SME News Q4 2024 / 22 It is the mission of Oxford Online School to provide students with a fully online education that not only equals that which can be found in private brick-and-mortar institutions but goes beyond it. Delivering the means for students from primary age through to A-level to excel academically, all whilst developing their skills and nurturing their growth into responsible citizens, this is a school that fosters curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking through personalised and innovative online teaching methods. Named as the Most Inclusive e-Learning Academy 2024 - South East England, we catch up with the school’s principal, Ajla Duckollari, for more. Thanks to the power of cutting-edge modern technology, Oxford Online School has created a dynamic learning environment, one which transcends borders and delivers flexibility and inclusivity to all students. This passion is reflected in the core values of academic excellence, innovation, and a commitment to nurturing both personal growth and character development in every student, values which serve as the fundamental cornerstones of this e-learning academy and help its pupils to realise their full potential. As Founder and Principal Ajla Duckollari explains: “What truly sets us apart is our dedication to helping students who may have been underserved by traditional education systems.” Regardless of an individual’s circumstances, they will be welcomed into the inclusive environment that Oxford Online School (OOS) nurtures, which sees all students carry out their GCSEs and A-levels through a range of accredited exam boards at this fully recognised online school, which also offers summer and entrepreneurship short courses. “In addition to our A-level and GCSE programmes, we’re also proud of how well our primary and lower secondary programmes have been established. These programmes provide a strong academic foundation for younger students, offering an engaging and flexible curriculum. There has been significant interest from parents in enrolling their children, which highlights the growing demand for highquality, online education at the primary and lower secondary levels.” Every element of the robust OOS curriculum is distinctive and exceptional, with each of these integral parts contributing to an encompassing wider educational experience that is a unique take on more than 30 of the widely renowned subjects studied in Britain’s classrooms. This is especially true of OOS’ in-depth online A-level programme, which is distinguished as a result of its deliberately encompassing nature, spanning the cultivation of such skills as research and leadership in addition to the studying of their regular academic subjects. OOS’ drive to go above and beyond when it comes to its A-level students can be seen through the recent partnership it formed with a leading UK university, done so as to support PGCE students by affording them online teaching experiences carried out in real time. The invaluable hands-on experiences provided during these sessions is something that can make a world of difference for students, helping them to gain confidence in teaching whilst also mastering the ever-changing virtual classroom environment. As this example highlights, the skills students are taught in this online education setting set them up to thrive wherever their journey takes them after their time with the school, be it an apprenticeship or a degree at any university in the world. Whatever it is their destiny lies in, the full academic support provided by OOS helps students plan out their anext steps, be it through helping them research their chosen degree or understand which exam results and extra-curricular activities stand them in the best stead for their desired career. It is not only at university age that OOS puts a key emphasis on its students developing their passions and skills outside of the day-to-day curriculum however, and the flexibility of its online primary, lower secondary, GCSE, and A-level programmes means that pupils are free to pursue everything from sports and performing arts to internships in their spare time. “This is a unique benefit that allows students to develop holistically,” explains Ajla, “pursuing their academic goals whilst also focusing on other areas of life.” Launching in 2020, OOS began its journey at a time when people were being forced into online learning as a result of the pandemic, a transition that was difficult for many due to them being so used to a traditional schooling environment. For those who have always found physical school to be challenging however, be Online Learning, Human Experiences
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