achieve similar success.

Using Access GCSEPod in lessons

Stephen Lovell incorporates Access GCSEPod into his History lessons by using its vast library of videos and quizzes to supplement traditional teaching methods. The curriculum content helps explain complex topics in an engaging and easily understandable way. By integrating Access GCSEPod into classroom activities, students benefit from a blended learning approach that combines visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic learning styles.

Lesson planning with Access GCSEPod

Stephen meticulously plans his lessons using Access GCSEPod, ensuring that each session is structured to maximise student engagement and learning outcomes. He utilises OneNote to organise and direct Access GCSEPod content as part of broader lesson plans and independent tasks. For a detailed look at Stephen’s lesson planning process, watch the video where he demonstrates his strategies and the practical implementation of Access GCSEPod in his lesson planning.

Stephen shares how to plan a lesson using GCSEPod

GCSEPod has been used at Newcastle High School for Girls and its predecessor schools since 2012. I have increasingly embedded content into lessons since the new GCSE specifications were launched in 2016, because they are absolutely tailored to match each section of the History course that we follow. I have felt that there is a sense of a quality control, because the pods have been devised and checked by current teaching staff.

"I have also made specific use of pods as links within OneNote since the pandemic, as this has fitted with our Bring Your Own Device system in school. This helps to personalise the learning approach and means that students can return to content for revision purposes, as part of sections of the course. Though the navigation system of finding pods on the website is highly intuitive.

"When planning a lesson for our GCSE course, I will begin by setting up a OneNote page that will focus upon a section of a particular unit. One example of this would be the Recovery of the Republic under Stresemann, 1924-29, in the Weimar and Nazi Germany unit. I will consider the learning outcomes required for this unit and start with a connect activity to link to previous learning, so in this example the problems for the Weimar Republic up to 1923. I will then integrate a GCSEPod link to the OneNote page for acquisition of new content for the students. Sometimes I will play the 4-5 minute pod in full to the class with clear direction of the main areas to focus on. So in this example, the improvements for the economy, international relations and also growing support for the Weimar Government. Alternatively, I will enable students to watch and listen to pods on their own devices, either individually or in pairs.

"It is vitally important that students make active use of the pods as part of their learning, rather than just simply watching the content. I always provide questions related to each pod on a OneNote page for consolidating new knowledge based on the pods. Or at least I will suggest that students can use the pod and/or their textbook to support their work. They can fill these in underneath the pod link. This helps with revision process too.

The visual nature of the pods and the way that key words and diagrams are emphasised makes them more memorable.

"With our Germany topic, there are also examples of historical interpretations provided which can help when students return to topics for completion of examination practice questions."

Student feedback

Students at Newcastle High School for Girls have provided overwhelmingly positive feedback on their experiences with Access GCSEPod. Here are some of their comments:

"The quiz at the end was very engaging."

"The videos were informative and helped me understand the topics better."

"I liked how the videos explained the topic clearly."

"Access GCSEPod is a great revision tool and helps in learning new content both individually and in small groups."

"The Check and Challenge quiz format was very helpful."

Students particularly enjoy using Access GCSEPod in History as it brings the subject to life. The engaging videos and interactive content make historical events and concepts more relatable and easier to understand, enhancing their learning experience.

The new Key Stage 3 content

Stephen is particularly excited about using the brand new Key Stage 3 content from Access GCSEPod. He finds the resources to be exceptionally well-designed, offering comprehensive coverage of the curriculum and making it easier to introduce younger students to more complex historical topics. The new content aligns perfectly with his teaching goals, providing a solid foundation for students as they progress through their studies.

Conclusion

The successful implementation of Access GCSEPod at Newcastle High School for Girls highlights the platform's potential to revolutionise teaching and learning. The school's experience demonstrates that digital tools like Access GCSEPod can significantly enhance educational outcomes when effectively integrated into the curriculum. Other history departments and independent schools can look to this case study as a blueprint for adopting similar strategies to drive student success.

By following the example set by Stephen Lovell and Newcastle High School for Girls, other schools can unlock the full potential of Access GCSEPod, providing their students with an engaging, interactive, and effective learning experience.