AN EAST Lancashire high school has been selected by the government to help teachers across England roll out digital remote learning strategies to help cope with the pandemic situation.

Ribblesdale High School in Clitheroe is one of three Microsoft Showcase Schools that uses the software Microsoft Teams as its main platform for teaching and staff meetings.

It joins Broadclyst Community Primary School in Devon and Danesfield School in Buckinghamshire in leading a consortium of schools across the country that will offer webinars and guidance to other schools on how to get the best out of new technology.

Ribblesdale Headteacher Stephen Cox said: “We are thrilled that our collective expertise and experience is being harnessed by this programme to support a wide range of schools.

“The current situation has forced all schools to be highly dependent upon remote learning, adjusting to a very new way of working.

"We look forward to supporting colleagues in other institutions, aiding their students to experience the very best teaching, learning and wider support which can be afforded by remote learning.”

Microsoft Showcase Schools, of which Ribblesdale High is the only one in the North West, all aim to use technology developed by the company to deliver the most modern, up to date learning systems possible for pupils.

The scheme was first unveiled in 2018 and sees the company partner with schools around the world providing them with Microsoft technology in return for showcasing the company’s products and services.

Ribblesdale High, which has been partnered with the company for the past three years, equips pupils and teachers with their own personal Windows 10 device, with smartboard and detachable keyboard.

Learning is delivered using programmes such as Microsoft Office Suite, Minecraft Education Edition, FlipGrid and Learning by Questions.

Mr Cox said: “Our school has two main purposes. One is to ensure our youngsters get the very best qualifications, but also we have an overarching responsibility to make them the very best citizens and digital skills are a massive part of that.”

These tools have become all the more important since the coronavirus pandemic forced schools nationwide to close their doors and for teachers to attempt to find ways of supporting pupils remotely.

The government hopes that schools like Ribblesdale will be able to use their partnership with Microsoft and their experience with using these kinds of software to help show the way for other schools and colleges around the country by hosting a series of informative webinars which other teachers and school teachers can watch using the Microsoft Teams software.

The first of Ribblesdale High School’s webinars will be held on May 7.