Remote education provision: information for parents 

Generally, Co-op Academy Southfield does not provide remote education. However, the circumstances where it might not be possible for pupils to receive in person education fit into 2 broad categories:

1. individual cases where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able to learn;
2. school closures or restrictions on attendance, where school access for pupils is restricted.

Where an individual pupil is unable to attend school, but is able to learn (category 1 above), the processes in our Children with health needs who cannot attend school Policy and in our Attendance Policy will apply.

In the event of a short, severe weather closure, it is unlikely that learning will be provided, and any learning that is provided is at the discretion of the class teacher (e.g. if a closure occurs part way through a school day and is likely to last over the next day, the teacher may be able to send learning home with the pupil). Where any severe weather closure lasts for a longer period than 1-2 days, the procedure of contact with families, as outlined below, will begin.

Regardless of the length of any closure, where there are concerns around a pupil, the attendance and safeguarding team will contact families by video call/telephone/home visit, as appropriate to the situation.

The following applies where the whole school, or substantial parts of the school is closed, or there are restrictions on attendance for a large number of pupils, for example as a result of government guidance (category 2 above).

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education in the event of a prolonged closure.

What will be taught to pupils at home?

Students will participate in activities from their usual curriculum, based on the Areas of Need and the targets and outcomes in their EHCP. 

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

If a pupil is absent from school through ill health there is no expectation that they participate in remote learning. 

During the first days of any closure, where that closure is likely to be prolonged, a member of the class team will contact the parents to discuss the most suitable remote learning package. This will usually include an element of direct teaching using Google meeting platform, as well as the option of a delivery of a home learning resource pack, for use with the support of family members.

School staff will be given time to convert their teaching arrangements to enable whole class teaching through remote education, or ‘blended learning’ with a mixture of school attendance (if this is possible) and online teaching.

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?

Yes, though some usual classroom sessions will look and feel different from home. We intend to provide home learning activities that are optimised to learning, based on student’s individual learning styles and work towards their own needs, outcomes and targets. These will be built on prior learning, add a bit of new learning and not just provide tasks to keep pupils busy. We will continue with assemblies, celebrations and other social engagement opportunities where possible. 

Remote teaching and study time each day

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:

Secondary school-aged SEND pupils - individualised and tailored to the student's needs.

Accessing remote education

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

Methods of access will differ depending on the individual and family experience and knowledge of different platforms. These will include: 

• Google Classroom
• Google Meet video call
• Evidence for Learning platform
• Email correspondence
• Internet materials such as the Oak National Academy
• Class Dojo

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:

We will contact families as early as possible to find out what online access they already have available. Provide, where possible, any additional appropriate technology required and support families with information, advice and guidance to help facilitate access and develop skills to engage with remote learning. This may well look different for individual students and families.

How will my child be taught remotely?

We use a combination of the following approaches to teach pupils remotely:

• Paper copies of work sent through the post 
• Resources dropped at home
• Online content through Google Classroom / email  
• Evidence for Learning App
• Google meet video calls 1:1 and small group activities where appropriate 
• Telephone calls

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?

The majority of students will need support throughout their daily remote learning sessions. We therefore will liaise with families to find the most effective way to support our students. 

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

Regular calls through the school week to check engagement and feasibility of assigned work.

Some students will be able to return work independently and we will track this over the sessions.

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

Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. For example, whole-class feedback or quizzes marked automatically via digital platforms are also valid and effective methods, amongst many others. Our approach to feeding back on pupil work is as follows:

• Regular calls throughout the remote learning period to offer feedback and gather information
• Google meet video calls 1:1 and group discussion
• Some online work will be automatically marked and returned
• Written comments direct to students via preferred correspondence medium

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:

• No expectation on minimum hours spent accessing remote learning
• A high level of tasks and activities that promote independence
• Work alongside families to develop feasible, meaningful and rewarding educational experiences
• Access to on site remote learning coordinator for help, advice and guidance. 
• Individualised home learning that works for the student and the family

Remote education for self-isolating pupils

In a situation where government guidance is that individual pupils (from different classes) need to self-isolate but the majority of their peer group remains in school, how remote education is provided will likely differ from the approach for whole groups. This is due to the challenges of teaching pupils both at home and in school.

If my child is not in school because they are self-isolating, how will their remote education differ from the approaches described above? 

As live teaching will not be possible whilst the teacher is with the remainder of their class, they will join other students in virtual classes with work related to their EHCP targets where appropriate, or provided with work using a combination of the approaches laid out above. The remote teachers will be notified the previous day in order to ensure work is available for the following day.