There was really no doubt from the moment Maldon Nub News walked through the doors of the town's Plume Academy: the staff here just knew they had to do something extra for the students now in line for GCSE exams next summer. In an August like no other, teachers are back in the classroom early for the generation whose lives were put on hold.

AFTER months of virtual learning, teenagers at one Maldon school have ventured back into the classroom already – and are loving every minute.

Now they want to reassure their missing friends that coming back is nothing to be frightened of.

Nearly 200 Year 10 students at Plume Academy, Maldon, have been enjoying summer 'transition school' classes this month to help them catch up before they move up to Year 11 in September.

The venture is unique to the school and involves the students attending for two weeks in 'bubbles' of up to 100 at the Mill Road campus.

Ash Stoneman, Lead at the academy's main Fambridge Road campus, said: "We had about two-thirds of the students in the year take up the offer – it would have been more, but some were on holiday. It has been a huge success."

Students put their worries to one side to find the 'new normal' allowing them to carry on with their education

Maldon Nub News went along to meet some of the students, all aged 15, at a social distance to find they have welcomed the chance to restart the world they lost back in March.

Grace Loveland said: "I was worried on the first day about what it would be like, but there's hand sanitiser and a one-way system and once you've got used to it, it's just a new normal."

Kit Cousins told how she has missed the social connections of school and has been glad to get back to some of her favourite lessons with her friends, including drama.

The students told how when lockdown started, they all thought it would be over and they would soon be back at school.

Jacob Slater said: "At first when Boris said it would be three weeks it didn't seem too bad, but then it turned into months."

Students put their trust in the teachers who have been there to guide them through

Ethan Stead added that while remote learning meant the students' education continued, face-to-face classes provide much better support. They told how they feel the support they've been given by Plume Academy teachers and staff has been second to none.

He said: "Coming back has meant we can make sure that we really understand what we did in our virtual lessons."

The group were clear that they all want to put the trauma of the past months behind them and get back to living in a more normal world, offering words of encouragement for the students who have not yet taken that first step.