At present, the school is open as usual and all pupils should be attending as normal, this page outlines are strategy should we be required to move to a remote learning approach for some or all of our pupils.

What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?

All work will be set via Class Dojo, acting as the virtual classroom. Parents and pupils can access this through the app on their phone or through a website.  If you have lost your login please email your class teacher who will be able to send a new invite.

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?

Yes. It is our intention to deliver the same curriculum as we would at school. If it’s appropriate to do so the order of some topics will be moved about so that the work set at home is accessible and allows pupils to continue to make progress. Pupils will, however, over the course of the year cover all of the content we intended to within our planned curriculum. For more details of our curriculum please click here where you will find further details about what we teach in each subject, broken down by year.

How long can I expect work set by the school to take my child each day?

They will have 20 minutes phonics (EYFS and KS1) or 20 minutes Grammar, spelling and punctuation (KS2), 1-hour English (reading and writing) 1-hour mathematics and 2 hours foundation subjects through our creative curriculum. Prep and elective time will also be set.

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

They may use any device capable of accessing the internet. Many pupils simply use their mobile phone or tablet. All work will be accessible through Class Dojo.  In addition, live lessons will be offered using Microsoft Teams which is available as an app on mobile phone platforms, windows or MacOS. Parents will be sent the Microsoft teams link to access live lessons via email and Class Dojo.

If my child does not have digital or online access at home, how will you support them to access remote education?

Please contact office@catmoseprimary.com  who will be able to offer you support and advice. We will do what we can to help.  Printed packs of work will also be available to collect from School when needed.

How will my child be taught remotely?

Online lessons will be set using Class Dojo, complemented by live lessons using Microsoft Teams.  A minimum of one live lesson as day will be offered. Teachers may also ask pupils to attend additional live lessons. A register of attendance will be taken and we will seek your support if pupils do not attend.

If pupils struggle with any work that is set, please message the class teacher using their email or via Class Dojo.  Pupils should look to complete other work whilst they wait for a response. Any child needing 1.1 support will be offered this via Class Dojo.

What happens in my child’s lessons if a member of staff needs to isolate as a result of Covid-19 symptoms?

If they are well enough, then they will set work on Class Dojo and then if appropriate join the lesson virtually using Teams. An additional member of staff will be deployed to support the teacher delivering the virtual lesson from home.  School staff will be deployed to cover the class to ensure good progress and consistency.

What are your expectations for my child’s engagement and the support that we as parents and carers should provide at home?

Our expectations for remote learning are the same as they would be at school.

We know from the last lockdown that pupils who established good routines early found working from home more manageable, please therefore discuss with your child expectations around getting up in the morning, attending lessons, completing work in good time and being proactive in seeking help if they are struggling with anything. We are very mindful of pupil’s wellbeing and the additional pressure of needing to isolate.  Regular live lessons will ensure contact with class teachers continues and that pupils see their class friends.

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

We will monitor the work completed and submitted on Class Dojo using the Pupil Profile and contact parents directly if we are concerned. Likewise, teachers will be taking registers for live lessons, checking work is submitted on time, marking it and providing feedback in the usual way.

We will continue to contact parents when we have concerns about their child. We also encourage parents to contact teachers directly using email or via Class Dojo if you have any concerns about the work being too hard, too easy, too much or too little.

How will you assess my child’s work and progress?

Teachers will mark and follow up with additional support with pupils who have not completed work, or their work is below their usual standard. We will still follow our published assessment calendar of checkpoints and key assessments, the results of which will be reported home in the usual way. We will also continue to offer our usual progress evening albeit online so that you can discuss your child with their teacher.

How will you work with me to help my child who needs additional support from adults at home to access remote education?

Following individual risk assessments, students with EHC plans will be educated on-site unless it is considered unsafe for them and they will have access to their usual support.

For those pupils who are working from home and need additional support, support will be made available via Microsoft Teams.

If my child is not in school because they are self-isolating or are ill for another reason, how will their remote education differ from the approaches described above? 

Prior to lockdown, classwork was not routinely set for pupils who were absent. However, in order to keep pupils’ learning on track as a result of any absence, we have changed this approach. In addition to prep, classwork will now be set by the end of each working day by teachers on Class Dojo so that those who are absent, whether COVID–19 related or not, will be able to do their classwork as well as prep, if they are well enough. If pupils struggle with the work or need further help, then please email the teacher directly or message using Class Dojo but be aware that teachers are unlikely to be able to respond immediately because of their usual teaching commitments. Pupils should move onto another piece of work until they receive the help they need.

Once the pupil returns to school, teachers will review their work and, if the pupil was not well enough to finish it, teachers will give the pupil support and time to complete it.

If your child is struggling with their workload, please contact the class teacher who can look at a plan to ensure that key subjects are covered with a clear plan to cover missed lessons when they return to school.

To find out more information about Covid Procedures at Catmose Primary please click here.