Remote Learning Programme_ST 2020

Vinehall

Remote Learning Programme

Summer Term 2020

Help is always available

At Vinehall we realise that this is an exceptional time for us all and that each home will have

different approaches and time constraints. Please know that we are here to help families in

maximising the potential of this process and supporting you through some challenging weeks

to come.

In a time of uncertainty we will do all that we can to ensure that your children will be well looked

after and their wellbeing prioritised through a varied and enriching remote learning programme

developed by the school.

OUR PRIORITIES:

Tailored academic provision

Pastoral support and wellbeing

Online safety

Remote Learning Programme - Page 3

Tailored Academic Provision

Office 365

For all pupils, we will be using Office 365 as our Remote Learning platform. Every pupil has their

own account, which they can access using the same username and password that they use to log

on to the computers at school. Primarily we will be using Microsoft Teams for setting work as well

as providing pupils with guidance and feedback. To enable the full functionality of this platform

it is advisable to download the Microsoft Teams app rather than accessing Teams through a

web browser.

Microsoft Teams

Pupils in the Prep School are in different

Teams for each subject (for example,

there is a 3E English Team, a 3E Maths

Team etc). Within each Team, tasks will

be set using Assignments.

For each assignment, there will be

written instructions and links to

video tutorials, worksheets etc. as

appropriate, as well as a deadline by

which tasks should be completed. Using

Assignments pupils are able submit

completed work and receive feedback

from their teachers. For subjects where

multiple tasks are set over the course

of a week, the tasks will be numbered

in order of priority in recognition of

the fact that, depending on families’

individual circumstances, it may not be

possible to complete all of the work set

in the time available.

For pupils in the Pre-Prep, there is a

single Team. For each year group, there

is a separate channel, and tasks for the

week will be saved in folders within the

appropriate channel.


Timetables

A suggested timetable has been provided for each class in the Prep School to follow, though

we recognise that for some families it may be difficult to keep to strict timings. This should be

viewed as a guide. Clinics, highlighted in green on the timetables, have been scheduled for

each class to enable pupils and parents to ask questions and receive feedback. Teachers will

schedule the Clinics as meetings using the Calendar within Teams. To join a Clinic, pupils will

need to click on their Calendar, select the appropriate meeting and then click join. They will

then be able to speak with their teachers. Pupils can also speak to the teachers during the

Clinics using the Chat within Teams.

Pupils are not required to join every Clinic as they are primarily intended as an opportunity

for pupils or parents to ask questions about which they are unsure. Teachers may specifically

request individual pupils to attend if they want to provide verbal rather than written feedback.

Suggested timetables are also provided for each class in the Pre-Prep. Rather than offering

Clinics, however, the Pre-Prep teachers will be scheduling sessions with small groups of pupils.

The Pre-Prep teachers will also be contacting families to find a time to speak with children –

alongside their parents – on a one-to-one basis.

Helping your child with their work

When working with only one child or a few children, it is easy to end up giving more guidance

than is actually needed. It will be tempting for your child to ask lots of questions and seek lots

of help, simply because you are there with them. Even with young children, it is important that

they are encouraged to work independently and to take responsibility for their own learning.

That said, your child is obviously going to need your support, especially when getting started

on a task. For pupils in the Prep School, once they have got going, if possible, try to checkin

every 10-20 minutes (depending on the age of the child), but encourage them not to ask

questions between those times. Remember, if you are unsure, your child’s teacher is available

via email to answer any questions you might have.

Younger pupils

Clearly, it will be more challenging for the younger pupils to access the online curriculum

independently. Our staff are acutely aware of this and will endeavour to deliver the curriculum

in different ways. We will be tailoring tasks and activities to individuals’ needs. We also realise

that their ability to work independently is less developed. This will require a flexible approach

and we will do all we can to help you to facilitate this.



Additional online learning platforms

Linguascope — https://www.linguascope.com

This is an excellent tool for language learning. All our pupils are familiar with the website and

like it because it is fun, easy and interactive. Username: vinefrench Password: 2019@v1neh

Mangahigh — https://www.mangahigh.com/

A games-based learning platform for maths. All of the pupils in the Prep School have a

Mangahigh account through which they can access assignments set by their teachers as well

as a range of games. Games such as Sundae Times and Jetstream Riders are an excellent way

of practising fundamental mental arithmetic skills, whilst Flower Power and Ice, Ice Maybe are

perhaps more suited to slightly older children, providing practice working fractions, decimals

and percentages.

Phonics Play — https://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

Phonics Play encompasses a number of games over the range of phonics levels. Your child’s

teacher can guide you as to the appropriate level.

Planet BOFA — https://www.bofa11plus.com/

This is an adaptive online platform that tests, teaches and retests pupils, personalising learning

by focusing on areas of weakness. At Vinehall, Planet BOFA is primarily used with those children

preparing for the Kent Test or for the ISEB Pre-Tests, but we have set up all of our pupils in Years

3 to 6 accounts so they can access the English, Maths and Reasoning tests whilst they are at

home should they wish. Your child’s username is their school email address and the password

is ‘vinehall’.

Scratch— https://www.scratch.mit.edu

An online free programming platform which incorporates interactive games and activities.

Top Marks — https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/5-7-years/counting

An excellent website for pupils 3+. This is used mostly for Mathematics in the Pre-Prep but also

caters for literacy.

Typing Club — https://vinehall-school.typingclub.com/

Vinehall has subscribed to Typing Club to enable pupils to develop and hone their touch-typing

skills. Pupils in Years 2 to 8 have accounts and have been set assignments to complete. To log

on they will need to use their username for the school computers (which is their school email

address without ‘@vinehallschool.com’) and the password is ‘vinehall’.




Pastoral Support and Wellbeing

The pastoral care of our children is of the utmost importance when we are learning from home.

Form tutors and the pastoral team will be on hand to talk to pupils daily and can be contacted via

email and Microsoft Teams. This face to face contact is always an important part of the children’s

day and this will continue even with distance learning. It is in these sessions that pupils will be

reminded of who they can talk to if they have any worries or concerns.

Form Time

Each morning between 8.15am and 8.45am form tutors will schedule sessions to ‘meet’ with their

tutees via video or live chat, using the Calendar within Teams. These sessions will be scheduled in

the same way as the Live Clinics and tutors will meet with three or four pupils at a time for five to

ten minutes. We appreciate that with families where there are several children it may not always

be possible to meet at the time scheduled so we will all aim to be as flexible as we can so that all

pupils have had several opportunities throughout the week to speak face to face with their tutor. If

a time is not working please contact your child’s form tutor to agree on a different time.

We recognise the routine for younger children might not be so easy to manage at the beginning

of the day. Although Pre-Prep staff will be online in the morning with welcome posts, they will also

be facilitating sessions with small groups in much the same way as the Prep School, but at different

times pre-arranged with parents.


Wellbeing

We are now having to adjust to a new way of life and many of us are having to do this whilst also

trying to work from home – with our children close by – and this can bring a whole new set of

pressures. We recommend ensuring the following things are in place to help you:

A Routine

Children need structure. This includes keeping to normal bedtime routines and getting them up

in good time to meet with their form tutors in the morning. They also need plenty of breaks and

the suggested timetables allow for that. These are only suggestions and we do realise that there

will be days when this just can’t happen. We do know though that when our children know what

to expect they are more likely to get on with things more independently and give you precious

time and thinking space.

Every afternoon our children in the Prep School would usually have Games or activities outside

so we would encourage some sort of physical activity at this point in the day, either just by

getting outside or by using the fitness links provided by the Sports Department. Children in the

Pre-Prep will be given some PE lessons by Mr McKinnon too. This will hopefully give you some

much needed time to do what you need to.

Later in the day, the older pupils, especially those in Year 8, should continue with independent

study, either finishing off work not completed during the day or using the revision resources

available through Microsoft Teams.

A Place to Work

It is important that your child has a space in which to do their work. We would discourage

allowing children to work in their bedrooms and suggest that a shared family space, such as a

dining room, would work best, allowing you to monitor their learning but, where possible, also

allowing them to work independently.

Any space for working needs to quiet and free from distractions, and it would also be beneficial if

it has a strong wireless internet signal! We understand completely that there may not be multiple

computers in the house and that therefore access to the internet may be limited and will do

what we can to ensure that some activities do not require being on a computer.



Be Kind to Yourselves!

Please do not expect too much of yourself

or your children: you cannot do the

impossible. We are all managing a work-life

balance in a situation that we have never

been in and the stress of overload can lead

to feelings of failure on every front.

You are now trying to fulfil the role of parent

as well as guiding learning and working

from home. So please let us know if we

can help more in what we are presenting

or how we are giving the children their

activities. Your mental wellbeing depends

on sometimes giving yourself and your

children a break.

Outdoor Time and Breaks

Children at Vinehall spend nearly two

hours every day outside. This time is

incredibly important and can be hugely

beneficial for you if you need that time to

do your work in peace.

During breaks, the children need to have

something to eat and drink and they need

to move around. Being outside will help

clear their minds and any physical activity

will stimulate a sense of well-being.

Being able to communicate over the next

few weeks is going to be crucial to our

children’s mental health and wellbeing

and it is amazing that we have access to

the Internet where we can see into each

other’s homes and talk normally. We need

to encourage this interaction, but we need

to do so safely.



Online Safety

Online safety and safeguarding

Safeguarding your children is our main priority; our staff will continue to follow the same safeguarding

practices as they do when they are in school. If you are concerned about a child please contact

lpayne@vinehallschool.com who is our Designated Safeguarding Lead.

We have created a Remote Learning Policy and are asking all staff, parents and pupils to sign and

agree to how we will all be working online. This is to protect the children and works alongside the

online education they receive in school and the Acceptable Use Policy they have already signed. We

ask that these are read and agreed before the start of term.

Please ensure your children are using any devices/screens in communal places in your homes and not

in their bedrooms, especially when they are ‘FaceTiming’ or joining group video chats. Please do talk

to your children about who they are online with and ensure that they have the right settings on their

devices so that only people who are known to them can speak to them on these chats

Our Vinehall website has a link to Parentzone which gives a wealth of information about screen time

balance, parent controls and wellbeing: https://www.vinehallschool.com/wellbeing/

We also recommend Net Aware which gives helpful advice on apps and social platforms such as

HouseParty/Zoom/TikTok which all carry age restrictions: https://www.net-aware.org.uk/

Life Skills

Online Safety

Lessons

Years 3-6 will be focusing on

Online safety during their

Life Skills lessons by using

CEOP and ThinkuKnow units

of work this half term.

These units will look at

digital footprints, personal

information, dangers of

oversharing and what to do

if we see something upsetting

online.

Help

In this time of change some of our children may demonstrate anxious behaviour, which is

completely understandable.

What if my child is anxious…?

Let them know that is fine to feel worried. Try a ‘worry time’. Agree a time each day that will be

their ‘worry time’ (not before bed). Then sit down with your child and let them worry to their

heart’s content. Your job is mostly to listen. Then outside of that time, when your child starts

worrying, gently ask them to save the worry to ‘worry time’. It can be a good way of getting

children to start feeling a bit of control over their worries.

Do something positive to help the situation. Do something fun!

(advice from Sam Cartwright-Hatton, Professor of Clinical Child Psychology, University of Sussex)


Who to contact:

As always the first point of contact at school should be your child’s form tutor.

If you need any academic guidance please contact: pborrows@vinehallschool.com

If you need pastoral support please contact: lpayne@vinehallschool.com

For parents of Pre-Prep pupils please contact: dbritt@vinehallschool.com

Remote Learning Programme_ST 2020

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