Remote education provision: information for parents and guardians
This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to students and parents / guardians about what to expect from remote education.
The remote curriculum: what is taught to students at home
A student’s first few days 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 few days?
Students have immediate access to Oak National Academy lessons here for a range of subjects.
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 aim to 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, subjects which require specialist equipment and resources the lessons will be adapted to suit students learning remotely at home.
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 will ensure students spend the same amount of time studying as they would if they were in school.
Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?
All home learning communication and resources will be delivered through your child’s Class Charts account. If a live lesson is scheduled to take place, your child will be informed via Class Charts and then expected to log into their Microsoft Teams account.
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. Please inform the office on 01823 289211 if you have limited access.
How will my child be taught remotely?
We use a combination of the following approaches to teach students remotely depending on the context.
- Oak National Academy lessons
- Live lessons
- Pre-recorded audio instructions embedded into PowerPoint files
- Textbooks and reading books students have at home
- Other websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences such as Seneca
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?
Students should continue to work at home for same length of time allocated to each subject when they are in school. We suggest that students use their own school timetable to manage their day and maintain the typical structure of the school day. Students can complete the work on separate paper if they do not have their exercise book at home – we have tried to reduce the need to print various pages at home.
Use the ideas below to help create a successful home learning experience for your child:
- Create a space where home learning can happen. Ideally this will be a flat, clutter free surface, such as the dining table or a desk, near a computer.
- Create a daily routine using their school timetable, children benefit from having structure in their day.
- Breaking down each day’s work activities into manageable chunks of time with regular downtime will help make their home learning more successful. A structure to the day improves mental health, provides comfort and feelings of safety and reduces anxiety.
- Remember the importance of rewards. Positive reinforcement from parents will make home learning even more successful.
- Promote exercise and time outside, if possible. Making sure that young people have the opportunity to exercise and release energy each day is important.
- Provide the opportunity for young people to be creative and include them in household activities that they might otherwise not experience. Activities that are not IT based or academic in nature are important. Encourage them to be creative or help with chores such as cooking and cleaning.
- Ensure there is quiet time each day, time away from a computer or TV screen. This is an excellent opportunity for them to read, which is an important part of home learning.
- Where work schedules allow, provide opportunities for family time, be this playing a game together or just talking at meal time. Young people are aware of how unusual the present situation is and family time can help provide them with the security they may need.
How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?
Tutors will monitor students engagement and contact home where concerns around the level of engagement are raised by your child’s teachers.
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, quizzes marked automatically via Class Charts or other online platforms (e.g. Sparx or Seneca) provide both the student and teacher with important feedback. When students return from remote education we may use a short assessment to then provide whole class feedback to the group to promote progress within each subject.
Additional support for students 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 students, for example some students 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 guardians to support those students. We will discuss with parents and guardians whether a printed pack is preferred over online learning and aim to support this promptly if a printed pack is selected.
Remote education for individual students
Where individual students need to access remote education 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 students both at home and in school.