Online Learning

Online Learning January 2021

04/03/2021

COVID TESTING

Thanks to all those who have sent back the consent forms for Covid testing.  If you haven’t done so yet you can use this link and fill it in online: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=zcTvdOH7XEqCza7GmP0JCFDAXbwsiqVOt88MWFTGo3pURUdPMlNaUEFZQ1ExTjgxSEYwS1RUMFdYVi4u

If you have any reservations or queries about the testing please don’t hesitate to contact me.  We are aware some children may need extra support and are happy to accommodate this.  If you do not plan to give your consent for testing we also need to know this, as otherwise we’ll have to call home on their first day to confirm this and this may cause delays in getting them all back into the classroom. 

Some students have been a little concerned about the testing process, but we’d like to reassure them that it will be a very private and calm situation, with the emphasis on teaching them how to do it themselves.  If any student can’t continue during the test, they will be offered supportive advice, but no one will be forced to take a test they cannot do themselves. 

The testing is being done at 3 testing stations within the Eco Classroom.  It is being overseen by me, with other staff supervising individual students’ tests. 

Many thanks for your co-operation in these challenging times,

Philippa Dixon

25/2/2021

It is lovely to finally be able to share with you our plans for reintroducing students to LHS during the week of March 8th 2021. Please find below the information that you will need to help us all navigate the arrangements for the week, please share it with your child/ren. If you have any questions that are not answered below, then please contact us vie email through enquiries.

Return Dates & Times:

Key worker children / vulnerable students as per your normal arrangements until your child’s year group returns, then they will join their year group.

All other students to return to school on:
• Year 11 – Monday 8th March
• Year 10 – Tuesday 9th March
• Year 9 – Wednesday 10th March
• Year 8 – Thursday 11th March
• Year 7 – Friday 12th March

ON THEIR FIRST DAY: Students on school transport will come in at the usual time, whereas students who can walk to school are to come in at 11am. This is to allow us extra time to complete each student’s first Covid test before returning to the classroom.

ALL STUDENTS TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE SCHOOL HALL ON THEIR FIRST DAY. DO NOT GATHER IN THE CAR PARK OR OUTSIDE SCHOOL.

Covid Testing
We require a consent form from a parent/carer for each student to take part in testing (LINK)
On the first day in school students will be asked to go to the school hall to remain socially distanced from each other whilst they are taken in small groups to be tested. They will then return to the hall until we have their test results. Students with a negative result can then go to lessons as normal and in the event of a positive result we will contact parents/carers to arrange their collection.

The tests are using lateral flow devices and have proved to be very accurate when used correctly. It involves a swab of the throat and one nostril. Students will test themselves under staff supervision. Government guidance is that there will be three tests in school over the course of the first two weeks, then once they are used to the process, students will be issued kits to take away and twice weekly testing will continue at home. We will issue more details about the home testing kits as we receive it.

Transport
School buses will be running their normal routes and times.
Face coverings must be worn on all buses.

Uniform / PE kit
School uniform to be worn, as we have now made the necessary arrangements to enable all students to use the changing rooms before and after PE lesson.

Face Masks
We are required to have students and staff wearing face coverings at all times inside communal areas of school buildings, such as corridors, reception and the canteen (unless eating). Students should also wear face coverings in classrooms at all times.

Timetable
The first week back will be week one of the timetable.
The timetable will remain with split breaks and lunches to allow social distancing between KS3 & KS4 students. 
The canteen will be open for hot and cold food at breaks and lunchtimes.

Lessons for week beginning 8th March
Instead of online lessons, students will be set work to do (following the current online timetable) for the days they aren’t in school to allow teaching staff to be available for lessons in school (following the regular timetable).

Finally, we appreciate the huge amount of support you as parents and carers have given your children during this national lockdown. We have been very pleased to see such a high level of engagement in lessons during this time and look forward to building on this once students are back in school.

Mr P Jennings BSc (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, NPQH

 

12/02/2021

Newsletter

This half term seems to have both flown past and been long and tiring at the same time. On behalf of the staff of Lady Hawkins’ School I would like to thank you for all of your hard work and support over the last few weeks. We have been working very hard to constantly improve our provision online and this would be much harder without the feedback that we have had from you. Thank you.

When we return to our studies after half term there will be a new timetable for online lessons. This is also available on the website and via Teams and is the next step in the process of improvement. You will notice that we have reduced the ‘down time’ in the morning and changed the timing of some of the sessions. These changes have been made in the expectation that the number of children who are in school will increase and we move towards what might be a more blended learning model.

I am delighted to say that work has begun this week on our new canopy, which will be sited outside the canteen and provide a covered space for students to sit and eat outside. I am sure that everyone will welcome somewhere to sit and eat and socialise when the weather is poor and I look forward to seeing it in action.

As I said in my assembly today, it has been a privilege to watch our school continue to climb the stairs towards our aims, albeit virtually, this half term. Let’s hope that the time when we can all be one community under one roof comes soon and we can work together to provide the best opportunities for all.

Mr P Jennings BSc (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, NPQH

 

9-10am – Session 1
10 – 10.30am – Break
10.30-11.30am – Session 2
11.30 – 12pm – Independent work (this time may be used by your tutor for a quick catch up)
12-12.45pm – Lunch
12.45-1.45pm – Session 3
1.45-2pm – Break
2-3pm – Session 4

 

26/07/21

Week Four

As we enter the fourth week of the latest national lock down I would like to thank you for all of the support and positive messages which we have received. Everyone has worked so hard to make sure that our children receive the best education that we can provide under the current circumstances. We really do appreciate how difficult it is to both work and support your children with their schooling at home, many of us are doing the same.

Things are going really well with our new online provision. I am sure that you will agree that having teachers online for more of the day is really positive, with most lessons having a live face to face component. We are also more able to track those who are engaging well and support those who are not, which has helped many more of our students to access the provision.

Feedback from the last lock down showed that many of our students were struggling to complete all the work set. As a result, this time we have opted for 4 hours of directed learning per day for KS4 and 3 hours for KS3 per day, to allow them time to complete all of the work set. I hope that this has helped the situation.

Mr Johnson has said today that he cannot yet give a date for schools to return. I hope that it is soon and that we can get back to normal as soon as possible. In the meantime, please contact us if you think that we can help you, we are here to help.

Stay safe,

Mr P Jennings BSc (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, NPQH

 

11/01/21

Bedrock Learning

Bedrock Vocabulary is a programme for all KS3 pupils. It helps you learn and embed new vocabulary! Bedrock will help you learn the tricky language you might come across in lessons, novels, articles, textbooks, exams and, most importantly, in real life. By working through the digital lessons on Bedrock, you will learn them all – and hundreds more! All the content is based on your personal reading age, which means that you really are learning what is right for you, not only in terms of age, but also your ability!

Each week, you need to complete a minimum of two Bedrock lessons and your English teacher will guide you as to when you need to complete these lessons.

https://app.bedrocklearning.org/

The lessons are drip fed every 12 hours; this means that you can’t do all of your Bedrock lessons at the last minute on Sunday night!

A perfect approach looks something like this:
• Monday – Bedrock lesson 1
• Wednesday – Bedrock lesson 2
• Friday or any day on the weekend – Bedrock lesson 3

How is my progress measured?
You do a test to start with – the alpha test. This shows us how much of the language you already know. Then you work your way through the lessons, tasks and games. At the end of each unit, you are tested to see how much progress you’ve made.  Your English teachers will be able to see your progress and will reward those that are doing well.

You really must complete at least 2 lessons of Bedrock per week – if you are having any issues with it, please speak to your English teacher or get in touch with Mrs Dines.

Mrs Dines

 

08/01/2021

What a positive first week of online education! I’m aware it was a bumpy start for a few, with a few technical issues, but thanks for persevering. The sudden move to online lessons was a steep learning curve for many, but one we are already seeing is offering a real positive solution to learning at home for our students. There have been some amendments to timetables from this week and on Friday there is even a virtual whole school assembly at 3pm.

My thanks must go to the students for their very high lesson attendance this week, to parents/carers for supporting their children and to LHS staff for supporting students.

If you are having any problems with the online education, don’t have a suitable device to access it on or need your child to come into school to for support please contact us to discuss this.

Mr P Jennings BSc (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, NPQH

 

05/01/2021

Year 11 Mock Exams

It was with heavy heart that I listened to the announcement from the government last night in which they outlined the plan to close schools to pupils for a number of weeks. While it has looked likely that this was the only available course of action open to them, it cannot have been an easy decision.

I met with the Senior Leadership Team again this morning and we have taken the decision to cancel the mock examinations which were scheduled for this month, along with the parents evening on February 11th. I believe that our students need to have some of the immediate pressure removed from them so that they can engage fully with the online learning being provided. Teachers may look to assess learning through other methods over the coming weeks as a progress ‘health check’ to inform their teaching.

On the school calendar this year there is a second slot allocated for Mock examinations in April, which we are hoping will be able to go ahead as planned. We will look at rescheduling a parents evening following these examinations.

There is currently little information available as to what will be arranged for examinations in the summer, we will let you know as soon as we have any further information. Irrespective of whether there is some form of external examination or not, our job to prepare our young people for the next stage of their life remains the same. I look forward to continue working with you to give your child the best possible chance of success.

Mr P Jennings BSc (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, NPQH

 

31/12/2020

I hope that you and your family have had a restful and peaceful Christmas I would like to thank you for your support and understanding during last term. You will be aware that Mr Williamson made a speech in the House of Commons yesterday in which he outlined a change in government arrangements for the start of term.

We met this morning as a leadership team and have decided that, as of Tuesday 5th January 2021, Lady Hawkins’ School will be providing online sessions for all year groups from year 7 to year 11, following our published schedule. Students will need to be online at those times and will be registered so that we can make sure that everyone is able to access the provision. Provision will be available in school for those who are vulnerable or the children of Key workers, where they will be able to access the same sessions as everyone else. Please let us know via email if you require this in school provision so that we can arrange staffing accordingly.  Please also contact us if you have no computer or internet access abrace@lhs.hereford.sch.uk

For those of you who have a child in year 11, the Mock Examinations will take place as planned, with a slightly delayed start date. We will send a revised timetable for these out to you early next week.

We are finalising plans which will allow us to Covid test all staff and students on their return to school. We are planning to begin this testing during the week of the 11th January and I will write to you again with more details when we have them. We are confident that the controls that we had in place last term dealt effectively with the one isolated case which was identified on the 22nd December and that we will be set up ready for students to return to school.

Mr P Jennings BSc (Hons), MPhil, PGCE, NPQH