This information is intended to provide clarity to students and parents/carers at The School of Coding about what to expect from remote education, if students are required to remain at home. A student’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.
1. The remote curriculum – What we will teach your child
What should my child expect from remote education in the first day or two of being sent home?
Students may initially be sent home with work packs, text books, stationary or other resources that may be needed to supplement online lessons which will begin as soon as possible (ideally second day, from when asked to work from home). Will my child be taught the same curriculum as they would if they were in school?
We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible.
However, we may need to make some adaptations in some subjects like Performing Arts, Catering or Sport. Practical work will be adapted but it will have constraints.
2. Remote teaching and the length of the study day
How long can I expect the 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 roughly the same number of hours they would receive if learning face to face each day in school.
- English, Maths and Science – 3 hours
- Option Subjects and Sports Leaders (KS4) – 1 and a half hours
- Skills/Assembly – half an hour
- Intervention/Key Working Sessions – will range from 15 minutes to 30 minutes, but students will be withdrawn from other lessons to participate. Key Stage 5
- English and Maths Re-sit – 4 and a half hours
3. Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing? Students have all been provided with a Kindle 7 Tablet and instructed on how to access their emails and access the links to live lessons via Microsoft Teams. The help sheet can be found on the website. Students can use their own device if they wish. All students have an Office 365 account, which will allow them to access their work anywhere.
How will my child be taught remotely?
- We use a combination of the following approaches to teach students remotely:
- Live teaching (via online lessons), where the Tutor is present supervising and instructing students for the length of the lesson
- Recorded teaching
- Printed work packs to supplement online lessons in some subjects such as art, that requires a more practical application
- Textbooks, reading books and recommended Apps.
- Commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video sequences, Maths Watch, Kerboodle, Bitesize etc.
- Microsoft Forms Questionnaires for immediate feedback on student progress.
- Project work and research.
4. Engagement and feedback
What are your expectations for my child and how can I support them as a parent / carer at home?
- We expect all students to be up and ready to engage with remote education at 8.45am each day. They must attend every lesson that would normally be on their timetable. Our Pastoral Team are doing ‘up and ready to learn’ phone calls/texts with parents daily.
- Parents can support by ensuring that their child is ready for learning each morning and has any necessary resources and a suitable workspace. If students do not have an appropriate environment a school place is encouraged.
How will staff monitor the engagement of my child and how will I be kept informed if there are concerns?
- Where online attendance or engagement is a concern, teaching staff or Learning Coaches will discuss their concerns directly with parents.
- Students who persistently miss online lessons may be directed to return to school to access their learning.
- The Head of Learning Support/Education Welfare Officer will make a home visit to any students who are absent from school for 3 consecutive days and where their parent/carer has not been contactable.
- One to one meeting is arranged with students via Teams or phone calls to encourage them to engage.
- A bespoke Online Learning Reward System has been launched to support engagement; parents can access this information by the SIMS Parent App.
How will you assess my child’s work and progress?
- Home study tasks, as well as formative and summative assessments will continue to take place at the usual assessment points throughout the term.
- Assessment can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. For example, whole-class feedback or self-marked quizzes are valid and effective methods of assessment. Feedback on student work may include:
- Directed questioning
- Self-Marking quizzes
- Links to interactive quizzes and questions
- Tutor comment on a copy of completed work or project
- Student presentations
5. Additional support for students with particular needs
How will you work with me and my child who has additional needs to access remote education at home?
We recognise that some students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may not be able to access remote education without support from adults at home. We will work with parents and carers to support those students in the following ways:
- All online sessions have the support from at least two adults. Staff can assign students into break out rooms to offer 1:1 support.
- A Learning Coach who will call each day to answer any questions about accessing the curriculum.
- Differentiation work is provided for students.
- Students received training on how to use their device and a help sheet has been provided.
- Staff offer clinics in school to support students with technology.
- Parents with EHCP children have the choice to send their child to school to access their lessons.
6. Remote education for self-isolating students
Where an individual student needs to self-isolate but the majority of their peer group remains in school, remote education is likely to differ and be more tailored to the individual student. Tasks set may include: Work being set on an online platform
- Completion or continuation of coursework
- Past paper practice
- Lesson PowerPoint and worksheet emailed to students
- Work will be set vis the SIMS Parent App.