Westhaven School (Student Age 4-18)
Westhaven School based in North Somerset, England is a special educational needs school that’s been enhancing learning and improving accessibility with ClassVR since 2021.
We spoke to Endre Gal, Network Manager at Westhaven School, about why they chose ClassVR and the impact virtual reality is having on their students.
Easily Integrating Virtual Reality into SEND Learning
For Westhaven, an important factor when choosing a new technology is ensuring it can be easily integrated into lessons by teachers. The VR & AR technology needed to be simple to implement, manage and control – enabling the staff to create unforgettable learning experiences while continuing to meet the needs of every student. That’s why they went with ClassVR!
“One of the big reasons we chose ClassVR is because of how easy it is to manage. From the first time I saw these headsets, I immediately thought they were brilliant. I could see the technology was optimised for a classroom environment and that the management interface would be a great fit for us. We can easily navigate the portal and find content. ClassVR is so simple, so easy for us to manage, so user friendly.”
Exciting and Accessible Learning Experiences
ClassVR is a big hit at Westhaven! Virtual reality creates exciting new opportunities for its students, letting them explore and experience things they might otherwise not be able to. From adventuring across the world to travelling back in time, they’ve been enjoying some incredible virtual reality explorations that fully engage the class in the lesson.
“ClassVR is a technology that can spark the imagination of our students. It can open up new possibilities and accessibility for them, and they love it. When the students see the bright orange headsets, there’s so much excitement and engagement in the classroom!”
100% Immersion!
Both the students and staff have been captivated by ClassVR! Whether they’re exploring detailed 360-degree images and videos, 3D models or explorable VR scenes, the content allows teachers to create immersive learning experiences where students are completely captivated and feel like they’re really there.
“ClassVR is so immersive. This is one of the big advantages of these VR headsets. Even for a static 360-degree image, looking around at your own pace is way more immersive than, for example, going on Google StreetView and scrolling left, right, back and forth. Your brain sees the computer screen and you don’t feel like you’re really in the scene. But if you look around 360-degree images in a headset, it's a completely different experience!”
Meeting Individual Needs by Creating Student-Specific Contexts
Using virtual reality, Westhaven can meet the individual needs of each student by creating specific learning contexts. For example, the teachers have found that ClassVR is a particularly engaging tool for some of their students with autism, who enjoy exploring virtual worlds in their free time. By immersing them with the headsets, staff have been capturing these students’ attention and truly engaging them in lessons.
“The kids love ClassVR. Especially our autistic students, the boys in particular, who enjoy exploring these online worlds like Minecraft. They’re really attracted to this environment. When they use ClassVR they’re completely immersed and engaged in the experience. It’s such a powerful tool.”
How would you describe your ClassVR journey so far?
When asked the big question above, Endre replied:
“I’m absolutely thrilled to have these headsets because of their potential, because of what can be achieved. There are so many possibilities for us. We’ve still got so much to explore. This is just the beginning!”
