Abbott's Blended Learning Approach to Remote Education

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.

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?

Children will be provided with links to Oak National Academy lessons; assigned tasks on Google Classroom/Tapestry and directed to other secure learning platforms: Lexia, Times Table Rock Stars, Numbots, RWI Phonics or Purple Mash. 

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 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, our live direct teaching sessions focus on Phonics, English and Maths; with other subjects supported through the setting of asynchronous tasks.

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 and will include both live  direct teaching time, and time for pupils to complete tasks and assignments independently.

Accessing remote education

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

We have adopted a 'Tiered Approach' to remote and blended learning, to ensure that the most effective and appropriate form of delivery is used in following circumstances:

• Isolating Teaching staff
• Bubble closure/year group
• Individual child self-isolating
• Whole school closure

The teaching and learning is both synchronous (takes place at the same time for the teacher and pupils) and asynchronous (takes place at a time suitable for the teacher/pupils).

We use Zoom and Google Classroom/Tapestry predominantly, to provide remote learning. This is further supported by other learning platforms and tools: Lexia, Times Table Rock Stars, Numbots, RWI Phonics or Purple Mash, Kahoot. 

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:

• Laptops and internet dongles, are and have been made availble to any and all children who do not have a device or suitable access at home.  Parents/carers are advised to contact class teachers by email if they have any problems with devices or accessing the remote learning. They will then be contacted further by a member of the office staff or a member of SLT to discuss possible laptop loans.
• Printed independent workpacks are delivered home, to support our blended learning approach.
• Pupils submit work to their teacher via Google Classroom, where at all possible to ensure consistency in feedback. If there are problems with this, work can be submitted by email but this is a last resort.
• Parents/Carers are advised to contact Class teachers if they are having persistent problems accessing remote learning with their child/children. Mrs Pugh will then contact parents to discuss concerns and offer support. In some cases, identified children may be offered a place within our Vulnerable group in school, to support access to their learning. 

How will my child be taught remotely?

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

• live teaching (online Zoom lessons)
• recorded teaching (Oak National Academy lessons) 
• printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g. workbooks, worksheets)
• Small group reading
• commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences: BBC Bitesize, White Rose Maths
• Learning platforms: Lexia, Times Table Rock Stars, Numbots, RWI Phonics or Purple Mash. 

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?

In line with the parent and pupil Acceptable Usage Policy, we expect pupils learning remotely to:

• engage with all live zoom sessions every day, alongside all asynchronous tasks, as set out in the timetable 
• complete all work on Google Classroom to the deadline set by teachers
• seek help if they need it, from teachers or teaching assistants
• alert teachers if they’re not able to complete work
• be contactable during the school day – via their personal school email

Staff can expect parents with children learning remotely to:

• support their chid/children to access all live zoom sessions
• support their child/children to access their school emails and to complete and upload/hand in Google Classroom assignments
• make the school aware if their child is sick or otherwise can’t complete work
• seek help from the school if they need it.
• be respectful when making any concerns known to staff

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

• Every day, Mrs Pugh will call parents/carers of all children who do not access the whole class register zoom session
• Class TAs will email or call all parents/carers, and children if they do not attend any live zoom lessons during the day
• Class teachers will contact parents/carers if children consistently do not engage with live sessions or Google Classroom assignments
• Where engagement is a concern, Mrs Pugh will contact parents/carers to discuss how to resolve any issues and offer support. Identified vulnerable children may be offered a place in our Vulnerable group in school to support their engagement with remote learning
• Home visits may be conducted if we are unable to contact parents/carers and children are persistenly not engaging with remote learning

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:

• immediate verbal and written feedback is given during live teaching, utilising the chat function and directed breakout rooms
• automatic marking of Google Classroom quizzes
• Written and verbal feedback (using Mote) will be provided on individual assignments, which are handed in on time

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:

We offer a higher level of communication to support children with additional needs. Those who have not been allocated a place in school within our Vulnerable Group, are contacted regularly by Mrs Pugh (SENDCO) to discuss any issues and to offer support. 

During live zoom lessons, TAs are used to support identified children in whole class sessions or in breakout rooms and teachers, as they would within the classroom, plan differentiated and scaffolded learning tasks and opportunities. 

Timetables for Year 1 and EYFS, are reflective of the expectations we have for them accessing remote learning. Sessions are delivered to smaller groups and live lessons are kept short to ensure maximum engagement. 

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? 

If individual children are required to self-isolate, but remain well, they will be provided with a zoom invite, which will allow them to view a live lesson in the classroom.

A webcam will be set up in classrooms, focused only on the teacher and the IWB to allow for those accessing remotely to interact with the lesson, but ensure minimal disruption to others in class.

Worksheets and relevant activities will also be shared via Tapestry or Google Classroom for individuals to access and complete, after initial teacher input. Children will not be expected to be on zoom all day, and there will still be planned periods of asynchronous learning.  

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