#NorthcoteAtHome - Trinity Term 2020

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Welcome to the Trinity Term Whilst I would much rather be greeting you and your sons in person, I hope that this overview of our remote learning provision will be a helpful and reassuring way to welcome you all back to our virtual school.

This is a new process of teaching and learning for both staff and pupils, but we are striving to make this a positive experience that continues to instil a love of learning. While every family will approach this in their own way, we hope this guidance will help you feel prepared to support your son.

Our aim continues to be to provide challenging and engaging work which will allow boys to access the curriculum and continue to develop key knowledge and skills. The work that we set should be accessible to all pupils, allowing them to make progress independently. There is no expectation for parents to teach lessons.

Boys will follow a modified version of their current timetable, but there is no set format or expecation as to when and how work takes place. Some parents may wish to construct a structured day with a fixed timetable, whilst others may want to be more flexible with the times set aside for the school curriculum. We anticipate that boys should have c. 4 1/2-5 hours work per day. There will also be plenty of provision for co-curricular and sporting activity as well.

We will learn and adapt as we settle into term and see what does and doesn’t work for us all. My staff and I welcome constructive feedback on what we can all do to make this as positive an experience as possible for the boys.

Clive Smith-Langridge Headmaster

CONTENTS Technology • The School Week • Academic • Co-Curriculum • Pastoral Care • Community • FAQ

Technology There is a new Guidelines for Online Learning on the website which we expect all to read and adhere to for safe practice. Please read together and ensure these have been understood by the boys.

Google Classroom The majority of your sons have logged into their Google Classrooms in school during their last two weeks of the Hilary Term and should be confident with using it.

Any boys who did not manage to join all their classes will receive an invitation to do so from each subject teacher and this will be visible when they next open Google Classroom.

The software works best in a web browser on any desktop or laptop computer (Google Chrome has the smoothest functionality).

Your son has recorded his log-in details, but Mr. Knight and Mr Burdett will also send a reminder email to parents with their son’s Google Classroom log-in details.

Should you encounter any technical problems the staff members to contact are: •

Shell – Paul Coward – p.coward@northwoodschools.com

•

Form 2 and 3 – Richard Burdett – r.burdett@northwoodschools.com

•

Remove and Form 5 – Joe Knight – j.knight@northwoodschools.com

Google Classroom

The School Week Staff will set lessons and work to mimic the boys’ normal school timetable. Tasks will be uploaded to Google Classroom by 8.30am. For each normal timetabled lesson, 30 minutes of work will be set. Boys are required to complete this work on the day it is set and send it back via Google Classroom, so that it can be marked and returned. There is no expectation for boys to work on subjects at specific times, the aim is to allow families to organise their own days to best suit them. All staff will be checking emails at 8.30am and 4.30pm. All staff will be available in their usual roles to help with

anything academic or pastoral.

Academic

Pastoral Care & Community

All subjects will follow the normal syllabus. Lessons and work will be set to mimic the boys’ school timetable and uploaded at the beginning of each day by 8.30am.

Formtime and Tutor Time

30 minutes of work will be set for each lesson and boys should complete this on the day it is set and send it back via Google Classroom so that it can be marked There is no expectation for boys to work on subjects at specific times; boys should organise their day to best suit them and their families.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SUBJECT TASKS / LESSONS UPLOADED ON GOOGLE CLASSROOM *

8.30

8.30

8.30

8.30

8.30

Co-Curricular

TUTOR TIME VIA GOOGLE CLASSROOM - C. 5 MINS & Email Check

8.30

8.30

ASSEMBLY

8.40 Headmaster & Commendations Recorded video via Google classroom

We have some excellent and imaginative ways to teach our co-curricular lessons: for example, sport will set online sessions covering cricket skills, fitness, yoga/pilates, physical literacy, staying active and having fun. As with academic lessons, these will be uploaded and available via Google Classroom.

8.30

8.30

8.30 8.40 Heads of Year Recorded video & interaction via Google classroom

Academic questions or concerns All staff will check emails at 8.30am and 4.30pm and are available in their usual roles to help with anything academic or pastoral.

Please compete these during the day to a timetable that works best for you and your son.

We recommend that academic work should be done when boys are fresh and alert - generally in the mornings.

Please allow time between lessons for snacks and rest.

LESSONS (including sport) 30 minutes Daily tasks completed and uploaded

By end of day

Tutor catch up sessions (one per week - tutors will confirm which day)

4.30

STAFF EMAIL check

4.30

By end of day

By end of day

By end of day

4.30

4.30

4.30

By end of day

4.30

4.30

4.30

If boys have questions about the work set, don’t understand it, or cannot complete it, they should contact their teacher via email (privately) or in the Google Classroom (globally).

In the first instance, the form teacher should be the first member of staff to contact if you or your son have any questions about the work being set. The Head of Department will monitor all set lessons and will also be able to answer any questions or concerns.

If your question or concern cannot be answered by the class teacher or HOD please contact Hannah Sanders, the Deputy Head, Academic h.sanders@northwoodschools.com.

In order to maintain each form’s community feeling, tutors will host a 5-minute online chat each morning from 8:30am within Google Classroom. This should allow the friendly group dynamics of form-time to be mirrored, albeit in a text format.

Tutors will also create three smaller groups within each form and every one will take part in one 5-minute catch-up video call hosted by their tutor each week at 4:30pm on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon. Tutors will contact boys with the scheduling details.

If your son has any worries that he feels his tutor can best help with, he will be able to message them directly to get the support he needs.

Assemblies Heads of Year will run a recorded video assembly on Thursday mornings at 8:40am within the year group class and your son will be able to interact within the class to the issues raised each week.

The Headmaster will send an Assembly based message to all boys every Monday morning which will include Commendations for any outstanding pieces of work or community service that have come to his attention.

Our Wider Community We are keen to capture and share this new world of learning and to keep us all connected. Stories, pictures and anecdotes of what boys are doing and how things are working are very welcome. Please remember to tag us on any social media posts and follow our stories on the website (#schoolstories) or social channels #NorthcoteAtHome and #NWSVirtual.

We have many ideas on how to deliver and share our school stories in the coming weeks and look forward to sharing these with you.

FAQ Does the school day have to start at 8.30?

Tutor time will take place at 8.30 each morning. There are certain times when your son should check-in with his tutor, but other than that, it is up to each family to decide how to break down the school day and cover the work set.

Does my son have to wear uniform?

Not unless he wants to! (If he does - please send us pictures!)

Will I have progress reports?

We will maintain our records as normal and you are always able to discuss your son’s progress with his tutor via email.

How much am I expected to help / supervise?

The work set will be age appropriate and should be self-explanatory. Some boys will need more/less help or supervision. If you are concerned, please email your son’s tutor.

In the event of illness, should we notify the school?

Yes. Please inform the school of any illness via email so that we can update our records. This will also enable us to modify any tasks set.

I have a question or concern about my son’s work - who should I contact?

Your form or subject teacher is always your first point of contact and is contactable via email. The Deputy Head, Academic is also available for any other queries.

What about music lessons?

Individual music teachers will be making separate arrangements.

My son requires additional support, how will this be delivered?

Learning support will continue. We will contact parents individually to agree how and when this will take place.

What is happening about Common Entrance?

Miss Sanders will contact parents of all boys taking CE directly.

What provision is being made to celebrate Leavers?

We very much hope that we will be able to celebrate in the normal way but will review and communicate any changes in plans when we know more.

Children of Key Workers

We are providing on-site supervision for children of key workers. This will take pace at Broomwood Hall Upper School. Boys will be expected to follow the same home-learning structure but will be under the supervision of a teacher during their time on-site.

Contact

All our staff are on hand to offer support and guidance while we work remotely. Parents can contact them initially via email but should you wish to have a more in depth conversation, a phone call can be arranged. All staff contact details are on the website.

Website & App Log-In Details

Follow & help create our #Schoolstories

Website Secure Area: Username: nl-parents@northwoodschools.com Password: NLparents2018!

App: Download from App store. Username, Northcote, PIN 7764

You can see our #Schoolstories on the website or follow and tag us on Instagram, Facebook, or twitter: @NWSnorthcote #NorthcoteAtHome #NWSVirtual Please send any pictures you are happy for us to share: media@northwoodschools.com