As you may be aware, schools are required to have a remote learning plan in place so that any child who cannot attend school because of Covid-19 does not miss out on their learning.

This page explains our plan for remote learning for children who have to self-isolate, or where local or national restrictions mean that children need to stay at home. Our remote learning plan has been made with our pupils and their families in mind. We believe that this strategy will work best for the children at Bridgeview Special School.

The aims of our plan:

• To provide access to learning from the 1st or 2nd day following notification of absence
• To provide lessons and activities which replicate learning that is happening within school each day.
• To provide regular telephone contact between home and school to support with technical assistance, learning activities and emotional well-being
• To help pupils return to school with minimal gaps in their learning arising from their absence

Our tiered approach:

We have a tiered approach to respond to various levels of self-isolation

• Tier 1 – individual pupils who are required to stay at home for 10 or 14 days
• Tier 2 – a bubble sent home for 2 weeks

Tier 1 Response – individual pupils sent home for 10 or 14 days

• Either the school is notified by parents or the school sends the child home.
• Admin will contact the parent on the 1^st day to confirm if the child has safe internet access to online learning materials.
• Class teacher will ensure remote learning is uploaded to the school website.
• Work set will replicate, as far as possible, work carried out in lessons each day, usually sharing PowerPoint slides.
• There will be no teacher support during the day, given that the teachers are working in class in school.
• The class teacher will ring the family at least once per week to see how they are accessing the learning and reassure.
• The safeguarding team will ring the family at least once per week to offer support.

Tier 2 Response – a bubble sent home for 2 weeks

• Teachers and teaching assistants will also be isolating at home
• Admin will contact all parents in the class on the 1^st day after notification to confirm if the child has safe internet access to online learning materials.
• Class teachers will upload work on to Microsoft classrooms and the school website from the 1^st day after notification. Work will be scheduled each day.
• If the teachers are ill, then the school will aim to still set some work – but this will be dependent on staffing capacity.
• Work on Microsoft classrooms will replicate, as far as possible, work carried out in lessons each day, making use of the PowerPoint slides. It will cover as much of the days’ lessons and areas of curriculum as is practically possible.
• There will be a combination of live and recorded lessons. Teachers will be able to make use of recorded lessons e.g. narrated Powerpoints or resources such as Oak Academy recorded lessons. This will enable families with multiple siblings/ limited technology to access the recordings at their convenience
• Teaching of phonics and story time will be prioritised for live teaching.
• There will times in the day when class staff will be available on Microsoft classroom to maintain social contact and provide feedback on learning.
• The class teacher will ring the family at least once per week to see how they are accessing the learning and reassure.
• The safeguarding team will ring the family at least once per week to offer support.

More about the content of the remote learning

The class teacher will plan remote learning for each child based on prior achievements and most recent assessment information. Remote learning for each class will be shared in the curriculum area of the school website.

www.whitehouse-pru.org.uk and on Microsoft classrooms if the bubble is isolating.

We will be shortly sending out a guide of how to access Microsoft classroom.

Remote learning will include:

• daily activities for English and mathematics
• wider curriculum activities which may include art, science, theme, PSHE

In addition, all children have been set up to have access to the following online learning programmes:

Stationary packs

Stationary packs have been prepared for the children needing to isolate. These packs include; pencils, crayons, rulers and exercise books.  You will be contacted to see if you require a pack.

Basic skills learning resources

Children will be given learning resources for writing and maths appropriate to their age and stage of learning. This may include hundred square, number lines, times table chart, alphabet strip, phoneme mats.

What you can do to help

We appreciate that if this situation arises, it may present some challenges for you. We kindly ask for your support so that we can continue to provide high-quality education for your child during this time.

Younger children in particular may need support in accessing online materials and staying focused with their remote learning. We ask that you help them as much as you can.

At the same time, we don’t expect you to sit doing school work with your child all day. However, it would be really helpful if you can take an active role in your child’s learning by asking them about their day and what they’ve learned.

Our top tips:

• Try to encourage your child to be ready and dressed for the start of the school day.
• Create a timetable with your child to break the day up into manageable chunks.
• Distinguish between weekdays and weekends, and make it clear when the school day is over, to separate home and school life.
• Try to create a quiet working space away from distractions.
• Plan breaks and exercise into the day to help keep your child active

Please keep in touch with us and do let us know if you’re having any difficulties with remote learning, or if you have any questions.