Summary of Remote Learning Programme from January 2021

Introduction

The Government have directed schools to provide 3-5 hours of learning per day. Our programme is planned around students having work available for 100% of their timetable through a mix of live lessons and teaching through independent work, set either on SharePoint or uploaded to Microsoft Teams. The blended approach means that students have opportunities for ‘face to face’ contact with their teachers regularly via the live lessons or can seek help with the independent work via the Teams ‘chat’ function (which allows a private conversation).

Provision for Students Working at Home

On the first day of home learning, we hope to have work available either on SharePoint or on Teams, however, this may not always be possible and so we suggest you use one of the online platforms below:

1. The myON digital library (Years 7-10)
2. Educake Key Stage 3 Science and English and Key Stage 4 Science, English, History, Geography
3. Maths Watch
4. You can create an account on Seneca Learning and then students have access to many resources for all subjects.  - resources for all subjects.  They should complete the topic they are studying in school
5. Linguascope or Active Learn for MFL
6. Pixl App for Key Stage 4 Maths, English Literature, History, Geography
7. BBC Bitesize for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4.
8. The Oak National Academy has live lessons which match many of the topics being studied in school
9. We have recently purchased GCSE Pod which teachers will share with students over the next few weeks.  It includes 3-5 minute videos designed to deliver knowledge in quick bursts
10. From Monday 11 January, BBC will be offering a range of live lessons on BBC2 across the week

Check with your children which topics they have been completing in school and then use one of the above platforms to find that topic and complete the questions/tasks set.

After the first 24-48 hours, we will offer a mix of live lessons and independent work.  Teachers will direct students to the work via the ‘posts’ function on Teams. Work on SharePoint is organised in week commencing dated folders to ensure it can be found easily. Teachers will also schedule live lessons using the Teams calendar prior to lessons so that students can plan their learning time at home. Live lessons take place at the same time as they would in school to ensure there are no clashes.  The work set will, as far as possible, follow the normal curriculum, however, subjects which require specialist equipment/software may alter what they set for example: Computing, Music, PE and Technology.  The overall, remote learning provision will include a mix of: live lessons, Oak National Academy lessons, other digital platforms, independent work based on PowerPoint, worksheets, text books, printed paper packs (for those with no digital access).

Tariffs for live lessons

• Exam groups Years 11 and 13 – 100% live lessons (this may not mean full 50 minute lessons)
• Years 10 and 12 – at least 50% live lessons and for the remainder, students work independently using SharePoint/Teams.
• Years 7-9 – at least 1 in 3 live lessons and for the remainder, students work independently using SharePoint/Teams.

Organising the Day

When working at home, we suggest that your child follows their normal school timetable and completes around 40 minutes of work for each lesson. However, if this does not suit your circumstances (perhaps you are also working from home) then please fit the work in around when is best for you. Whilst we have tried our best to ensure tasks are very clear, some students will need the support of their parents. Please don’t worry if some of the tasks prove too difficult. Students will not be penalised for work they haven’t completed, they should do as much as they can. You, as a parent, are best placed to observe how your child is coping with remote learning and if you feel that concentrating on some subjects over others is appropriate, then please make that decision. Teachers will communicate with students which pieces of work will be assessed so that your child receives the feedback they need to continue to make progress.

If your child is really struggling with a number of tasks set in other subjects, then please contact office@arthurmellows.org telling us the name of your child, Year Group, the subject and teacher setting the work. Teachers will then contact you to provide support as and when they are able to do so.

Students can also seek support through the tutor times which will run once or twice a week.

Independent Work

This is of a high quality and equivalent to the amount of work that students would complete in the classroom (outside of the teacher talking). It allows students time away from the screen to work independently as they would in a classroom. Teachers will indicate which pieces of work they will provide feedback on so students are able to understand the progress they are making and how to improve.

Monitoring Engagement

Students’ engagement in both live Teams lessons and completing independent work will be monitored and teachers will make contact with parents if students are frequently not engaged to see how they might help. Contact with parents will be made to inform them of the situation and offer support, however, if the non-engagement continues then internal records with be used to keep additional notes

Additional Resources

We have shared with parents the many resources outside of live lessons and independent work they can access. We are highly recommending the Oak National Academy videos and the newly purchased GCSE Pods which allow a similar experience to live lessons. Teachers are using these as part of the work that they are setting, but students can supplement the work set with these excellent resources too. Other resources available are listed at the start of this document.

Critical Workers children/Vulnerable children in school

These students are cared for in school and follow exactly the same work as students working from home. LSAs have been assigned to groups where the critical worker children have an SEN need.

Students with no digital access

We have loaned out the devices we have been allocated and actually received, to disadvantaged students, prioritising students in exam groups and will continue to do so as more arrive. For those who remain without digital access, work is collated for students and available for collection each week on a Wednesday between 10.00 am and 2.00 pm. This work is, as far as possible, in line with what other students are receiving.  Paper copies are only available for students with no digital access and not for critical worker children attending school some of the time. If parents do not collect the work for 2 weeks running, then they will be removed from the list, because providing this resource is very time consuming for staff.

SEN Students

Those with an EHCP can come into school as part of the Vulnerable children programme to access support. However, if these students are working from home, then they have been allocated a TA who will make regular contact, usually weekly to allow ‘face to face’ opportunities to seek additional support.

Disadvantaged and Vulnerable Students

Some disadvantaged and vulnerable students are working in school. For those who are working at home, and who the school have deemed in need of further support, receive phone calls from the pastoral team to help with any issues.

Student Engagement:

Students should engage with both the live lessons and independent work and follow their normal timetable. However, if students become overwhelmed then they may choose to just attend the live lessons and complete the key pieces of work set in Microsoft Teams Assignments tagged ‘ASSESSMENT’ which are handed in for assessment and feedback. Parents play a crucial role in supporting student engagement and checking to see that students are completing work on a regular basis or encouraging them to seek support via the Teams ‘chat’ function. Teachers will monitor engagement in live lessons and independent work regularly and will contact parents if it appears that students are not engaging so that the school can offer further support.

Assessment and Feedback:

Students will receive feedback on their learning and work in a range of different ways including, but not limited to:

• Through Q&A in live lessons
• Through written comments on key pieces of work in Teams Assignments
• Through self-marking platforms like: Maths Watch, myON reading, Microsoft Forms, Seneca Learning etc

Remote education for self-isolating students

Students needing to self-isolate when the majority of students are back in school will have access to work, following as far as possible, the curriculum being delivered in school. Provision may include: access to some live lessons, pre-recorded lessons from institutions like the Oak National Academy, independent work set on SharePoint/Teams or hard copies of materials.