What our users say...

Below is a selection of some wonderful feedback we have received since the launch of the Service in November 2004.

About the Virtual-Workspace on the whole:

  • The ability to have all resources in one location has been extremely useful, this means that students do not need to go looking for appropriate resources themselves.
    Denise Lourie, ICT Teacher, North Bromsgrove High School, Worcestershire
  • The relationships between pupil and staff within the same school I find already has improved a great deal... The teacher can observe when they're doing the homework and in my experience at Chilwell School the attitude to homework has taken on a whole new meaning and they're working much harder and returning their homework much quicker.
    Tony Winfield, ICT Co-ordinator, Chilwell School, Nottinghamshire
  • They can pick up resources they can work on them whenever it suits them so its going to move away from the restriction of just simply work being associated with what they do at school.
    Paul Saddington, Director of Technology, South Bromsgrove Community High School, Worcestershire
  • There are always going to be problems with those who forget or lose log in details but generally it has been much less hassel then I would have expected. I am looking forward to our whole school being on the list rather than just year 10 as I feel this has massive potential. I have found it an excellent way to give optional homeworks or additional activities to help those who want it to make greater progress. All in all....I would highly recommend VW to anyone in teaching.
    Colin Aspley, Science Teacher, Chilwell School, Nottinghamshire
  • Thanks very much for the award. I am both surprised and delighted. I enjoy using V-W with my pupils and I believe it has changed the relationship between me and them - all for the better. A very useful and worthwhile learning tool.
    Michael Taylor, Science Teacher, Chilwell School, Nottinghamshire

Students' testimonials...

  • I definitely think that more schools should have access to this type of system. It is so useful! You can access assignments, and use it for schoolwork, whilst still being able to have fun, and talk to your friends! It offers a good balance between work and play...
    Leda, age 14, Chilwell School, Nottinghamshire
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  • I think whoever came up with the idea for ‘Virtual Workspace’ is on to a revolutionary idea. I have made new friends over the site and the live mentoring seems to have been sent straight from heaven. The moment that springs to mind first...
    Student, age 15, Haybridge High School, Worcestershire
  • I believe Virtual-Workspace has helped me with my education, especially in Science and Maths, the two subjects I wish to improve on. I haven't really gained any new skills since I spend alot of time on my computer but I have found that...
    Rachel, age 14, Chilwell School, Nottinghamshire
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  • When we were first told about virtual-workspace, I doubted I would ever use it - the idea of going out of my way in my own time to do something school related, just didn't appeal, but once I actually looked at what was on offer my views quickly changed...
    Student, age 16, Haybridge High School, Worcestershire
  • I have found my school life loads easier. I can do all my G.C.S.E coursework within the site and then just email it to my teachers at school; this makes a change to before as I was always loosing important pieces of paper!
    Jo, age 15, Penn Hall School, Wolverhampton

Students' feedback messages...

  • Thankyou vry much to the virtual-workspace team for all you have done and for the creation of this beautiful and wonderful site.I have made (and broken =0P) many friendships on here but it has been a very nice place to go to escape from exams and the stress of work etc. So once again I thank you all!! Thankyou xXx
    Student, age 18, Wolverhampton
  • i think this is a class place to learn and send meassages to all of friends thank you for giving me this space to do it on thank you so much for your help - it makes me so happy
    Student, age 16, Heath Park Business and Enterprise College, Wolverhampton
  • I think VW is gr8 esp as it's only a yr old - it will improve drastically i'm sure but i think it's amazing!! KEEP IT UP!!!
    Student, age 17, Worcestershire
  • I love the virtual workspace its the sexiest. I love organising my work and its a great help with my coursework n its great to meet new buddies and great 4 ur social life i luv u
    Student, age 15, Aldersley High Technology College, Wolverhampton
  • This is really helpful and easy to understand! I will definitely be using this to help me with my work out of school and in! Thanx 4 creatin such a useful system!
    Student, age 14, The Chantry High School, Worcestershire
  • Thank you for the site. It gives me the opportunity to talk to people (i dont really talk 2 people at skool) so it's brilliant I can be myself. I can go online and be myself instead of worrying about getting gipped! Thank you.
    Student, age 17, Worcestershire
  • this website is so good it helps me with all my home work course work n its great 4 social conversation n meeting new ppl [people] i have made loads of m8s [mates].
    Student, age 15, Aldersley High Technology College, Wolverhampton
  • Thank You For This Website, It is a great way to do school work and get to know people.
    Student, age 15, Moseley Park School - Technology College, Wolverhampton
  • hi i think that v-w is brilliant it help me with all of my work. i would like to thank you for setting this up
    Student, age 15, Wolverhampton

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About our Online Learning Mentors:

  • On Virtual-Workspace you have the mentoring facility which the pupils can access from 8 in the morning til 8 at night and whilst the support they get is from qualified adults they are not their personal teachers and they feel they can perhaps say things that they wouldn't normally say to their teacher and ask for help to find websites or advice on how to put together assignments given that they may only have 2 or 3 days to do it so that is a very useful facility.
    Tony Winfield, ICT Co-ordinator, Chilwell School, Nottinghamshire
  • thanks you realy helped me, now i can understand what to look for when comparing a poem thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Student, age 14, Worcestershire
  • Just click on the link and you're put in touch with an easy to talk to, helpful and happy person who can point you in the right direction with most queries. If you can't quite find the right thing in the resources section, just ask a mentor and they'll send bucket loads of...
    Student, age 16, Haybridge High School, Worcestershire
  • I think that the learning mentor is a brilliant idea and they have helped me very well and they are so polite.
    Student, age 14, Baxter College, Worcestershire
  • Thanx a lot, you really saved me there I really was stuck. I can always count on you guys thanx a lot.
    Student, age 15, The Northicote School, Wolverhampton
  • ...a big thanks to all the VW mentors who have helped me esp Pat. Thanks for giving me the chance to become a peer mentor and my certificate!
    Student, age 17, Worcestershire
  • Hey Charlie. I finally got the essay done last night/this morning. Took a long while to get focused but the stuff you sent me really helped. Thanks loads.
    Student, age 15, Worcestershire
  • Thanx very much. u lot are really helpful!! Thanx again!
    Student, age 15, Arrow Vale Community High, Worcestershire
  • Thanks a lot for the advice, you have succeeded, to make me more confident in my English. I struggled before and thought I was wrong but you made me see that I was doing things the right way. thanks again Xxx
    Student, age 14, Wolverhampton
  • i asked you about my english presentation about 2 weeks ago and you gave me lots of ideas and suggestions. i did it last week, and your advice payed off, as i got an A!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks a lot for your help
    Student, age 15, Wolverhampton
  • A great big thanks to all of you for your help. I've left school but couldn't have got through the exams without you all!
    Student, age 16, Wolverhampton
  • I am leaving a message just to say that i find the help of the mentors very good and they are all brilliant at there job. Keep up the good work guys!
    Student (male), age 15, Worcestershire
  • thanks a million! i was 100% stuck but chris was extremelly helpfull and sorted me out really quickly. thanks again
    Student (female), age 15, Wolverhampton

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About our Staff Training courses/sessions:

  • I have learnt a lot and have found that my knowledge of using the virtual workspace has greatly improved. If only all staff completed a course they would see how it could work for them. It is not until you do a course that you realise how vast the uses for teaching can be. It just encourages the mind to apply the different elements into your teaching.
    Karen Rhodes, Maths Teacher, Coppice Performing Arts School, Wolverhampton
  • I was already using V-W but the course made me focus on using it more precisely. The printed material presented was very good and useful.
    Stephen Baird Parker, ICT Teacher, Wolverley High School, Worcestershire
  • Before my CPD course I was able to edit resources, set tasks and mark them online within the V-W. I now have a private year 11 discussion group for chemistry where fact and theory are discussed in minutiae, supported by hyperlinks to animations, gifs/jpeg files. This has been extremely rewarding, since group work online has facilitated critical thinking, by giving greater stretch and...
    Christine Pointing, Head of Science, Chantry High School, Worcestershire
  • Took a while to get into it, but from Week 3 onwards, I'm flying. The world is my oyster...! I think V-W's great. I could surf around it all day. Unfortunately there's a small matter called 't-e-a-c-h-i-n-g'! Looking forward to more V-W training in future to possibly even greater levels of intellectual stimulation.
    Adrian Shipley, Special Needs Teacher, Manor Park Community Special School, Worcestershire
  • I think these courses are very good, they enable teachers and staff to provide teaching materials suitable for their students own particular needs, and the VW staff provide all the help that is needed. There is also the facility of discussing problems with other course members and sharing experiences for mutual benefit. I look forward to the next course!
    Sandra Rowland, ICT Teaching Assistant for Special Needs, Hanley Castle High School, Worcestershire

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About our student incentive scheme:

  • Seeing the pleasure on some students' faces when they were able to buy World Cup merchandise using the points they earned was an indication to me of how much they have valued being able to earn these by just doing their work.
    Janet Dowding, ICT Teacher, The King's Church of England School, Wolverahampton
  • About the auctions for valentines day... it was a super idea and my valentine absolutely loved it. Thank you very much.
    Student, Year 11, Worcestershire
  • Because of the points reward system. I won a bath spa on an auction which I'd wanted for a long time but hadn't been able to afford! So not only is sending and using the work items section of this site a really easy way to keep control of my work, but you get rewarded for using it! It's a win-win situation
    Student (female), age 16, Haybridge High School, Worcestershire

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About the Communities:

  • The main way in which I've used the Virtual-Workspace in my teaching so far has been through the use of the virtual communities. And last year when I was teaching sixth form groups, particularly in the lead up to revision, by setting up each class as a virtual community and then giving them assignments which they can work on and through the virtual community they're able to help each other with ideas and suggestions about how to complete an assignment and then I was able to monitor what they were doing and give advice and help as appropriate and I found that really beneficial particularly with extended revision tasks.
    Paul Saddington, Director of Technology, South Bromsgrove Community High School, Worcestershire

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