Updates collated in blog https://islington-gov.j2bloggy.com/Islington-Computing-Online-Safety/home-learning #HomeLearningUK
Thank You To the large number of schools who we have worked preparing for the start of the summer term with new ways of remote learning.
Online Tools – (Excellent Updates from The Key Featuring Islington Schools here)
Many primary schools are using Online tools to connect, communicate, motivate and celebrate, as well as tracking engagement and targeting support to families.
(Lead Teachers have created tools that track daily usage across all classes)
- SeeSaw , ClassDojo – both platforms work on mobile set-up by a large number of schools in the UK, London and Islington, reports of high impact/engagement from across social economic groups
- Google Classroom/ Microsoft Teams, – very positive usage with families being shared, generally school already established and with confident staff users (higher TCO than Seesaw/Classdojo)
- Popular Edtech Platforms provide dynamic support to schools and families, as well effective hand-in, feedback and assessment tools – Inc. 2Simple, LGFL Busythings, J2E, DoodleMaths
- School Websites – uploading PDFs, using site tools – websites less dynamic, lack personalised two way communication – harder motivate and ability track engagement and support
New Content for Online Platforms (New DFE Guidance and associated Resources for schools and Families launched 20th April) & Offline Activities
Across all platforms, schools are setting achievable, motivational and open-ended activity, avoiding pressure on families and supporting routine and achievable activity.
- Teachers/SLT upload daily reading, assemblies and short demo lessons.
Plus fun simple challenges or ideas daily routine E.g Quiz at 9am to encourage get up + ready to learn. Daily Reading (Facetime) with Grandparents ideas Literacy Trust
Children’s work is shared back via photo by families and celebrated via assemblies or subject leaders/teachers montages of children’s work.
*Schools are reporting this is key to motivate families and learners - Curated Lessons via New BBC and Oak National Academy Plus YouTube curated content collection Inc. GoNoodle New daily bbc.in/BitesizeDaily and BBC Bitesize lessons are all available on iplayer now as well as the red button on TV. Every day includes ‘The Big Read’ Plus celebrities including Sir David Attenborough, Mabel and Liam Payne are presenting lessons. *Feedback positive after day 1 – “though some lessons and activities were pitched quite low for certain year groups”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52314856 A nice overview for school newsletters here & support for New Reception children Sept 2020New daily https://www.thenational.academy/ Backed by the DfE, providing 180 video lessons each week, across range of subjects, Reception through to Y10. *Feedback v.positive after day 1 - Very important to set Offline Activities to support Family Routine + new holistic ideas from Common Sense Media and diary writing
Visuals and Posters being shared widely – Education Endowment New https://alittlebutalot.com/2020/03/30/a-z-of-indoor-activities/
https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/covid-19-resources/
- Home Learning Packs proving very successful, to compliment online tools, as well as targeted where Home Access issues – four examples linked in above blog inc offline packs
*Islington School Improvement have customised Robin Hood Learning Projects with LGFL and other localised online content. Islington are also offering to print packs for schools.
Thank You NHS (Inc. History of NHS) – a one off Learning Project is also available and proving very popular around UK https://www.robinhoodmat.co.uk/learning-projects/#education
Robin Hood has asked schools to share back how they use these to the exec HT staylor@robinhoodschool.co.uk so ideas can be shared.
Fortnightly Bright Start Bright Ideas (Islington Early Years) newsletter for Families http://bit.ly/BSBIsubscribe and another UK EYFS Resource https://www.eyfshome.com
- Direct families to selected subscription and online resources but keep simple LGFL Busythings, DoodleMaths, 2Simple, Whiterose Maths
The Islington blog has comprehensive lists of edtech available and below are significant updates from LGFL Inc. https://coronavirus.lgfl.net/homelearning/BusyThings
Newly launched STEM https://www.stem.org.uk/home-learning
Film Ideas for families from IntoFilm https://www.intofilm.org/news-and-views/articles/best-family-films-to-stream-at-home
Computing Curriculum during School Closure & Computing Leaders Online Meet
Computing Partners have updated resources including https://www.barefootcomputing.org/homelearning & https://scratch.mit.edu/parents
Computing Leaders Online Network Meet This Friday at 2-3pm – Contact Katy to join this session – a chance to connect, share ideas and latest updates from Lead Teachers and LGFL
Safeguarding and Online Safety
Lots of new Online Safety updates for start of summer term, key if schools are using new online platforms, as well as the inevitable overuse of social media and gaming platforms at home.
There have been some excellent updates from LGFL, Childnet, CEOP, Safer Internet Centre and Common Sense Media summarised https://wakelet.com/wake/7199ed62-0c1e-4465-ab79-f79957132234
Latest https://www.childnet.com/blog/bbc-own-it-app-updated-to-help-support-young-people-during-covid-19 & https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
And latest DFE safeguarding advice for schools here. (Inc. LGFL + SIC) and for Families here
Primary Schools have been considering live video conferencing for teaching lessons and leaders are unanimous that instead videos will be uploaded. There will be schools who do choose to use VC but this must be done with careful consideration, as there are obviously key safeguarding concerns, as well as practicalities of teaching classes of primary age children, if not already established.
https://www.safeguardinginschools.co.uk/live-meetings-with-zoom/ Andrew Hall
https://swgfl.org.uk/resources/safe-remote-learning/
https://coronavirus.lgfl.net/
Resource Updates, Training, Webinars and Support LGFL
Parent Support direct with Bradley Dardis – offering phone and other support https://twitter.com/BradleyDardis/status/1245258066196680704
Training and support from the Curriculum team https://www.lgfl.net/training/ Including training today 21 April for Computing
SEND https://coronavirus.lgfl.net/Inclusion
J2E have released j2Homework and some guides: https://just2easy.com/media/J2homework.mp4 & https://just2easy.com/distancelearning/index.html
GSuite Webinars Next coming week:
ttps://sites.google.com/leoacademytrust.co.uk/leocpd/gsuiteand and
https://sites.google.com/appsevents.com/lgfl-gsuite-training/home
The Google for Education distance learning hub contains resources and links to everything that is available for schools in G Suite and Chromebooks.
The teach from home site is a central site is for schools, teachers and parents and offers advice of best practices for teaching at home, such as links out to training on each tool.
Please reach out to Kirri Gooch, Google for Education if you have any questions.
Office 365 support is available for all LGfL Schools
Online Training is available at https://education.microsoft.com
Teaching & Learning, Best Practice and Guidance support: jose.kingsley@lgfl.net
Technical support, set up and guidance: https://support.lgfl.org.uk