Our School Curriculum

At Stoneyholme, we have high aspirations and expectations for all our children. By providing the highest possible standard of academic, personal, social and emotional care, guidance and support, children will leave our school having reached their full academic potential and will be fully equipped to be active and positive local, British and Global Citizens, as well as being prepared for a successful lifelong learning journey.

Our curriculum has been designed for all our children to:

• Be engaged- we encourage creativity, problem-solving, exploration and discovery so that children can be resourceful, build resilience, critical thinking and independence.
• Be active- we provide opportunities for our children to experiment and engage with their surroundings. We encourage both physical and mental motivation so that children are involved in their learning, developing concentration, perseverance and enjoyment.
• Be critical- our curriculum is designed so that children can make meaningful links with their learning. We foster a safe environment where children ‘have a voice’, share ideas, express themselves and are listened to.
• Be positive- we want our children to develop confidence, have high self-esteem and value intrinsic reward. We provide meaningful experiences to deepen understanding, practise and master skills so our children are effective learners and can be reflective and achieve what they set out to do.
• Be aware- our curriculum has been designed to enable children to form meaningful relationships, develop social skills, independence, collaboration skills and empathy for others. We provide opportunities for them develop their cultural literacy and social capital by having a sense of self, people and communities and the world around them, which in turn opens the door to learning in all areas.
• Be communicative- we provide strategies and opportunities within a language-rich environment for all our children to develop their transformative oracy skills so they are effective communicators able to confidently adapt and be contextually expressive.

The relentless focus on acquisition of core skills and traditional values, which children need to make outstanding progress, underpin our curriculum intent. Being involved in target driven planning and fully engaged in their learning enables our children to enhance their learning and know what they need to do to achieve, plan next steps and articulate what successful learning looks like. Children are engaged in being relentlessly optimistic about possibilities and their capacity to learn.

Based on empirical research providing the benefits of mindfulness, we aim to equip our children with skills and techniques that will support their lifelong wellbeing. We recognise that emotional problems such as stress, anxiety and depression can affect self-esteem, performance and social interaction so we have Mindfulness Areas throughout each key stage and in every classroom. Our curriculum fosters good mental health and well-being, it reduces cognitive overload and cultivates a sense of inner peace.

We create an enriching environment to nurture young minds’ growth potential optimally. There is balance between child-initiated and adult-led activities with experiences that are filled with exploration to nurture curiosity through positive reinforcement strategies. Our curriculum gives expansive opportunities for children to realise and nurture talents, find untapped potential and increase confidence and the skills to succeed. Providing a wide range of dynamic learning leads to expanding minds, where children are encouraged to explore and investigate beyond their known world. Our unique Enrichment Programme and commitment to providing exciting and inspiring extracurricular opportunities that fully embrace culture, the arts, sport and technology, ensures our children will leave Stoneyholme with experiences they might not otherwise have had, enabling them to develop a wider sense of their place in the world. Look at the Learning Outside the Classroom page for further details.

Staff and Governors have developed outstanding, high-quality provision for the delivery of our curriculum. We utilise specialist staff, Curriculum Teams, our own extensive outdoor facilities (Forest School, STEAM Hub, meadow, sensory alley, allotments, orchard, Peace Garden with fire pit, Multi Use Games Area, Willow Dome and Reading Retreats), the use of emerging technologies including Radio Station, Green Screen Studio, iPads, Kindles, iMacs, etc. We benefit from a vibrant and purposeful learning environment including fully refurbished classrooms with interactive whiteboards, group rooms, KS1 and KS2 libraries, Family and Community rooms, The Cooking Pot, Media Suite and sensory room.

Our curriculum meets all the statutory requirements of the EYFS Statutory Education Programmes and the National Curriculum and is responsive to the unique needs of our children. In planning and guiding what children learn, our practitioners reflect on the different rates at which children are developing and adjust their practice appropriately.

Curriculum Policies

Remote Learning 

  

Home/ Remote Learning Policy September 2024

 

Our School Philosophy

At Stoneyholme Community Primary School we always strive to ensure our pupils make the best progress within a full and purposeful curriculum.  Our remote learning policy aims to ensure the continuous delivery of our school’s broad curriculum so that children continue to learn new knowledge and concepts as well as reinforcing prior learning.  

Aims

We aim to:

• Develop high quality remote learning opportunities, where learning, progress and well-being are at the heart
• Ensure consistency in the approach to remote learning for all pupils (inc. SEND/EHCPs)
• Provide clear expectations to members of the school community to ensure the delivery of high quality interactive remote learning
• Deliver the full broad and balanced curriculum to all pupils as well as providing support for children’s health and well-being
• Develop and provide a safe online learning environment, with full regard of our duty of care to safeguard children
• Continue to support parents and to support them to help their children to access learning
• Consider continued education for staff and parents/carers
• Support effective communication between the school and the families
• Support children and families with engagement and attendance

 

Who is this policy applicable to?

• Any child who is unable to attend school due to prolonged health reasons as advised by a medical practitioner.

  

When does remote learning begin?

• Remote learning will be shared with families as soon as possible when they are absent. For any child absent with prolonged medical concerns, the starting point will be guided by medical experts who are working with the family.
• On the first day, depending on timing, there will be work set. Priority would be given to the core subjects.  

Remote Learning Provision, Access, and Inclusion

• Remote learning should reflect the quality of learning and teaching that takes place in school. Lessons should try to ensure that any time missed in school does not result in gaps in learning developing.
• It is important to remember that a day’s learning does not mean a day’s online learning. It is important that lessons and learning experiences reflect the breadth and richness of the whole curriculum that would be experienced in school, including: music, art/DT, PE, personal and emotional well-being and spiritual development.
• The platform Stoneyholme Primary School has chosen to support home/remote learning is the school website and SeeSaw. This will be kept under review to ensure that it allows for a high standard of education and engagement. This is where work, learning remote provision will be found.
• Children will need a device that can access the internet, such as a laptop, a desktop computer, a tablet or smartphone.  
• All the work will be on the child’s class page on the school website.  All children have been given their login details for additional platforms but if parents are having difficulties logging on (or can’t find the log in details) they should contact the school office.  New work is put onto class pages everyday Monday to Friday during term time.
• On the school website parents and children will find some videos pre-recorded by the teacher, power points, worksheets, and some links to other websites.   New learning will be uploaded by the teacher every morning.
• When children have completed their work, it must be handed in on line. Work must be submitted every day.
• Feedback and assessment are still as important.  Class teachers will monitor Purple Mash and SeeSaw throughout the day. Feedback will be given on completed lessons. This will either be through written instant messages or verbal feedback via phone calls.
• If a child is having trouble with their work parents or the child can leave a message for the teacher on Purple Mash in the first instance. This allows the teacher to see the issue and to respond as promptly as possible to support home learning. Where parents feel the issue is more complex, please contact school for a telephone discussion with your child’s class teacher.
• The work set by the teacher will consider the range of educational needs within the class. However, if a child has a particular special educational need, then the work set for them is personalised and can be accessed through their log in details. If your child is having difficulty accessing the work, please don’t hesitate to contact the school.
• Where there are access issues to remote learning, school will work with families to resolve these. This could include IT support, SIM cards providing additional data, support for parents in the best ways to help their children or the loan of a device if needed.
• We advise parents to ensure that children have access to a quiet learning space. Paper, pencils, and pens. If families do not have such resources, school will provide them. We also advise parents to ensure that children take regular breaks. 

 

What we expect from children accessing home/remote learning

It is important that every child engages with the remote learning.  Remote learning is vital. 

By doing the remote learning your child is

• Learning the same as all the people in their class
• Making progress
• On track with the curriculum and will be ready for the next stage of learning when classes reopen.
• Working towards meeting their targets if they have special educational needs. 

If they aren’t engaging with the learning, we’ll use the following strategies to provide additional support: 

• Phone calls home
• Social distanced home visit 

We expect all work to be completed by each child to the best of their abilities by the deadline set by their teacher. We expect children to seek help when they need it. We expect the child or parent to alert teachers if they are not able to complete work. For EYFS through to year 2 children should access a minimum of 3 hours of learning per day and for Years 3 to year 6 a minimum of 4 hours a day.

 

Expectations of Parents/Carers and ways they can help their child’s with Home/remote learning

 

We expect parents and carers to ensure that children fully access their learning, complete the work and submit it on time. For EYFS through to year 2 children should access a minimum of 3 hours of learning per day and for Years 3 to year 6 a minimum of 4 hours a day.

We expect parents and carers to seek help from the school if they need it by ringing school on 01282 437190 or by emailing contactus@stoneyholme-pri.lancs.sch.uk.

We expect parents to make school aware if their child is sick and/or is unable to complete their work.

 We really appreciate that home learning has its challenges, and we are really grateful of your support at home which enables your child to access their year group learning.

Younger children will need support to access online materials and staying focused with their remote learning.  We ask that you help as much as you can.

With older children, we don’t expect you to watch your child all day and we don’t expect you to get involved in all the remote lessons in place of the teachers.  It would be really helpful if you can take an active role in your child’s learning by asking them about their day and what they have learned.  As well as making sure that they take breaks, drink lots of water and have some ‘down time’ at lunchtime. 

Additional Advice for Parents when supporting children with their home/Remote learning

• Identify a learning space
• Establish a learning timetable and get into a routine.
• Try to encourage your child to be ready and dressed for the start of the school day.
• Plan breaks and exercise
• Make it clear when the day is over to separate home and school life
• Distinguish between weekdays and the weekends 

Safeguarding

At Stoneyholme, keeping children safe is at the heart of our work. Furthermore, safeguarding is paramount and as a school we have a duty of care to ensure we safeguard children in line with legislation and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2020. Therefore, all safeguarding procedures will continue to be followed.

In terms of remote learning, regular contact between the class teacher and all pupils is important and staff will address any concerns regarding a lack of contact by phoning, texting, emailing or a home visit if required.

Children often share their concerns with school staff in whom they trust. Teachers and school staff should continue to be sensitive and ready to listen to and respond appropriately to children’s concerns in the remote learning environment in line with safeguarding protocols.

Staff need to be aware that a child may wish to talk to them without the rest of their classmates listening when sharing a concern.  School staff will explain to the child that they are ready to listen to them but will need another member of staff to supervise that both the teacher and child are safe.

Staff will listen the same way they would in school and record and report following school’s protocols. They will not investigate. 

Behaviour

The expectation for any home/remote learning is the same as the behaviour in school. Children will be expected to show respect to both staff and classmates. Where necessary, concerns regarding individual’s behaviour will be followed up. This could involve speaking to a parent, reporting the incident to a member of SLT or providing resolution using a restorative approach in line with school policies and procedures. 

E-Safety

It is the parents’ responsibility to supervise their child’s safety online when children are at home. It can be hard to talk to your child about online safety.  The NSPCC website has lots of resources to help parents, these include:

- tips on how to start the conversation of internet safety with your child

- parental controls

- advice on how to support your child if they’ve seen something inappropriate

 

The link is www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety 

Home and School Working together

We really respect, value, and appreciate the uniqueness of each family and the diversity within our community. We will endeavour to support our families to the best of our ability and to respond to different needs wherever required. We have provided a lot of advice in this policy and on our website. In addition to this, if parents need further advice on how to support their child’s learning at home, we will do our best to advise you and signpost you to helpful resources. We know that our parents/carers are not teachers and fully understand that supporting children’s home/remote learning may have its challenges, so we will do what we can to help our families in a safe way. Every effort will be made by staff to ensure that work is set promptly. Should accessing work be an issue, parents should contact school as soon as possible and support or alternative solutions will be sought. These will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. 

Roles and Responsibilities of School Staff, School Leaders, and Governors

Teachers’ Responsibilities

Teachers will have appropriate training and support from their phase leaders to ensure that they:

• Are available during the school day to provide remote learning as well as face to face for children in school (apart from during PPA or absence)
• Set appropriate work for the pupils in their class
• Set work that follows their agreed timetable
• Daily work is provided via the school website
• Deliver learning for the full curriculum
• Keep in regular contact with their pupils and families
• Ensure that all children engage and submit work
• Follow up non-engagement and report continued concerns to SLT
• Provide prompt and effective feedback to move learning on
• Share best practice
• Share concerns raised by parents with their unit leader
• Any safeguarding concerns are reported to a member of the safeguarding team and follow up that actions have been taken
• Will follow the normal absence procedures if absent from work.

Teaching Assistants

During the school day, teaching assistants will continue to complete tasks as directed by the class teacher or a member of SLT and are available for work as normal unless unable to work for any reason for example, sickness absence or caring for a dependent. They should report any absence following the normal absence procedures. 

Senior Leaders

In addition to their teaching role, senior leaders are responsible for:

• Co-ordinating the remote learning approach across the school including daily monitoring of engagement.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of remote learning. This will include regular meetings with teachers, subject leaders and SLT. It will also involve reviewing work set and reaching out for feedback from pupils and parents.
• Monitoring the security of remote learning systems, including ensuring safeguarding and data protection practices are adhered to.

 

The Designated Safeguarding Team

This team includes the Lisa Wilkinson, Jayne Fernandes and Anne Reid.

This team is responsible for ensuring that all safeguarding concerns are dealt with appropriately in line with the school’s Safeguarding Policy and Procedures.

 

 

 

IT Team

This team is led by the school business manager and has two IT technicians They are also supported by staff who have IT knowledge and understanding. Their work will include:

• Fixing issues with systems used to set and collect work
• Helping staff or children/parents experiencing technical issues
• Reviewing the security of remote learning systems and flagging up and reporting inappropriate use on the school’s remote learning systems or data protection breaches
• Assisting pupils and parents with accessing the internet or devices

 

SENCo

The school SENCo will:

• Liaise with school staff, SLT and the IT team to ensure that the technology used for remote learning is accessible to all pupils and that reasonable adjustments are made where required.
• Ensure that children with EHCPs continue to have appropriate work set considering their needs.
• Liaise with SLT and other agencies to make alternative arrangements for children with EHCPs or Individual Health plans, if it is not possible to meet their needs.
• Identify and monitor the level of support needed by both pupils and staff.

 

The School Business Manager

The school Business Manager will:

• Ensure value for money when arranging the procurement of equipment or technology.
• Ensure that the school has adequate insurance to cover any remote working arrangements, for example, when a member of staff needs to self-isolate but is able to work from home.

 

 

School Office Team

The school office team will:

• Be the first contact for parents with concerns regarding remote learning/IT issues
• Liaise with staff regarding these concerns
• Follow up that they have been dealt with
• Liaise with SLT to make them aware of communication with parents and how matters have been resolved.

 

GDPR

All platforms used comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and Stoneyholme’s Data Protection Policy.

 

Links with other policies

Please read this policy in conjunction with the following:

• Safeguarding Policy
• Behaviour Policy
• Data Protection Policy
• E-Safety Policy
• IT Acceptable Use/Safety Policies
• Anti-bullying Policy

 

Review July 2025