Home/ Remote Learning Policy January 2021

This has been written in the light of the gospel and our School Mission Statement

Our School Philosophy

At St Brigid’s we always strive to ensure our pupils make the best progress within a full and purposeful curriculum.  Our remote learning policy aims to ensure the continuous delivery of our school’s broad curriculum so that children continue to learn new knowledge and concepts as well as reinforcing prior learning. 

Aims

We aim to:

• Develop high quality remote learning opportunities, where learning, progress and well-being are at the heart
• Ensure consistency in the approach to remote learning for all pupils (inc. SEND/EHCPs)
• Provide clear expectations to members of the school community to ensure the delivery of high quality interactive remote learning
• Deliver the full broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils as well as providing support for children’s health and well-being
• Develop and provide a safe online learning environment, with full regard of our duty of care to safeguard children
• Continue to support parents and to support them to help their children to access learning
• Consider continued education for staff and parents/carers
• Support effective communication between the school and the families
• Support children and families with engagement and attendance

Who is this policy applicable to?

• Children who are not in school because of the National Lockdown (see DfE Guidance)
• A child/household who is required to self-isolate.
• Any child who is unable to attend school due to prolonged health reasons as advised by a medical practitioner.
• Any class who has to self-isolate because of a positive case in their class/bubble.

Please note that children who are off sick generally or who are poorly as a result of a positive Covid 19 test result are not expected to complete remote learning.

When does remote learning begin?

• Remote learning will be shared with families as soon as possible when they are absent due to Covid-related reasons. For any child absent with prolonged medical concerns, the starting point will be guided by medical experts who are working with the family.
• You will receive a phone call followed by an email/letter informing you of any isolation details and where to access work. On the first day, depending on timing, there will be work set. This may be different from Day 2 as it will depend on when the timing of the isolation begins. Priority would be given to the core subjects.

Remote Learning Provision, Access and Inclusion

• Remote learning should reflect the quality of learning and teaching that takes place in school. Lessons should try to ensure that any time missed in school does not result in gaps in learning developing.
• It is really important to remember that a day’s learning does not mean a day’s online learning. It is important that lessons and learning experiences reflect the breadth and richness of the whole curriculum that would be experienced in school, including: music, art/DT, PE, personal and emotional well-being and spiritual development.
• The platform St Brigid’s School has chosen to support home/remote learning is Google Classrooms. This will be kept under review to ensure that it allows for a high standard of education and engagement. This is where work, learning, live and remote provision will be found.
• Children will need a device that can access the internet, such as a laptop, a desktop computer, a tablet or smartphone.   Google Classroom can also be accessed using a Play station or Xbox. Details of how to use a console are on the school website. Staff are available to give further IT advice and support where needed. Parents can access this by ringing the school office on 0161-223-5538.
• All the work will be on the child’s google classroom account.  All children have been given their login details but if parents are having difficulties logging on (or can’t find the log in details) they should contact the school office.  New work is put onto google classroom everyday Monday to Friday during term time.
• For Nursery through to year 2 there will be a minimum of 3 hours of work set a day. For Years 3 to year 6 there will be a minimum of 4 hours of work set a day. In line with the DFE’s expectations for remote learning, all learning will be aligned to the classroom curriculum where possible and will follow the year group timetable they would be following if they were in school.  We aim to carefully sequence the learning so that it builds on and consolidates previous learning.
• Every class from Nursery to Year 6 will have a daily timetabled live session with their class teacher.  If a teacher is having to self-isolate then the live session will be with the key stage phase leader.  The DFE’s expectations for remote learning recognises that a daily live classroom enables important interaction between the children and their teacher.
• On the google classroom platform parents and children will find some videos pre-recorded by the teacher, power points, worksheets and some links to other websites.   New learning will be uploaded by the teacher every morning.
• When children have completed their work it must be handed in on line. To do this they must first click the ‘Classwork’ tab. From here they need to select the assignment they wish to submit and open it by clicking ‘View Assignment’. When the assignment is open they will have an option to attach a photograph if appropriate, look out for the paper clip symbol. Finally, they need to click the ‘Hand in’ icon. This can be found in the blue box in the top right-hand corner of the screen. Please be aware, if they do not click the ‘Hand in’ button, the work will not be submitted to the class teacher.  Work must be submitted everyday.
• Feedback and assessment are still as important.  Class teachers will monitor the Google Classroom streams and assignment pages throughout the day. Feedback will be given on all completed lessons. This will either be through written instant messages, verbal feedback via phone calls, through voice messages or by applying a score to an assignment. Teachers will also provide some general feedback during Live Lessons where it is appropriate to do so.
• If a child is having trouble with their work parents or the child can leave a message for the teacher on the Google Classroom stream in the first instance. This allows the teacher to see the issue and to respond as promptly as possible in order to support home learning. Where parents feel the issue is more complex, please contact school for a telephone discussion with your child’s class teacher.
• The work set by the teacher will take into account the range of educational needs within the class. However, if a child has a particular special educational need, then the work set for them is personalised and can be accessed through their log in details. If your child is having difficulty accessing the work please don’t hesitate to contact the school.
• Where there are access issues to remote learning, school will work with families to resolve these. This could include IT support, SIM cards providing additional data, support for parents in the best ways to help their children or the loan of a device if needed.
• We advise parents to ensure that children have access to a quiet learning space. Paper, pencils and pens. If families do not have such resources, school will provide them. We also advise parents to ensure that children take regular breaks. 

What we expect from children accessing home/remote learning

It is really important that every child engages with the remote learning.  Remote learning is important.

We expect to see each child on the daily live classroom google meets. The teacher will take the register and talk to the children about their emotional wellbeing as well as giving some curriculum input.

By doing the remote learning your child is

•           Learning the same as all the people in their class

•           Making progress

•           On track with the curriculum and will be ready for the next stage of learning when classes reopen.

•           Working towards meeting their targets if they have special educational needs.

If they aren’t engaging with the learning, we’ll use the following strategies to provide additional support: 

•           Phone calls home

•           Social distanced home visit

We expect all work to be completed by each child to the best of their abilities by the deadline set by their teacher. We expect children to seek help if and when they need it. We expect the child or parent to alert teachers if they are not able to complete work. For Nursery through to year 2 children should access a minimum of 3 hours of learning per day and for Years 3 to year 6 a minimum of 4 hours a day.

Expectations of Parents/Carers and ways they can help their child’s with Home/remote learning

We expect parents and carers to ensure that children fully access their learning, complete the work and submit it on time. For Nursery through to year 2 children should access a minimum of 3 hours of learning per day and for Years 3 to year 6 a minimum of 4 hours a day.

We expect parents and carers to seek help from the school if they need it by ringing school on 0161-223-5538 or by emailing admin@st-brigids.manchester.sch.uk.

We expect parents to make school aware if their child is sick and/or is unable to complete their work.

We really appreciate that home learning has its challenges and we are really grateful of your support at home which enables your child to access their year group learning.

Younger children will need support to access online materials and staying focused with their remote learning.  We ask that you help as much as you can.

With older children, we don’t expect you to watch your child all day and we don’t expect you to get involved in all the remote lessons in place of the teachers.  It would be really helpful if you can take an active role in your child’s learning by asking them about their day and what they have learned.  As well as making sure that they take breaks, drink lots of water and have some ‘down time’ at lunchtime.

Additional Advice for Parents when supporting children with their home/Remote learning

(1) Identify a learning space

(2) Establish a learning timetable and get into a routine.

(3) Try to encourage your child to be ready and dressed for the start of the school day.

(4) Plan breaks and exercise

(5) Finish home learning by 3.30pm at the latest.

(6) Make it clear when the day is over to separate home and school life

(7) Distinguish between weekdays and the weekends

Live Learning During Lockdown

From January 2021

Each class will have a daily live session with their teacher on Google Classroom alongside their other remote learning activities. Teachers will deliver the following from their classrooms where they are also providing face-to-face learning to pupils who are in school. They are able to do this because the provision of face-to-face teaching and remote learning are the same.  All parents will be given a class time for the daily live session. These sessions will be no longer than 30 minutes.

We ask parents to ensure that children are logged in to their Google Classroom on time and have clicked the 'meet link' at the top of the page.

Safeguarding

At St Brigid’s, keeping children safe is at the heart of our work. Furthermore, safeguarding is paramount and as a school we have a duty of care to ensure we safeguard children in line with legislation and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2020. Therefore, all safeguarding procedures will continue to be followed.

In terms of remote learning, regular contact between the class teacher and all pupils is important and staff will address any concerns regarding a lack of contact by phoning, texting, emailing or a home visit if required.

Children often share their concerns with school staff in whom they trust. Teachers and school staff should continue to be sensitive and ready to listen to and respond appropriately to children’s concerns in the remote learning environment in line with safeguarding protocols.

Staff need to be aware that a child may wish to talk to them without the rest of their classmates listening when sharing a concern.  School staff will explain to the child that they are ready to listen to them but will need another member of staff to supervise that both the teacher and child are safe.

Staff will listen the same way they would in school and record and report following school’s protocols. They will not investigate.

Behaviour

The expectation for any home/remote learning is the same as the behaviour in school. Children will be expected to show respect to both staff and classmates. Where necessary, concerns regarding individual’s behaviour will be followed up. This could involve speaking to a parent, reporting the incident to a member of SLT or providing resolution using a restorative approach in line with school policies and procedures.

E-Safety

It is the parents’ responsibility to supervise their child’s safety online when children are at home. It can be hard to talk to your child about online safety.  The nspcc website has lots of resources to help parents, these include

- tips on how to start the conversation of internet safety with your child

- parental controls

- advice on how to support your child if they’ve seen something inappropriate

- plus other advice

The link is www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety

Home and School Working together

We really respect, value and appreciate the uniqueness of each family and the diversity within our community. We will endeavour to support our families to the best of our ability and to respond to different needs wherever required. We have provided a lot of advice in this policy and on our website. In addition to this, if parents need further advice on how to support their child’s learning at home, we will do our best to advise you and signpost you to helpful resources. We know that our parents/carers are not teachers and fully understand that supporting children’s home/remote learning may have its challenges, so we will do what we can to help our families in a safe way. Every effort will be made by staff to ensure that work is set promptly. Should accessing work be an issue, parents should contact school as soon as possible and support or alternative solutions will be sought. These will be discussed on a case-by-case basis.

Roles and Responsibilities of School Staff, School Leaders and Governors

Teachers’ Responsibilities

Teachers will have appropriate training and support from their phase leaders to ensure that they:

• Are available during the school day to provide remote learning as well as face to face for children in school (apart from during PPA or absence)
• Set appropriate work for the pupils in their class
• Set work that follows their agreed timetable
• Daily work is provided via google classroom
• Deliver learning for the full curriculum
• Keep in regular contact with their pupils and families
• Ensure that all children engage and submit work
• Follow up non-engagement and report continued concerns to SLT
• Provide prompt and effective feedback to move learning on
• Share best practice
• Share concerns raised by parents with their phase leader
• Any safeguarding concerns are reported to a member of the safeguarding team and follow up that actions have been taken
• Will follow the normal absence procedures if absent from work.

Teaching Assistants

During the school day, teaching assistants will continue to complete tasks as directed by the class teacher or a member of SLT and are available for work as normal unless unable to work for any reason for example, sickness absence or caring for a dependent. They should report any absence following the normal absence procedures.

Senior Leaders

In addition to their teaching role, senior leaders are responsible for:

• Co-ordinating the remote learning approach across the school including daily monitoring of engagement.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of remote learning. This will include regular meetings with teachers, subject leaders and SLT. It will also involve reviewing work set and reaching out for feedback from pupils and parents.
• Monitoring the security of remote learning systems, including ensuring safeguarding and data protection practices are adhered to.

The Designated Safeguarding Team

This team includes the head teacher, deputy head teacher, phase leaders and the school senior finance and HR officer.

This team is responsible for ensuring that all safeguarding concerns are dealt with appropriately in line with the school’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

IT Team

This team is led by the KS2 phase leader and includes our technician from MGL. They are also supported by staff who have IT knowledge and understanding. Their work will include:

• Fixing issues with systems used to set and collect work
• Helping staff or children/parents experiencing technical issues
• Reviewing the security of remote learning systems and flagging up and reporting inappropriate use on the school’s remote learning systems or data protection breaches
• Assisting pupils and parents with accessing the internet or devices

SENCo

The school SENCo will:

• Liaise with school staff, SLT and the IT team to ensure that the technology used for remote learning is accessible to all pupils and that reasonable adjustments are made where required.
• Ensure that children with EHCPs continue to have appropriate work set taking into account their needs.
• Liaise with SLT and other agencies to make alternative arrangements for children with EHCPs or Individual Health plans, if it is not possible to meet their needs.
• Identify and monitor the level of support needed by both pupils and staff.

The School Senior Finance and HR Officer

The school senior finance officer and HR Officer will:

• Ensure value for money when arranging the procurement of equipment or technology.
• Ensure that the school has adequate insurance to cover any remote working arrangements,  for example, when a member of staff needs to self-isolate but is able to work from home.

School Office Team

The school office team will:

• Be the first contact for parents with concerns regarding remote learning/IT issues
• Liaise with staff regarding these concerns
• Follow up that they have been dealt with
• Liaise with SLT to make them aware of communication with parents and how matters have been resolved.

GDPR

Google classrooms complies with the Data Protection Act 2018 and St Brigid’s Data Protection Policy.

Links with other policies

Please read this policy in conjunction with the following:

• Safeguarding Policy
• Behaviour Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• E-Safety Policy
• IT Acceptable Use/Safety Policies
• Anti-bullying Policy