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 where national or 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

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

In the event of a full or partial closure of the school, the next working day we will provide interim work will in English, Maths and Science in order to allow staff to prepare to teach online. This will usually be posted on the Team for the year group (rather than in their class Teams). Information will be emailed to the students to confirm arrangements.

Following the first day 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, without access to the specialist equipment needed in more practical subjects (art, technology, music and PE for example) we have adapted the curriculum while working remotely.

Live lessons and directed study 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 5 hours a day at Key Stage 3 and 4. At Key Stage 5, we will be following the full normal timetable remotely; students will have up to 5 live lessons as day as well as independent study to complete.

Accessing remote education

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

Everything will be provided via Microsoft Teams. Students are able to access this using their normal school username and password. All the information about their learning is provided on their subject Teams, with additional information relevant to all students shared via the year group Team. We also use platforms such as Century Tech and GCSE Pod to support students’ learning; these are all accessible through a tab on their class Teams. Teachers will direct students to these as needed.

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. If you are struggling to access home learning because of a lack of internet access, or a lack of suitable device, please get in touch with the relevant year team who will work with you to find a solution. Mobile phones can be used to access Teams though we appreciate that this is not always ideal for every aspect of students’ learning.

How will my child be taught remotely

Once remote learning begins, students will follow a remote learning timetable – this is largely the same as their in school timetable, with some adaptations made particularly for practical subjects. While we are working remotely, the curriculum will continue in line with what students would have been taught in school. They will be provided with work on their class Teams. In the majority of their lessons, particularly at Key Stage 4 and 5, teachers will schedule live lessons – these will appear in students’ calendars. At Key Stage 3 and 4, students will also be set directed study – these are also on students’ timetables but students are able to choose when to complete them. Directed study may be recorded powerpoints, GCSE Pod or Century Tech learning activities, or resources uploaded with written explanations; teachers will choose an approach suitable for the lesson and topic.

If we have a partial closure of a year group, some subjects may need to set directed study (if, for example, some of the group are at home and others in school) but communication will be provided via the class Teams.

Engagement and feedback

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

We expect students to be completing their lessons as they would in school. Teachers will usually expect students to complete their work either in their exercise books or on Teams. Your child should be able to show you where they have completed their work.

Students should be ready to begin learning by 8:40am as they would normally in school. It would be helpful if they were able to work somewhere quiet, ideally at a desk or table, so that they are able to concentrate and work effectively.

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

We are monitoring students’ engagement in lessons both during lessons (for example by questioning students and checking their work), but also by recording their attendance and effort. Teachers also record students’ engagement with directed study tasks. We track students’ attendance and engagement daily and use this to inform the contact we make with parents and carers.

If we have concerns about your child’s progress, we will make contact via the phone to discuss this with you. Usually, this will be a member of the pastoral year team: the head of year or house pastoral manager.

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:

We will continue to regularly assess and monitor students’ work. Students will be expected to complete work on Teams that can be seen by their teachers, for example by using the ‘assignments’ function. Teachers can give feedback on students work directly through Teams on the assignments. We will also use Forms quizzes, which usually give students and teachers instant feedback. Students can also get in touch with teachers through the ‘chat’ function on Teams, as well as via email.

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. The SEND department is in contact with students that they would normally support in school. If you have concerns about your child’s ability to access their learning, please get in touch with the SEND department, Head of Year or House Pastoral Manager.

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 in school because they are self-isolating, how will their remote education differ from the approaches described above?

If an individual student or small group of students is self-isolating, students will usually be invited to join the lessons remotely while the other students are in school, but it is also possible that they will be provided with work via their class Team. This will depend on the subject and lesson. The work will be the same as what students are completing in school (or an adapted version to allow them to access remotely) and will ensure they don’t fall behind. If they miss assessments, they will normally be able to complete these remotely or upon their return to school if this is not possible (for example if it is a practical assessment). If they are unable to find the work, please ask them to get in touch with their class teacher, Head of Year or House Pastoral Manager.