Remote Learning
Remote education provision: Information for parents
This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils, parents or carers of Stafford Manor High School about what to expect from remote education where national or local restrictions require entire cohorts (or bubbles) to remain at home.
A personalised approach is at the heart of what we do at Stafford Manor High School and we offer a structured approach that can be tailored to the needs of each individual.
We strive to ensure all children have access to academic support whilst also continuing to provide comprehensive pastoral support to continue education in the widest sense.
We continue to have the highest expectations of our pupils and it is a requirement that all children will continue their learning at home. We understand the individual challenges families might face and will offer assistance as required.
For details of what to expect where individual pupils are self-isolating, please see the final section of this page.
​
The remote curriculum: what is taught to pupils at home
All efforts will be made to continue to follow existing curriculum plans although sequences of learning may require adapting due to the fact children will be learning at home and may not have access to the same resources and facilities as they do at school.
A pupil’s first day or two of being educated remotely might look different from our standard approach, while we take all necessary actions to prepare for a longer period of remote teaching.
​
What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?
Our aim is for children to follow their school timetable, which maintains the breadth and flow of the curriculum studied at school. However, we may need to provide a work booklet for 1 or 2 days that will follow a set sequence of tasks depending on the circumstances and timings of school closure announcements.
We will be using email, Show My Homework and Microsoft Teams to communicate with you and provide the resources necessary alongside any ‘live’ teaching and support.
Remote teaching and study time each day
We will provide 5 hours of schoolwork per day; we appreciate that student’s work at different speeds and if more work is required please contact your teacher during the session and they can provide any extension tasks necessary or look for ways your work can be improved.
Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?
We use Show My Homework and the Microsoft Office 365 Education package. Office 365 allows your child to access their school email account, Word, PowerPoint etc. alongside Teams, which is the platform we are using for the ‘live’ elements of remote learning. Help guides are available on our website by following the link: Remote Learning links
There are various methods of accessing this work. Show My Homework is accessed via a web browser or by downloading their app., Microsoft Teams is best accessed through a web browser by searching for Microsoft 365.
All students at Stafford Manor High School can download the Microsoft package (Word, PowerPoint etc.) onto their home computer, free of charge. If you do not already have this, then please contact school so we can give you access to the download for Microsoft Office.
Students are able to access their lessons using a variety of devices – phone, tablet, laptop, desktop computer or a gaming console (Xbox or PlayStation).
If you are struggling with access please contact school so we can discuss our options. The Government has provided schools with a limited number of laptops for us to lend whilst remote learning is taking place but we also are able to loan a keyboard and mouse to turn your gaming console into a computer. If you require extra data for your phone then please click here to provide us with the relevant information and we can apply on your behalf (this also has the instructions for turning your Xbox or PlayStation into a computer).
Our lessons are designed in such a way that no photocopying is needed and students can complete work on computer or paper. If you require any stationary, e.g. paper or pens then please contact the school using the normal channels.
We are able to offer paper resources for lessons if these are required which can either be collected from reception or posted home.
How will my child be taught remotely?
Remote learning at Stafford Manor High School was designed taking into account a number of factors; what is right for our students and families, key government guidance and researching the very best practice available which includes Ofsted’s report on what’s working well in remote education following their interim visits, research and literature reviews:
We use a combination of the following approaches to teach pupils remotely:
-
Live teaching (online lessons) through Microsoft Teams following the students normal timetable. Resources, instructions, links to Teams and timings are also available on Show My Homework
-
Recorded teaching using Powerpoints where staff introduce the task, identify common misconceptions and help students start the tasks – there is more flexibility in deciding when to complete this as it is always available. We are also using some of the amazing resources that are available such as The Oak National Academy lessons, BBC bitesize and BBC live lessons etc.
-
Printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g. workbooks, worksheets)
-
Textbooks and reading books pupils have at home
-
We use a number of other websites such as GCSEpod and Mr Barton Maths which support the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips generated by our own staff e.g. Mr BarnesTeaches Chemistry
-
Where a member of staff is not available for a ‘live’ lesson due to illness or other absence they will clearly state that this is the case when work is set, and that they will respond to any queries/questions at a later date. Work will still be set, resources made available and work will still need submitting.
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?
Although we appreciate that each household has to find a way that works for them we recommend you support your child by:
-
helping them build a daily routine with a regular wake up and bedtimes, break and mealtimes.
-
helping them to be organised and ready to learn at 09:00am with their books, pen, pencil, ruler, calculator, spare paper etc. at their devices, in a quiet space if possible
-
talking to their child about their work, encouraging them to seek help from their teachers if they are unsure what to do, and praising them for doing their best.
-
talking to their child about how they are feeling and seeking support.
-
making sure they are staying hydrated through the day
-
taking opportunities to exercise/go for a walk etc.
-
ensure they take a break from their devices
-
providing encouragement and rewards for engaging with lessons
We recommend the TRUST model below for encouraging good routines and improving engagement in lessons:
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
It is important that we consider the amount of time your child is in front of a screen. We encourage teachers to set work that can be completed on paper and away from the screen. The RNIB suggest the 20:20:20 advice – every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds focusing on something 20 feet away. Their advice also encourages other activities and more details are available here: https://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health/looking-after-your-eyes/safe-eyes
By accessing the ‘live’ lessons they have their class teacher on hand to answer any questions and offer any help they might need straight away. However if they need to access the work at a different time then the resources are all available for them.
We are all experiencing a new way of learning so if something is not working then please contact either the teacher or email C19@smhs.staffs.sch.uk so we can talk about it. We will contact homes to check on how things are going with their engagement in lessons and their well-being.
We do keep a record of your child’s engagement and it is important that they message the teacher when they access the work. This can be as simple as saying ‘Hi Miss/Sir’ on the chat and then submitting their work once it is complete. If we have any concerns over your child’s engagement, we will be in contact with them to encourage them to take part in future lessons. We record each lessons engagement on the register and if they are not responding to our prompts, we will be in contact with home to discuss next steps.
There are numerous ways to submit the work – the best way is uploading it through Teams and we would encourage everybody to do this – it allows for more options when providing feedback on their work, however, work can also be emailed directly to the teacher or uploaded to SMHW.
Any work completed on paper we advise that they take a picture of it and upload.
The expectations for lessons and instructions for using Teams and uploading work can be found on our website and by clicking here.
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 provide feedback on work with the same level of regularity as they provide in class
-
teachers will use a range of tools on Teams as well as online quizzes etc. that are marked automatically alongside other written forms of feedback for extended answers
-
we plan to adapt our summative assessments so that we are able to assess how well students are progressing. We are exploring ways we will share this information to students and their families
-
teachers will continue to reward positive behaviour and hard work through our established achievement points system. Rewards continue to be available – certificates, phone calls, prizes
Expectations during ‘Live’ lessons
We share this with students at the start of each ‘live’ lesson and it is important they are read, understood and adhered to:
Before we start this session please carefully read these rules and expectations:
-
You should only be taking part in this session if your parents/carers are aware and are happy for you to attend.
-
You should not share any private information during this session.
-
You should be sensitive to the needs of others.
-
Any student who displays unacceptable behaviour will be removed from the session and reported to the behaviour team, who will then contact home.
-
Please remember to use the chat function appropriately – any misuse will be reported to the behaviour team, who will then contact home.
-
No other members of your household should be visible during the session or communicate with anybody in the lesson.
During the Session:
-
As per school rules all mobile phones or other devices that might cause a distraction should be turned off.
-
During the session please use “the hands up” icon and wait for your teacher to respond.
-
Any comments in the chat box should be ‘professional’, so no slang terms please!
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 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:
-
In the first instance if you or your child is struggling with home learning, please contact the SENCo to see what support we can offer. Contact a.rushton@smhs.staffs.sch.uk
-
Students with EHCPs are welcome in school and will receive Teaching Assistant (TA) support within a small group.
-
Home learning support sheets are sent out to parents with apps and programmes to assist in online learning and have a range of accessibility features, e.g. guidance on using, Flux, OpenDyslexic, Immersive Reader on Microsoft Word, Natural Readers and Colorveil.
-
Students with EHCPs, who are working from home, will have contact from our Teaching Assistants who will offer assistance, advice, and guidance.
-
Students with EHCP’s have access to our Teaching Assistants e-mails and live lessons where they can ask the subject teacher for support either within the class or from a break out room.
-
Students on the SEN register will have a weekly contact from the inclusion team (TA/ Assistant SENCo or SENCo).
​
The following websites may also be useful:
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?
We will provide work through SMHW (or Teams if preferred) but the ‘live’ element will not be possible due to the teacher’s commitments in school. They will be taught a planned and well-sequenced curriculum with meaningful and ambitious work each day in a number of different subjects, including providing feedback.
Children at home can continue to seek support through a range of channels – e.g. email, SMHW messaging, main school office
