Parent Information – Remote Learning at the Prep School

As you will be aware, the School has been making preparations for the eventuality that we have to close due to Covid-19. In order to ensure the education of our pupils continues as smoothly as possible, we have been preparing staff and pupils to make resources and themselves available ‘digitally’ wherever possible and understand the expectations we would have of remote learning.

This page sets out those preparations in the following paragraphs:

1. What is remote learning?
2. Expectations of Pupils
3. Expectations of Teachers
4. Help & support for Parents

What is remote learning?

Remote Teaching & Learning’ is any learning which takes place during a school closure where work is being set by teachers and completed by pupils at home. Should the school have to shut, learning will continue to take place through a number of methods; recorded introductions to lessons through Microsoft Teams; setting or providing work through Microsoft Teams or conducting ‘live’ class or group conversations through Microsoft Teams.

In order to take part or access the resources we are making available, pupils will need access to Office 365 under the suite of programs this contains on any device that they can use during the working day.  

Pupils in Years 5 & 6 will use their school-issued Microsoft Surface Go device which already has Microsoft Teams installed.

We have set up a page within Firefly where you can view instructions of how to manage these downloads. Office 365 is free to download and use through your child’s School Microsoft Account. During the last week, Year 5 & 6 pupils have already experienced logging on and the usernames and passwords for Year 3 & 4 pupils have been stuck into their Form Diaries in preparation for them doing so this week.

Expectations of pupils

A ‘Remote Learning – Prep School Code of Conduct’ (please see document at the end of this page). This sets out our expectations for learning remotely. You might like to note especially that:

1. Pupils would join their School timetable as much as possible for this age group and complete tasks where they have been made available.

1. Pupils should be in an open place in the home where they can be monitored and supported.

1. The School rules and Acceptable Usage policy all apply during remote learning.

Expectations of teachers

The School is aiming for teachers to be providing lesson materials or alternative resources for the majority of the children’s timetabled subjects. This is naturally going to be easier for some subjects than others, however all staff are preparing something in readiness.

As already mentioned, the Microsoft Teams pages will be the platform for storing the work for the children to complete, or other materials for them to work on independently as appropriate. Sometimes, the teacher will have recorded themselves delivering an introduction to the lesson for the children to watch before commencing a task. Staff may schedule a ‘meeting’ during the time their lesson was due to run had it have been at school and in such circumstances, the pupils can engage with their teacher ‘live’ at that time through the conversation chat facility.

Staff will not be setting homework tasks in addition to the remote learning expectation.

Help & Support for Parents

Should the School shut, staff will remain available to support and guide parents in how to help pupils make the most of the situation. You can continue to contact your child’s Form Teacher as you do now. However, please be mindful that it would be a very busy time for all staff so please consider carefully if you need to make contact.

There are some simple things that we would recommend that you do:

Be positive and keep a balanced approach – keep news of the Coronavirus simple and stick to the facts. Be clear about how they can help minimise risk by thoroughly washing hands etc. The BBC’s Newsround has age appropriate content: https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/51204456

Draw on the benefits of no commute – pupils can get more sleep with a later wakeup time

Avoid later bedtimes – keep to the usual mid-week schedule. Look out for increased time on electronic devices

Encourage interaction with others – visiting a friend or at the very least using video calls rather than constant messaging from mobile devices

Exercise – try to find an alternative to plug the gap of school sports e.g. walking / running / playing with siblings

Family time – Where possible, encourage pupils and parents who are able to work from home to do so in communal spaces in the house, limiting ‘alone time’ where possible

Subscribe to newspapers or online content – it is good to keep up to date and connected with the outside world

Make the most of the free time – encourage reading, creative activities, a family reading group or a reading group amongst friends

Reach out to others – is there another family or elderly person in your area that could be supported? Could a couple of pupils work together and families share the resources required to look after them?

We hope that this advice and guidance is helpful and informative.

Kind regards,

Jamie Hornshaw

Headteacher