What is our Remote Learning Policy?

The school ethos is we CARE: its foci on “ambition” and “co-operation” are designed to reflect the everyday learning experiences in classrooms, and the commitment students need to have to succeed.

We aim to reflect this as much as possible in our remote learning plan. It is designed to be an inclusive plan that recognises technology has a key role but understands that not everyone has access to the Internet or their own laptop or tablet all the time.

However, the school has now allocated over 300 laptops to young people who suffer financial hardship or other technological disadvantage in Years 7 to Year 13 and will always look to expand this where possible.

This is something we are committed to and would encourage any families who feel their children require additional technological support to contact their Head of Year in the first instance.

Covid-19 has been a hugely disorientating experience for many but one of the real opportunities to come out of it has been the push and stimulus for schools to research, invest and implement new technologies which enhance teaching and learning, whether on site or off site.

During the pandemic in October 2020, the government set out what it called the “Remote Learning Continuity Direction”. This was a legal requirement for schools to provide immediate remote learning for any individual or groups of pupils who cannot attend school due to Covid-19, including isolation owing to having been a close contact.

Please note that this only applied to Covid related absences and not any other absences. The guidance was later replaced with “Providing remote education: guidance for schools”, (March 2022 and updated in January 2023). This sets out how schools can maintain their capability to provide remote education when it is not possible for some or all of their pupils to attend in person.

Circumstances where it might not be possible for pupils to receive in person education fit into two broad categories:

• School closures or restrictions on attendance, where school access for pupils is restricted

• Individual cases where a pupil is unable to attend school but is able to learn

It is important to note that the guidance does not specify the “type” of remote learning, e.g. if it needs to be electronic or on paper – however HEHS, as set out below, will be using the very latest technology on our cloud-based VLE utilising Microsoft Teams. The remote education provided will be equivalent in length to the core teaching pupils would receive in school.

The curriculum we will set will follow our normal curriculum plans and schemes of learning and will have the same ambition and quality as if the work were being set in a classroom.

Our curriculum is coherently planned from Year 7 to 13 in each subject through what we call a 'narrative' with units sequenced logically across all seven years of study. Please click here for individual subject pages to see the narrative and maps for Years 7 to 13 for each subject studied here at Hatch End High School. Also available here are user-friendly Learning Journeys for each of Key Stages Three, Four and Five which outline these Curriculum Narrative and Maps.

Please note that some practical subjects may adapt their curriculum plans in order to overcome some of the challenges of delivering their subjects remotely.

We will be conscious of the need to plan and scaffold work set to ensure all students can access activities and provide additional support, e.g. remotely for pupils with SEND or EAL.

During any school closure, we aim wherever possible for the 'virtual' school day to 'mirror the life of the school' for the student which promotes wellbeing, structure, and routine.

The school will always therefore endeavour to follow the normal school day and timetable (see more below) and there will be regular interaction.

The work will be available for the student immediately at the time their lesson would normally take. Therefore lessons will always have live elements to them, but we recognise that sometimes staff and students may not be able to deliver/follow the lessons on a live basis and hence we will provide recordings of all learning activities where appropriate.

We expect that remote learning will take students broadly 5 hours per day, plus independent learning activities. This is in line with the current guidance issued by the Department of Education.

Remote learning, even when live, is NOT the same as live teaching and parents and students need to appreciate this in their expectations of such live interaction between the school and the child.

We will always be conscious of safeguarding considerations for staff and students when using remote learning and advise accordingly (see FAQs for Parents).