Remote Learning Provision
This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to our students and parents/carers about what to expect from remote education where national or local restrictions require entire year groups (or bubbles) to remain at home and/or groups or individuals to self-isolate.
Our Remote Curriculum
All students have access to our Virtual Learning Environment, Firefly. Using this as our main platform we are able to continue to provide a high quality of education for all of our students.
During both full remote provision and periods of self-isolation students can access a “live” lesson link to their timetabled lessons from each subject page. Students must be logged into their School email accounts in order to access their live lessons.
A student is to follow their timetable including the timings of the school day to access this. Where appropriate the teacher will deliver the lesson remotely using Google Meets to deliver the content. Prior to the lesson, all lesson resources will be added to the subject page on Firefly so that students can access them as the lesson progresses and return to them after the lesson.
Approaches to Remote Teaching
Whilst our main remote teaching method is live lessons, where appropriate to do so teachers may direct students to recorded teaching either that they have done themselves or by external resources such as Oak National Academy. There may also be parts of lessons where students are directed to use commercially available websites such as Hegarty Maths, Active Learn or MyGCSE Science. Here students can find subject specific video/audio clips and assessment material.
We have also introduced a wellbeing homework project for KS3 students, to encourage students to engage with activities away from a device and the Internet.
Feedback and Assessment
Feedback can take many forms and does not always mean extensive written comments by teachers for individual students. We are promoting the use of whole-class feedback or quizzes marked automatically via Firefly and other digital platforms.
Firefly will continue to be used to set students “Tasks”. This will be the main vehicle for student feedback as part of class work as well as homework.
Adaptations to Our Curriculum
We will continue to teach and deliver the same curriculum as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate to do so. However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subject areas. For example KS3 and KS4 IAG will not be taught “live” due to the sensitive nature of many of the topics we do not think that it is appropriate to stream this content live into someone’s home.
We recognise that at times of self-isolation and wider lock down young people spend more time on their devices and online. With this in mind, our KS3 IT provision is adapted to focus on Online Safety topics that are appropriate for each year group. There are also changes to some practical lessons to be flexible and understanding of different home situations and access to subject specific software.
Study Time
We will continue to provide remote education that is in line with a school timetable, therefore will take pupils in KS3 broadly 5 hours a day and at KS4 5 hours per day plus additional homework assignments. This takes into consideration the different demands of KS3 and KS4 students.
Online Access at Home
We recognise that some students may not have suitable online access at home. If you find your child unable to access online content due to a lack of a suitable device please contact the school using our email address info@wolsinghamschool.net
We will then address each case, based on the situation and may be in the position to loan a laptop or, in the case of software, direct you to instructions on how to receive free Microsoft Office software to support your child to access lesson resources.
Please also contact the school on info@wolsinghamschool.net if you are unable to access the Internet and arrangements can be made to facilitate this by providing printed materials including arranging how to submit work to teachers.
Engagement and Feedback
During periods of full remote learning or self-isolation we expect all students to participate in 100% of their lessons including tutor time each morning.
As part of our strategy to encourage engagement in remote learning, each student will be registered by their form tutor as part of tutor time. If a student is not present a follow up text to parents and phone calls will be made by our pastoral team. From w/c 25th January, each teacher will take a class register and record students who are absent. Our pastoral team will be in touch via a telephone call if there are concerns from across subjects with lack of attendance and engagement.
To help support your child during this time we recommend that you help them to establish their routines by getting up as if it were a school day and taking breaks as per the school day. We also recommend that you provide a safe area of your home for them to access live lessons and complete work set that is quiet and free from distractions. If you have any concerns about your child’s routines and access to live lessons, please contact our pastoral team on info@wolsinghamschool.net
We recognise the importance for students of routine, pastoral engagement and daily interaction with their form tutor. Throughout registration time students will participate in topical discussions, well being activities, online safety discussions, daily notices with key information regarding rewards, extracurricular activities and whole school assemblies. Students have immediate access to any wellbeing activities, daily notices and assemblies via the Pastoral page on Firefly, accessible at any point if needed.
If you have any pastoral concerns please email info@
Additional Support for Students with Particular Needs
We recognise that some students, for example some students 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/carers to support those pupils.
Our teaching staff have access to software that allows them to access SEND passports and support plans remotely, so they can adjust remote lessons appropriately to provide further support. This support might look like; additional further verbal questioning, or support on chat, additional resources made available to download, resources in the form of videos in addition to written resources or access to bespoke activities or third party software remotely that supports outside of live lessons.
If your child has a SEND and you feel that you would like additional support from school during remote learning, please email the school using info@wolsinghamschool.net
