Remote Education Provision

This information is intended to provide clarity and transparency to students and parents / carers about what to expect from remote education while DAOS students are learning from home.  

The Remote Curriculum during lockdown

We are teaching the same curriculum remotely as we had planned to do in school wherever possible and appropriate.  However, some adaptations have been made in some subjects.  For example, the order of units may have changed in some subjects as some topics are better adapted to remote teaching and learning than others.

Remote learning provision will be through a mixture of live lessons, recorded videos, and individual activities as appropriate.  Students are expected to follow their normal school timetable while learning from home.  Students will also be expected to attend virtual form time sessions and assemblies during lockdown, the details of which are communicated to students via their form tutors through Google Classrooms.

Remote teaching and study time each day

Students should follow their in-school timetable when learning remotely.  Students will  complete the work set by their subject teachers during their normal lesson.  The amount of work that is set should be what students can complete in the lesson time, however A Level students may be set additional tasks to complete outside of lesson time at the discretion of their teacher.  Students in all key stages will be set approximately five hours of remote learning work each school day.

Accessing remote education

Work is provided through Google Classrooms.  A variety of other platforms are used to support teaching in different subject areas, however links to these are provided as necessary each lesson by teachers through the Google Classroom page.  Students can find help and support for using Google Classrooms, Mail, and Drive here: DAOS Student Launchpad 

We recognise that some students may not have suitable online access at home. We have loaned ChromeBooks, Dongles and alike to students for whom access to technology is a barrier to learning.  In this way, all students are assured access to the same work as their peers.

Remote teaching

To support students to continue to make excellent progress while learning remotely, DAOS staff make use of a variety of teaching methods and activities.  This includes a combination of:

• live online lessons
• recorded video or audio explanations made by DAOS teachers
• recorded video or audio explanations from appropriate internet sources
• virtual drop-in support sessions
• websites and online resources to support the teaching of specific subjects
• information sheets and independent activities 

This is in line with Ofsted’s advice on the most effective approach to remote education, more information on which can be found here: What’s working well in remote education – GOV.UK

Expectations for students

Students are expected to engage with their learning each day as they would if they were in school, following their normal school timetable.  If a live lesson is taking place, students are expected to attend the lesson.  In live lessons, students are expected to conduct themselves according to the Google Meet Protocol that has been shared with them and of which teachers will regularly remind them.  

The Google Meet Protocol shared with students:

• If a live google meet lesson has been arranged by your teacher, you are expected to attend.
  
• You must be suitably dressed  (e.g. clothes you would wear on non-uniform day).
• You need to have your video camera on. Remember you may blur your background or choose a background so that your personal space is not in view. 
• You should have the microphone muted except when you are asking or answering a question to avoid too much background noise.
• You must be logged in via your school google account (make sure you don’t try and join using a private Gmail account).
• You must not record the meeting, take any photos of the screen or screen shots.
• You must respect everyone as you would in a normal lesson in school.
• You may find it helpful to pin the teacher so you see their video feed all the time.

If a student is unable to attend live lessons due to illness, parents should communicate this to the school as they would report an absence due to illness under normal circumstances.  Students are expected to complete the work provided by teachers to a good standard and by the due date set.

How will parents be contacted if there are concerns?

If there are concerns regarding incomplete work or work completed to a poor standard, subject teachers will email or call parents.  If the problem persists, the relevant Head of Department will email or call parents to follow up.

If there are concerns regarding work across a number of subjects or regarding a student’s wellbeing, their form tutor will email or call parents.  If there are ongoing concerns, the Pastoral Manager/Directors/Head of Sixth Form will email or call parents to follow up.

Assessment of student work

Students will receive feedback during remote learning in line with the normal marking policy of the school.  Students can expect to receive feedback from teachers each week.  Feedback may be given verbally during live lessons or in writing/through voice recordings on key pieces of submitted work.

Additional support for students with particular needs

DAOS students with particular needs are being supported by their teachers and the learning support team to enable them to continue to make good progress in their learning.  Appropriate support is being provided in a range of ways, including:

• Weekly check-ins with the Learning Support team.  If needed, more frequent check-ins are scheduled.
• On site provision for those who are vulnerable or unable to cope at home (when not needing to self-isolate).
• Differentiation of task and workload by teachers.
• Access to targeted programmes, both for academic and mental health, on return to school after any period of absence.
• Provision of “base” area for those needing a reduction in timetable as a result of missed school.