I know there is lots of anxiety tonight and questions still to be answered for schools but just some thoughts about how we have supported our community so far...

***Staying Connected Whilst Being Separated***

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We share these thoughts as reflection for ourselves - a piece of written history for our school for our time - and for reflection from our professional community, to engage with others as we all work to invent the present.

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When we started to consider how we would operate as a school under a lockdown and school closure, our focus was very much on how we could and would maintain the relationships we value so much.

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Our relationships and our attunement with our children and our families underpins all successful learning at our school. Remaining connected, we knew, was going to be important for all of our children and families – and, actually, for our staff too.

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We already have well established online platforms for our parent community through facebook, twitter, parentmail. Our parents have engaged well through these platforms for a sustained period. We knew we could sustain this and these channels would become even more important.
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However, we knew that the children needed something more dynamic and that would allow two way, responsive communication.

We were already set up on Microsoft Teams as a staff group so it seemed logical to extend this to the children...

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...as this immediately gave us a platform to connect with them via a video communication platform. Our technician (the marvellous Glyn) very quickly, overnight, set up new and safe email addresses for all of our children.

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We sent a questionnaire via parentmail to parents about access to the internet and devices at home to audit how many children would be able to access any material we shared online while at home.

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With about a 75% response rate over a couple of days, this gave us a good view of how many children we would need to support with equipment and internet access.

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In the two days we had before we closed, we focussed on showing children how to log on to Teams, what it would look like, how it might feel and we were able to answer technical questions about it as far as we were able.

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We also made sure that the children had a list of passwords for the other online platforms we use in school.

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We created a secure google document that collated relevant information about all of our children by class so this was all in one place and because SIMS can’t be accessed from home. This included any pertinent safeguarding information...

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...(Child In Need, Child Protection, Looked After), whether the family were eligible for Free School Meals, the child’s email address, whether they had internet access and a device at home, any Special Educational Needs, whether their parents were essential workers...

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...and identified a Key Worker for every child. For most children, the Key Worker is the class teacher but for those with additional needs in any way, we designated our SENCO, our counsellor, our play therapist, our social worker, someone else in school with whom the child...

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...had the most significant and strongest relationship. This google document has become vital and where we now record how often we have ‘seen’ the child, heard from the child and family and track engagement with check ins etc.

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On Wednesday 18th March, the evening of the televised press conference when the closure was announced, I was sitting in PC World (who were incredibly helpful and kind, doing the best deal they possibly could for us) buying as many dongles as we possibly could so...

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we could ensure families with no access to the internet, would have it. We identified those families who would need these and/or a device from the information in the questionnaire referred to above, our detailed knowledge of our families and...

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...through subtle and sensitive conversations with parents and carers. These laptops and dongles went home with the families who needed them on Friday 20th March!!

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On Friday 20th March, I wrote to our parents detailing our support during the time school would be closed for most children so they knew what to expect.

During the closure, Learning Menus (rather than timetables because...

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...we wanted there to be as little pressure on families as possible) for each class have been sent out via parentmail and uploaded onto Teams before 9:30am every day. These are entirely optional for children and families.

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There is a daily check in that every child can log onto at 9:30am till 10:00am every day via Teams video conferencing. The class teachers greet and check in with the children, go through the Learning Menu, answer questions. It is so lovely to see all those lovely faces!

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The class teachers are then available throughout the day to individual or groups of children either by message or by video call. Learning Menus have activities that focus on applying skills already learned but we have also been using an online programme that uses AI...

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...to move children on in small stages in maths and English. Children are able to engage independently in the tasks and they are designed to allow children to spend as little or as much time as possible on them.

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Teaching teams then hold a half hour check out session at 3pm – again, available to all children. This is an opportunity to share learning, do some mindfulness and meditation, continue with the class novel or story and check out with the class teachers.

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Teaching assistants join these sessions too and, again, are available throughout the day. All specialist teaching and SEND provision is continuing throughout the day, teachers and teaching assistants are supporting children who need/want support individually daily...

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...continuing individualised programmes, hearing children read, providing support and feedback (when requested) in the different activities and creating a space for pastoral support.

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Teachers and Key Workers are touching base (by phone, social media, email or Teams) with parents and carers, especially those of children we haven’t seen online, as appropriate.

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This can be every day or just occasionally – again, using what we know from our close relationships with our children and families. We employ a part-time school social worker who isn’t responsible for any statutory social work functions but supports our families with...

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...different vulnerabilities. She is currently following up any safeguarding concerns, either by phone, virtually or, if absolutely necessary, by socially distanced home visits. She is supporting our staff in ensuring that our Safeguarding Policy and practices are being...

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...appropriately and rigorously upheld.

The children who normally access our school-based therapeutic services, including counselling and play therapy, continue to have their appropriate therapy offered, although obviously in a different format, online.

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Our newsletter continues to go out every Friday via parentmail and on social media and we are trying our hardest to maintain those routines and traditions that are integral to our school; as an example, every child in our school gets a birthday card, we are now sending...

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these through the post.

I read a bedtime story and share on social media every evening – just so children can maintain the connection with me and my voice; from feedback, children were missing this.

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We held our Parents’ Evening just before Easter; again, this was through Teams or the telephone and was probably better attended than our Parents’ Evenings are usually. This is exciting for us as it has opened up lots of possibilities for how we might conduct Parents’...

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...Evenings in the future.

At the moment, we are working on maintaining our extensive Induction Programme online, including a virtual meeting with the child and parents and carers, an Induction Evening online and virtual story time and circle time sessions planned and...

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...provided by our EYFS team in lieu of visits.

We feel really connected to our families and their feedback is that this is mutual – they are really valuing the connection and feel very supported by our staff team.

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We have managed to maintain, and even strengthen, our strong community.

And our next project is our annual Barrowford’s Got Talent – one of our most loved and well attended events. Audition videos have been submitted and are with our judges to be streamed on 21st May.

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Watch this space…

We would love to learn from other schools to enhance what we are offering.

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#HelpTheNHS
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