Blended learning provision: information for parents

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education if a pupil is absent but able to continue their education from home.

Blended learning curriculum: what is taught to pupils at home

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 a pupil working from home?

• Tutors will contact home to identify the most appropriate method of learning for each pupil (packs sent home, or if able to access online material work will be uploaded to the school website).  
• Lessons (including resources) that follow the routine 3-part structure of starter, main and plenary will be uploaded to the school website (under class pages) ready for day one. These can be then downloaded and completed. Lessons will be in timetable order and will relate to the same curriculum that is being taught in school for each subject.
• For those that struggle to work with technology; packs will be sent home the following day (and where ever possible will be delivered in person to speed up the process).
• TEAMs lessons will be offered on a case by case basis for those that have access to technology and based on the form tutor’s timetable. TEAMs lessons will be offered based on need and will be through 1-1 lessons or class sessions if there is a class closure. This includes well-being times such as breakfast, lunch and assembly over TEAMS.

Following the first few days of blended learning, will my child be taught broadly the same curriculum as they would if they were in school?

Our core approach towards remote learning at Maplefields is to teach the same curriculum remotely as we offer in school wherever possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects. For example, practical subjects such as PE, where the overall focus has been adapted towards fitness, health and well-being to support families at home. Identified lessons will still deliver the PE curriculum, with equipment being delivered out to pupils to support them with this. Other practical subjects such as Art and DT will also adapt their curriculum where necessary to make use of the resources that are available to pupils.

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:

Accessing Blended learning

How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?

The school website will offer the core resources needed for Blended learning in each subject across whole school. Primary groups will have a virtual week timetabled (for longer absences) for them whereas Secondary will have their usual timetabled lessons uploaded for each school day.

How will my child be taught remotely?

We use a combination of the following approaches to teach pupils remotely:

• live teaching (online lessons using TEAMs)
• recorded teaching (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, video/audio recordings made by teachers)
• printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g. workbooks, worksheets)
• textbooks and reading books pupils have at home
• commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences
• long-term project work and/or internet research activities (as per the schools full opening guidance, schools full opening guidance, schools are expected to avoid an over-reliance on these approaches)

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?

• Class staff are on hand to support either the parents/carer’s or pupils where possible
• Expectation is for work to be sent back either by post or upon attendance back to school and will be marked as per the school marking policy. Work can also be collected if needed. This will be assessed on a case by case basis.
• Helpful tips and information can also be sent home with packs to offer support of where to find additional help online.

How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?

• Regular contact (phone calls or TEAMs 2/3 times a week as per home-school liaison policy) will be made via the class teacher/form tutor to address any misconceptions and to set reminders of the expectations to return work to school.
• We welcome parent/carers to contact the school to discuss any further concerns regarding pupil work.

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:

• All work that is returned and marked will be added to pupil’s in school work and will be marked as per the school marking policy to maintain consistency. This then supports the assessment process for the next available assessment point.