Primary schools within Cumbria Education Trust have laid out how they will fulfil remote learning as the lockdown progresses.

The document, which is available on the websites of all CET’s eight primary schools, seeks to let pupils and their parents know what to expect during the current national lockdown, or if in the future there are local restrictions, or a pupil needs to self-isolate.

Pupils have been working remotely since the first week of January and this is set to continue until at least the February half term.

The document sets out expectations that remote learning, on the same curriculum, will be between three to five hours per school day. Not all of this will be online work and may, for instance, include a teacher introducing a lesson and asking children to continue the work offline.

The majority of teaching will be delivered over Microsoft Teams, enabling teachers to safely share resources; meet with a whole class, smaller groups and individuals and to give feedback. Some resources and lessons will be shared over the online tool, ClassDojo.

CET uses a combination of live online lessons; recorded lessons from CET or appropriate national teachers; printed packs, textbooks and reading books pupils have at home; and websites to access video clips or information to support specific subjects.

Chris Wilkins, CET’s Director of Primary Education, said pupils’ engagement in lessons and tasks in the first two weeks across all the schools had been excellent.

He said: “Praise must go to all the children and families who have engaged so well with a new form of teaching and learning.

“We are asking parents and carers to remember that school is still working, remotely rather than in school, but expectations of behaviour, attitude and work ethic remain the same. If parents or carers are concerned about any aspect of online learning, please get in touch with your child’s teacher or the school headteacher.”

The full document, including provision for key worker and vulnerable children and those unable to access remote education without support, can be downloaded here.