Remote Education

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to pupils and parents/carers about what to expect from remote education. The Remote Education Policy has more detailed information.

All pupils should attend school, in line with our Attendance Policy. Remote education is not viewed as an equal alternative to attendance in school.

Pupils receiving remote education will be marked absent in line with the Pupil Registration Regulations.

We will consider providing remote education to pupils in circumstances when in-person attendance is either not possible or contrary to government guidance. This might include:

• Occasions when we decide that opening our school is either:
  • Not possible to do safely;
  • Contradictory to guidance from local or central government.
• Occasions when individual pupils, for a limited duration, are unable to physically attend school but are able to continue learning, for example because:
  • They have an infectious illness;
  • They are preparing for or recovering from some types of operation;
  • They are recovering from injury and attendance in school may inhibit such recovery;
  • Their attendance has been affected by a special educational need and/or disability (SEND) or a mental health issue.

The school will consider providing pupils with remote education on a case-by-case basis.

In the limited circumstances when remote education is used, we will:

• Gain mutual agreement of remote education by the school, parents/carers, pupils, and if appropriate, a relevant medical professional. If the pupil has an Educational, Health Care Plan (EHCP) or a social worker, the Local Authority (LA) will also be involved in the decision;
• Put formal arrangements in place to regularly review it and identify how to reintegrate the pupil back into school;
• Identify what other support and flexibilities can be put in place to help reintegrate the pupil back into school at the earliest opportunity ;
• Set a time limit with an aim that the pupil returns to in-person education with appropriate support.

Remote education will not be used as a justification for sending pupils home due to misbehaviour. This would count as a suspension, even if the pupil is asked to access online education while suspended.

Supporting pupils with technology to access remote education

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. In the interim, however, pupils will complete specific paper tasks provided to them by the school. 

 Devices

• We have and continue to distribute school-owned devices to pupils and families (some of which have been provided by the government for disadvantaged pupils). We have sent surveys to parents to gauge which families need this support. At present, we are prioritising those pupils/families who have no device and then to families who may be sharing a device with two or more school aged children.
• If parents/carers do not have a device, they should inform the School Office. Once a device is prepared, we will notify parents/carers to collect this and complete the loan contract. This is subject to devises being available.

Internet access

• At present, the government is supporting disadvantaged pupils who meet the criteria for increased mobile data or meet the criteria for a router or dongle. The school has completed applications based on a recent survey and will notify parents/carers of this as soon as we hear back from the government schemes.
• For all other pupils who may not have internet access, the school continues to support them. We have analysed the results of a recent survey and will notify parents/carers as soon as we can. We will prioritise support for families based on the results of this survey.

Printed materials

• Parents/carers should contact the School Office if they do not have online access. Class teachers will provide printed resources on a weekly basis. Parents/carers should submit their child’s task the following week.
   

Additional support for pupils with particular needs

We recognise that some pupils, for example those with special educational needs and/or 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:

• The Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities Coordinator (SENDCo) will base this on an individual risk assessment that will be completed. For pupils, teachers should aim to make contact with both parent/carer and pupil either daily or weekly, depending upon the individual risk assessment and initial discussion with parents.
• Outside agencies are offering support as required either in school or remotely.