This Remote Learning Policy aims to:

• Ensure consistency in the school’s approach to remote learning when it is needed

• Set out expectations for all members of the school community with regards to remote learning

• Provide appropriate guidelines for data protection

Please note that this policy has been created with regard to advice and guidance received from Department for Education (DfE) and from Joint Unions

This policy is used in the event of a forced closure and acts as guidance for staff, parents and pupils around expectations of remote learning during a forced closure.

TEACHERS

Teachers should be available to work on Monday-Friday during usual working hours but this will be primarily directed by their own personal family circumstances/situation during the current crisis. Underpinning this approach is an understanding for flexibility as to when teachers can be available. If they are unable to work for any reason during this time, for example due to sickness or caring for a dependent, they should report this using the normal absence procedure. Teachers are responsible for:

Setting work:

• Class teachers will upload 3 activities daily to J2e linked to core subjects. In addition to this, they will also provide parent/carers with a recommended timetable of completion.

• Specialist teachers will upload tasks linked to their subjects. For parent/carers with no online access, paper packs will be provided.

• Children may be required to make improvements to work which has been marked by the teacher.

Teachers are responsible for providing SEN pupils with suitable work. This will be supplemented by the SEN team.

• Activities should include English and Maths and one other curriculum subject every day.

• Additional materials to support handwriting, spelling, times tables and reading learning will be shared and expected to be completely daily

• Daily reading should encouraged by teachers using a range of different text types and books.

• Class teachers will upload a well-being  video  and 12 pre-recorded subject videos each week that outlines what pupils have to do and will cover the teaching of any new concept.

• Instructions on tasks and teaching and learning should be clear and detailed enough for the pupil to be relatively independent when they complete it.

A home learning sheet will be set every week, these must be submitted by teachers to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) for checking in advance of the date of publication and then published weekly and should be uploaded to J2e on Monday.

The SLT will coordinate with other teachers to ensure consistency of approach and to try and ensure that pupils with limited access to computers/devices have paper packs of work linked to the J2e learning opportunities.

The website will continue to be updated with links to other websites that can be used or accessed by parents and pupils as part of an extended programme of home learning.

Responding as appropriate to parents and pupils:

• Teachers will contact families weekly and ensure they speak to the child in their class. The school email and telephone contact details will be made available to parents if they require further support with home learning.

• The home learning package that is offered at LMPS invites parents upload to J2e or the school email, every fortnight something that their child/ren are proud of.

• Teachers should never use a personal device that shares their personal contact details (e.g. phone number or private email address)

• Parents who send a pupil’s work and/or photographs/videos should receive an acknowledgement and praise from at or other school This will not aim to replicate feedback on strengths and development in learning that parents might expect when the school is open and working normally.

• Parents should note that the government does not expect them to perform as teachers nor expect a school’s lockdown offer of remote learning activities to be ‘education’ as normal but ‘from home’. While it is ideal for children to remain engaged with their learning and particularly rewarding if they can share this with a parent(s)/carer(s), it is recognised that families are all coping in different ways with different challenges.

• If a teacher receives an email or message from a parent with regards to a query or concern about the overall provision, then that email is sent to the Teachers may be asked to provide a comment on a response to a parental query, after it has been discussed with a member of the SLT. On most occasions a member of the SLT will respond directly to the parent.

• Teachers are responsible for providing individualised feedback to pupils on the outcome of learning activities on J2e

• Teachers will keep in regular contact and support pupils via the J2e Blog.

Attending virtual meetings with colleagues:

• All staff will be expected to attend online training and meetings as required

• All staff are expected to follow the protocols for on line meeting

TEACHING ASSISTANTS (including HLTAs and LSAs)

Teaching Assistants should be available during their normal working hours on the days they are normally required in school. If they are unable to work for any reason during this time, for example due to sickness or caring for a dependent, they should report this using the normal absence procedure.

Teaching assistants may:

• Work in school for specific tasks as required by the core team

• Undertake remote and/or online CPD training

• Attend virtual meetings with colleagues

• They are required to complete tasks set by senior leaders such as making resources

• They may be required to make telephone calls to families and translate if possible

• They may be required to deliver on line classes for individuals, groups or classes (the latter HLTAs only)

SUBJECT LEADERS

Alongside their teaching responsibilities, as outlined above,

Subject Leaders may:

• Consider whether any aspects of the subject curriculum need to change to accommodate remote

• Work with teachers setting the curriculum subject to make sure work set is appropriate and

• Work with other Subject Leads and Senior Leaders to make sure work set across subjects is appropriate and consistent, and activities are being set at an appropriate distance away from each

• Monitor the work set by Teachers in their subject – explain how they will do this, such as through regular meetings with teachers or by reviewing work

• Alert Teachers to resources they can use to teach their subject.

SENCo

The SENCo is responsible for coordinating provision for pupils with SEND across the school as set out within the schools Special Educational Needs Policy. During a period of enforced school closure the SENCo will continue to:

• Lead on liaison with SEND pupils at home and their families;

• Ensure completion of necessary SEND paperwork and/or applications;

• Ensure those pupils with EHCP are fully risk assessed and changes to their provision clear.

• Ensure that those on specialist programs of support for example those with SPLD receive additional programs and home learning opportunities.

• Ensure the SEND team are deployed effectively

• Review the provision for SEND across the school

SENIOR LEADERSHIP TEAM (SLT)

Alongside any teaching responsibilities, Senior Leaders are responsible for:

• Coordinating the remote learning approach across the

• Monitoring the effectiveness of the remote learning activities for example through contact with Teachers and Subject Leaders and reviewing the work set.

• Identifying which families may have no access to the internet and ensuring that hard copies of learning activities planned by Teachers are made available to the parent for collection or

• Make decisions over ensuring that pupils have access to digital equipment that will ensure home learning is completed.

• Oversee the ongoing wellbeing and CPD of all staff.

THE DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEAD AND DEPUTIES (DSL)

The DSL’s responsibilities are identified within the school’s Child Protection Policy.

• DSL and deputies to ensure that that pupils keep themselves safe online and when completing home learning in line with the safeguarding policy.

Staff can expect pupils to:

• Try their best to complete all the activities that have been provided on a daily (weekday) basis
• Complete reading each day
• Practice their handwriting, spelling and times tables daily
• Seek help if they need it from a parent or the school if they need it
• Receive motivational feedback from their teacher and the school with regards to the work that they have completed.

Staff can expect parents to:

• Support their child(ren) as best they are able given their own home circumstances, health and work commitments
• Seek help from the school if they need
• Be respectful when raising any complaints or concerns known to
• Confirm that they are happy for their child’s work to be uploaded to the school website.

The Governing Body is responsible, including as advised by the DfE, for:  

• Supporting staff and pupil wellbeing;
• Being pragmatic about what is covered in virtual meetings by prioritising urgent, time bound decisions
• Keeping monitoring to a minimum by focusing on safeguarding, health and safety, Headteacher and staff wellbeing and (to a lesser extent) the school’s approach to providing remote learning for
• Directing any approaches by parents made to them directly or indirectly to the school via email or telephone.
• Determining how to handle statutory procedures during a period of enforced closure such as grievance and disciplinary panels, exclusions, complaints and admission appeals, noting that:
• Exclusions – the DfE has clarified that the statutory timeframes for considering exclusions are still in effect but that the regulations already anticipate that these timeframes cannot always be
• Complaints – the DfE has updated their guidance for school’s complaints policies to provide that new or existing complaints should not be handled whilst schools are If a school is closed during the enforced closure period, the Headteacher should write a response to outline the school’s position and explain that the school is unable to follow its usual complaints process until school has reopened.

If staff have any questions or concerns, they should contact the following individuals:

• Issues in setting work – contact the year leader and then AHT/ DHT for phase
• Issues with behaviour – contact the year leader and then AHT (pastoral)
• Issues with IT – contact the computing support or computing lead or contact SBM
• Issues with their own workload or wellbeing – contact AHT/DHT for phase or AHT pastoral support
• Concerns about data protection –contact the Data Protection Officer (SBM)
• Concerns about safeguarding – contact the DSL or DDSLs as set out within the school’s Child Protection Policy
• If parents have any concerns above and beyond the acknowledgement of work by the class teacher, then they should contact the Headteacher or a member of her SLT at school via admin@ladymargaret.ealing.sch.uk.

ACCESSING PERSONAL DATA

When accessing personal data, all staff members will:

• Only use their official school email account and never use personal messaging

• Connect to the school network using only a school remote desktop connection to work with any personal data to ensure that no data actually leaves the school premises.

SHARING PERSONAL DATA

Staff members are unlikely to need to collect and/or share personal data.

However, if it does become necessary, staff are reminded to collect and/or share as little personal data as possible online, password protect the information and to use a secure data pen store or share work between devices.

KEEPING DEVICES SECURE

All staff members will take appropriate steps to ensure their devices remain secure. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Keeping the device password-protected – strong passwords are at least 8 characters, with a combination of upper and lower-case letters, numbers and special characters (e.g. asterisk or currency symbol);

• Ensuring the hard drive is encrypted – this means if the device is lost or stolen, no one can access the files stored on the hard drive by attaching it to a new device;

• Making sure the device locks if left inactive for a period of time;

• Not sharing the device among family or friends;

• Installing antivirus and anti-spyware software;

• Keeping operating systems up to date – always install the latest

The school’s Child Protection Policy may be updated to reflect and changes to government policy/guidance during periods of school closure.

This policy will be reviewed regularly the HT and SLT in response to changes to national guidance and will be reviewed annually by the Governing body.

This policy is linked to the school’s following policies:  

• Behaviour Policy

• Child Protection Policy

• Data protection policy and privacy notices

• ICT and Acceptable Use Policy

• Staff Code of Conduct