STAFF have "risen to the challenge" of distance learning according to a college principal.

Barton Peveril Sixth Form College’s 4,000 students are set to continue to attend each of their timetabled lessons from home, throughout the closure of the country’s educational institutions.

As well as attending lessons taught by over 140 teachers, students have continued access to the college’s counsellors, student progress advisers, nurse, and careers department.

This comes after a "strong transition" to online learning during the first national lockdown and a switch to a blended timetable of on campus and online learning at the beginning of the academic year.

Principal Jonathan Prest said: “It has been remarkable to see teachers and support staff’s willingness to rise to the challenge of distance learning.

"At Barton we have not simply posted work for students to get on with, we have taught each class at the regular time and students can ask questions of their teachers, or collaborate with other students on a task.

"This has made it a much more structured and engaging experience, not dissimilar to normal lessons.

"Not only have staff adapted well to an extremely different way of teaching but so too have our students, who have continued their high level of commitment to learning albeit online."