There are various different reasons why remote learning may be needed. Remote learning will take various forms, from tasks set for completion, to live lessons delivered online. Below are some guidance notes to follow should you have to take part.

School Time

At Springwood High School we will continue to follow the normal school timetable.  This means you will be expected to complete tutor time, and your five lessons each day. The timings for the lessons will be the same as when you are in school. To make the most out of your “School Time”, we recommend you follow the guidelines below:

• Get into a good routine and good habits
• Try to treat “School Time” as closely to the real thing as possible each day – this will take a lot of self-discipline
• Take breaks to rest.  Spend breaks in a different part of your home, get up, move around, and get some fresh air.
• Prioritise work to be completed by its deadline; those with the earliest deadlines should be completed first.
• Set an alarm to wake you up in the morning and carry out your usual routine before school, including eating your breakfast.

Create the right environment. Eat and drink well

Ideally, you need to dedicate a space at home that will be your learning environment.  This will really help your mindset and switching between work and social.  It needs to be an area that helps you work, away from distractions.  As in School, studying at home burns energy.  Ensure you consume a good diet to fuel your School Time:

• Eat a balanced diet, including fresh fruit and vegetables
• Drink plenty of water
• Limit junk food or empty calories (food that does not fill you up)
   

Accessing Work Set By Your Teachers

Work to be completed during your period of working from home may be passed to you in the following ways by your teachers:

• Emails to your school email account (Gmail)
• Show My Homework
• Google Classroom (login using your school email account details)

Please ensure that you can access, and are checking these apps regularly.  If you do not have access, contact your Year Manager, and seek support in accessing all available resources. These will also provide links to any further websites that may need to be accessed during your lesson.

Curriculum

You should receive work for each lesson you would normally attend.  Work allocated will follow the same scheme of learning as if you were in school.  The KS3 (Y7-9) curriculum is underpinned by Knowledge Organisers. You should refer to these regularly, to help with revision and work.  You already have a print copy or follow the link to the website.

Communication with your teachers and submitting work

Remain in contact with your teachers and email them regularly with updates about how you are progressing.  Ask questions if you are stuck or do not understand.  If you need more help, please email your Year Manager.

Live Video Lessons

Some lessons may be available as ‘Live Video Lessons’.  You will be able to join your timetabled lesson by logging into your Google Classroom and following the meet link on the ‘Stream’ section.  By clicking this you will be able to join your normal lesson remotely – you do not need to have access to a microphone or webcam as you will normally use the “chat” facility to communicate.  You will be able to see the teacher and access the lesson including any resources that have been provided by your teacher.  If you do have a webcam and/or microphone please keep them muted unless a teacher allows you to respond verbally to a question.  Keeping them switched off will allow a smoother connection to be in place.  You can click the ‘hands up’ icon if you need to ask a question. You should only join your own lessons, and should follow the normal etiquette expected in lessons. More information on using Google Classroom can be found here.

National Lockdown

During a national lockdown, all learning will be delivered remotely.  You will be expected to follow your normal timetable.  Tutor time will begin at 8:50, and lesson timings will be as usual. Please log into your Google Classroom each lesson using the live link.  Your teachers will be either supplying work (recorded video, or links to websites such as National Oak Academy) or delivering lessons live. They will usually welcome you to the lesson at the start, checking attendance, completing the starter activity, and then be available in the “chat” for any questions. There may be exceptions to this if staff are unwell.

Children of key-workers, or who are vulnerable, will be able to attend school.  They will be allocated their own PC in school and will be sat distanced to other students (family groups will be kept together to reduce transmission risks). Students will need to bring their own headphones, and will follow the online learning as if they were at home.

IT Equipment

If you are struggling with access to IT equipment, the Internet, or access to any of the materials, please contact your child's year manager in the first instance. We have limited IT equipment to loan out but can also provide printed copies of materials too.