What can you expect?
Our Virtual School is action packed and full of fun and learning. The day starts with Mrs. Warmington’s ‘Rise and Shine’ where she gives us some inspiration for the day ahead and a big shout out to students who have been excelling in their virtual learning.
Virtual School Experience is delivered via a safe and secure online platform: MS Teams and Firefly. We extensively use Showbie, Nearpod and other premium platforms to best engage our learners.
Lessons
During the course of the day, the full range of the curriculum is delivered through a careful combination of live lessons and structured group and independent work. The students experience live specialist lessons in Modern Languages, Drama, Music, PE and Slovak or Korean. Maths and Literacy are taught four times a week each by the class teachers. For these sessions, Teaching Assistants are on hand in break out rooms to support those who need additional help or challenge.
Students are motivated to get involved with film making, cooking, dancing, music and forest school activities alongside their more formal face to face sessions.
Class teachers are also running exciting projects which cover our other subjects (Science, History, Geography, Art and Design Technology). These may start off being taught in a whole class group and then break off into smaller groups so that the students can work collaboratively with their peers. Independent work is also encouraged with suitable guidance from teachers. Teachers strive to keep sessions as lively, engaging and hands-on as possible, for example with live cooking lessons, art classes and STEAM challenges.
Additional Support
Children who need support with English language acquisition continue to have specialist lessons and support from our EAL teachers. The Learning Support Team works with students in 1:1 or small group sessions as appropriate.
Teachers and TLAs organise 1:1 and small group sessions to maximise learning time and individualised support, including 1:1 reading and guided reading groups. Our School Counsellor meets with students who need her support as she would in school. Class teachers allow for check-in times where concerns can be discussed and the children’s well being monitored.
Personalised support is being offered to families struggling to work from home with their children.
All in all, our students, class teachers, specialists and TLAs join together every day in a vibrant learning community where they enjoy an exciting range of experiences and opportunities.
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Live lessons with break out support groups
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Exciting hands-on projects
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Live specialist lessons in Drama, Music, Modern Languages, PE, Slovak and Korean
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Whole class teaching, peer group collaboration and 1:1 support from class teachers/TLAs
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Individual reading and group Guided Reading sessions
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Structured independent work to allow time away from screens
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Support from EAL and Learning Support specialists
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Time to chat with friends and teachers in an informal setting
Other important elements of virtual school:
Student, parent, teacher conferences will continue online using CHQ.
Parents are engaged in their child's learning and benefit from support and resources from their school as well as online parent/teacher meetings.
Online meetings can be arranged on Teams or we can communicate via email. Technology self-help guides are also available on Firefly
We have continued our reporting and parent/teacher conference calendar.
Pastoral team or class teachers are active in contacting students and parents when attendance and/or engagement is an issue.
Click here to see a typical Virtual School Experience timetable for Year 5/6