Remote learning: what do you need to share on your school website?

What is remote education and what are schools legally required to provide? 

It is mandatory for all students who are not able to attend school during lockdown and who do not qualify for a ‘key worker’ place to receive a remote education.  

Schools have a duty to provide this under the 'remote education temporary continuity direction' and Ofsted will be continuing to consider the quality of the remote education provided in line with the expectations set out in this guidance.  

Whilst the temporary continuity direction applies to state schools only, it should be noted that independent schools are also required to meet the ISI standards at all times.  

The DfE has stated that the ‘remote education provided should be equivalent in length to the core teaching students would receive in school and will include both recorded, or live, direct teaching time as well as time for pupils to complete tasks and assignments independently’.  

As a guide, they have specified the following amount of remote learning education should be provided, as a minimum:  

• Key Stage 1: 3 hours a day on average, with less for younger children 
• Key Stage 2: 4 hours a day 
• Key Stage 3: 5 hours a day 
• Key Stage 4: 5 hours a day 

More information on these requirements can be found in the booklet published by the government on 2 February 2021. 

What are schools expected to publish on their school website about remote learning? 

Schools are required to ‘select a digital platform for remote education provision that will be used consistently across the school in order to allow interaction, assessment and feedback. Staff should be trained and confident in its use.’ 

They are also required to publish information for parents, carers and pupils about their remote education provision on their school website. This should have been done by the 25th January 2021.  

The government has created an optional template for schools to use and one of our customers, King Ecgbert School has created a fantastic example page on their school website.  

As a guide, we recommend answering the following questions to ensure that your parents and pupils have the most comprehensive information possible on your remote learning offering: 

• What remote learning provision is being offered at the moment? 
• What remote learning provision is planned for the future? 
• Will my child be taught the same curriculum they would be experiencing if they were in the classroom?  
• How will my child access any online remote learning that you are providing? Which tools / websites will be used? 
• If my child does not have access to these resources at home, will you support them to access remote education and how will this be provided? 
• How long can I expect the work set by the school to take my child each day? 
• How will you check my child is engaging with their work and how will I be informed if there are concerns about their progress?  
• Will you be assessing my child’s work and progress? If so, how? 
• What are the expectations for the support I should be providing at home? 
• If my child has special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), how will you support me and my family to access the remote education and provide the additional support they may require? 
• When schools are back to face-to-face learning, if my child has to self-isolate, will they be using the same remote learning resources?  
• How will you be supporting their health and wellbeing whilst learning from home? 
• What are the behaviour expectations for live lessons?  
• What guidance can you offer on online safety for my child? 

Do the online video recordings and remote learning content schools provide have to have been recorded by teaching staff at their own school? 

No. The government have advised that lessons from other schools and trusts can be used in lieu of school-led video content.   
We have worked with Greenshaw Learning Trust to share their 3000+ teacher-led video lessons with schools and trusts across the UK for free, as well as developed a way for schools to display the lessons on their own website if required.

Again, this is completely free and schools do not have to be an e4education customer to access this content or use this facility. Find out more about our remote learning provision. 

For more information or to read the government guidance in full, please see the following resources:

• Government guidance on remote learning 
• Government template for providing remote education information to parents  
• Government publication on reviewing your remote education provision