“I was required to shield for longer but support from teachers meant I did not fall behind"- The college supporting their student through the pandemic and beyond

The past two years have been a challenging time for those in education, with many expressing legitimate concerns that the Covid-19 pandemic could have disrupted students’ valuable learning time.

Leah McDermott experienced this first-hand; as a secondary school student looking towards her first year of A-Levels, neither she nor her peers could have anticipated what was to come.

Lockdown meant that her GCSE examinations were severely affected, and many pupils felt that they didn’t have the same adjustment period from high school to college which would have made the move feel more natural, and less of a daunting prospect.

Leah chose to study Sociology, Criminology and Applied Psychology at The Cheadle College, which stood out to her above other colleges when attending their open day, as ‘they showed that they care deeply about supporting their students' – a value that was extremely important in the circumstances.

“It was made clear that Cheadle College ensures each of their students receive the support they require to achieve the best they can, and advise students on what pathway would benefit them most in their college experience," she said.

“A Levels are obviously expected to be difficult, but whenever I was struggling I found support in the college. This made my time at college easier to deal with and more enjoyable.”

Lockdown also affected Leah in her first year at college, but thanks to the passion and dedication of her teachers, she never felt that remote learning was having an adverse effect on her education.

“Teachers were extremely supportive throughout lockdowns and remote learning, and helpful when we returned to learning within the classroom.

“Resources were made available on Teams, and teachers kept in contact