Kingspark School in Dundee has been praised for its remote learning provisions in the latest report by published by school inspectors.
The additional needs school was featured in a report by Education Scotland, which provides a national overview of how remote learning is being delivered in schools.
This latest report focused on approaches taken by local authorities and schools to provide learning for children and young people with complex learning needs during the period of remote learning
Inspectors highlighted the tailored approaches enabling learners to improve communication skills and outlined the methods Kingspark implemented to support P1 learners.
The school supports 186 children with additional support needs (ASN), and offered a blended learning model of two days in school and three days of remote learning when the term started in January.
The report read: “Using their knowledge of the individual needs of learners, teachers use a variety of remote learning activities to engage children fully in their learning at home.
“Children respond very well to carefully planned live and recorded learning sessions.
“Live sessions enable teachers to check in on their learners and families, talk through expectations for the day and ensure that children are happy, safe and ready to learn.
“This reduces anxiety amongst learners who require routine and structure to their school day.
“Recorded lessons enable teachers to meet the individual needs of learners well. As a result, learners’ engagement in literacy, numeracy and health and wellbeing sessions is consistently high.”
“Staff often use a doorstep, socially-distanced talk-and-teach session to provide personalised learning activities for each child.”
Education Scotland report
The report also detailed the fun activities put on by the school which enabled pupils to keep a “sense of school community” whilst some were learning at home.
It was also noted that these approaches to home learning helped with the transition back to in-school learning.
The report read: “Teachers also offer a variety of social activities for children and parents focusing on life skills, arts and crafts, and outdoor learning.
“The effective use of online games, sensory stories, videos and links to learning broadcasts are capturing the interests of children and broadening their learning experiences.
“Children are supported to keep in touch with school life and maintain a sense of school community through, for example, online assemblies, a signing choir, and Hot Chocolate Friday.
“Staff often use a doorstep, socially-distanced talk-and-teach session to provide personalised learning activities for each child.
“Children enjoy these one-to-one sessions and spending time with their teachers and other staff.
“The school feels these arrangements and maintaining of relationships will support learners to cope with change and prepare them for successfully returning to in-school learning.”
Since January 2021 HM Inspectors of Education (HMIE) have been engaging with local authorities, schools, parents, carers and children and young people to provide a weekly national overview of how remote learning is being delivered in schools across Scotland.
The purpose of the national overview is to outline what is working well, identify the challenges and what further support is needed to continue to improve the delivery of remote learning.
