During this challenging time, we are offering every pupil at Ore Village Primary Academy a curriculum of remote learning. At OVPA, we use ClassDojo as our safe, secure method of sharing learning with those at home.

When teaching remotely, we teach the same curriculum as we do in school, wherever possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects, to support our families that may not have learning equipment or resourcing. We have identified a few key areas of your child's learning that would benefit from regular practice at home so that they become fluent and accurate.

1. The remote curriculum: what will be taught to our pupils?

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. In the event of more than two days remote teaching, we will send out a clear and concise timetable structure. If timetables need to be amended, we will send them to our parents/carers via our ClassDojo system, this is our normal method to communicate important information. Most families, at OVPA, have access to this system. Those who do not have access will be given a printed pack. Timetables will also be uploaded to our website and can be emailed home if requested.

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

In the first instance, pupils should access learning materials via their ClassDojo page. There may be pre-recorded lessons available and tasks that can be completed at home, however this may not follow the school’s timetable for these first two days - this is because not all lessons can be easily translated into remote learning and teachers and school staff will need time to prepare new resources and lessons. We always aim to provide learning tasks that do not require too much equipment or resourcing to support families. We aim to ensure that the majority of learning tasks do not require printers.

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?

When teaching remotely, we teach the same curriculum as we do in school, wherever possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects, to support our families that may not have learning equipment or resourcing.

2. Remote teaching and study time each day

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

Our current timetables for remote learning are outlined and displayed in the phase remote learning guide. Links to each phase learning guide are included at the Top of the page

Expectations for Reading

At OVPA, we ask that all of our pupils read daily.

In EYFS words and short reading stories (Dittys) will be shared each to compliment the learning from the daily phonics sessions. We will also be providing parents/carers with online resources to support reading development.

In KS1 children follow a daily Phonics or Reading lesson. We expect children to read daily at home and Oxford Owl online library is used to facilitate this alongside a click and collect facility in school. In supporting this we will be submitting videos of different staff members reading a chapter book to promote a love of reading and to feel a connection to the school.

In LKS2 the children are set daily reading tasks on dojos. Through this, they will access different texts and stories, with a comprehension task. Some of these tasks may also involve being read to by an adult from 3/4, who will then ask questions. Children are also encouraged to read daily with an adult or be read to. We are also submitting videos of different staff members reading a chapter book to promote a love of reading and to feel a connection to the school. Children who are still in phonics groups at school are also linked to Ruth Miskin's lessons via youtube.

Children in UKS2 have been set daily tasks on dojo relating to this term's key text. Everyday, a video is uploaded of the next chapter or section, which is being read by a member of the team. The pages are also scanned in so that the children can mute the video and choose to read it to themselves or have a family member read it with them. They are set a daily comprehension task, which relates to the chapter they have heard and encouraged to share this on dojo, via the portfolio. Our remote learning T4W unit has opportunities for the children to read as a reader. We also encourage the children to listen to the whole class story at the end of the day.

Across all year groups, teachers will read to the children on a daily basis.

Expectations for physical activity and well-being activities

At OVPA, we will set daily and weekly physical activity challenges, which children can access. We will also use brain breaks and physical movement challenges within our daily routine as this motivates, energises and reinvigorates pupils, especially when they have sat at a device for a period of time.

We also set regular well-being activities, challenging children to think and reflect on their own well-being, their happiness and teaching, or revising mindfulness techniques to support them and their families led by our Pupil Wellbeing Champion

3. Accessing remote education

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

Every pupil attending Ore Village Primary Academy will be given a Classdojo login, whereby pre-recorded lessons and independent tasks will all be available using this platform. Teachers often schedule the lessons and activities throughout the day. Pre-recorded learning links will remain on Classdojo, allowing parents to access these later in the day.

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

We recognise that some pupils may not have suitable online access at home due to devices or data allowances. We take the following approaches to support those pupils to access remote education:

• Support through the offer of a laptop, chromebook or ipad (if possible)

• Support the family to access extra data by applying on behalf of families to the DfE recognised providers for a mobile phone data top-up or allowing devices to connect (hotspot) to mobile phones to access the internet. In addition, we are able to apply for 4G data dongles if families meet the DfE criteria.

• Offer paper versions where possible or an alternative approach that does not require teacher input.

• Offer places at school for vulnerable pupils including those with an EHCP.

If a device is lent to a family/pupil, we will ensure that a user agreement is completed and signed. The devices must be returned to school at the agreed date/time. Devices must only be used for the purpose of accessing virtual learning and must not be lent or used by another person. By signing the agreement, parents take responsibility for any damage or loss and the costs involved and are given guidance about how to store and look after the device securely.

If printed resources are required, the school will provide these for parents by delivering to their house or arranging a click and collect service at designated times. This learning may not be fully in line with all lessons taught in school as some lessons require a teacher led section of the lessons.

Any work completed by pupils should be uploaded to the portfolio section of Classdojo to allow teachers to give feedback in response. Work completed, for those without online access, can be returned to the School Office and will be marked by teachers. Pupils may choose to upload the work directly or to upload a photo of work. Work can also be emailed directly to the class teacher, if pre-agreed, or to the School Office.

How will my child be taught remotely?

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

• Pre-recorded teaching (online lessons) with school staff

• Pre-recorded teaching (e.g. Oak National Academy lessons, Joe Wicks PE sessions)

• Reading books pupils have at home

• Tasks and learning activities set by school staff

• Well-being tasks set by our school’s Wellbeing lead.

4. 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?

We ask that our pupils:

• Are ready and prepared with pencil/pen and paper for each lesson

• Focus, as they would in class

• Ask for help as required from both parent(s) and teachers

• Upload work when completed to ClassDojo

We ask that parents:

• Organise a quiet, safe space for pupil remote learning

• Support your child to login and select the correct lessons/tasks where necessary.

• Support children to have learning resources - pencil/pen and paper

• Contact the school office if there are any issues with remote learning or accessing tasks etc.

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

Teachers will check work on a daily basis. and will contact parents if there are any concerns.

If engagement is a concern, a member of staff will contact the family regularly to discuss and to seek a solution to this.

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:

To give effective feedback we:

• Give instant written feedback - where work has been submitted via Classdojo.

• Mark pieces uploaded to Classdojo - either from the ‘portfolio’ or ‘direct message’.

• Award DoJo points in line with our behaviour policy

• Use Google quizzes (Where appropriate) which mark and feedback instantly

• Give whole class feedback which acts as a basis to our planning for upcoming lessons and teaching.

5. 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 some pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may not be able to access remote education without extensive 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:

• For pupils on our SEND register, our teachers will contact pupils and parents as with the rest of the class, offering alternative learning, if required

• Our SENDCo will continue to support our SEND pupils with regular contact with pupils and families, to support where necessary.

• Complete risk assessments for vulnerable SEND pupils who could access learning in school - EHCP pupils for example.

• Liaise with families to support effective remote provision

How will you work with me to help my Pupil Premium child to access remote education?

At OVPA, our Pupil Premium is overseen by our Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL). As part of their role they will maintain and monitor contact with all PP families and pupils on a weekly basis. Our DSL will work closely with families and teachers to ensure provision and support is effective and to be able to signpost our families to different agencies or support networks. Our DSL works closely with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to ensure that access, provision and support is effective and sustained

6. Remote education for self-isolating pupils

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

Remote learning will continue to take place for shielded or isolating pupils. School staff will continue to use pre-recorded lessons both internal and externally produced. The timetable, following lockdown, will link with the normal school routine and day. A copy of timetables will be made available on ClassDojo and on our website through our ‘Parent Guides’.

If you would like to see our Remote learning policy then click here