This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to students and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education where national or local restrictions require entire cohorts to remain at home.

The remote curriculum – what is taught to students at home

A students 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?

The academy will be in contact with you to ensure that you have access to the technology required to work effectively from home. You will be provided with links to the National Oak Academy with lessons linked to your current topics of study.

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?

  • When a student cohort is working from home we will:
    • Teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school.
    • Teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations to long term planning in some subjects. For example, focussing on non practical elements of courses and focussing on skills and content that is more conducive to remote education.
    • Deliver lessons via Teams or pre-prepared resources issued via Weduc following the same timetable and timings as in school
  • Provide live interaction with teachers or pre-prepared resources with teachers for lessons

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 students broadly the following number of hours each day:

Key stages 3, 4 and 5 6 x 50 minute lessons following the school timetable

Accessing remote education

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

Lessons will be delivered through Microsoft teams and/or supported with materials shared via home learning in Weduc.

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:

Students who have difficulty in accessing lessons due to lack of equipment or connectivity should contact the academy to identify the specific issue and assess the best way to enable the student to access the work.

This may be via:
• Providing access through vulnerable hubs
• Loan of a device
• Loan of a 4G dongle / router
• Loan of a data SIMS card
• Training to use the devices available – Games consoles, smart TV etc
• Loan of keyboards and mice to access via other device

How will my child be taught remotely?

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

• Live Lessons following the schools timetable with their teachers
• Recorded teaching (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, video/audio
recordings made by teachers)
• Commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences

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?

Attendance to is expected for all remote lessons as it would be in school.
The school will follow the rhythm of the day that is experienced in school to help the students maintain their routine.
Parents will be expected to support their students by maintaining the routine and ensuring that students are present and on time for all lessons

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

  • Students should attend live lessons scheduled via Teams or complete and return tasks set to the relevant teacher
  • Throughout lessons pupil interaction and questioning will ensure there is feedback and support for students

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:

  • Throughout all lessons pupil interaction and questioning will ensure there is feedback and support for students.
  • Work that is completed and submitted will be assessed in the same way as it is when in school

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 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:

  • Where required small group and breakout rooms will be used to facilitate specific support during live lessons
  • If further support is required students may be offered bespoke packages
    linking directly with teaching assistants and staff