Remote Learning

REMOTE LEARNING PROVISION JANUARY 2022

Grantham Villages’ CE Primary Schools Federation, St. Sebastian’s and Marston CE Primary Schools, recognises the importance of education and strives to provide the best education possible for its pupils.

During the Coronavirus pandemic, the Government decreed that all schools should close and limit their provision to support those who were vulnerable or who had parents as key workers. Since the school reopened to more pupils from 1 June 2020 and then latterly, after further lockdowns, the focus has been upon ensuring that all pupils experience a progressive curriculum. A remote learning curriculum was provided to all pupils who didn’t return in June 2020 and, since the wider opening in September 2020, the daily lessons were aligned to the curriculum provided within the school.

From September 2020, the Government required all schools to provide a curriculum that all pupils can access if even they are required to access it remotely. Concerns still remain surrounding parents’ ability to access online learning both in terms of access to technology as well as the ability to support their children during ‘academic hours’ but the school will strive to provide a comprehensive and considered curriculum.

Dylan Williams (2019) stated that

‘The real curriculum is the lived daily experience of young people in classrooms.’

In order to provide the best range of learning experiences, we have had to consider how a single pupil will access the learning remotely and how a whole class or year group will access it. The school has recognised that during the continued uncertainty of the Coronavirus pandemic, certain elements of the curriculum may require adaptation in order to meet the remote learning provision.

REMOTE EDUCATION PROVISION - INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils 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 pupils are self-isolating, please see the final section of this page.

THE REMOTE CURRICULUM - WHAT IS TAUGHT TO PUPILS AT HOME

A pupil’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.

WHAT SHOULD MY CHILD EXPECT FROM IMMEDIATE REMOTE EDUCATION IN THE FIRST DAY OR TWO OF PUPILS SENT HOME?

The communication of remote education depends upon the circumstances.

If the requirement for remote education is bubble/cohort or whole school based, learning requirements will be distributed on the first day of closure via Google Classroom for pupils Y1-6 and Tapestry for EYFS.

On a more individual basis, school will establish the circumstances behind the requirement for remote education (for example, if a child is isolating due to them displaying symptoms and we will ask parents to contact when the child is well enough to access the learning).

FOLLOWING THE FIRST FEW DAY OF REMOTE EDUCATION, WILL MY CHILD BE TAUGHT BROADLY THE SAME CURRICULUM AS THEY WOULD IF THEY WERE IN SCHOOL?

We endeavour to teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate. However, we may need to make some adaptations in some subjects. For example, we may use some Oak Academy lessons to support learning.

Links will be sent to the appropriate video on Google Classroom.

REMOTE TEACHING AND STUDY TIME EACH DAY

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 pupils broadly the following number of hours each day:

Primary School-Aged Pupils

3 hours a day for EYFS and KS1

(for early Years and Y1 please remember that much of this is practical/play-based learning)

1 hour - Mathematics
1 hour - English
1 hour - Wider Curriculum

4 hours a day for KS2

1 hour 15 minutes - Mathematics
1 hour 30 minutes - English including Guided Reading and Spellings
1 hour 15 minutes - Wider Curriculum

ACCESSING REMOTE EDUCATION

HOW WILL MY CHILD ACCESS ANY ONLINE REMOTE EDUCATION YOU ARE PROVIDING?

We use Google Classroom as a platform to set work and deliver live lessons.

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

The school has a number of laptops and iPads that can be lent to families who are unable to access the online learning. In the event of more family applications than there are devices, they will be allocated on a priority basis dependent upon circumstances such as whether they access Free School Meals, age and number of the pupils within the family.
There is a lending agreement that parents are required to sign before a device is distributed.
Work can be submitted through your child’s individual profile on Google Classroom. Paper-based learning can be returned to the office or scanned/photographed and emailed. Please note that work will be checked as soon as is possible and feedback given via telephone if required.
Please contact the office via amy.parnham@gvsf.school or ring 01476 565896 – St Sebastian’s / 01400 250583 - Marston if you require further support with additional access remotely.

HOW WILL MY CHILD BE TAUGHT REMOTELY?

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

We are aware that it is not always possible for families with working parents and more than one pupil per family to access live lessons at any given time and so we use a mixture of approaches. Live lessons will be recorded and uploaded so that they can be played back at any time and some video sessions including book readings.
Recorded teaching will be provided by Oak National Academy and paper-based learning will also be uploaded to Google Classroom.
Links may also be made to local charities such as Inspire+ for physical activities.

ENGAGEMENT AND FEEDBACK

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR MY CHILD'S ENGAGEMENT SND THE SUPPORT THAT WE AS PARENTS AND CARERS SHOULD PROVIDE AT HOME?

We expect all families whose children are not attending face to face education to access remote education where the child is well enough.
Google Classroom allows for general information to be shared as well as parents to contact teachers separately. For Safeguarding concerns, please contact the main Administration office through the given contacts: via amy.parnham@gvsf.school or ring 01476 565896 – St Sebastian’s / 01400 250583 – Marston.
Whilst we would encourage parents to maintain routines for their children which foster good learning habits, we recognise that many parents will be working from home and, therefore, have provided a flexible approach to learning that can be accessed throughout the day. Teaching staff will monitor Google Classroom during the hours of 8.30am – 4.00pm.

HOW WILL YOU CHECK WHETHER MY CHILD IS ENGAGING WITH THEIR WORK AND HOW WILL I BE INFORMED IF THERE ARE CONCERNS?

Google Classroom will be monitored daily including the pupils’ individual portfolios. Any communications from parents made to the main Administration Office will be forwarded daily to class teachers.
Staff will monitor the portfolios and if work is not submitted for 2 academic days, contact will be made with parents to check there are not any issues preventing the pupil from accessing the learning.
Telephone calls and emails will be used to contact parents to provide additional communication. This may be made by the class teacher, senior leader or SENCo.

HOW WILL YOU ACCESS 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:

As stated above, the school uses many ways of providing feedback to children. In the event of remote education, there may be a link to an online survey or quiz as well as whole class feedback added to the Class story on Google Classroom. Individual feedback may be provided through the individual portfolios or submitted paper-based work.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR PUPILS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS

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 pupils, for example some pupils 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:

It is hoped that wherever possible, pupils with an Educational Health and Care Plan will be able to access face to face education.
In the event that a child with an EHCP accesses learning remotely, the learning provided will be tailored to meet their specific needs. There will be more opportunities for the child and parents to interact remotely with the child’s teacher and adults with whom they have a relationship. This may be in the form of a general keeping in touch/feedback session but may also include more specialised teaching/learning sessions.
The school acknowledges that there are many teaching strategies that are age related. Younger pupils require a more practical/play based approach to learning and learning planned for remote learning reflects this without requiring specific resources.
For pupils on the SEND register, their progress will be monitored by the SENCo including regular contact via telephone call/Teams call. The SENCo can liaise with other agencies on behalf of the family to ensure that the pupil receives the support their needs.

REMOTE EDUCATION FOR SELF-ISOLATING PUPILS

Where individual pupils 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 pupils both at home and in school.

IF MY CHILD IS NOT ON SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY ARE SELF-ISOLATING, HOW WILL THEIR REMOTE EDUCATION DIFFER FROM THE APPROACHES DESCRIBED ABOVE?

In the case of self-isolating pupils, the response of the school is dependent upon the information provided by the parents. If the child is displaying symptoms and is unwell, the school checks in with parents as to the child’s well-being and whether the child is well enough to access learning remotely.
If a family member has been tested and the results are expected within a day, general learning support is provided in order to provide short-term remote learning.
If a child is isolating due to a positive case, daily lessons will be uploaded to Google Classroom for the child to access. Parents may request paper-based resources at this time but due to the delay in posting, they must be collected from school or we will endeavour to deliver to home. Parents can engage with their child’s teacher and class through Google Classroom or by contacting the main Administration office. Regular check in phone calls will be made to ensure that there are no issues in accessing the remote education.
When a pupil returns to face-to-face learning, any recorded remote learning (paper-based) will be marked and added to the pupils recording work files.

GVSF Remote Learning Policy FGB Approved Oct 20 reviewed Jan 22 Review Due March 2022

GOOGLE CLASSROOMS - INFORMATION AND VIDEO

During the lockdown period school will continue to use Google Classroom as our remote learning platform. Children in EYFS will also continue to use Tapestry to communicate with teaching staff.

Last term, each child had been given their own personal Google Classroom login which should be in their reading diary. Please contact the school office if you need details of your child’s login.

If you are using Google Classroom on your phone, you will need to download the Google Meet app to run alongside. You will need to log in using your child’s Google Classroom credentials.

The following guidelines are very important and must be abided by at all times.

As a parent, you will:

Give consent for your child(ren) to participate in the Google Meet session.
Be visible at the start of the call and in the SAME room throughout the call, acting as ‘observers’ and ‘monitors’ of the Google Meet session – this is incredibly important to safeguard your child and others. There should only be the child(ren) and at least one parent in the room – NO ONE ELSE.
Ensure no home-based recordings are made of the session.
Please help if there are technical difficulties!
Ensure that your child(ren) is/are dressed properly, are in a place in the house that is quiet (preferably not in a bedroom) and appropriate and that there is a neutral background (or the camera is off if you wish).
Share the Google Meet Rules for pupils and make sure your child understands and follows them.

As a pupil, you will (see poster below to share these with your child (ren)):

Be on time.
Find a quiet space where you can concentrate and pay attention, with at least one of your parents in the room or making sure no one else is in the room with you.
Mute the microphone as soon as you join the meeting – you will be allowed to talk when your teacher tells you!
If the camera is on, make sure you are wearing appropriate clothes – no pyjamas!
If the camera is on, your background is plain.
Only use Chat to ask questions, respond to questions and not to have a chat or personal conversations with your friends.
Use your school Google account to join the meeting.
Not swear or use horrible words. We will be kind at all times.
Follow all these rules or you will be removed from the session.

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