Use of Remote Learning

All pupils should attend school, in line with our attendance policy. Remote education is not viewed as an equal alternative to attendance in school.

Pupils receiving remote education will be marked absent in line with the Pupil Registration Regulations.

We will consider providing remote education to pupils in circumstances when in-person attendance is either not possible or contrary to government guidance.

This might include:

  • Occasions when we decide that opening our school is either:
    • Not possible to do safely
    • Contradictory to guidance from local or central government
  • Occasions when individual pupils, for a limited duration, are unable to physically attend school but are able to continue learning, for example because:        
    • They have an infectious illness
    • They are preparing for or recovering from some types of operation
    • They are recovering from injury and attendance in school may inhibit such recovery
    • Their attendance has been affected by a special educational need or disability (SEND) or a mental health issue

The school will consider providing pupils with remote education on a case-by-case basis.

In the limited circumstances when remote learning is used, we will:

  • Gain mutual agreement of remote education by the school, parents/carers, pupils, and if appropriate, a relevant medical professional. If the pupil has an education, health and care (EHC) plan or social worker, the local authority (LA) will also be involved in the decision
  • Put formal arrangements in place to regularly review it and identify how to reintegrate the pupil back into school
  • Identify what other support and flexibilities can be put in place to help reintegrate the pupil back into school at the earliest opportunity
  • Set a time limit with an aim that the pupil returns to in-person education with appropriate support

Teachers

When providing remote learning, teachers will:

  • Provide pupils with access to remote education as soon as reasonably practicable, though in proportion to the length of absence and disruption to the learning of all learners
  • Make reasonable adjustments for pupils with SEND to access remote education, where required, informed by relevant considerations including the support families will require and the types of services that pupils can access remotely
  • Will consider the needs of individual pupils, such as those with SEND or other additional needs, and the level of independent study skills This also includes considering the needs of pupils’ families or carers, including how much adult involvement is needed in each activity and whether pupils have a suitable place to study
  • Provide feedback on work – cover details such as:
    • How they will get access to completed work from pupils
    • -How they will share feedback with pupils

Subject Leaders

Alongside their teaching responsibilities, subject leaders will

  • Consider whether any aspects of the subject curriculum need to change to accommodate remote learning
  • Work with teachers teaching their subject remotely to make sure all work set is appropriate and consistent
  • Work with other subject leads and senior leaders to make sure work set remotely across all subjects is appropriate and consistent
  • Monitor the remote work set by teachers in their subject
  • Alert teachers to resources they can use to teach their subject remotely
  • Make decisions about the use of online video lessons such as Oak National Academy

Senior Teachers will:

Monitor the effectiveness of remote learning through regular meetings with teachers and subject leaders, reviewing work set or reaching out for feedback from pupils and parents/carers

Monitor the security of remote learning systems, including data protection and safeguarding considerations

Ensure staff remain trained and confident in their use of online digital education platforms

Train staff on relevant accessibility features that our chosen digital platform has available

Provide information to parents/carers and pupils about remote education

Work with the catering team to ensure pupils eligible for benefits-related free school meals (FSM) are provided with good quality lunch parcels or food vouchers

IT staff will

Fix issues with systems used to set and collect work

Help staff and parents/carers with any technical issues they’re experiencing

Review the security of remote learning systems and flagging any data protection breaches to the data protection officer (DPO)

Assist pupils and parents/carers with accessing the internet or devices

Pupils and Parents/Carers

Staff can expect pupils learning remotely to:

  • Be contactable during the school day – although consider they may not always be in front of a device the entire time
  • Complete work to the deadline set by teachers
  • Seek help if they need it, from teachers or teaching assistants
  • Alert teachers if they’re not able to complete work
  • Act in accordance with normal behaviour rules / conduct rules of the school (and any specific online behaviour rules where applicable)

Staff can expect parents/carers with children learning remotely to:

  • Engage with the school and support their children’s learning, and to establish a routine that reflects the normal school day as far as reasonably possible
  • Make the school aware if their child is sick or otherwise can’t complete work
  • Seek help from the school if they need it – if you know of any resources staff should point parents towards if they’re struggling, include those here
  • Be respectful when sharing any concerns to staff

Governing Board

The governing board is responsible for:

  • Monitoring the school’s approach to providing remote learning to ensure education remains of as high a quality as possible
  • Ensuring that staff are certain that remote learning systems are appropriately secure, for both data protection and safeguarding reasons

Links with other policies

This guidance is linked to our :

  • Behaviour policy
  • Child protection policy
  • Data protection policy
  • Online safety policy