REMOTE LEARNING
Pupils can access their remote learning via Microsoft Teams.
Information for parents and carers
Pupils may need to learn remotely if they are sent home from school to self-isolate, or if there is a full lockdown.
The following information is a brief summary of how your child will learn at home. More detail is included in the school’s Remote Learning Policy.
The remote curriculum: what is taught to pupils at home
When pupils are sent home to self-isolate, they will be provided with details of how to access their lessons online. They will also be provided with any materials that they need in addition to those that they will access through MS Teams.
The expectation is that pupils will access remote lessons as soon as their period of self-isolation or any form of lockdown/school closure begins.
Remote teaching and study time each day
We expect that pupils will spend the same amount of time working on a remote education day as they would in school. This is because they will be following the usual school timetable for their lessons and completing independent learning/homework that arises from them.
Accessing remote education
Remote lessons will be delivered using Microsoft Teams (MS Teams). Your son/daughter has been taught how to access the site and how to login for lessons.
We will continue to use learning platforms including Hegarty Maths, Tassomai, ActiveLearn and GCSEPod to support pupils’ independent learning. Pupils have been shown how to access these sites. Materials from Oak National Academy may be used on occasion to support pupils’ learning.
We are very grateful to parents for providing devices on which their children can access lessons and resources. We recognise that some pupils may not have suitable online access at home.
Please inform the school office (info@tong.staracademies.org) if your child does not have a laptop/tablet on which to work, or if you do not have internet access at home. We will do our best to support you.
If pupils do not have online access or the necessary equipment required to continue learning while at home, we will try to provide a device and/or dongle. (Please be aware that any device with an internet connection and web browser can be used, including some games consoles). Until these school-provided devices are available, or if families still feel that pupils are unable to effectively access learning remotely, then pupils should be encouraged to attend school.
Remote teaching
Remote teaching will be delivered through live lessons in the vast majority of cases. This will involve simultaneous direct teaching by subject teachers (who could be teaching from the physical classroom or from home if self-isolating) to their pupils (who could be learning in the physical classroom or at home).
Direct input from the teacher may be supplemented with some recorded material (such as video lessons from Oak National Academy, or videos recorded by class teachers which may be the most appropriate way of teaching particular aspects of work, such as practical demonstrations in science).
Engagement and feedback
We have the same high expectations of pupils’ behaviour when they are learning remotely as we do when they are learning in school. The STAR values should be consistently maintained. All pupils have been taught the protocols for working online and staying safe. Codes of conduct for remote learning are included in the Remote Learning Policy which is available on the website. The school will alert you in the event of poor behaviour or nonattendance.
We value your support for your child’s wellbeing and learning. Please continue to ensure that they follow good routines, including getting enough sleep and time away from screens.
We will keep a careful check on your child’s remote learning. We will inform you if your child misses lessons that they are expected to attend. We will phone you or your child regularly to support learning remotely and to check on their progress and wellbeing. We will inform you if we have concerns about your child’s work.
Assessment and feedback
Your child will work in a variety of ways when they are learning remotely.
Feedback can take many forms. Sometimes your child will receive written individual feedback. Some feedback will be given on a whole-class basis and sometimes your child may complete quizzes that are marked automatically via digital platforms.
Additional support for pupils with particular needs
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:
- Provision of differentiated work matched to individual targets
- Enhanced induction for MS Teams access
- In-school or remote enhanced support for students with identified additional needs