Remote Learning

At The Farnley Academy, we are wholeheartedly dedicated to ensuring that all students in our care receive a first class education and achieve their goals in life, whatever they might be. Our staff value each of our students as individuals and work tirelessly to ensure that students achieve excellent outcomes when they leave the academy. That is why we have such a strong commitment to our remote learning; we want to ensure that there is no barrier between our students and an outstanding education.

The remote curriculum mirrors the school curriculum for each subject. We believe that learning should be as closely matched as possible to that which is delivered within school. Our leaders have designed a curriculum that allows students to make rapid progress and therefore, whilst students work remotely, the curriculum is not narrowed; our teachers have simply planned how the full curriculum can be best delivered to those working at home. We are immensely proud of the fact that our students will attend live lessons when working from home. Students are able to ‘attend’ the lesson as usual, ask the teacher questions and receive feedback, just as if they were within the classroom. We therefore are able to deliver the curriculum in its full extent.

From the first day of self-isolation, students are able to log in and connect remotely into their lessons, meaning that no learning time is lost. Teachers are aware of students who are required to self-isolate and therefore can dial invite students to join their lessons immediately. The remote learning policy we have built that remote learning begins immediately upon identification of a student who is not able to attend school – we’re able to provide students with the immediate live education, using the platform of Microsoft Teams.

In order to explore the Curriculum in more depth to understand the content being delivered for your child, please click here to see each Curriculum Map for our subjects.

Where individual students need to self-isolate, but the rest of their peer group remains in school, our remote learning policy and curriculum remains the same. Students are able to still connect remotely so that they do not miss any learning time. In all cases, we would expect student to take part in the same lesson as their peers in school. Where issues with IT exist at home, we are well placed to support with Laptops and Internet dongles, meaning that out remote learning offer is truly accessible to all.

Due to the nature of the subject, students are not able to access their PE lessons live. However, to ensure that students continue to receive high-quality education that looks after their physical health and follows the curriculum, our teachers have pre-recorded video lessons for students to follow when their PE lesson would usually take place. These lessons have been carefully planned, taking into consideration that students may not have the appropriate equipment at home to follow the full Curriculum. They are lessons that are accessible for all students and certainly ensure that students are pushed hard and are keeping fit and healthy!

There are three lessons available for students to follow. The lessons start at beginner and develop to advanced; students in KS3 should start the week with a beginner lesson and move on to intermediate or advanced, based on how difficult they found the first lesson.

Students in KS4 should begin at intermediate in order to push themselves for their weekly PE lesson.

We expect students to log in for each of their lessons, as they would in a regular school day. Students will follow their timetable lesson by lesson; this ensures that students receive the same hours of education working from home, as they would within the school day. Please see a reminder of the school day to ensure your child is logged in on Microsoft Teams at the required times, ready for their teacher’s call.

Please note that it is compulsory that your child attends every single lesson of the school day.

The platform that lessons are delivered through is Microsoft Teams. This platform allows our teachers to deliver their lessons ‘live’ to those at home. The platform has a range of functions that ensure the safety of our students as well as ensuring the learning of our students is of a fantastic standard. Some of the features include:

• Students are able to log in using their school username and password, ensuring their safety on the platform
• The teacher can ‘screen share’ so that anything that takes place within the classroom, also takes place for students at home. This means students are able to engage in tasks under the visualiser or tasks done live on the SmartBoard, ensuring a more interactive way of working
• The chatbox allows students to ask questions live within the lesson to their teacher, should they require extra support. This function also allows teachers to engage live with students to assess their understanding as the lesson develops
• Teachers have control of the microphones of students, allowing order and high standards of behaviour in remote conditions whilst ensuring safeguarding needs are met
• Teachers are able to upload multiple files that are stored long term on the class page. This means worksheets, texts, diagrams and other useful learning tools can be utilised in the exact same way from home
• There is a whiteboard feature to allow group work amongst students
• All lessons are recorded, meaning that students who are ill can access the missed lesson at an alternative time. Student can also review content of lessons to support with homework.

In order for students to access the platform, they must access the school website and log in via the Dashboard. This will allow students to select Microsoft Teams and access their lessons.

Please watch our quick tutorial below to see how students can get logged on.

We recognise that some students may not have access to suitable device at home, or to the internet. We are committed to ensuring that this does not become a barrier for students receiving the education that we have to offer. Therefore, if you are in a position where your child does not have access to either a device or the internet, please see the below process to ensure this is rectified immediately:

1. If your child is not expected to be in school and requires a device, please email [email protected] immediately with your request (please specify whether it is a device or internet that is required)
2. This request will immediately be passed onto the attendance team. They will give you a call to clarify the details of what you require
3. If it is a laptop that is required, there is a home usage agreement that you are required to sign that details how the device can be used. You will then be able to pick the laptop up from the school reception at your earliest convenience. Please note that only in exceptional circumstances would a member of our team be able to drop the device off at your home address
4. If there is no internet access for your child at home, we are able to provide a Dongle for you to use. The Dongle provides data that can be used to access the internet. As these Dongles have been provided by the Department of Education, they have appropriate filters in place that block websites that are not deemed appropriate for educational use. The usage of this data is tracked and monitored. There is a home usage agreement that you are required to sign that details how the Dongle can be used. You will then be able to pick the Dongle up from the school reception at your earliest convenience. Please note that only in exceptional circumstances would a member of our team be able to drop off the Dongle
5. For the duration of the time your child is required to self-isolate, they are able to use the device/internet as required to ensure their home learning can take place. Your child will then be required to return the device on their return to school

We want to ensure that all students can access their lessons remotely to receive the support and guidance when working remotely. Our students value the system we currently use and understand that whilst working remotely, this is the best way for them to receive their education. Please see below some of our students’ views on our remote education policy.

We expect your child to log in remotely for every single lesson. At The Farnley Academy, we understand that the best support that your child can receive is that from their individual class teachers. Therefore, your role in your child’s education is to simply support us in encouraging your child to be logged on and ready for their lessons.

As our teachers are providing live lessons to students, we are tracking engagement on a lesson by lesson basis. Our teachers will complete the register that details whether or not your child has attended their lesson live. This will enable our attendance team to track student engagement with their remote education.

The following process is taken to ensure that students are accessing all of their lessons remotely. All of your children’s lessons are of equal importance; we believe 100% attendance in remote engagement is the only way to ensure complete success in remote learning.

1. Where a student is not logging into lessons, initially a member of our attendance team will call home to inform you of this and to encourage your child to get logged on.
2. If this becomes a persistent issue (defined as more than 3+ lessons a day have been missed and these were not due to technical issues) then this is escalated to the Vice Principal, who will deploy particular team members to work through any barriers your child may have with accessing lessons.
3. If there is no improvement, this is then escalated to the Principal who will, in turn, take appropriate measures to ensure the engagement of your child.

As an academy, we are constantly looking to reward those students who get it right and consistently engage remotely with their lessons. Different attendance incentives will be advertised with prizes on offer. Check our Facebook page to see what prizes could be won for your child’s fantastic engagement!

The main way in which teachers will assess students’ work is through the systematic checking and marking of this work. Following the carefully planned Curriculum maps, teachers will mark key pieces of work through this platform and provide students with clear feedback and opportunity for improvements.

However, teachers will also utilise the opportunity for ‘live’ feedback within lesson to help to facilitate the progress of students within the lesson. This will take place within the following ways:

• Teachers will directly question students within the lesson to check their understanding and allow students to progress
• Teachers will use Microsoft Forms to quiz and test students on knowledge, enabling them to understand their next steps in planning
• Teachers will use a range of assessment for learning strategies to assess how well students are following the lesson. Teaching staff have received additional training to ensure that they can facilitate this for students whilst they work remotely

For instructions for how your child can access their Class Notebook, please watch the below tutorial videos.

We recognise that some students, for example, students with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), may need some extra support in their learning from home. We want to assure parents that these students will still be closely monitored and help is on hand, should your child require it. The following actions will take place to ensure that any additional support that is required is identified:

1. A member of our SEND team will frequently engage with parents at home to check in on students and offer any additional support
2. Where necessary, 1-to-1 remote support can be put in place to ensure your child’s needs are met whilst they work from home
3. Your child’s key worker will engage frequently with teachers to closely monitor their progress and ensure their success in home learning

Here at The Farnley Academy, we are continuously seeking ways to improve our provision and as a result, we would appreciate any feedback that you may have about our remote learning provision. Please see below some of the feedback provided from parents about our remote learning provision.

“Both of my boys have been able to access their lessons without any technical problems. This process is so much better than trying to get them to work independently. Thank you for all the effort you have put in to ensure this success!”

“I want to state how amazed I am with the dedication and high standard of home learning being received from The Farnley Academy. Any issue that I have raised has been dealt with in record time and my year 10 son has enjoyed his remote learning because of all of you.
I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for everything you are doing for your students, as a working parent you have made my life so much easier.”

“I know this isn’t the ideal situation for my sons learning but I certainly am very confident that he will not fall behind and will be supported to the full extent until things return to normal. The set up with live lessons on Teams is just outstanding!”

If you have any feedback, or, you require any further information, please contact [email protected].