Remote Education
Remote Education Information for Parents
What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?
On day one of remote education, your child will be provided with links to educational websites and lessons provided by teaching professionals. For example, Oak National Academy, Natural Curriculum Online and BBC Bitesize Daily Lessons.
They will have the opportunity to attend an online Google Meet with their class teacher, who will share the format for how the pupil's online learning will be delivered.
From day two, children will receive full remote education provision in line with our Brierley curriculum offer.
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 may need to make some adaptations.
For example we will make changes to lessons that rely heavily on prior learning and units of work that require children to use practical equipment, which they do not have access to at home.
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:
Key Stage 1: 3 hours
Key Stage 2: 4 hours
Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?
Each child has their own unique access to Google Classroom where all lessons, interactions and tasks are set and assessed.
Opportunities for children to edit and improve their work through feedback from staff is also completed using this online platform.
In Reception Class children also have full unique access to Google Classroom and Google Meet, where they have regular daily contact with their class teacher.
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:
Each class teacher has produced an audit of pupils who encounter issues accessing remote education from home.
Where children do not have access to a device at home that would enable them to access remote education, we endeavour to issue devices from school or from Government issued allocation.
In certain instances where families cannot access the internet, we endeavour to support them with relevant equipment. For example: dongles; routers; SIM cards.
Some children may prefer to work on paper rather than produce their work electronically; these pupils will experience an adapted approach to remote education whereby they are provided with a paper pack of work which matches the work set on Google Classroom. Photographs of this work are then submitted on Google Classroom or returned to school when they collect their new packs.
How will my child be taught remotely?
At Brierley School we provide a high quality blend of the following:
- live teaching (online lessons using Google Meet)
- recorded teaching (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, White Rose Maths, Natural Curriculum Online and video/audio recordings made by teachers)
- printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g. workbooks, worksheets to match work set on Google Classroom)
- textbooks and reading books provided by the school
- commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences
- long-term project work
All live interactions with children taking place on Goggle Classroom will be recorded and stored for a period of one month on the school server.
How do you work with families to deliver remote education for younger pupils?
In Reception Class we follow a consistent daily structure which includes:
a physically active engagement video; a math's lesson, using White Rose; daily phonics using Read Write Inc; handwriting modelled by class teacher; shared story; foundation subject lesson and daily worship.
We are in regular contact with families and we have their commitments at home in mind, therefore we do not have a strict timetable.
Lessons are pre-recorded to allow families to access remote education at times to suit them, with the option to re-watch. There are three live Google Meets each day to check in with pupils at home, share work, receive verbal feedback and praise from class teacher and clarify instructions. However, if they are unable to attend the Google Meets, parents can still access instructions and pre-recorded videos of the class teacher, modelling how to explain and complete tasks.
We regularly adapt our provision, to support individual pupils and parents. In particular parents who are new to phonics and the Early Years Framework.
We deliver small group sessions and one to one support for children and families in phonics and maths. We also provide emotional and wellbeing support for children who find it difficult to engage at home.
Each family has been provided with a resource pack that includes, sound cards, phonics games to develop blending skills and activity ideas that will enthuse children at home which mirror the familiar resources used in school.
We endeavour to meet the requirements of any parent who requests an alternative to the resources provided by the class teacher.
Furthermore, we encourage parents to promote independent learning through play at home throughout the school day and provide opportunities for this in our remote provision. The class teacher provides support for parents who require it.
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?
At Brierley School we expect our pupils to engage daily with remote education.
In Reception Class, work is set each morning on Google Classroom, allowing parents/carers to tailor their day and meet their child’s educational needs as required.
Pupils have the option to attend a Google Meet each morning, where the class teacher greets them with their day’s learning and activities, and a Google Meet in the afternoon where pupils can share their learning/work with their class teacher and peers and also enjoy a story and prayer.
In KS1 and KS2, each morning, pupils attend a Google Meet with their class teacher where a class register is taken (specific times for each class are published on the class pages on our school website). Pupils are expected to be present throughout the morning’s lessons in order to access live teaching and for the teacher to assess understanding. Pupils use Google Meet throughout the day to ask questions and gain access/support from class teachers. Pupils are then expected to join a Google Meet in the afternoon, in order to access the live teaching of the afternoon’s lessons.
Any work submitted by the child outside of school hours may not be marked until the following day.
Our expectations of parents/carers are specific to their unique circumstances. However, we expect all parents/carers to encourage and motivate their children to complete remote learning each day to the best of their abilities. We understand the pressures of working and home educating children, and we aim for pupils to be as independent as possible with their remote education: although they may be the need for parents/carers to support their child in accessing instructions by their class teachers.
How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?
Registers are taken during our morning Google Meets, however in addition to this, teachers also monitor interaction with Google Classroom through submissions of work or, in Reception Class, the sharing of work in the afternoon Google Meet.
If we have concerns about pupil’s engagement, in the first instance a phone call will be made to parents/carers to discuss ways in which we can support families.
If the lack of engagement continues, advice will be taken from the Local Authority and we may seek the support of the Education Welfare Service.
How is my child expected to behave during remote education?
Our Expectations for Remote Learners
We expect that pupils maintain the positive attitudes and behaviour during Google Meets, as we would expect in the classroom.
We expect that all pupils try to attend the morning Google Meet.
We expect that all pupils complete the work set, make use of the Google Meet to ask questions and gain support from their teachers and submit their work when completed.
We expect that pupils dress in appropriate day time clothing.
We expect that pupils remain on mute unless they are answering/asking a question.
We expect that all pupils complete work to the best of their ability.
We expect that pupils behave respectfully during live lessons and Google Meets and do not cause distractions for other pupils.
We expect that pupils only use the chat function to ask questions during the live teaching sessions.
We understand that these expectations are as new for parents as they are for us, and we will work with anyone who needs our support to try to meet them.
How will you assess my child’s work and progress?
In Reception Class, feedback is given both verbally and through teacher comments on work or other evidence of engagement that has been submitted.
Throughout KS1 and KS2, Google Classroom is used by teachers to mark submitted work and provide feedback and return to pupils to give opportunities for editing and improving their work.
In some cases, teachers may ask pupils to join a Google Meet for a 1:1 or small group intervention to support pupils and address any misconceptions with their learning.
Pupils receive feedback on their work throughout the day.
Time is allocated in the weekly time table to allow pupils to make corrections and edit and improve their work. Support to do this is provided through Google Meet.
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 provide specialist provision for our pupils with SEND. Designed with the parents/carers, the pupil’s access to remote education supports their unique needs.
Each child with SEND has the opportunity for daily individual support with their class teacher or teaching assistant. During which time they are given support and feedback on the daily learning, have access to their daily interventions that are usually carried out in school (were possible). This ensures the relationships built with school and families are maintained and children are emotionally supported.
For children with an EHCP, we liaise with outside agencies in order to ensure specific provision is delivered where it is accessible.
Our school SENCO is closely involved in all aspects of arranging provision for pupils with SEND and tracks the engagement and progress of all SEND pupils in school daily.
Remote education for self-isolating pupils
If my child is not in school because they are self-isolating, how will their remote education differ from the approaches described above?
Pupils who are self-isolating, are given the opportunity to access learning from the classroom using a live link. The daily tasks can be completed alongside their peers in the classroom using Google Classroom. Teachers and support staff are then able to give instant support to pupils during the lesson and mark pupils work, providing live feedback. This allows pupils at home to feel included and gives the opportunity to make the progress they would if they were in school.
How will leaders ensure my child receives quality remote education?
Leaders will monitor the delivery of our Brierley curriculum by accessing the Google Classroom provision of each class. This will ensure the quality of education being provided is in line with expectations for each year group’s national standard.
If you would like any further information please contact our school office to speak with one of our remote education leaders, Mrs Waterhouse or Miss Harker.
We acknowledge the challenges of remote learning and thank you for your tremendous support.
A message from the Department for Education:
Supporting your children's remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Information and support for parents and carers of children who are learning at home.
What you should expect for your child’s remote education
Schools have been working hard to deliver high quality remote education. They are now expected to publish information about their remote education offer on their websites. This will help you to understand:
- what your child will be studying at home
- how you can support your child to engage with their remote curriculum
The remote education that schools provide should be equivalent in length to the teaching your child would normally get in school. You should expect this to include a mixture of:
- recorded or live direct teaching time
- time for pupils to complete activities independently, such as working through assignments, PE or reading in a comfortable space
Remote education should be suitably tailored if your child has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The amount of remote education should be a minimum of:
- key stage 1 to 3 hours a day, on average across the cohort, with fewer hours for younger children
- key stage 2 to 4 hours a day
- key stages 3 and 4 to 5 hours a day
Schools should also have a system in place to check pupils’ engagement with work on a daily basis. Schools can decide how this will take place. It could include:
- monitoring pupils’ attendance at live or recorded lessons
- checking that pupils have understood and completed their work
- direct contact with pupils
- If you do have concerns about the remote education being provided by your child’s school, please discuss these first with the classroom teacher and if necessary, the headteacher or senior leader. If, having done so, you remain concerned, you can approach Ofsted.
More information on what parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges is available.
Supporting your child during remote education
Parents and carers should not feel that they need to set work for their child.
However, the resources below can help you plan your child’s days during this period. These resources may also be useful for pupils and students to use alongside the work provided by their school or college.
If you need further support, we encourage you to speak to your child’s school about their remote education offer.
Engaging children at home
Watch Dr Elizabeth Kilbey’s top tips or read the video transcript (PDF, 167KB, 3 pages).
Watch Dr Elizabeth Kilbey’s top tips
The Education Endowment Fund has produced support resources for parents. These include:
- ways to support your child’s reading at home
- advice on how to establish a routine with your child
Mental health and wellbeing
You can read guidance for parents and carers on supporting children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Guidance for the public on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of coronavirus (COVID-19) is also available.
The following organisations offer information and support on mental health and wellbeing:
- Place2Be
- MindEd
- Every Mind Matters
- Public Health England
- Child Bereavement UK and the Childhood Bereavement Network
- Youth Sport Trust and Sport England
- Young Minds
- Think Ninja
- Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond Support Hub
Your local library can also provide access to Reading Well: books on prescription, a collection of carefully curated titles for adults, children and young people to support common mental health conditions, or deal with difficult feelings and experiences. Find your local library to join up and borrow them.
Young people can get free, confidential support at any time from government-backed voluntary and community sector organisations by:
- texting SHOUT to 85258
- calling Childline on 0800 1111
- calling the Mix on 0808 808 4994
Resources for parents of children with SEND
We have worked with a range of other organisations to create extra resources for parents of children with SEND:
- COVID-19 educational resources from The Sensory Projects
- SEND-specific resources for learning from home from Tech Ability
- advice on supporting children with a learning disability or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) from the Council for Disabled Children
- resources for under 5s from the Early Years Alliance
Curriculum materials are also available:
- specialist content for pupils with SEND from Oak National Academy
- SEND-specific BBC resources and activities
- Additional educational resources
- Your child’s school may suggest resources on their website.
The following examples are used by many schools and teachers, but parents may find them useful too:
- Oak National Academy, including their Virtual School Library
- BBC Bitesize Daily
- LendED platform
- Isaac Physics
- Resources and activities from your local library
Your local library can provide access not only to hundreds of books and ebooks to borrow for free, but many also offer online reading groups for children, borrow bags made up of librarian-chosen books, activity ideas and other resources. Find your local library to explore what is available and to join up.
Online safety
It is important to have regular conversations about staying safe online, which amongst other things, include conversations about the importance of keeping any log-in credentials and passwords safe.
Encourage children to speak to you if they come across something worrying online. Support for parents and carers to keep children and young people safe from online harm is available. This includes resources to help you to talk to your child about a range of online safety issues, support to set up home filtering in a child-friendly way and support to set up age-appropriate parental controls on digital devices.