Remote Learning at Ashmole Academy

Learning at home can be challenging for both students and parents, and so clarity of what Ashmole will be providing, and what will be expected of students will support this to be an effective process.

The underpinning principles behind our remote provision remain the same as in class teaching; explaining difficult concepts, clear modelling of answers and providing accurate and timely feedback.  The remote curriculum will continue to deliver the normal planned in school curriculum.

We will continue to set work and teach to the full timetable, meaning every lesson will have work set on the day of which that lesson would have normally taken place.

Our remote curriculum aims to be as inclusive as possible and is designed with the knowledge that not every student’s home learning set up is the same. Therefore, we have designed a flexible and balanced curriculum diet of independent study, teacher designed activity and live lessons.

Curriculum delivery:

We teach the same curriculum remotely as we do in school wherever possible and appropriate.  However, we have needed to make some adaptations in some subjects. For example, (in Technology & Art, subjects may decide to teach different topics or units that do not require practical input).  All other subjects will continue to follow the normal curriculum.

We expect that remote education (including remote teaching and independent work) will take students broadly the following number of hours each day:

Key Stage 3	5
Key Stage 4	5
Key Stage 5	5

Accessing Remote Education:

• Firefly is used to manage tasks, activities, locate resources, view timetables and receive lesson invites.
• MS Teams is used to attend live lessons.
   

Access to a device:

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

• If your child does not have access to a device, please email staff@ashmoleacademy.org and explain your circumstances to your Head of Year or Assistant Head Teacher of your child’s year group.
• Based upon request, the school will then attempt to provide your child with a laptop device and/or portable router to provide internet access.
• Where students do not have access or the school are unable to offer a device, the school may ask the student to attend school to work on site.

How does teaching take place remotely?

‘Blended Learning’ is used, which offers traditional teacher instruction and explanation whilst providing students more control over time, place and pace of their learning.

Using Blended learning:

• Every lesson will be registered using Microsoft teams. 
• Teachers will then introduce and explain the lesson activities. 
• Activities may be completed live during the lesson or instead, set to complete ‘offline’ and then later submitted on Firefly. 

Activities will be similar and, in many cases, the same as normal in school activities, which may include:

• Student/Teacher Q&A
• Use of video or external websites
• Modelling of answers
• Knowledge testing autonomy

Engagement and attendance:

• A register is taken for each lesson.  When a child misses one lesson from a subject, their teacher will contact them through Firefly.
• If a student misses two lessons within a week from a subject, a telephone call or email from the Head of Department or Head of Year will take place to inform parents of missed learning and see what can be put in place to support this.

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 and carers to support those students in the following ways:

• Students who have an EHCP will be invited to attend school in person and be supported by the SEN team.
• Those that do not wish to attend school will be supported by the SEN team and their key worker daily, to ensure students understand their work and are able to continue to make progress from home.