Sussex students have been learning computer skills from a virtual teaching aid.

Staff at Varndean School have developed computer-based learning materials to help pupils studying information and communications technology (ICT).

The school has been offering the virtual teacher to a group of pupils in Year 11, aged 15, studying for the intermediate GNVQ grade, the equivalent of two GCSEs passes.

Head of ICT John Burton said: "The results from pupils sitting the first of three stages for the exam have just come back and the pass rate at grade C or above is 86 per cent.

"The study materials have played a major part in this success. They are available on the school network as well as CD-ROM for home use and so can be accessed as and when needed.

"Pupils can use them to get to grips with the concepts of the course and work through simulations showing how to use the computer programs involved at a speed which suits them."

The pupils learn through interacting with a fictitious web company called Varndean Web Design. They receive video mail from the made-up company's managing director (who bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr Burton), setting tasks including creating an invoice and making a web page.

Mr Burton said: "Working for a company rather than having to listen to boring old teachers has made the pupils much more receptive.

"This method of learning also leads to a radical change in the teacher's role, enabling more time to be spent motivating and monitoring student progress rather than just demonstrating how to use programmes.

"Students with access to the system require less help, giving teachers time to concentrate on individuals."

Year 11 pupil Adam Ward, 16, who is studying for 11 GCSEs and the ICT-GNVQ, said: "The layout and format is very clear. Because it's so easy to use, I feel more relaxed about the studying. I hope to carry on and do computing at A-level and this is a great step towards the career in graphic design and computing."

A technology college and a beacon school for ICT, Varndean will be providing the material in CD-ROM format free of charge to other secondary schools in Brighton and Hove from the next academic year.

Mr Burton said: "Our Year 8 to 10 pupils are now being introduced to this way of learning and we hope to see more positive exam results as a consequence.

"We already have after-school visits from pupils at Falmer School to use our in-house system. When we can roll this out to be installed on other school networks, the level of computer literacy in the whole county could improve dramatically."

The school also plans to market the product commercially to schools outside the county.

www.varndean.co.uk