Remote Learning - 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.
For details of what to expect where individual pupils are self-isolating, please see the final section of this page.
The academy lead for remote learning is Chris Brett, Principal (c.brett@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk).
How are we doing? It really does mean a lot to us when parents contact us to give us feedback. Click here to read some parents comments. Of course, we can't get everything right so if there is something you are not happy with please email us at info@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk. We want to know about this too, so please do tell us.
The remote 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 pupils being sent home?
Work for all classes is set on MS Teams, regardless of any students self-isolating. This always takes the form of:
- A lesson presentation
- An Assignment to complete and return to the teacher
It may also include video and audio explanations from the teacher or other online learning platforms to support the students to complete the assignment.
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?
Our Curriculum for all students is purposefully designed to be broad, balanced and rigorous. The ambitious and challenging skills, knowledge and understanding we choose to deliver to our students is carefully selected sequenced. It is also deeply contextual to the local things that influence our students the most. Therefore, to alter this finely prepared Curriculum for remote learning we feel would be disadvantaging our students even further.
We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate. In all our core subjects: English, Maths, Science, Humanities and Spanish students will learn same content at home as they would at school. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects. For example, our creative subjects such as Music, Drama, Art, DT, PE and ICT all need specific resources that are not always readily available at home. Therefore, they have developed new and innovative ways to continue to engage the students and help them to develop the subject specific skills needed to make progress.
Remote teaching and study time each day
How long can I expect work set by the school to take my child each day?
Students in Key Stage 3 (Year 7-9) will follow their normal daily timetable of subjects. Our lessons are taught as 45 minute or 1 Hour 30 minute sessions on-site. The 45 minute lessons will continue as normal however the 1 our 30 minute lessons will involve 45 minutes remote teaching and then 45 minutes to complete our Applied Learning Time MS Teams Assignments set by the teacher. Based on research and our own experience and feedback from the first national lockdown, this strategy will lead to higher levels of engagement and student understanding.
Key Stage 3 average daily hours: 5 Hours
Key Stage 3 average weekly hours: 25
Students in Key Stage 4 (Year 10-11) will follow their normal daily timetable of subjects. These are exam groups and therefore we do not feel they can afford to miss any opportunity to have contact time with their teachers.
Key Stage 4 average daily hours: 5.5 Hours
Key Stage 4 average weekly hours: 27 Hours
Students in Key Stage 5 (Year 12-13) will follow their normal daily timetable of subjects. This varies for each individual student based on the combination of subjects they have chosen. For Key Stage 5 this will include both remote lessons as well as designated study time within the school day.
Key Stage 5 average daily hours: 6 Hours
Key Stage 5 average weekly hours: 30 Hours
Accessing remote education
How will my child access any online remote education you are providing?
All our remote learning is set through Microsoft Teams. All students should know how to access this online platform.
Some subjects will also use additional online learning platforms:
- Maths – Sparx
- English – Bedrock Learning
- Science – Educake
- Geography – Educake
- Spanish – Duolingo
- DT – Seneca
All work is submitted to the teacher either vis MS Teams or through these other platforms. When the work is set it will be clearly explained how it should be submitted.
If you have any questions about accessing these online platforms please contact the class teacher directly using MS Teams. If you are unable to access MS Teams please contact: info@harrisdulwichboys.org.uk.
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 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:
- All students with SEND will have a Personalised Learning Plan in place led by our SENCO and SEND support team
- All parents of students with SEND will be involved in the process of remote learning through discussion with the SENCO and Year leader
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?
Where individual pupils need to self-isolate but the majority of their peer group remains in school, how remote education is provided will differ from the approach for whole groups. This is due to the challenges of teaching pupils both at home and in school.
We will set all students work through MS Teams with:
- Lesson resources – the lesson presentation and key content. This may include a videoed explanation
- MS Teams assignments – to be completed by the students
Some students may be invited to attend Live lessons but this will be done on a lesson by lesson basis. Research and our own experience shows that when only a small number of students are isolating, the teacher can provide better one-on-one support through their own interactions with the students and through MS Teams assignments through a blended learning session.
Students self-isolating will always follow the planned Curriculum regardless of absence in Core subjects. As with whole groups, for some creative subjects this is not possible due to specialised equipment and resources. Each case will be looked at individually and appropriate work set by teachers to ensure students do not miss out on significant knowledge, skills and understanding being gained by their peers on-site.
