Frequently Asked Questions
We know remote learning is a new process and there are bound to be some hiccups along the way, however, in time it will become a natural part of the teaching and learning process and a valuable tool in ensuring children don't miss out on education when they have to be absent from school.
Have a look at some of the answers below to some commonly asked questions and please feel free to contact the school office with any further enquiries.
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I'm unsure whether my child can attend school or should be self isolating. Where can I find more information?
We appreciate the number of scenarios which can happen due to the coronavirus outbreak can make things confusing. As such, we have produced a useful flow chart which details when a child would have to self isolate and when they can return to school. This can be accessed by clicking here.
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Why are children using SeeSaw in Reception and KS1, but Microsoft Teams in KS2?
When looking at the two packages we felt SeeSaw was more appropriate for KS1 children as Microsoft Teams felt a little too complex for them to navigate. Children in KS1 will still be exposed to Teams through the live events where they can meet their teachers, however to ensure consistency of learning, we felt SeeSaw was more appropriate to use.
- I've tried logging my child in but it won't work, what do I do?
First of all, apologies for this. As you can imagine, setting up every child in school with a unique log in has been a big task and unfortunately things do sometimes go wrong. We have a support email set up at onlinelessons@cheshireacademiestrust.co.uk, and by emailing details of your login problems we can get this sorted as soon as possible for you.
- Are the platforms safe for my child to use?
Absolutely. Both SeeSaw and Microsoft Teams have been set up carefully and with safeguarding in mind. Both platforms offer multiple levels of security and are monitored and backed up constantly. In regards to video lessons and feedback, they will always be recorded (as is reccommended) to ensure safety for all those on the call, children and adults alike.
- I don't have a laptop at home, will my child be at a disadvantage?
Not at all. The platforms we have chosen both run on any internet enabled device including mobile phones and tablets. Should you have no access to any device at all, please contact school where we can looking into providing a device as a loan to ensure your child can access remote sessions. Please do be aware we have only a limited amount of devices we are able to consider loaning out, so please only contact us regarding this if absolutely necessary.
- My child won't complete the work they have been set, what should I do?
We know that some of the children at school simply didn't engage with the learning packs that were sent out towards the end of the last lockdown. Now that remote learning has more accountability due to teachers feeding back to children and expecting to see work being completed that they have set; and speaking regularly to them even when they are absent from school, we are confident children will be more engaged with the tasks set. If children are still not completing work, a gentle reminder that their classteacher will be checking it should be enough to encourage them to complete it.
- My child is in Reception or Key Stage 1, how do I access Teams teacher events without a username and password?
As you are using SeeSaw for your remote learning, your child will not have a username or password for Teams. Instead, you will be sent a link via PING which, when clicked, will enable your child to access the face to face sessions with their classteacher as a guest.
- The documentation says my child will receive their school book to work in. How does this happen?
Should your child present symptoms of Covid 19 at school and have to be sent home, they will be sent home with everything they need to continue their learning remotely such as their books. If this happens during a time when your child is not in school such as over the weekend or in the evening, you should notify the school office who will then be able to arrange a contactless delivery of their books to your home address. Should a whole class or year group have to self isolate, we will arrange a collection of resources to facilitate remote learning in a safe and reasonable way.
- My child is ill, are they still expected to remote learn?
No. Remote learning is to combat situations where a child is forced to miss school even though they feel well enough to attend. Where a child is ill, they should remain at home and rest and we will not be expecting them to access remote learning until they feel well enough to do so. Please notify the office whether your child is remote learning or ill so this message can be passed on to teachers.
- How do I know if my child is answering questions correctly, particularly in Maths?
When setting tasks teachers will post the answers to the previous Maths activitiy so children and parents can assess the learning that has taken place. We post the answers a day later so there can be no temptation to simply copy them.