“How many of you,” I asked a Year 9 class in September “would rather go back to online school, instead of coming into class every day?”

Not a single hand went up. Because, although virtual schoolrooms give us an effective way of ensuring we don’t slip behind with the curriculum, they’re no substitute for the real thing. And our young people would tend to agree.The novelty of getting up later, attending lessons in pyjamas and sneakily playing video games in school time wears off after a while. It’s simply more fun to learn alongside your friends and get teacher assistance in person, rather than through a screen.Which is why our students have shown themselves to be impressively adaptable to the changes at school, which were designed to keep them safe. Masks are worn, safety distances are observed (albeit with some reminding!) and they’ve quickly got used to the longer breaks, fewer classroom swaps and new one-way systems around our campus.Some of the changes have offered unexpected advantages, too. Thanks to the staggered entry times, arriving at school is less fraught. Older students are allowed to bring in their own computing equipment to help with their studies. And the longer break times have allowed teachers to provide support sessions and extra-curricular activities which simply weren’t possible before. Among other things, our students are enjoying opportunities to learn modern dance; take part in theatre projects; improve their table tennis; participate in the school newspaper; or swap book recommendations.Yes, there are challenges to overcome as we all come to terms with the new school rules and the effects of the switch from lockdown to in-person learning. But, as my Year 9 class made clear: we’re happier when we’re together.