Home & Remote Learning
Did you know that children who engage with effective home learning can make even better progress? The Education Endowment Foundation research shows that in Primary Schools children who regularly do homework can make, on average, up to 3 months of additional progress!
Google Classroom - Years 1-6
Here at The Willow we use Google Classroom as our home learning platform for all children in years 1-6. All children have a login and password that gives them access to a virtual classroom which is run by their teacher and has all their classmates in. Teachers communicate with children and parents using 'The Stream', post work in the 'Classwork' section and set up online face to face remote learning using 'Google Meets'.
Google Classroom will work on any platform and any device, it can be accessed through any web browser or downloaded as an app from your app store for free. All you need is your child's login details and you are good to go. To find out a bit more about how to use google classroom please watch this video made by our computing leader - Ms Hawthorne.
We know not all children have a device at home they can use to access Google Classroom for home or remote learning, so we have set up a chromebook loaning scheme. The children are loaned the chromebook each weekend and over the holidays. If you want your child to borrow a chromebook please read the loan agreement and complete this Chromebook Loan Form.
Home Learning - Years 1-6
We expect all children to read at home every day for 20 minutes, whether this be independent for those who are fluent, or to an adult for those still learning. To find out more about reading at home please go to our Reading curriculum page.
All children in years 1-6 are set home learning every Friday on Google Classroom. Each week the children should have these activities to complete:
- Maths tasks to complete on Mathletics - our online learning platform for maths
- Spellings - words to practice and learn for a test the following week
- A project or other task linked to learning in history / geography / RE / science / art or DT
There may be times your child is set some additional tasks by the teacher. In year 6 children often have additional reading and maths learning to complete at home.
If you want your child to borrow a chromebook every weekend for them to do their home learning on, please read the loan agreement and complete this Chromebook Loan Form.
Remote Learning - Years 1-6
In the event of school closure we will move to remote learning through Google Classroom and Google Meets. A remote learning day will have the some or all of the following activities timetabled for the day. This may depend on how long the school is closed for.
- Live teaching for reading & phonics
- Live teaching input for other subjects
- White rose maths' video lessons and activities
- Teachers / staff available live online to support children who have a question or want some help
- Small group live teaching and intervention
- Pre recorded teaching videos or Oak National Academy video lessons for other subjects
- Online PE activities - PE with Joe, Cosmic Kids Yoga or similar
- Menu of creative activities including things to do outside
- Wellbeing activities to do at home
- Assemblies
If school is closed and we are running a remote learning timetable, your child can borrow a chromebook to use at home, please read the loan agreement and complete this Chromebook Loan Form.
Here is an example of a remote learning timetable
Home & Remote Learning - Reception (EYFS)
Reading and sharing books is the most important activity that adults at home can do with their children. Children in reception should read with an adult every day - depending on the child's stage in reading this may be practicing sounds, reading simple words or books. The books, or sheets, children bring home matches the phonics (sounds) they are learning in school, practicing reading it at home helps them consolidate their knowledge of these sounds and words. Reading to children also plays a vital role in their understanding of language and story and develops a love of reading.
In reception we use a platform called Tapestry. It is an online journal where both staff and parents can upload photos, observations and comments about their child's learning and development, both at school and at home. It works best when parents / carers view and comment regularly on what staff in school have shared about their child both at home and school and upload photos and observations of their child at home. Please see the links below for more information on, and support with, Tapestry.
During school closure suggested activities for home learning are posted along with pre-recorded videos of our teachers teaching for children to watch and learn. During longer closures teachers will do live story time and PSHE / circle time activities/