Pupils and teachers in Scotland went online in record numbers to ensure studying continued during snow-enforced school closures.
During the height of the bad weather, the national education intranet Glow received more than one quarter of a million hits from in excess of 54,000 users in one week.
Education secretary Mike Russell said he was pleased distance learning had been carried out at a time when schools in many parts of the country were closed.
Mr Russell said, “Other websites such as SCHOLAR, Edubuzz, BBC Bitesizeand Mathletics, as well as schools’ own websites, are also being used very widely.”
Learning and Teaching Scotland, which promotes the use of Glow, noted the efforts being made in Dundee to make use of the system to keep staff and pupils in touch.
It explained, “Dundee created a local authority Glow Snow Day Group where teachers can upload work for pupils. Teachers have also created simple individual groups called Snow Days, allowing other members of staff to contribute work for pupils.”
Schools across the country have since been trying to help pupils catch up with work they missed during the closures.
The action has included rescheduling prelims and some areas curtailed non-curricular activities or added study sessions at lunchtimes or after hours, while others postponed in-service training for staff.
Mr Russell said, “I am delighted to see Scotland’s schools and committed teachers doing some smart thinking and planning to ensure their pupils aren’t left disadvantaged by snow days this winter.
“Some will have been more affected than others. In most cases prelims have gone ahead as planned or as rescheduled but, where they haven’t, the assistance of the Scottish Qualifications Authority will be enormously helpful in ensuring no-one is disadvantaged.
“While I can detect an audible groan from many pupils on being presented with holiday assignments and extra work, the long-term benefits of completing the school year as it was intended cannot be overemphasised and I would encourage all schools and authorities to emulate these good examples.”