GCSE courses to be offered via the internet

From September, pupils will be able to take subjects that are taught at other schools via computer links.

This is in an attempt to offer greater choice to pupils and at stopping the flow of pupils out of Powys.

It is also seen as a way of improving the number of subjects being taught through the Welsh language.

The announcement was made by Powys County Council’s education portfolio holder Councillor Myfanwy Alexander at a cabinet meeting and is part of a £2 million finance package for improvements for schools.

Councillor Alexander said: “All high schools have offered a subject that will be available to learners from September. There will be a double success in this. It will allow schools that don’t have a specialist subject teacher to offer a curriculum choice.

“Secondly, I think it encourages quality,  because no headteacher would offer into the system a course that was not very well run on their own site. We hope that this will be a very beneficial step forward.

Curriculum

“In order to do this we need to have IT provision that is up to standard and compatible and this investment will help do that. We hope that distance learning will help support our Welsh medium learners.

“Small streams have particular difficulty building a curriculum offer, distance learning and co-operation between Welsh medium schools can provide a choice.”

Councillor Alexander added that A-level courses were already being offered “virtually” this year.

Virtual learning is a set of teaching and learning tools designed to enhance a student’s learning experience by including computers and the internet in the learning process.

The £2 million for primary and secondary school work also includes improving disabled access and security work, improved sports facilities and classroom improvements to support the 21st century schools programme in the 2019/20 financial year.

By Elgan Hearn, local democracy reporter