Remote Learning at St Francis Catholic Academy 

Remote education provision at St Francis Catholic Academy - Information for parents and carers

Following the Government’s announcement on Monday 4^th January 2021 please find below the arrangements for students at St Francis Catholic Academy.

Arrangements for the start of the Spring Term 2021

As you may have heard via the media, the Secretary of State for Education has made some changes to the return dates for the new school term, in light of the current situation regarding COVID-19.

Only the following students should come into school at the normal time in school uniform for face-to-face teaching:

• Those who are most vulnerable, such as those with Education and Health Care Plans (EHCPs) and those with a social worker. (We have contacted the parents/carers of these children separately in advance).
• Children of critical workers. Employers are asked to provide proof of place of work. Parents and carers are asked to contact school and inform school as to the dates and times when children need to be in school.

All other children will remain at home and access remote learning until their return to school for face to face teaching.

Remote learning for students at home from Tuesday 5^th January

Children in all year groups Reception to Year 6 are required to access live lessons on Zoom and/or pre-recorded lessons every day.

School will provide IT equipment when necessary.

Class teachers will share timetables via Dojo.

All links to live lessons, pre-recorded lessons and resources will be shared daily via Dojo.

Letter to parents and carers re: remote learning

Good afternoon,

tomorrow the children will begin their new period of virtual learning. We want to support you as your children learn. Thank – you for your feedback during the last period of lockdown, we have listened carefully to the things you felt worked well like; White Rose Maths and 10:10, we have included these activities again. Feedback was clear that resources are most easily accessed via Dojo, so timetables of learning will be shared with you via Class Dojo. You will receive a timetable tomorrow morning. These will normally be sent on Friday afternoon ready for the following week.

The time table shows the learning which will take place over the week, some lessons will be live and delivered via a zoom call. Some lessons have pre-recorded videos which will be shared with you via Dojo. Some lessons will be delivered via video links. Class teachers have used a variety of ways to deliver lessons to help keep children engaged. Class teachers will send reminders via Dojo each day.

Each day begins with prayers and wellbeing zoom call at 9.00am. Children with brothers and sisters can attend their own class zoom or if you are sharing IT device children are welcome to attend zoom calls with siblings as a family group. Your child’s class teacher will record attendance at these calls. If you are unable to attend your child’s class teacher will call you by phone to make sure everyone is safe and well.

Learning tasks can be completed online and in the home learning exercise books which you have at home. Please take photos of the work and upload to your child’s Dojo portfolio each day. Class teachers will review the work (just as they would mark it in school). Your child may be asked to return to a piece of work and improve it or edit it (just as they would in school). We are very aware that many of you are working from home so school work has been carefully planned to ensure children can complete learning tasks independently.

You will see that the timetable is helping the children to have a routine with a daily lunch break and a physical activity. Meditation is timetabled for each afternoon and you will be sent videos to support this.

Each week your child’s class teacher will make a phone call to offer support with home learning. Class teachers are happy to chat with children and to offer encouragement and support. If you are struggling at any time please do contact myself or your child’s class teacher and we will do our very best to help.

Feel free to Dojo myself or your child’s class teacher with any questions you may have or text the school mobile phone 07387301993.

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

The remote curriculum: what is taught to pupils at home?

Class teachers will plan and deliver a full timetable which is the same as that delivered in school. All resources will be shared via Dojo. Live learning will take place over Zoom.

Each class will receive a timetable for the week.

Each child has a home learning book at home (ready for the event of remote learning).

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.

English and Maths will be provided daily as a live lesson and also recorded for ease of access and the facility for parents to return to if necessary. These lessons will have follow up work planned for the children to complete.

All other curriculum areas will be taught in the afternoon sessions, with follow up work planned for the children to complete.

Links will be provided for Parish Mass, daily meditation prayer, weekly examination of conscience and PE lessons.

Remote teaching and study time each day

How long can I expect work set by the school to take my child each day?

Teachers have planned work that will mirror the time needed in school i.e. 9.00 – 3.00 p.m. However as the lessons are a mixture of live/pre-recorded/links and follow up activities families will be able to juggle when children complete their learning to best suit the needs of the family.

Sample Timetable

Accessing remote education

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

Internet access is needed at home by staff and children. Activities can be completed online and in the home learning books which have already been provided, this avoids the need for printing. School will use Class Dojo to share information and learning. The App is free to download to devices and free to use.

If my child does not have digital or online access at home, how will you support them to access remote education?

If any family has a problem accessing IT equipment or data/Wi fi, then please contact the school office. School will be able to loan equipment and arrange for free data and Wi fi access.

The school has applied for the Government allocation of laptops, when a date for the arrival of equipment has been received by school these will be shared with parents and carers.

How will my child be taught remotely?

Class teachers will send a daily Dojo including a link to the 9.00am Prayers and well-being Zoom.

Links to all live lessons.

Links to pre-recorded lessons.

Links to resources needed for the day.

Each day will begin with a Zoom session – Prayers and wellbeing with emotion coaching teddy bears. During this session class teacher will take a register. Parents/carers of children not attending will be contacted after the Zoom has finished.

Activities are planned so much of the work can be completed independently by the children. Children will work best if they can sit at a table.

Following a timetable and establishing a routine will help your child to feel settled and ready to learn. There is a pattern to each timetable to help children develop a daily routine.

Be positive and encourage your child to see the things they have done well.

The time table allows time for a playtime and for a lunch time. Encourage your child to be active and take a break from learning to do something else they enjoy during this time.

Upload work on Class dojo. Your child’s class teacher is able to review the work and respond.

If at any point you need some help or support please contact your child’s class teacher via Dojo.

Addition resources will also be made available: Times Tables Rock stars will be available to children with their personalised log ins.

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?

Expectations of children in live lessons

• To help us all over the next few weeks we have a few rules to follow to be ready for remote learning.
• When using Zoom all children need to sit up as if they are in class (remember everyone can see you).
• Please don't eat during a Zoom.
• Your teacher will mute you on entry and unmute you when it is time to talk. Parents and carers please remind children not to unmute themselves unless asked to.
• Parents and carers are expected to help children engage with all learning tasks, if there is a specific problem please do contact the class teacher via Dojo for their support.

By following these simple rules, the lessons are easy for everyone to follow and learn together.

• Class teachers will ask some children to stay on the Zoom call to discuss their learning at the end of each session. Class teachers will speak to children to ensure they understand the learning. They will encourage them to present their work correctly and to produce a good amount of work.
• Children are expected to complete the work to the best of their ability each day. If children are unable to complete a task parents and carers are expected to contact the teacher via Dojo. Class teachers will be understanding and show compassion when there are problems with remote learning. They will offer support and help. Class teachers will expect children to work hard.

How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and

how will I be informed if there are concerns?

Each day work is uploaded to Dojo to individual children’s portfolios. Class teachers review the work and respond. Teachers will contact parents/carers to discuss any concerns.

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

Class teacher swill continue to assess children as they normally would. They will review written work, engagement in lessons, how children answer questions in live lessons.  Some tests in the form of quizzes may also be used. The class teacher will use this information to ensure the next stage of learning is correctly planned for.

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?

Children with particular needs will continue to be supported remotely. Their class teacher will ensure interventions are still planned and delivered – this may take the form of intervention Zoom calls with Class teachers and TAs. Children following programme such as speech and language programmes and children accessing counselling will continue to do so via Zoom. Children working with the specialist teaching service will continue to access this via Microsoft teams.

Remote education for self-isolating pupils

Any child who needs to self-isolate will be able to follow the remote curriculum.

In the event of a partial closure, how will remote education differ from the approaches described above?

The approaches above will continue.

Safeguarding and child protection

If you have any concerns about a child from a safeguarding or child protection perspective, please text or call Charlotte Culleton Designated Safeguarding Lead on 07387301993.

Here for you…

We are here for all our families during lockdown. If any family is experiencing financial hardship and would like further support during this time, please text 07387301993 as we are here to help.

Finally….

Please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at school if you have any concerns about your child’s remote learning or anything else. The school reception is manned every day from 8.30am – 4.30pm. Alternatively text or call 07387301993 or send a Dojo message, we will get back to you as quickly as possible

God bless

Charlotte Culleton

Principal

School policies cover every aspect of school life. Below are some of our most important policies for your reference. If you want to know our policy on something that is not listed, please ask the school office.