Remote Learning

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

For details of what to expect where individual children are self-isolating, please see the final section of this page.

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

Google Classroom is the online platform which the school uses to provide home/remote learning for children. All children have been given a Google Classroom username and log in. If this is the first time you have used Google Classroom with your child, please click here to visit the Google Classroom page for advice. If you require further support or your child has forgotten/misplaced their log in details, please contact school. All children will also be given a home learning book in which they can complete tasks set online through Google Classroom. 

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 children may not have suitable online access at home. If your child does not have access to a device on which they can access Google Classroom, please contact school.

We take the following approaches to support those children to access remote education:

• School will provide printed materials needed for children who do not have online access, along with a home learning book
• Children who do not have online access can either complete work in their home learning book and bring it in after the isolation period or can submit work to their teachers via email: office@sta.bcwcat.co.uk but please remember to include the child's name and class in the email in order for it to be directed to the correct member of staff. 

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

A child’s first day or two of being educated remotely might look different from our standard approach, while we take all necessary actions to prepare for a longer period of remote teaching. Staff will organise two face to face sessions through the Google Classroom the following day: one for 9:30am and one for 2:30pm (if these times change, teachers will let children know via the Stream on Google Classroom). At 9:30am, they will greet the children as they would on a normal school day and go through any activities set for that day. At 2:30pm, it is time for a story and they will reflect on the day's activities with the children, a chance for whole class feedback.

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?

We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects. For example:

PE - the children will not be able to take part in the planned activities so alternative activities will be suggested to keep your child active. 

Art & Design Technology - your child might not have the resources needed to practise a certain skill, so alternative activities will be suggested and the home learning book can be used in some circumstances.

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 children at least three hours each day.

How will my child be taught remotely?

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

• live teaching (online lessons led by at least two members of school staff)
• recorded teaching (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, video/audio recordings made by teachers)
• printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g. workbooks, worksheets)
• reading books pupils have at home
• commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences
• occasional internet research activities 

What are your expectations for my child’s engagement and the support that we as parents and carers should provide at home?

• We expect all children to engage daily with remote education, either online or by completing packs provided by the school. The exception to this is if your child is too unwell to engage.
• We expect all childeren to fully dressed and have all equipoment needed so that they are ready to learn.
• We expect that as parents/carers, you fully support the remote education by making sure your child is in a routine similar to a normal school day, up early and engaging with their education at least three hours a day. If your child has access to Google Classroom, ensure they are attending the live sessions in a quiet environment with no distractions. Also, support and ensure they are carrying out the activities set daily. If your child does not have access, we ask that you inform school immediately and ensure your child completes the packs provided by school each week.

How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?

• Staff will keep a daily register for which children are engaging in the live online sessions
• Staff will keep a daily register for which children are engaging with and are submitting work through the Google Classroom
• If engagement is a concern, school will ring to inform parents and carers and discuss how we can work together to enable your child to continue their learning at home

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

Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. For example, whole-class feedback or quizzes marked automatically via digital platforms are also valid and effective methods, amongst many others. Our approach to feeding back on pupil work is as follows:

• Staff will give instant class and individual feedback during daily live sessions
• If your child or you as a parent/carer sends an individual message asking for support, staff will respond as soon as they can
• For work submitted via Google Classroom, staff will give individual feedback or whole class feedback at least once a week

How will you work with me to help my child who needs additional support from adults at home to access remote education?

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

• For pupils with SEND, differentiated work may be set, depending on the needs of the child. Parents/carers can either send a message via Google Classroom or ring school to discuss further support if needed.
• For children in EYFS and Year 1, staff will might engage slightly different than in Years 2 - 6 due to the age of the children and the amount of learning that usually takes place in provision in school - learning through play and exploration. The approach might be more shorter live sessions or more recorded teaching inputs and the tasks set will involve adult support from home. 

Remote education for children who are self-isolating

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

If my child is not in school because they are self-isolating, how will their remote education differ from the approaches described above?

If your child has access to Google Classroom, staff will set them daily activities similar to those which the rest of the class will be doing in school. Your child will be expected to engage in these and submit tasks once completed, unless your child is unwell. There might also be the opportunity to join a live input from the teacher at a specific time of day if necessary to complete the tasks set. In this case, staff will message the child via the Stream on Google Classroom, directing them to a link for the live session and with a specific time. Please ensure your device is muted during these sessions and there are no distractions.