UCS: Remote Learning

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. We will be guided by local and national protocols and will need to be flexible in our approach. However, we will be consistent in the timings, expectations and platforms that students will be expected to fully engage in.

The school will use the following platforms, all of which will be accessible via their individually allocated iPad:

Step One:

Student timetables can be found on the Outlook app. Students should use the 'Calendar' button in the bottom right hand corner to identify which online lesson they should be in. It will be compulsory to attend ALL lessons and submit work for ALL lessons unless the school have been notified beforehand.

Step Two:

Lesson instructions can be found using the Showbie app. All work can be found and submitted on here and feedback will be provided using Showbie as and when appropriate. Students should be familiar with using this in all classes in school when fully operational. Students may be directed to other apps or websites from within showbie.

Step Three:

Lessons may be delivered live and in real time using the Zoom app. Instructions on how to access these video lessons will be available in Showbie. Students will also have a daily 'form coaching period' delivered via Zoom. Instructions on how to access this can be found on the daily email from Form Coaches or Head of Year.

What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?

Pupils will be sent home with all necessary materials and resources they need to support their online learning. This includes their personal iPad and charging units.

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, practical science experiments, sports lessons and performing arts. This will also be dependent on the ability of our staff to deliver lessons (ie they may be unwell). In the event of this happening, your child may not have their usual teacher but it is anticipate that this will not occur often.
We encourage all students to exercise and move regularly. Activities and ideas to replace sports lessons will be provided.

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?

Students should be online at 08:40 each morning, joining their class with their microphone muted and camera on. Headphones are optional but useful if siblings are around. Links for form coaching will be provided by email. This will be used as a daily well-being check and to identify and remove any barriers to learning.
Pupils should be appropriately dressed.
Pupils should not be eating. Breaktimes are timetabled and the whole school stops for lunch between 12:35 and 1:45.
Pupils should have a quiet place to work, undisturbed by a TV or radio.
Pupils should be sat in an upright chair at a desk or table with all their school equipment to hand, free from toys or pets.
Work should continue to be presented to the high standards set by the school. As with all homework; dated, titled and underlined with a ruler, written in suitable ink pen [not biro or felt tip] or sharp pencil.
We do not expect pupils to start school work before 08:40 nor continue after 15:25.
Key Stage 2 should be able to work independently, once online, from 09:00 – 12:30. They may need help organising equipment or reminding what they need to do during their afternoons.

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

We are checking everyday that pupils are engaging with remote education, by talking to them and seeing them in online lessons. Registers will be taken using their engagement with Showbie.
We will contact parents via email or telephone immediately we are concerned a pupil has not been online / missed a lesson without the class teacher being informed.
When work is not submitted, we will check with the pupil in the next lesson why it hasn’t been done and ask to see it by a given time. If it is still not submitted, we will contact parents via email to ask them to check what has happened.

How will you assess my child’s work and progress?

Our approach to feeding back on pupil work is as follows:

Where appropriate, work will be marked online and comments sent to pupils (Showbie).
Where appropriate, work will be marked by the students from answers provided by teachers and scores submitted.
Where appropriate, work will be photographed or scanned and emailed to teachers as evidence and/or feedback.
Class quizzes or short tests [spellings / times tables] will also be used where appropriate.

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:

Our pupils with SEND continue to have their curriculum supported with their timetabled lessons with their allocated Learning Support Assistant. Our pupils with complex SEND will be offered a place in school under the ‘vulnerable child’ category as they cannot access Remote Education independently.
Pupils whose SEND needs involve well-being support have weekly calls from school to ensure they are coping with the restrictions of lockdown or isolation. This includes talking to parents as well as pupils.