Remote Learning Intent

Class teachers will send a Parent Hub message to the class or group setting out tasks that need to be completed. This message will include attachments or instructions of where to access materials on Microsoft Teams, instructions for the pick up of learning packs/printed materials, an overview of assigned work on Active Learn and an indication of when teaching inputs will be scheduled to start.

At Unsworth, our aim is to ensure that our learning offer is consistent for all children. Once learning has been structured, it will cover both the core and foundation subjects. To do this we:

• Teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school on the whole, but in some subjects we have needed to make adaptions. 

PE

Each week we send home physical challenges and ideas that children can do to engage in physical exercise. These come from our Sports Coaches and from recommended resources.

Music

Our specialist music teacher will send home a weekly music video with a song and an activity for children to access.

French

For those classes in KS2 that undertake French, a weekly activity will be set on Microsoft Teams for pupils to access. 

RE

Teaching videos and a weekly activity will be provided by our HLTA's.

Remote learning, also referred to as distance learning, gives pupils who aren’t in a physical location for in-person education, access to online materials. At Unsworth we aim to ensure that our pupils have access to a range of different tools to support their remote learning:

• Parent Hub-our digital communications app which provides a class channel for information to be shared which includes attachments such as pictures and PDF's with the function to also allow school to send direct messages.
• Active Learn-our core maths and reading digital tool where children can access all their Power Maths resources and Bug Club reading books/quizzes.
• Microsoft Teams-our virtual classrooms where children can submit assignments to receive feedback, take part in organised virtual lessons or group discussion sessions, contribute to shared projects, undertake assessments and download useful materials.
• Videos-class teachers will sign post parents to relevant teaching videos linked to the curriculum, which supplement and expand the taught content.
• Physical packs-learning packs created by staff in school that can be picked up to be used at home. These may include text books, recording books, copied sheets and other resources personalised to a particular child to use alongside taught content.
• Tapestry-our observation app where staff and parents can create observations and share feedback.

Microsoft Teams is a learning platform created by Microsoft, which allows users to collaborate virtually. Within Unsworth, all staff use Teams to communicate and when needed assemblies are run virtually through Teams.  A Microsoft Teams classroom has been set up for each class in school, so that a virtual classroom is always available to pupils and staff.

Each child has their own login details for their Microsoft Teams account. They will use this to access their online classroom in order to see the work that has been allocated to them, or the task the teacher wishes them to complete. Once a child has used their login details, they will be able to become part of their online classroom.

A learning Platform provides a safe virtual environment for pupils to learn alongside their peers virtually. Through the platform they can access online content, take part in virtual lessons, collaborate on shared projects, hand in assignments and download useful resources.

Microsoft Teams can be downloaded from the app/play store or by clicking here. A child will use their username and password to login. On the first occasion they will have to set a new memorable password and a parent will need to help them to authenticate their account by linking it to a parents mobile number/email, so that parents can reset passwords themselves.

We expect that remote learning (including remote teaching and independent work) will take pupils broadly the following number of hours each day:

1. Develop a daily routine which may mirror the usual timing of the school day.
2. Choose from the different materials offered to find the best way of working for individual circumstances.
3. Get in touch with school for support to organise learning at home, as class teachers will be able to help with putting a timetable together or making suggestions about ways to undertake learning tasks.
4. Focus on small inputs with your child and provide time for them to have a go independently.
5. Remember that home learning is not like school and spending time one to one compared to being in a class of 30 means that your child will benefit from personal support.
6. Let school know if you have any difficulty with accessing digital materials, if you have difficulty accessing the Internet or do not have a device to use at home.

School has a number of devices that can be loaned to children so that they can have access at home to the tools above. Please contact school to talk to a member of the Senior Leadership Team. Our learning packs are also personalised to each child so we can offer support with printed materials and text books.

 Step 1

• Three daily interactive sessions will be scheduled within Microsoft Teams and will appear within a child's own calendar so parents are clear on when live sessions are taking place across the week. These sessions will include teaching inputs, time for discussion/reflection and provide opportunities to scaffold learning.
• Maths units from the school Power Maths Scheme will be set with accompanying text book/work book pages, interactive games  and linked resources which are all accessible through Active learn. Class teachers will indicate which units and pages to work on and will allocate them within the system.
• A range of 
• Reading books will be allocated within Active learn for children to access and comprehension questions can be completed. These books form part of each individual child's online library, so books can be revisited for pleasure.
• Assignments will be set within the Microsoft Teams Platform for the period of lockdown/self isolation with due dates for children to complete and submit. Class teachers will provide individual feedback on work submitted.

Step 2

Physical learning packs will be created for individual pupils with specific needs or for an entire class. These packs will include CPG work books, exercise books for recording and equipment. These packs should be collected from school following a notification message from the school office. Where families are unable to collect packs due to their circumstances, packs will be delivered.

Step 3

Class teachers will monitor the submission of work through Microsoft Teams and the school Tapestry app. In addition they will keep a record of attendance at virtual sessions. This will be reported  to the Head teacher and contact will be made with families to "check in" where we have not had engagement with the remote learning provision.

Step 4

Following  a period of self isolation or lockdown, a simple survey or questionnaire will be provided to parents to reflect on the remote learning provision provided to enable the school to further shape and develop the offer for pupils.

We expect that all pupils will engage with the work that has been set through our remote learning provision. Teachers will keep a log of any children not attending 1 or more sessions within a day and will do a follow up call home to check if there are problems or barriers to  a child joining a session.

Assignments set on Teams and Tapestry will be monitored across the week to ensure children are completing them by the dates set. Teachers will make contact with individual parents to discuss uncompleted assignments and to see if further support is needed.

We understand that each family has their own set of circumstances and that at the start of any lockdown or self isolations period, families will need time to adjust and set routines up. School can support with this through the Teams calendar setting out the live sessions each week and teachers can also provide a suggested timetable for parents to follow at home. We would ask that parents support children to become as independent as possible, but this depends on their age, as our younger pupils will need more support.

Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children. Our approach to feeding back to pupils work is as follows:

• All assignments set weekly on Microsoft Teams will be marked by the Class teacher.
• Tapestry challenges will receive a written comment from the class teachers and where appropriate other additional adults in school.
• Virtual quizzes will be used in Key Stage 2 that are marked via digital platforms.
• During live sessions, adults may provide oral feedback about techniques.
• Questioning during live sessions will also form part of assessment.

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. Unsworth has a broad, engaging and inclusive curriculum, which is built around a pupil centred approach, so this is at the heart of our remote learning offer too.

Pupils with SEND will have access to a personalised curriculum and each pupils support package will be replicated including access to SALT, OT and social skills where possible. Providing pupils with access to the support set out in their EHCP is vital. Physical resources that support pupils in school such as visual timetables, sensory resources and language support will be replicated and sent home in conjunction with discussion with parents to provide the best support possible. 

We acknowledge the difficulties this may place on families and we will work with parents and carers to support these pupils in the following ways:

• Provide a personalised work pack to support learning at home.
• The SENCO will over see provision and make contact with parents to check that the right support is in place.
• Provide additional personalised teaching inputs where needed from members of our SEND support team.
• Class teachers will make phone contact weekly or fortnightly mutually agreed with parents.

When an individual child self isolates the following curriculum offer will be provided:

• Daily direct messages from the class teacher will be sent via Parent Hub to check in and provide updates to tasks and work.
• Assignments will be set on teams to complete with linked resources to match work done in class. The class teacher will mark these to provide feedback.
• A learning pack will be created for parents to pick up from school, with printed resources and text books.
• Books and Power maths units will be allocated on Active Learn.
• Teachers will phone home twice weekly to check in with parents/pupils and discuss the setting up of some Teams sessions to link to their peers in class or to provide some teaching inputs.
• For SEND children, 1-1 SEND Support assistants will deliver daily sessions on Teams to continue interventions and learning tasks.