Remote Learning Plan

Purpose of This Information

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents or carers about what to expect from remote education in circumstances when in-person attendance is either not possible or contrary to government guidance.

All pupils should attend school in line with our attendance policy. We will consider providing remote education to pupils when in-person attendance is not possible or would contradict government guidance.

This might include:

• Occasions when school leaders decide that it is not possible for the school, or part of it, to open safely, or that opening would contradict guidance from local or central government.
• Occasions when individual pupils, for a limited duration, are unable to physically attend their school but are able to continue learning, for example, pupils with an infectious illness.

Remote Education Provision

What should my child expect from remote education?

If your child cannot attend school due to a class or school closure, we will provide remote education that aligns with our usual curriculum. This includes:

• Daily live sessions via Google Meet for English and Maths.
• Recorded lessons and activities using platforms such as Oak National Academy, BBC Bitesize, Purple Mash, Reading Plus, Spelling Shed, Times Table Rockstars, Charanga, and Letter-Join.
• Paper-based resources for families without internet access, available for collection from the school office.

How long can I expect work to take my child each day?

• Key Stage 1: Approximately 3 hours per day.
• Key Stage 2: Approximately 4 hours per day. This includes live sessions, independent tasks, and reading time.

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

• Live teaching (online lessons).
• Recorded teaching (e.g., Oak National Academy lessons, video/audio recordings made by teachers).
• Printed paper packs produced by teachers (e.g., workbooks, worksheets).
• Textbooks and reading books pupils have at home.
• Commercially available websites supporting the teaching of specific subjects or areas, including video clips or sequences.
• Long-term project work and/or internet research activities (as per government guidance, schools are expected to avoid an over-reliance on these approaches).

Accessing Remote Education

How will my child access online remote education?

Your child will access remote education through:

• Class Dojo for communication and assignment submission.
• Google Classroom for accessing lessons and resources.
• Google Meet for live sessions.

All families will be supported to access these platforms, including assistance with devices or internet access if required.

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

• Please let us know if you have digital access difficulties.
• We can loan out tablets or laptops to support your child’s learning.
• Paper-based learning packs are also available for collection from the school office.

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

• Paper-based learning packs for collection from the school office.
• Loan of school devices where available.
• Support from our ICT technician to help with setup and troubleshooting.
• Please inform the school if you need assistance.

Engagement and Feedback

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 Class Dojo portfolios for daily submissions.
• Contact families directly if there is no engagement or if work is incomplete.
• Provide feedback on submitted work to support learning.
• If you have any concerns or need assistance, you can contact your child’s class teacher via Class Dojo or, if you are unable to access Dojo, via Arbor. 
• Parent email contact: Parents@thorneycloseprimaryschool.co.uk

Additional Support for Vulnerable Children

How will you support my child’s well-being and mental health?

We are committed to supporting all children, especially those with additional needs:

• Regular check-ins via phone or video calls.
• Tailored learning resources for children with SEND or EAL.
• Access to pastoral support as needed.

Please contact the school if your child requires additional support. 

Mrs N. Leyland is SENDCo

Roles and Responsibilities

Parents and Carers

• Ensure your child attends live sessions and completes assigned tasks.
• Provide a quiet, well-lit space for learning.
• Encourage regular breaks and a balanced routine.
• Communicate with the school if you encounter any difficulties.

Teaching Staff

• Plan and deliver lessons aligned with the curriculum.
• Post work on Class Dojo by 9:00am on the first day of closure.
• Provide guidance and feedback to pupils between 9:00am and 3:00pm.

Teaching Assistants and HLTAs

• Support pupils in school and remotely, especially SEND or vulnerable children.
• Deliver lessons if the teacher is absent.

Senior Leaders

• Coordinate the school’s remote learning approach.
• Monitor engagement and effectiveness.
• Ensure online safety and data protection.

IT Support

• Resolve technical issues for staff and families.
• Provide devices and support access to the internet where needed.

Staff Self-Isolation

If my child’s teacher is unavailable due to self-isolation, how will their work be covered?

• An HLTA will deliver live sessions and supervise in-school learning.
• The planned curriculum will continue to be taught, and families will be kept informed.

Data Protection and Safeguarding

How will you ensure my child is safe online?

• All staff are trained in online safety.
• Live sessions are monitored and recorded when appropriate.
• Parental consent is obtained for online interactions.
• Contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) with any concerns.

Online Learning Resources Used in School

We use the following online platforms to support remote and in-school learning:

• Oak National Academy – https://www.thenational.academy/
• Class Dojo – https://www.classdojo.com/
• Letter-Join – https://www.letterjoin.co.uk/
• LBQ (Learning by Questions) – https://www.lbq.org/
• Reading Plus – https://readingplus.com/
• Times Table Rock Stars – https://ttrockstars.com/
• Charanga – https://charanga.com/
• BBC Bitesize – https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
• NumBots – https://numbots.com/
• Top Marks – https://www.topmarks.co.uk/
• Spelling Shed – https://www.spellingshed.com/
• Purple Mash – https://www.purplemash.com/
• National Geographic Kids – https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/
• Oxford Owl – https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/
• STEM Learning – https://www.stem.org.uk 

Contact Information

For any questions or support:

• Arbor / Email Contact: Mrs Jenner, School Business Manager – parents@thorneycloseprimaryschool.co.uk
• School Office: 0191 5250808 or  parents@thorneycloseprimaryschool.co.uk
• ICT Support: parents@thorneycloseprimaryschool.co.uk

Monitoring and Review

This plan will be reviewed regularly to ensure it meets the needs of pupils, staff, and families.

Related Policies

• Behaviour Policy
• Child Protection Policy
• Data Protection Policy and Privacy Notices
• Home-School Agreement
• ICT and Internet Acceptable Use Policy
• Online Safety Policy
• Classdojo Policy