Remote Learning - Information for Parents

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

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 being sent home?

Within the first day or two of pupils being sent home, class teachers will ring parents to let them know how remote learning will be organised for their child’s class. Class teachers will let parents know about how live sessions will be delivered using Teams and remind parents about how to log on to BGfL365 in order to access J2E resources. Class teachers will also ask parents for updated information about their child’s access to digital devices such as laptops and tablets and connectivity to the internet.

There will be further information and links to useful websites on the Remote Learning page for each year group on the school website:

www.rgntpark.bham.sch.uk>>Children>>Remote Learning>>(Choose the correct year group)

 

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?

• Wherever it is possible and appropriate, we will teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school. However, we may need to make some adaptations in some subjects.
• Each day, we will aim to make sure that children will receive remote learning for English and maths and for at least one other curriculum subject area.
• Completing work remotely is not optional and parents will be expected to support school in making sure that children are engaged in their learning and completing work.
• Class teachers will contact parents at least once a week to check up on how children are doing and to discuss any issues parents may be having in terms of remote learning.

 

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:

Note: These hours are a guide and children wouldn’t be expected to work continuously. Children should be encouraged to take breaks and, particularly with younger children, they should work in short bursts.

 

Accessing remote education

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

At Regents Park, children have access to online remote learning BGfL365/ Launch. Launch gives the children access to a wealth of resources and online software, such as J2E, so that they can download tasks and activities, complete work, save it and share with their class teacher.

From the BGfL365/ Launch home page, children can also access Microsoft online software such as Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint and Teams.

We will use Microsoft Teams to organise live teaching sessions with children.

 

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:

• We have a number of laptops and tablets which are available to be loaned to families who need one.
• We will try to distribute devices fairly. Priority will be given to families that do not have any devices and then to families depending on the number of children sharing devices.
• Parents can let class teachers know if they need to loan a device or they can email school using the enquiry@rgntpark.bham.sch.uk email address. They will then be contacted by Mr Marlowe (ICT Operations Manager) who will discuss loaning the device, organising a time for collection and signing to agree to look after the device.
• The school has also purchased a number of mobile dongles which can be loaned if parents have no connectivity to the internet.
• In some circumstances, it may be necessary to provide children with packs of printed resources and activities. Class teachers will discuss with parents how best to distribute these packs (i.e. collection at the office or doorstep drop-off)
• Class teachers will also discuss with parents how they will give feedback to pupils if they do not have online access.

 

How will my child be taught remotely?

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

• live teaching (i.e. online lessons) delivered using Microsoft Teams
• recorded teaching (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, video/audio recordings made by teachers) and shared via J2E software
• online tasks and activities for children to complete using J2E software
• printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g. workbooks, worksheets)
• textbooks and reading books pupils have at home
• commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including Accelerated Reader and maths, Times Tables Rockstars, myON, Collins ebooks, etc

 

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?

• It is an expectation that all pupils are fully engaged with the remote education that class teachers are providing. Remote learning is not optional.
• For remote learning to be successful, we need support from all parents.
• Parents will need to support their child by making sure
  • Children have a set routine
  • Children sleep well and are up and ready for their live sessions on time
  • Children are well supervised when taking part in live sessions and when completing remote learning activities
  • Children are encouraged and motivated and learning is fun
  • Children have someone they can talk to if they are stuck or have a question
• We will aim to work together with parents so please make sure you let us know if there are any problems or more support is needed

 

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

• Work that children complete online will be monitored on a daily basis by class teachers and feedback given to children either written or verbally
• Teaching staff will contact parents at least once a week and update parents on their child’s engagement in their remote learning
• Where there are concerns about a lack of engagement, teaching staff may contact parents more often to discuss this and support them to improve their child’s engagement

 

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:

• Assessment will be taking place continuously including during live sessions and as children are completing and sharing their work
• Children will receive on-going feedback during live sessions (e.g. through quizzes and questioning) and from written and verbal feedback and comments shared with children as they complete the activities
• Children will be receiving feedback on a daily basis, either individually or as a whole class

 

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:

• Pupils with SEND will be given activities to complete appropriate to their learning needs. This may be different to the activities other children are given and may include more paper-based work and activities
• There will be more regular contact for families with children with SEND. As well as the child’s class teacher, they may be contacted by other staff who work with them regularly including support staff and also by the SENCo (Miss Turner) and Inclusion Manager (Miss Paddem)
• Outside agencies that support our SEND children may also contact parents including the Educational Psychologist, Pupil and School support and Autism Team Teacher.
• Learning Mentors and our Play Therapist will also be available to support mental health and wellbeing.

 

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?

Individual children that are self-isolating will be set work on J2E by their class teacher which they will be expected to complete at home supported by parents. Teaching staff will contact parents twice a week to discuss how the children are and how they are getting on with their remote learning.