Home Learning Information
VT Primary & Special Provision
Information about our Remote Education
This information is published on our websites from 25 January 2021 to support understanding of what pupils, parents and carers should expect during periods of school closure or pupil isolation relating to coronavirus (COVID-19).
Fairlawn Primary School
Named person responsible for remote learning:
Bern Langton Bernard.langton@fairlawnschoolbristol.org
Assistant Principal, Remote Learning Lead
Remote education provision: information for parents
What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?
In the first days of absence, class teachers will export their daily teaching slides to video and embed them into eSchools with supporting notes and resources.
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?
At Fairlawn Primary School, we teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school whenever this is possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects. For example, art or science where resources and equipment may not be available at home. In these instances, appropriate curriculum linked project work will be provided.
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:
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Key Stage 1 |
3 hours, as recommended by Department for Education guidance. |
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Key Stage 2 |
4 hours, as recommended by Department for Education guidance. |
Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?
Fairlawn pupils will access teaching resources through the web based eSchools platform. Teachers will upload videos, presentations, web links and resources to be downloaded or viewed online at home. Our aim is that all resources are web based, paperless wherever possible and no proprietary software is required to access them.
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:
- If parents have specific hardware or connectivity issues, they should t the school directly. We will endeavor to provided school, trust, DfE and LA resources to support wherever possible
- If pupils need access to printed materials, parents should contact the class teacher, paper copies will be made available for collection through the school office or by delivery where agreed.
- Pupils who do not have online access to submit their work can drop completed home learning at the school office for their teacher to respond to.
How will my child be taught remotely?
At Fairlawn Primary School, we use a combination of the following approaches to teach pupils remotely:
- Each pupil is issued a ‘Home Learning Journal’ and login details for eSchools.
- Every day, teachers will produce a video presentation of core subjects (spelling, phonics, handwriting, writing and maths).
- Daily videos may combine visual resources, teacher narration, teacher video, recorded gestures and animation.
- The pupils will pause the video when directed and complete activities in their Home Learning Journal.
Core Subjects
- The maths curriculum follows the White Rose Maths scheme and teachers will provide links to White Rose Maths videos and resources alongside their own teaching.
- Writing remains linked to our enquiry core texts and includes spelling,
punctuation and grammar sentence level work building up to longer pieces of extended writing. - Spelling consolidates previously taught rules following the Schofield and Sims spelling programme including scans of the workbook where appropriate.
- Handwriting continues to follow the Penpals handwriting scheme and includes scans of the workbook and practise book.
- Pupils will read levelled books digitally via BugClub and complete embedded comprehension checking questions.
- From Years 2-6 pupils have access to Times Table Rockstars to practice multiplication tables. From Year 1, pupils also have access to Numbots to practise fluency and number sense.
Reception and Phonics
- In Reception and Year 1, where appropriate, teachers will upload daily phonics videos that follow the letters and sounds progression.
- Reception pupils will be set compulsory weekly learning for Phonics, Maths and Literacy and chose from optional activities in the Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design areas of learning.
Enquiry
- Eight foundation subject activities linked to the current enquiry are set each week for pupils to choose from. A number of these link to National Curriculum outcomes and will be marked Key Learning and are mandatory, others are optional.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Mental Health and wellbeing activities related to the 5 ways to wellbeing are available as optional activities through eSchools.
Remote Class Meetups
- Throughout the home learning period there will be regular remote class meetups. These are an opportunity for pupils to reconnect with their teacher and peers and discuss their home learning.
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?
Pupils are expected to engage with all daily core subject teaching and record evidence of their learning in their Home Learning Journals.
Throughout the week, pupils should complete the enquiry project work, linked to National Curriculum outcomes, marked Key Learning as a minimum. Any remaining activities are optional and can be used to extend, enhance, or inspire.
Parents should support their pupils to complete Home Learning by:
- Assisting them with technology and access to eSchools.
- Providing a clear routine, designated workspace, and an environment which pupils can concentrate in.
- Answering questions and explaining concepts, where possible, and when unable to taking part in the learning journey together.
- Praising pupils’ efforts and assisting them to upload evidence to their eSchools blog.
How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?
Teachers will monitor pupils’ engagement with remote education by checking evidence uploaded to the eSchools blog.
Teachers will monitor pupils’ activity on BugClub for evidence of reading comprehension work.
If teachers are concerned about lack of pupil engagement with Remote Learning, they will make monitoring phone calls to parents and carers to support them.
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:
Teachers will check and comment on pupil blogs, uploaded photographic and video evidence daily and monitor engagement throughout the week. Remote class meetups will provide an opportunity for teachers to discuss and feedback on remote education.
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:
At Fairlawn the Wellbeing and Inclusion team consisting of Senco DSL/EY lead and Pastoral lead have discussed every child on the SEN register individually- from those at low level School Based Support level, to those with EHCP. We have considered barriers to accessing remote learning and adaptations that can be made. SLT have reviewed and improved the whole school remote learning offer to ensure as easily accessible to all pupils as possible.
We have provided differentiated learning for identified pupils as physical work packs which have been delivered to homes. For specific children with autism this has involved sending home practical, familiar tasks based on their school work-station tasks, for children with SEMH we have created engaging activities that reflect how they work in school and can be accessed independently. We have provided any necessary physical and practical learning resources-
Within Early Years there is a mix of accessible video links from the teacher, with lessons in a familiar and accessible visual format e.g. phonics- where the child can join in with minimum of support. There are also play based activities based on the EY curriculum which an adult can set up for the child or play alongside their child. We continue to check in with parents and make adjustments for individual children with SEN as appropriate
We have named key people who will check in a minimum of weekly with each child and engagement will be tracked and discussed to support us in the differentiation and adjustments made.
We have sought advice from outside agencies such as Sensory Services to help us individualise our offer for those with very specific needs.
Remote education for self-isolating pupils
Where individual pupils 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?
Teachers will export their daily teaching slides to video and embed them into eSchools with supporting notes and resources. These may not be as comprehensive and well produced as whole class remote learning but the pupils will follow the same curriculum as their peers during periods of self-isolation.