Remote Learning
In the event of a situation where the school is required to provide remote learning for pupils, we will use existing school systems to provide a high quality curriculum offer for pupils.
Ernest Cookson School will utilise its existing systems such as Class Dojo and Google's Education Suite to provide a mix of synchronous and asynchronous content where appropriate.
The school already provides asynchronous learning through our Read, Write, Inc phonics programme, and makes this available for all pupils, including any pupils who are unable to attend school.
The school also, in particular cases, can provide tutoring through online services, where appropriate and pre-agreed by parents and other relevant agencies during TAC meetings (team around the child).
Provision for pupils with SEND
If pupils with SEND are not able to attend school and require remote education, their teachers are best placed to know how their needs can most effectively be met to ensure they continue to access the curriculum. The school needs to put in place an appropriate curriculum, teaching and support that will enable the pupil to continue learning effectively.
Some pupils with SEND may not be able to access remote education without adult support. Schools should work collaboratively with families and put arrangements in place that allow pupils with SEND to access remote education successfully. In this situation, decisions on how provision can be delivered should be informed by relevant considerations including the support families will require and types of services that the pupil can access remotely.
The duty under the Children and Families Act 2014 for mainstream schools to use their ‘best endeavours’ to secure the special educational provision called for by a pupil’s special educational needs continues to apply when remote education is in place.
If a pupil has an education, health and care plan, whether they are in a mainstream or special school, the school must work with the local authority to ensure all the relevant duties under the 2014 Act continue to be met.
The duties under the Equality Act 2010 relating to disability and more broadly continue to apply, such as:
- to make reasonable adjustments
- not to discriminate
- to have due regard to the statutory objectives in the public sector equality duty
It may be challenging or impossible for the school to deliver remotely the kind of approach that it does in the classroom, for example the provision of certain differentiated resources and the support of a Teaching Assistant. If this is the case, the school must instead consider, in cooperation with the local authority (if the child has an EHC plan), other ways in which it and the local authority can meet its statutory duties, working closely with the parents or carers.
