Remote Learning Update February 2021
Live Sessions
Over the past three weeks we have established a programme of live interactions for pupils in BGE including a pastoral check in. Learners in S1 and S2 are now experiencing five live sessions per week and we will continue to build on this progress. In S3, we now have nine subjects offering live sessions and we will continue to ensure that a range of curricular areas deliver these live interactions.
The BGE Live sessions schedule is shared in each year group Google Classroom on a Sunday to allow pupils and their families to plan for the week.
Pupils in senior phase will continue to engage in live sessions during their timetabled slots for their subjects. Class teachers will provide details of live sessions in subject specific Google Classrooms. Class teachers will ensure that senior phase pupils who are in school as part of the phased return to complete practical subjects will be provided with the opportunity to catch up on any missed live sessions.
Quality Assurance
Year heads have now completed their virtual visits to all of our Google Classrooms. The observations have been discussed with Faculty Heads with strengths and areas for improvement identified. The Senior Leadership team was overwhelmed by the good practice observed in our virtual classrooms and the use of a range of apps and programs to enhance our provision. For example, JamBoard has been successfully used to allow pupil to collaborate and interact during live sessions. Mote has been used to provide verbal feedback to pupils which they have found really useful. To build our capacity for remote learning and share this good practice, our teaching staff have led online professional learning sessions with their colleagues to support each other in our remote learning journey.
Feedback
Working in partnership to evaluate and improve our remote learning provision is important to us. As part of this process all pupils, parents and carers will be invited to complete a short survey to share their views on remote learning in Strathaven Academy. Pupil questionnaires have been shared in each year group Google Classroom. The link to the parents/carers questionnaire can be found below and accessed on our school website. Please submit responses by 28/02/2021.
Remote Learning Survey for Parents/Carers
Thank you for your continued support.
Remote Learning Guide
Please read our updated Remote Learning Guide. It has been updated to reflect new guidance from SLC and the Scottish Government. There is also a short video presentation to highlight some of the key aspects of our plans.
Remote Learning Guide January 2021 Version 3 25-01-2021
Year Group Information Google Classrooms
Year heads have set up a Google Classroom for each year group and this contains details of all the subject specific Google Classroom codes as well as other useful information. There will be a video message from each year head explaining remote learning and our expectations. The codes for the year group classrooms have been sent via the School App and text message. Please ensure your child joins their year group Google Classroom.
Google Classroom
Google Classroom is our chosen platform for online learning and teaching.
Promoting positive wellbeing
Some pupils may find this a difficult time and be feeling anxious. The following websites can offer support:
Young Scot: https://young.scot/campaigns/national/coronavirus
Breathing Space: www.breathingspace.org
Childline: www.childline.org.uk
SAMH: www.samh.org.uk
See Me: www.seemescotland.org
Information for Parents/Carers
We appreciate the challenges school closures create for families. Here are our top tips for managing learning at home.
- Try to maintain a daily routine
- Maintain sleeping habits
- Encourage daily exercise
- Plan breaks
- Plan time to discuss what your child has learnt each day
- Create a positive learning environment
- Provide time and space for your child’s homeworking
- Show an interest in your child’s work and encourage them
- Be realistic and manage expectations
- Your home is not a school and you cannot be expected to deliver a perfect curriculum
- Do not expect every hour of the day to be filled with learning
- Avoid comparisons with other families, who may exist in very different circumstances
Information to support parents/carers with learning at home can be found here https://education.gov.scot/parentzone/learning-at-home/