The first group of students to complete our Brightside programme of learning about the Covid pandemic have been presented with certificates to celebrate their achievements.
Sixth form students at Bradley Stoke Community School are the first to have learnt from our tailor-made courses that have been entirely designed and delivered by members of South Gloucestershire Council’s Local Outbreak Management Team.
A completely new and different programme of learning, Brightside sees students take part in interactive online sessions with public health professionals and officers from across the Council who have come together to respond to the Covid pandemic. As well as learning how different professions have responded and become more visible in society, the sixth formers were presented with detailed information about Covid, how the virus spreads and why certain measures reduce transmission.
The students were given an opportunity to take part in up to three modules, known as Spotlights, and were tasked with reporting on what they had learnt in a format of their choice. Bradley Stoke Community School’s pupils decided to produce a podcast which they recorded themselves discussing Covid-19, the impact on their wellbeing and their education, and how we can all help stop the spread.
Cabinet Member for Education, Skills and Employment Cllr Erica Williams said: “Covid-19 has been a challenge for us all, but it’s excellent to see some of the learning from the response to the pandemic used in this innovative education programme. The pupils of Bradley Stoke Community School fully embraced all elements of Brightside and have used their creativity to produce a superb piece of communication about staying safe over the summer whilst still enjoying their holidays, that all young people can relate to.”
Bradley Stoke Community School’s Careers & Employability Champion Celia Arberry said: “It has been a pleasure for our students to be involved with the Brightside programme. It’s such a great idea, they really wanted to be part of the scheme. The students were able to learn more about Covid-19 themselves and get a good insight through the training they received. From taking part, they were able to better understand the ways to prevent the spread and what everyone could do to play their part in controlling the infection.”
Since launching Brightside to schools, we have additionally developed a version of the programme for newly qualified staff in early years’ settings and have also just launched our brand new Community Brightside project.
The early years element is a completely new programme of learning that will give teachers insight, knowledge and understanding of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will look at areas such as how to build resilience in children, as well as supporting the teacher to have well informed conversations with parents and carers.
Community Brightside will focus on the inequalities highlighted by Covid in our communities and how we can better respond to these in the future. Free and available to any sized group, it offers volunteers in the community sector an opportunity to attend free interactive online workshops, starting at the end of this month, and to join a network of like-minded people who will support each other to make a difference in their community. A £500 budget is available to organisations taking part. To sign up please email communitybrightside@southglos.gov.uk or call 01454 864604.
