This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to students and parents / carers about what to expect from remote learning if local restrictions require entire cohorts (or bubbles) to remain at home.

This guide will also future-proof against school closures that could happen at any time due to circumstances such as an epidemic, extreme weather, power-loss etc.

 

THE REMOTE CURRICULUM: WHAT IS TAUGHT TO STUDENTS AT HOME

A student’s first day of being educated remotely might look different from our standard approach if the child/bubble is sent home part way through the day, while we take all necessary actions to prepare for a longer period of remote teaching.

What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two after being sent home?

In the first few days, students should use Microsoft Teams, their Knowledge Organisers and these resources:

• English: Reading Plus and Seneca Learning
• Maths: Sparx-Maths
• Science: Seneca Learning

 

Following the first few days of remote education, will my child be taught broadly the same curriculum as they would if they were in school?

After the first few days, the curriculum delivered will closely mirror the school’s normal curriculum, where possible. Certain subjects that require a more practical approach will not cover the broad range of the subject’s curriculum but will cover the aspects that are possible given the circumstances.

Lessons will be planned and well-sequenced so that knowledge and skills are built incrementally with a good level of clarity about what is intended to be taught and practised in each subject. These will be supported by high quality resources.

We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school. Students will access live lessons through Microsoft Teams. The student should continue to follow their usual timetable, at the usual times, and they will be able to join a ‘live’ lesson in each of their class teams.

At appropriate points students will be encouraged to take screen breaks and spend some time reading or revising from their knowledge organiser folders.

ACCESSING REMOTE EDUCATION

How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?

Students will access all work through Microsoft Teams. This includes their ‘live lessons’ and any assignments set. Should students wish to revisit any of the content delivered in lesson, all resources will be saved in their class section of Teams and available for students to access at all times.

If my child does not have digital or online access at home, how will you support them to access remote education?

We recognise that some students may not have suitable online access at home. We take the following approaches to support those students to access remote education:

• If students do not have access to an appropriate device we will lend laptops to students, wherever possible. These can be requested by contacting the school office. When school reopens for face-to-face education, this device must be returned to school.
• If students do not have access to the internet, we will issue or lend devices that enable an internet connection (e.g. routers or dongles). These can be requested in the same way as laptop devices. When school reopens for face-to-face education this device must be returned to school.
• Once students have completed their work it can be submitted through the ‘Assignment’ submission on Teams. If there is a problem, a picture of the work can be emailed directly to the classroom teacher.

How will my child be taught remotely?

We use a combination of the following approaches to teach students remotely:

• All timetabled lessons are available with ‘live’ teaching (online lessons). This may include live input followed by an independent task for students to complete. During the independent work, staff will be available on the chat function of Microsoft Teams to support students, as required.
• Where appropriate, links to external pre-recorded instructional videos (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, BBC Bitesize) may be provided for students to consolidate their own learning.
• If students complete their set work, then we encourage them to study independently by knowledge quizzing or completing additional tasks on Reading Plus, Sparx-Maths or Seneca Learning.

 

ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK

What are your expectations for my child’s engagement?

It is expected that all students attend all live lessons if they are self-isolating (but not symptomatic), or during wider school closures. Attendance is logged during every remote learning ‘live’ lesson. Engagement in live lessons will be monitored on a lesson-by-lesson basis. We would expect students to engage fully with all the work set.

How long can I expect work set by the school to take my child each day?

We expect that remote education (including remote teaching and independent work) will take all students around 5 hours per day, in line with their usual timetable in school.

How will you assess my child’s work and progress?

Microsoft Forms and Assignments will all feed into assessment of student work. In addition to this formal feedback, informal feedback based on interactions in the ‘chat’ function will be evident throughout ‘live’ segments of lessons to ensure teachers are responding to the needs of their students.

How should parents support their child at home?

We believe that routines are key to success and, therefore, parents / carers should support their child in keeping to a routine, just as they would at school. Maintaining a routine will support with the mental and physical health of children and will also mean they maintain good habits for learning and are ready for the return to school.

Parents should encourage their child by creating the conditions for them to be successful: high expectations; knowing what work has been assigned; creating space and providing necessary resources; directing students to their teachers and other sources of help; keeping them on track.

If your child is having difficulty accessing the work set, you must email your child’s subject teacher and we will endeavour to provide additional support, where possible.

 

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS

We recognise that some students, for example those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may not be able to access remote learning without support from adults at home. We acknowledge the difficulties this may place on families and we will work with parents / carers to support those students in the following ways:

• teachers will ensure that work is accessible for all students when setting online tasks
• profiles available for SEND students will be followed in the same way as if the students were in school
• the SENDCo will maintain contact with students requiring regular support by email or phone with parents/students and will feedback to teachers
• During wider school closures (lockdowns), all students who have an EHCP, and those who are otherwise vulnerable due to limited ability to work independently, will be invited in for face-to-face education. For those in the “otherwise vulnerable” category, this will be at the discretion of the SENDCo due to the need to restrict numbers in the building. All other means of engaging students in remote education will be exhausted first.

 

REMOTE EDUCATION FOR SELF-ISOLATING STUDENTS

Where individual students need to self-isolate but the majority of their peer group remains in school, the provision of remote education will likely differ from the approach for whole groups. This is due to the challenges of teaching students both at home and in school.