This week saw Court Fields School’s annual open events go virtual. The new format allowed prospective parents and students to have a ‘tour’ of the facilities and meet the staff from the comfort of their own homes. In addition to this access- anytime platform, there has been the opportunity to book on to a ‘live’ tour, where questions can be answered and real time visits to the school can be arranged via video conferencing, and this week, an opportunity to engage in an online question and answer session with a member of the leadership team.

Feedback from parents who have attended the tour has been positive. One prospective new parent said: “The virtual tour had a real impact on my daughter, who has been worried about moving to secondary school next year. The teachers seemed really friendly and welcoming, and the photos of work and current students was really inspiring for her”.

Deputy headteacher Martyn Dudley said: “We were determined to keep open events in some format as we believe these are essential for students transitioning to us from primary schools. The move from primary to secondary school is a huge milestone in our children’s lives and this is the first contact many of our students and parents have with the school. Building strong working relationships with parents and the wider community is a priority for us and a key part of our school’s development plan. We have had an overwhelming response to the virtual activities and hope that many more parents will benefit from them over the coming weeks.”

The online experience can be accessed by anyone who has access to the internet. More content will be added to the tour in coming weeks, showcasing the work being done in school and catching up with some of the new Year 7 cohort to see how they have settled in.

The virtual tour can be accessed at the school’s website, www.courtfields.net, along with a handbook for prospective students and parents and information about future events.