Remote education provision: information for parents/carers
This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to students and parents/carers about what to expect from remote education where their child is isolating due to COVID19 or where national or local restrictions require students to remain at home.
The remote curriculum: what is taught to pupils at home
On news of a positive case or symptoms of COVID19, we will communicate with parents/carers as soon as feasibly possible to explain our expectations regarding home learning from day 1.
What should my child expect from immediate remote education in the first day or two of pupils being sent home?
All Commonweal students are expected to access learning via Edulink One primarily (the homework section) and the information presented on this page of the website.
The Edulink One homework will clearly state the teacher’s intentions for the allocated curriculum lesson and where students will need to go for their learning – i.e. an Oak National Academy lesson or a pre-recorded PowerPoint. Other instructions may also be applied here.
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?
We endeavour to deliver a similar term-by-term curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some areas of learning.
We can of course, provide the technology to facilitate their learning. If your child is unable to access home learning via a PC/laptop/tablet/mobile phone you can contact head@commonweal.co.uk where we can provide this technology for you.
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 will take pupils broadly the same number of hours as per the school day. We operate a 5-hour daily timetable. Students therefore have 49 hours of work to complete across the fortnight. Students in C6, depending on their hours of study, will be provided with the same curriculum hours as per usual.
Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?
Edulink One – https://www.edulinkone.com
Microsoft Teams – https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-teams/download-app
(we recommend you download the app)
Microsoft365 – https://myapplications.microsoft.com/
Microsoft Forms – https://forms.office.com/
Powerpoint – https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/powerpoint
Word – https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/word
Oak National Academy – https://www.thenational.academy/
If my child does not have digital or online access at home, how will you support them to access remote education?
We recognise that some students may not have suitable online access at home. We take the following approaches to support those pupils to access remote education:
- If your child is unable to access home learning via a PC/laptop/tablet/mobile phone or you have WIFI issues, you can contact head@commonweal.co.uk to find a solution
- If your child is not able to work at home effectively, we will support them in school.
How will my child learn remotely?
We have asked subject area to provide relevant, challenging work for students across the years and subjects. Where the student does not have work on Edulink One to do, please ask them complete the work below.
Teachers will provide learning activities to enable students to ‘construct meaning’ and ‘apply to demonstrate’ their learning. Some examples of this include:
- Using worksheets – usually on PowerPoint, Word or PDF
- Using online textbooks and reading books
- Accessing publicly available/subscription-based websites
- Long-term project work and/or internet research activities
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 are aware that home contexts vary and that some families are working more flexibly because of WIFI bandwidth and the availability of shared resources etc. Please contact your child’s tutor or specific teachers if there are ongoing issues with the completion of work.
Please ensure that your child is up and ready for each day of school allowing them to be engage positively in their learning. Where possible, your child should have somewhere quiet to work and they should be regularly monitored. If we can do anything to help support you or if you have any concerns about your child’s wellbeing you can email wellbeingsupport@commonweal.co.uk or speak to your child’s tutor.
How will you check whether my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns?
Where we have a significant lack of engagement in work our teachers are setting, we may be in contact with students and their parents/carers as to how we can support them.
How will Commonweal assess my child’s work and progress?
Feedback can take many forms and may not always mean extensive written comments for individual children – we cannot physically collect in exercise books if the students is not in school.
In the virtual world, quizzes marked automatically via digital platforms such as Microsoft Forms, Hegarty Maths and LanguageNut. These platforms are valid and effective methodologies, amongst many others. Subject areas may differ in their approach during this short period.
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 SEND students 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 endeavour work with parents and carers to support those pupils in the following ways:
- Staff who normally support that year group will contact key SEND students (prioritising EHCP) either via phone, email or Microsoft Teams to check how they are finding the work and will offer support
- SEND students who have specialist resources will be provided with them to use at home
- All EHCP students who normally access keyworker support will continue to receive keyworker support virtually
- We are aiming to set work for those that usually have in-school intervention sessions
Links to COVID19 Isolation Work subject folders on SharePoint below: