Remote Learning

Remote Education Provision; information for Parents

If a class bubble is required to close due to a confirmed positive case of Covid or school is required to close due to a National Lockdown your child can access online learning using the ‘Seesaw’ app.

All pupils were issued with a password and access code by the class teacher in the Autumn term. If you require another copy of your child’s passcode or require support accessing the app you can speak to a member of staff within school.

Class teachers will also be in weekly contact with families and any issues around home learning can be discussed with them.

The remote curriculum

Home learning will follow a similar structure to the timetable the children would follow in school. Each day will begin with a short introduction to the day by the class teacher. All children will receive daily literacy and numeracy lessons in addition EYFS and KS1 pupils will receive phonics and KS2 reading. Class teachers will also upload either a short story or chapter from the class novel each day that the class can read along with. In addition, children will receive lessons on the wider curriculum. This will vary from day to day depending on the year group theme and the class timetable. We have tried to mirror the learning in class but please be aware that some elements of the normal teaching day are not possible online.

Remote teaching time

Remote learning (including remote teaching and independent work) will take pupils broadly between 3-4 hours per day. For example;

• A pupil in Reception may have an hour or two of work set to allow for free play and other physical activity. Teachers will provide examples and suggestions for other activities.
• KS1 pupils will typically be set 3 hours of work.
• KS2 pupils approximately 4 hours of work depending on the different lessons set each day.

Remote Learning approach

We carefully reviewed our remote education offering earlier this year and we found that offering online learning via our app had many advantages and we have had favorable feedback from parents about this.

The SeeSaw app has many benefits over paper packs. In addition to limiting the numbers of parents and children accessing the school site during the pandemic, online lessons can be more responsive to the children’s learning, offer an opportunity for teachers to identify misconceptions and errors and to more appropriately pace the learning. This will include;

• Recorded teaching involving videos, instructions, examples made by MMPS teachers
• Possible live activities – assemblies, class drop-ins at set times.
• Links to other commercially available websites supporting teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences.
• Textbooks and reading books sent home.
• School has subscribed to a monthly magazine for primary children, sent directly home.

A few identified children will benefit from more concrete resources such as paper packs and other resources (see Pupils with additional needs).

Feedback and engagement

In order for us to provide the best remote learning, we will continue to provide constructive feedback to ensure pupils are meeting the appropriate standards in their learning. It also helps teachers identify the next steps of learning to plan and tailor the subsequent lessons. Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children;

• We ask that pupils submit their work via the SeeSaw app. This can take the form of uploaded photos, videos and completed work on the app. Teachers will provide personalised, individual feedback via the app.
• Whole class feedback or quizzes will also be used to help provide feedback to learning where appropriate.

It is important that you engage fully in the home learning provided to ensure your child continues to learn when they are unable to be in school. As well as providing feedback on learning, teachers will monitor the access and engagement with remote learning. We will contact you by Phone or a home visit to see how we can support you to help your child.

We ask that all pupils access work set by school on a daily basis but this can be done at staggered times to accommodate all children in the family. Learning is planned to balance between independent learning and online in order to support this.

It is important to give children short breaks between lessons to help them relax and refocus.  Giving children short breaks in between lessons helps. Allow them to exercise in gardens or go with an adult for a short walk to support this unless isolating with symptoms.

Accessing remote education

Although the main way we provide remote education is via SeeSaw, we also make use of other learning platforms and websites such as; SumDog, Purple Mash, Phonics Play, Oxford Owl, Teach your monster to read and Picture News. These other learning platforms and resources add variety and offer a chance to consolidate skills.

We appreciate that some pupils may not have suitable online access at home. We have spoken with all families and are in regular contact to identify if this is the case. The following approaches are implemented to support pupils to access remote education:

• We will lend suitable devices such as laptops or tablets to support children with online learning.
• We will lend devices that enable an internet connection through the Government scheme to provide access to internet or increase to data allowances.

If this is the case, we ask you to contact school so that we can support you in overcoming any barriers to remote learning. Telephone the school office on 01274 495934

In some cases, children may benefit from printed materials and other resources – your child’s class teacher can discuss this with you (see Pupils with additional needs).

In addition to completing work online using a laptop or similar device, SeeSaw can also be accessed via a smart phone. Photographs of work completed away from a device can be easily uploaded so your child’s class teacher can offer feedback and help with their learning.

Pupils with additional needs

Our school recognises that some pupils with additional needs, e.g. pupils with SEND, may not be able to access remote education independently or have considerable barriers to accessing the same learning as their classmates. In order to support these pupils, we will work with parents to ensure they are able to access a high-quality education in the following ways:

• Vulnerable children, including those who have an ECHP are offered a place in school to ensure they can access appropriate learning. We have been in touch where this is the case and agreed with you how best we can support your child to continue their learning.
• We will ensure pupils are provided with regular check-ins with their teachers via
• Differentiated learning, including work packs and appropriate resources can be provided and will be adapted to meet the needs of your child.
• For SEND children, work will include targets from their learning plan where it is relevant.
• Where a pupil has an EHCP or a specific barrier to their learning school will discuss with parents how we have adapted work to ensure that the pupil can access work and for some pupils more practical tasks may be set.

We encourage you to get in touch if you believe your child may struggle or is struggling with accessing remote education. Your child’s teacher, Ms Basra, our Inclusion Lead or your child’s Phase Leader will be able to discuss your concerns.

Remote education for self-isolating pupils

In the case that your child is required to self-isolate due to symptoms of coronavirus or through being a close contact of someone with a confirmed case of coronavirus, learning will switch online via the seesaw app.

During local restrictions or national lockdown, online work will be posted for all classes daily.

During times when school can be accessed by all children, teachers are notified if they have a child isolating at home in their class. Teachers will record their “in class” live learning and it will be posted to the app for your child to access the next day. This will ensure your child is able to continue with the learning in class and so should avoid them falling behind.

Where a pupil is at home after after testing Covid+ they do not need to complete school work set online unless they are well enough to do so.

Additional information

Any concerns regarding the safety of your child should be directed to the school’s designated safeguarding lead – Your child’s Phase Leader in the first instance.

Your child will not be penalised for their non-attendance during this time, provided they are accessing learning at home.

An extended leave of absence will still require permission from school. Please contact our attendance officer Mrs Nemath.

If your child receives benefits related free school meals, you are entitled to receive vouchers to cover the cost of lunches at home. Please contact the school office for information (01274 495934).

Top tips for supporting your child while they learn from home:

• Keep to a routine as much as possible so your child knows what to expect.
• Keep to similar bedtimes, mealtimes etc. as you would if they were coming into school.
• Keep active – ensure your child is getting enough exercise and incorporate this into their daily routine.
• Use different methods to assist learning, e.g. online programmes and documentaries.
• Stay sociable – organise with other parents to arrange video calls with your child’s friends so they can stay connected during social hours.
• For younger children, you can:
  • Incorporate learning in make-believe play.
  • Play educational games with numbers or letters and read together.
  • Involve them in things you are doing, e.g. chores, and talk with them about it.