Remote Education Provision

Information for Parents and Carers | Mary Dean’s

Introduction

At Mary Dean’s, we aim to ensure that children can continue learning when unforeseen circumstances prevent the school from opening safely. This may include snow or ice, flooding, severe weather, power cuts, disruption to heating or water, damage to the premises, or other unexpected emergencies.

Our approach will reflect the nature and likely duration of the closure. We recognise that sudden disruption can affect families and staff, including their access to electricity, devices and the internet. We will be flexible and communicate arrangements as soon as reasonably possible.

1. The remote curriculum

What should my child expect on the first day or two?

Parents and carers should check Class Dojo for school updates and learning activities. Pupils in Years 2–6 should also check Google Classroom for work set by their teacher. For a short closure, teachers may provide independent tasks, reading, mathematics practice and activities that consolidate prior learning.

Pupils will be provided in advance with the relevant individual login details or access codes for the platforms used by their class, including Google Classroom, Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS), Magma Maths and Ed Shed, where appropriate. Families should keep these details safe and accessible. If they are missing, please contact the class teacher.

Where a closure lasts longer, we will aim to introduce a more structured programme and provide workbooks or printed resources where practical. Immediate online provision may not be possible during widespread power or connectivity disruption.

Will my child follow the usual curriculum?

We will teach broadly the same curriculum wherever possible and appropriate. Activities in PE, music, science, design and technology, and art may be adapted where specialist resources are not available at home.

2. Remote teaching and study time

For an extended closure, our broad daily learning expectations, including teacher-led and independent activities, are:

Phase	Daily learning time
EYFS	2–3 hours
Key Stage 1 (Years 1–2)	3 hours
Key Stage 2 (Years 3–6)	4 hours

These are guides rather than a requirement to recreate the school day. During a one-day emergency closure, or where families face significant disruption, a more flexible approach will apply.

3. Accessing remote education

Which online platforms will we use?

• Class Dojo – school communication, home learning activities and resources, particularly for EYFS and Year 1.
• Google Classroom – assignments, resources and teacher feedback, primarily for Years 2–6.
• Times Tables Rock Stars (TTRS) – multiplication and division fact practice.
• Magma Maths – interactive mathematics tasks and problem-solving set by teachers.
• Ed Shed – spelling, phonics and English activities, including Spelling Shed where appropriate.
• Other resources – Oak National Academy, BBC Bite size, White Rose Maths and other suitable educational websites.
• Zoom or other school-approved live meeting tools – teacher-led sessions where appropriate and practical.

All pupils will receive the login details or access codes needed for the platforms used by their class. Teachers will explain which activities to complete. Parents and carers should contact the class teacher through Class Dojo or the usual school channels if access details are lost or a platform is not working.

What if my child cannot access a device or the internet?

We recognise that some pupils may not have suitable digital access. Subject to availability, we will aim to loan devices, prioritising disadvantaged pupils and pupils with additional needs. We will explore available internet-access support and provide printed materials or non-digital activities where reasonably possible. Severe weather or unsafe conditions may delay distribution.

How will my child be taught?

• Activities and assignments in Class Dojo or Google Classroom.
• Teacher-recorded explanations, audio or video, and suitable national recorded lessons.
• Live class, group, phonics, reading or intervention sessions when practical.
• TTRS, Magma Maths and Ed Shed tasks matched to pupils’ learning.
• Workbooks, worksheets, textbooks, reading books and independent research.
• Practical, creative, physical and play-based activities using accessible household resources.

4. Engagement and feedback

What support should parents and carers provide?

Please encourage children to engage with activities as far as circumstances reasonably allow, help younger pupils access instructions, supervise safe use of online tools and support the submission of work when requested. Most tasks will be planned so that pupils can complete them with increasing independence. Please tell the teacher if your child needs adjustments or if circumstances make participation difficult.

How will engagement be checked?

For brief closures, teachers will monitor engagement where practical. During extended closures, pupils will be encouraged to submit selected work regularly. Teachers will indicate which tasks require submission and may contact families where engagement or wellbeing raises concerns, with a supportive approach to barriers caused by the emergency.

How will my child receive feedback?

Feedback may include whole-class or group discussion, individual comments, self-marking, quizzes and teacher responses through Google Classroom or Class Dojo, as appropriate. Not every task will receive written comments. During longer closures, teachers will aim to provide regular feedback and opportunities for questions.

5. Additional support for pupils with SEND

We will work with families to adapt learning for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), recognising that some children need adult support to access activities.

• Personalised or adapted tasks linked to individual targets and needs.
• Guidance for parents and carers and accessible pre-recorded teaching.
• Online phonics, reading, small-group or individual interventions where feasible.
• Teaching assistant support where staffing and circumstances allow.
• Practical, play-based and non-digital learning opportunities.

For pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), we will consider the provision in their plans and explore appropriate remote support. If the premises are unsafe or closed, on-site provision may not be possible; we will work with families and relevant professionals on reasonable alternatives.

6. Short-term and extended closures

What happens during a one-day closure?

Teachers will aim to share manageable activities via Class Dojo or Google Classroom, potentially including TTRS, Magma Maths and Ed Shed. A full timetable of live lessons may not be feasible at short notice. We understand that families may also be dealing with the effects of the disruption.

What happens if the closure lasts several days?

We will aim to provide a suggested timetable, daily activities across subjects, appropriate live or recorded teaching, opportunities for teacher contact, feedback and additional support where needed. The offer will depend on the circumstances, staffing and available services.

What if staff or online services are affected too?

Where storms, flooding or utility failures prevent normal online provision, we may use previously shared materials, independent activities or alternative arrangements once services are restored. We will communicate changes as soon as practical.

7. Communication and reopening

We will inform families of closures through our usual school communication channels as promptly as possible. Updates will explain the reason for closure, likely duration where known, remote learning arrangements and reopening information.

When it is safe to reopen, normal classroom teaching will resume. Teachers will review learning completed at home and provide opportunities to revisit or consolidate important knowledge and skills.

Our commitment

Our priority is the safety and wellbeing of pupils, families and staff, alongside continuity of education wherever reasonably possible. We will seek to provide accessible, manageable and inclusive learning and will work flexibly with families during unexpected disruption.