Remote Education

Mount Pleasant remote education offers you instant access to continue your learning at home. We use an online learning platform for all parents and children. It allows children to access online learning from home through a range of materials and resources. From the government’s Oak Online Classroom, to our very own teachers uploaded sessions for you to complete in the comfort of your own home. It allows parents / carers to monitor their child's learning and achievements, receiving the latest news and updates, as well as a platform to communicate with teaching staff.

"We believe in today’s growing digital world we need to provide our children with the knowledge on how to access online materials successfully and the tools to cope with the demands of working online."

Schools have been required by law to provide effective education to those children who are unable to access face to face teaching; Mount Pleasant has risen to the challenge! This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to families about what to expect from us in relation to remote education - if restrictions require entire cohorts (or bubbles) to remain at home, or if individual children are self-isolating (see last section).

The information is organised by the key questions that families may have regarding our remote education offer.

What will we be expected to do at home?

Parents/carers will be expected to continue educating their child with support from the online offer provided by the school. This will be a range of lessons (see section below).
Government guidance suggested that schooling should be at least 3 hours for KS1 and 4 hours for KS2. We expect that you do what you can.
It is an ideal opportunity to teach life skills – helping to do jobs around the house and preparing and cooking meals.
Play games together- jigsaws, board games etc.
Keep the day as structured a possible so that children expect the same routines- just like school.

How does the remote curriculum align with the ‘normal’ school curriculum?

The remote curriculum which the children will follow closely mirrors the learning that would have taken place in the classroom. For example, children will still progress through our English and maths scheme at the same pace as if they were in school.
The remote curriculum will also encompass the vast majority of subjects that the children experience in school. Whilst some learning experiences that would have taken place in school are simply not possible via remote learning (e.g. the more practical aspects of the Design Technology, Science, PE and Computing curricula), teachers will either move this learning to a period when children return to school, or source alternative theoretical learning to mirror the learning intention (e.g. a video of a science experiment, or online simulation).
Whilst PE cannot be taught remotely, we do expect that children take part in physical exercise and challenges as directed through our remote learning tasks.

How are days of remote learning structured? How will you teach my child and what will a day look like?

Each day, we aim to ensure that our children take part in approximately 3 hours of teaching and study time. This is achieved by…

A day in the life of a Year 6 child:

Morning registration – a chance to welcome the pupils on a morning, explain the activities of the day and answer any questions that the children may have
Task 1: Class novel – pre-recorded by the class teacher
Task 2: An English lesson (writing or grammar based) – with pre-recorded teaching and accompanying tasks
Task 3: Reading - use of class novel and other texts with built on questions relating to what the children have just read. Focus on vocabulary, inference, prediction, explanation, retrieval, sequencing and summarising
Task 4: A mathematics lesson - with pre-recorded teaching and accompanying tasks including Problem of the Day and the main task
Task 5: Another curriculum subject lesson – children will complete a variety of subject learning tasks across the weeks, reflecting the range of subjects taught in school
An Open Zoom or Teams session – where children and families can touch base with the class teacher and fellow classmates, to discuss their learning and gain additional help, if required

In addition to this, some children and families may also receive a phone call, as part of the rolling programme of individual ‘check ins’ or to support learning following a review of work from the class teacher, teaching assistant or Home School Mentor.

Exercise books and workbooks are sent home to support the taught sessions and to facilitate appropriate recording. Photographs of this work can be uploaded to Dojo / Teams for feedback. Click on link below to view your child's learning approach:

Which tools and platforms do you use in order to deliver the remote learning?

Class Dojo – this is the primary hosting platform – where all tasks are ‘housed’ and children can respond to tasks set. This can be accessed via an app or website link.
English is accessed through staff reading to the pupils in both live and pre-recorded videos, access to phonics play, Twinkl, Epic reading and other online platforms to build upon and reinforce learning which would also take place within school to strengthen and support teaching
TTRockStarts / NumBots – an online revision platform where children complete a series of mathematical tasks.
WhiteRose hub - an online maths platform to build upon and reinforce learning which would also take place within school to strengthen and support teaching.
Zoom/Teams – families will follow the allocated daily link to access an open Zoom meeting.
Learning videos are uploaded to the school YouTube channel – but only accessible via unlisted link.

We do not expect families to have access to any specific software or printing facilities – as all requirements are housed within our platforms.

What if we don’t have the ‘kit’ needed for online learning?

We recognise that for some families, remote education is daunting and may not have the equipment that is required. In order to help, we can:

Provide a limited number of iPads/laptops to families for free, through a home-school loan agreement.
Source 4G mobile internet for families who do not have internet in the family home.
Provide a place in school, where vulnerable children and critical workers are able to attend. Not being able to access any home learning can make a child ‘vulnerable’.

Families at home will be contacted to ensure that they are prepared and able to support the remote education plans at home.

How much do you expect children to engage in the learning and what will happen if you are concerned about levels of engagement? How will you support us as a family?

We expect all children at home to engage in the teaching and study activities set each day.
If a child does not access home learning for more than one day, a call home is made to see how school can remove any potential barriers so that remote learning can resume. This may include staff providing additional tutorials online to show families how to access specific learning tasks, or staff supporting families to plan effective remote learning routines. If these cannot be embedded or prove unsuccessful, a place may be offered in school, where vulnerable children and critical workers are able to attend. Not accessing any home learning can make a child ‘vulnerable’.
We have deliberately ensured that most of the teaching is pre-recorded to support families who have several children at home (who may share a device), or where adults may be home-working – so that the tasks can be completed as flexibly as possible.

The daily ‘check-in’ is designed as an opportunity to support children and families each day. Staff also have time built in to the day to phone parents and respond to emails/dojo messages from families who have queries or concerns.

How will my child receive feedback on their learning?

The Dojo platform allows teachers to feedback on all individual pieces of work – through both written and verbal feedback. Teachers have allocated time to provide this feedback each day. The school day finishes at 4.30 and so teachers will respond to any messages the following day.
The Dojo platform provides instant feedback to children and staff regarding both engagement and performance.

The rolling programme of phone calls give an opportunity for staff to praise and feedback in more depth, where required.

What will happen if my child has additional needs and requires additional support?

Each day, staff review engagement and achievement of all children in their class. If a child appears to require additional support,1:1 phone calls or a ‘Zoom’ meeting will be arranged.
Tasks can be differentiated at individual level via Class Dojo. E.g. to help scaffold and support the children who are ‘working towards’ the expected standard and can also provide depth and challenge for the children who are above the national standard.
Children who have an EHCP or support plan, who are not in school, will be afforded additional contact via the staff who typically support them in school. This will be additional to the general individual ‘check ins’ that are planned each week.
Children with visual problems will be posted reading scheme books, so they spend less time on screen than other children.
The Home School Mentors and Mrs Blackham will be closely monitoring and supporting anyone who feels that they need additional guidance, in any aspect of home schooling.
Any SEND needs please contact our SENCO for advice and support and click on the SEND links at bottom of page.

What will remote learning look like if my child is self-isolating, but the majority of the class are in school?

Daily learning tasks will be allocated via Dojo. These will match, or closely match, those that the children in school are completing. Engagement will be monitored and feedback and support provided in line with the above protocols.
Children will have reading books that remain at home and access to Epic reading (website of e-books) and phonics activities through Phonics Play

If appropriate, some isolating children may join a lesson via Zoom/Teams.

This information has been formulated in line with DFE guidance found here

The following logos are links to the primary learning platforms or resources which we use. Your children should have their log in details, but if not - simply contact your child's class teacher.