Strategies for Home Learning during a Primary School Closure

This is a summary of ideas currently being shared across advisory and school networks and social media education channels including schools US, Asia and UK.
**Updates School strategy Home Learning during School Closure- week 1 here Week 2 here ,Week 3 here Week 4 , Week 5 here Week 6 here Week 7 here Week 8 Here  Week 9 here Week 10 here Week 11 here  Week 12 , Week 13 here and Week 14 here

Home Access and Key Safeguarding Considerations inc #Digital5aDay
There is currently strong emphasis on remote, online learning (multiple Edtech platforms offered for free here) which needs careful consideration:
a/  Many homes have limited devices, beyond mobile which children traditionally “watch”, plus parents working from home may also need the family laptop and do not assume all homes have wifi, pay as you go mobile, is not uncommon

b/ Need for offline/online balance for every child staying at home all day
c/ Safeguarding and Health Well-being
– Parents ask for support with screen-time boundaries
– Social media issues(e.g.WhatsApp/TikTok) may spike across class/friendship groups 

Key Considerations Refresh or refer to survey on device/internet access at home (don’t expect printers!)
– Consider households with limited books or learning material
– SeeSaw/ClassDojo works well mobile access
Google/365 optimised via laptops + greater Total Cost of Ownership.
– Home environment from Stephen Heppell
– Updated Safeguarding advice e.g https://www.lgfl.net/about/coronavirus
– Support for family routine Collection of Posters + collages inc daily target
*Achievable learning time of 2 hours
– Do you have a shared online space (OneDrive, Google Drive etc) for staff to share information with each other and with students/parents.

Concise Summary Learning Resources from ChatterBox (SEN) and HeadteacherChat + a Graham Andre and Jodie Lopez and Islington
And DFE 

Communicating with Parents and Teachers 
Extract from https://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/edtech-uk-isc-advice-schools-potential-coronavirus-closures

  • Think about communications channels to parents, can you use them to maintain the momentum of the learning community and deliver more practical solutions?  E.g School websites, parent app, emailsrents? 
  • Does your institution or Parent Teacher Association have a Facebook group or similar solution you could use to maintain a dialogue with parents?
  • Will you go online with your learners, if so, how often?
  • How can you best mobilise and explain to parents the continued need to support learning?  

Key Learning Activity and Example Ideas 

Provide engaging, accessible books/basic learning tools for targeted families
Provide physical learning packs for targeted years e.g. SATs years
https://www.tts-group.co.uk/home+learning+activities.html
https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs
https://tpet.co.uk/download
https://www.robinhoodmat.co.uk/learning-projects/

Decide on clear communication strategy with parents and intervals when/how  online activities will be shared and teachers available (e.g each morning, week) 

Examples from UK and US Schools and Advisors

https://www.seaviewps.org.uk/classes/remote-learning
Clear and simple approach which includes: Online Learning, STEAM projects (via SeeSaw, website) clear communication, daily reading and learning, Yr6 SATs focus
***suggested #DailyMile to start day***

https://jamesgillespiesprimary.co.uk/home-learning-grids-for-school-closures
Phase learning plans with home based learning projects and puzzles.

https://www.robinhoodmat.co.uk
7 weeks of whole school home learning plans

Home Learning Digital strategy https://www.princeofwales.dorset.sch.uk/
https://docs.google.com/document/d/11j8Bbc1860j_nNEWAleqOBiMyHGxfzyiRNbnh_VsIQo/edit

Activities, video stimulus, read-alouds, writing/ drawing demos, movie reviews from US
https://www.katemessner.com/read-wonder-and-learn-favorite-authors-illustrators-share-resources-for-learning-anywhere-spring-2020/  

Day-by-day projects to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing from US (Scholastics)
https://classroommagazines.scholastic.com/support/learnathome.html 

Excellent Safeguarding Reminder from Dubai
https://twitter.com/LukeReesEdu/status/1236876545207291905

Edtech Considerations
There are various publications on the role of tech being circulated Inc. https://edtechnology.co.uk/Article/tools-support-teaching-amid-coronavirus-closures/
https://iscdigital.co.uk/coronavirus-continuing-learning/
“Companies are offering free access to resources, but you must make sure that anything new will not disrupt or distract students from making progress with their learning – be very cautious about trying something wholly new”
Many schools are already using online platforms for managing student work (office 365/teams or Google) or school websites and emails to share home learning.

Schools subscribe to platforms like Discovery, 2simple, LGFL (busythings), doodle maths, TTRS, as well as free resources like Quizlet, Kahoot, Teach your Monster to Read https://kahoot.com/blog/2020/02/27/kahoot-free-access-schools-higher-education-coronavirus/

Edtech Advice for Parents
Common Sense Media above has comprehensive summary for parents https://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/news/press-releases/common-sense-provides-resources-for-parents-to-prepare-for-coronavirus 

DFE https://www.gov.uk/government/news/early-years-apps-approved-to-help-families-kick-start-learning-at-home https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk

Parents won’t want children on screens all day and #Digital5aDay approach is key.  Promoting offline activities is essential and reminders of daily physical activity.  https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/our-work/digital/5-a-day/