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Revised 22nd Feb 2021 1 Lurgan JHS Handbook for Remote/Blended Learning.

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 2 Lurgan Junior High School Handbook for Remote/Blended Learning. As a result of the current closure of schools which has effectively suspended face to face learning, we have devised the following education continuity arrangements. 1. Introduction A rapid switch from an in-person learning environment to an online learning environment can be necessary in exceptional circumstances. It should be noted that such a switch is highly likely to cause stress and anxiety for students, parents and staff members. Patience, generosity of spirit and a can-do attitude will be required by all including students, staff, parents and governors. All members of the LJHS community will do their utmost to provide the best service they can at this time. However, it will be important for us all to be flexible and patient when working online and when deadlines are inevitably missed. 2. How will I keep in touch with what is happening at school? All staff and students will receive a weekly briefing notice from the Principal at 9.00am each Monday morning. This briefing can be located in Google Classroom: LJHS-School Community. Form Teachers will issue daily briefings to their own classes in Google Classroom. Parents can contact the school as usual using the following channels and their enquiry will be directed accordingly. As a school we will remain in regular contact with staff, parents and students. Due to the possible volume of messages, staff will attempt to respond to requests for support / queries within 24 hours of receipt. (during normal working hours). Safeguarding issues will be dealt with as a matter of urgency. Contact points are listed below - Reception: 028 3832 3243 IT Helpdesk: techsupport@ljhs.co.uk Curriculum: curriculum@ljhs.co.uk Pastoral: pastoral@ljhs.co.uk

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 3 3. How will I know when a teacher has set me some work? Teaching staff will aim to deliver their subject specific lesson content/activities to students in line with their regular Monday – Friday timetabled days. Teachers and students will attend Lurgan Junior High School online through Google Classroom and SatchelOne. Each subject will have a Classroom of their own for your child’s class and the Stream will show the work set by the teacher as in the image below. While working online, we recommend using a Google Chrome browser. All pupils are already familiar with both platforms and we do not envisage too many difficulties, however, the process is outlined below. Please note, additional support will be provided on our social media platforms. When you open a Google Chrome browser you will see the option to sign in at the top right hand corner. Students should sign in using their @ljhs.co.uk usernames e.g. jlagan164@ljhs.co.uk

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 4 As you are aware, students already use this app extensively. However, they may wish to access it on a laptop or desktop computer during school closure. To do this, they should go to www.satchelone.com and log in using their email or username. If they have been logged out, cannot remember their password or cannot get in, they will need to contact school through the techsupport@ljhs.co.uk email address. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND CLASS IN THE SUBJECT BOX OF THE EMAIL MESSAGE. Any issues with Google usernames or passwords should also be rectified by contacting the techsupport@ljhs.co.uk email address. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND CLASS IN THE SUBJECT BOX OF THE EMAIL MESSAGE. 4. How can I keep in contact with my teachers? The main method of communication between teachers and students must be through posts on the main landing page of each class in Google Classroom or SMHW. This will remove the need for teachers and students to communicate continuously via email, which would quickly become unwieldy. Teachers and students can write comments and upload files and documents this way. 5. What if I don’t log in to Google Classroom and SMHW? Students are all required to engage with their learning regularly in this way and should respond to requests from staff to provide evidence of their understanding / progress. Where a pupil is not engaging regularly, this will trigger a series of actions from school which will range from a phone call to parents, to a possible referral to the Education Welfare Service. 6. Will teachers be able to contact me or my parents directly? Form Teachers will continue to be the main point of contact between school and home, and all teachers will have details to enable them to call or message parents when required.

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 5 7. What sort of education will I have when I am at home? Teachers will plan activities that relate as closely as possible to current class content or skills. The activities will reinforce existing understanding or introduce new content as planned in regular schemes of work. Parents will not be placed in the role of the teacher any more than they are during the regular school day. Students will be able to carry out the tasks assigned by teachers independently, including accessing the material. Teachers will be able to assess students as required by specifying where and when students will be expected to submit homework. The submission of work will vary according to the nature of the subject and according to the task set, however, submission details will be clearly set out by the teacher in either online platform. 8. i) Why are we using Google Classroom and SMHW/Satchel One? We have chosen to use these as all staff and students are familiar with the platforms. Parents will find many useful videos and guides on YouTube and Google. 8. ii) Can I call in and collect hard copies of any of my work? For the most part, all resources are online, but should teachers need hard copies of resources to be given to pupils, please contact the school directly. 9. Where should I do my school work? Students should work where there is internet access and in a location known and approved by their parent or guardian. 10. How should I structure my day? Learning activities will be posted ahead of timetabled lessons as required by students. Lesson delivery may be through PowerPoint slides, video-based explanations or typed instructions on GC or SMHW. Creating a healthy routine is important to maintain structure, focus and positive mental health. A possible daily timetable may look like this: 09.00 Breakfast / wash / dress 09.30 Check SMHW and Google Classroom and begin activities 10.30 Break 10.45 Resume activities on SMHW or GC 12.00/12.30 Lunch Afternoon PE / Practical activities / Longer term Projects

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 6 11. What if I forget a password or can’t access SMHW or Google Classroom? Please ask your son or daughter to show you that they can access SMHW/ Satchel One and Google Classroom. If they need assistance accessing these, then please ask them to contact the IT Helpdesk using the email outlined above. 12. Will school still help me if I need pastoral support? Loss of face to face contact for an extended period of time may well be an issue for some students and staff and, indeed, parents. Parents can contact school with pastoral concerns at the email address stated above for that purpose. Form Teachers will aim to be in contact with pupils and parents to support them with any concerns and/or signpost them to the Year Head/SENCo/Senior Teacher/Vice Principal. We will aim to make this contact when members of staff are in school. Both of our school counsellors will be available for their regular counselling sessions, which they will conduct via phone calls, Zoom/Skype video calls or Instant Messaging on WhatsApp. Parents will be asked for their consent. If your son or daughter would like to book a session with either school counsellor, they can complete a referral online at www.linkscounselling.com Click on menu, select Get Counselling in School and follow the online instructions. If a safeguarding issue arises, the school counsellor will inform a member of our school’s safeguarding team as is normal practice. Contact numbers for organisations who can help both students and parents are listed on the next page.

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 7 Who can help? What Topics Can They Help With? How Can They be Contacted? INSPIRE Students Mental Health Alcohol and Drugs Money Exams Relationships Identity 02890328474 Lifeline Depression Mental health Suicidal thoughts Textphone users (for deaf and hard of hearing): 08088008000 18001 0808808800 Childline Bullying You and your body Home and Family Relationships Sex School 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk 1-2-1 counsellor chat The MIX Alcohol Homelessness Suicidal thoughts General advice Mental health Sex/ relationships 08088084994 NSPCC Safeguarding 08088005000

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 8 Child abuse Child protection www.there4me.com Aware Depression Bipolar disorder 08451202961 Frank Alcohol Drugs 03001236600 SIMON Community Homelessness Housing 08001712222 Domestic and Sexual Violence Helpline Domestic violence Sexual violence 0808021414 The Migrant Centre NI 07769903471 Cara-Friend/LGBT Switchboard NI LGBTQ+ advice Sex and relationship advice 08088000390 Women’s Aid Domestic Violence Sexual violence Relationships 08088021414 Family Support NI www.familysupportni.gov.uk Appendix A: Checklist for Staff - Remote Learning Procedures

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 9 ● Form Teachers should send a briefing message to their own class each morning via Google Classroom. This could include a greeting, details of today's timetable and any work issued/outstanding; ● Teachers should aim to deliver their subject specific lesson content/activities to students in line with their regular Monday – Friday timetabled days. This can be done beforehand and then scheduled to appear at the set time. * It is important that departments minimise the amount of notifications sent to pupils and that these are sent within school hours where possible (it is recommended that departments have trialled the Google Classroom experience from the pupil perspective); ● Form Teachers should follow up with a direct email message or phone call if a pupil does not respond to initial contacts. Subject teachers should contact the Form Teachers if they have concerns about a lack of engagement. Form Teachers will have access to all subject Classrooms and will check pupil engagement via the Marks tab; ● Teachers should ensure work set for pupils can be uploaded and assessed as required; ● At present, live teacher-led lessons are not necessary. However, pre-recorded lessons can be used (please ensure you read the guidance here to ensure your pre-recorded lessons follow best practice guidelines: https://teaching.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/2020-03/Tips%20for%20pre-recorded%20lectures_2.pdf https://mytechclassroom.com/how-to-make-video-lectures/ http://www.blendedlearning.ie/pre-recorded-lessons.html https://edu.rsc.org/how-i-teach/how-to-make-effective-use-of-pre-recorded-lessons/4012101.article; ● Teachers should aim to set at least one significant piece of work for every two lessons timetabled. This could take the form of an exercise in a workbook, learning vocabulary or completing a skills-based task in Art or TD Appendix B: Checklist for Pupils - What does school expect me to do when I am Remote Learning? ● Pupils should arrange with their parents to have a structured time every school day where they have access to an internet ready computer; ● Pupils should look at the daily message from their Form teacher in Google Classroom and any other online messaging e.g. A Principal’s briefing; ● Pupils should ensure they have access to their Google Classroom and Satchel accounts by checking their passwords are up to date; if they are not then contact techsupport@ljhs.co.uk;

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 10 ● Pupils should, where possible, try to work in line with their regular Monday – Friday timetabled days; ● Pupils should respond to lessons set by their teachers promptly, and upload completed work to be assessed as required; ● If you are not engaging with your work online, your Form Teacher will message you directly or phone home; ● Teachers will aim to set at least one significant piece of work for every two lessons timetabled. This could take the form of an exercise in a workbook, learning vocabulary or completing a skills-based task in Art or TD; ● The work completed during the remote learning period may be assessed in end of year examinations. Appendix C: Checklist for Parents - What does school expect me to do when my child is Remote Learning? ● Parents should arrange with their children to provide a structured time every school day where they have access to an internet ready computer; ● Parents should look at the daily message from their child’s Form teacher in Google Classroom and any other online messaging e.g. A Principal’s briefing; ● Parents should ensure their child has access to their Google Classroom and Satchel accounts by checking their passwords are up to date; if they are not then contact techsupport@ljhs.co.uk; ● Parents should, where possible, try to ensure their children work in line with their regular Monday – Friday timetabled days; ● Parents must check if their children have responded to lessons set by their teachers promptly, and uploaded the completed work to be assessed as required; ● If your child is not engaging with their work online, your child’s Form Teacher will message them directly or phone to contact you at home; ● Teachers will aim to set at least one significant piece of work for every two lessons timetabled. This could take the form of an exercise in a workbook, learning vocabulary or completing a skills-based task in Art or TD; ● The work completed during the remote learning period may be assessed in end of year examinations. Appendix D: Lurgan JHS Online Netiquette - how to be polite online Checklist for Pupils

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 11 When working online, it is important that you follow the Lurgan Junior High School guidelines for having good manners online. These include: ➢ Starting your message with ‘Good morning/afternoon/evening’ and the name of your teacher, for example, ‘Good morning Mrs. King’; ➢ Having good manners by remembering to say ‘thank you’ and ‘please’ in your message; ➢ Before asking a question, checking first that it has not already been addressed by the teacher in the assignment instructions, videos or comments; ➢ When a teacher has sent you a message, ensuring you reply to the message promptly; ➢ Regularly checking your LJHS Gmail account for responses and comments from teachers - this is particularly important as some messages may be lost otherwise; ➢ Keeping communication with teachers within normal school hours (9.00am – 3.20pm); ➢ Keep your writing formal, remember you are talking to an adult. Don’t be informal as you would be to your friends. For example, avoid the use of emoji’s and ‘text-talk’; ➢ Remembering to continue to be polite, as you would in school, to members of staff online. Appendix E: Protocols for the use of Live Teacher-Led Lessons.

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 12 Introduction: Lurgan Junior High School will only use live teacher-led lessons in addition to the use of Google Classroom if it represents the most effective means of delivering a particular objective. Typically, in the context of COVID-19, this may include: • a scenario whereby a number of pupils may be self-isolating for a period of two weeks. In the above scenario, it is assumed that the live lesson will involve a manageable number of pupils, and will not educationally disadvantage those pupils who do not have access to relevant technology. This policy has been devised with the primary purpose of safeguarding all members of the school community, and particularly, the adults and children who form part of the Lurgan Junior High School community, therefore live lessons must take place within designated school hours, namely, 9.00am – 3.20pm, and preferably during timetabled lesson time. Live lessons will never involve a 1-to-1 scenario, such as may be the case with private tutoring. Staff will never be compelled to use live lessons. The school will prioritise training in Google Meet, as this is part of the Google Classroom which staff know and utilise well. Google Meet has been risk assessed in terms of safeguarding, data protection and health and safety, and these are referred to throughout the remainder of this policy. Features which make Google Meet a safe resource: • allows for microphones to be muted; • ensures that the lesson is ring-fenced within the organisation through the use of the @ljhs.co.uk e-mail address. When using Google Meet, the following procedures are encouraged: • planning what type of lesson will be most effective, i.e. exposition or checking for understanding sending a permission form and protocols for live lessons beforehand to be completed by parents with their email address; turning off the chat facility for pupils. This can be turned on at the discretion of staff if it has the potential to enhance lesson outcomes; • turning off the screen sharing facility for pupils. This, too, can be turned on at the discretion of staff if it has the potential to enhance lesson outcomes; • ensuring at the beginning that pupil microphones are muted. Staff may also wish to ask pupils to turn off their video. If teaching in a classroom with pupils and self-isolating pupils are joining the lesson, reasonable efforts should be made to ensure that no pupils in the classroom are visible in the live lessons.

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 13 Staff should not prepare materials for live lessons which would be in addition to materials for normal classroom teaching and should not lead to an increase in workload for staff or to any additional marking or assessment for teachers other than normal assessment arrangements. It is anticipated that school iPads already provided or visualisers may act as cameras. Should staff feel the need for additional resources, they should speak with the Principal or Vice-Principal. Protocol for Pupils in Teacher-led Lessons When taking part in a live online lesson, pupils are reminded that this is an extension of the classroom and should conduct themselves as they would in school. Normal school rules will apply and pupils are asked to adhere to the following guidance: • Pupils should be dressed appropriately. This should be formal attire such as school uniform or semi-formal attire such as suitable trousers and shirts (no pyjamas or football tops will be permitted); • Pupils must be in a shared area in their home. They should not be located in bedrooms/bathrooms when joining a live lesson; • Pupils should ensure that no personal information and/or unsuitable personal items are visible, either on screen or in video backgrounds. • Live lessons can only be attended by those pupils whose parents/guardians have given permission and lessons will always be recorded by the teacher; • Pupils will sign into Google Meet in Google Classroom using their username@ljhs.co.uk email address. The link to Google Meet will either be in the top banner or in a Stream post created by the teacher; • Pupils must not record, store, or distribute the live lesson; • The teacher will decide if and when students may have the opportunity to take part in online discussion, either via the chat or microphone functions. It is expected that students follow classroom etiquette when they do so, ensuring that they address the teacher formally and respectfully at all times; • Pupils are expected to keep their microphones on mute unless invited by the teacher to come off mute to contribute. (Teachers can disable incoming audio); • Pupils are expected to keep their cameras switched off unless invited by the teacher to switch them on, for example, to confirm attendance, when the pupil is asking/answering a question, or during a whole-class discussion. (Teachers can disable incoming video). Backgrounds of videos should be neutral (blurred if possible);

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 14 • Pupils must never interrupt teachers during a live lesson, and if the opportunity arises for discussion, must take it in turns to speak; • If inappropriate language or behaviour takes place, participants involved will be removed by staff, the session may be terminated, and concerns will be reported to the appropriate Head of Year. In summary, pupils should follow the instructions of the teacher at all times and never disrupt the learning of others. School reserves the right to sanction appropriately for non-adherence to the aforementioned points. Checklist for pupils accessing a Google Meet: • Before you start try to find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed (not in your bedroom or bathroom) and where you have good wifi connection; Make sure you are dressed appropriately and that no personal information and/or unsuitable personal items are visible, either on screen or in video backgrounds • Make sure any extra devices are switched off so you won’t be distracted; • Have all you need ready e.g. pen and exercise book or web links; • In Google Classroom, click on the Meet link. It may be in the Banner or your teacher may have posted it to the Stream; • Sign in with your LJHS account (@ljhs.co.uk); • Before joining, click on the Mic icon to mute; • Read any instructions from your teacher in the Chat; • Pay attention and wait for your teacher to ask you to unmute. Parents • Parental consent to pupils’ participation in live lessons is required through this permission form; • Parent/guardians should not communicate with teachers during the live lessons, and should not be visible or audible. In the unlikely event that a parent may have concerns, these can be relayed to school through the normal channels. Review of Remote/Blended Learning Guidance Handbook

Revised 22nd Feb 2021 15 The Guidance Handbook is monitored by SILT and the Curriculum Team and will be reviewed on an ongoing basis, given the evolving nature of the situation. This handbook will be posted on the school’s website and signposted on our Facebook page. Staff, parents and students will be notified if the handbook is updated. Remote/Blended Learning Guidance Handbook Details First version: March 2020 Next review - ongoing Responsible - SILT / CT Shared with Governors: Shared with Teaching staff: Mar 2020/Sep2020/Mar 2021 Shared with Parents: Shared with Pupils: