Phase 3 Distance Learning – 25 May 2020

Dear Parents and Carers,  

As per my email of last week and as we look forward to the start of Term 6, we wanted to update you with regard to our distance learning programmes. 

Following the Prime Minister’s announcement of yesterday afternoon, it is now clear, as we suspected, that a large number of our students, particularly in current years 7, 8 and 9, will be continuing to learn remotely, from home, and, as such, we have further reviewed and refined our distance learning package.  

Additionally, Mr Johnson stated that “up to a quarter” of students in Year 10 and Year 12 should be able to access some “face to face” learning in schools from 15th June; the details of which remain unclear with further guidance promised in the coming days. But, as you know, our planning continues through the ongoing assessment of our staffing capacity, alongside the questionnaire that parents of students in Years 10 and 12 will be sent tomorrow to gauge feeling about a possible return for their children from 15th June. Once further guidance is published and our position clarifies, more news will follow on this later this week.  

For Years 7-10, students can continue to access their work via the Show My Homework platform. You may have noticed that there has been a branding change with the app, and this is now called Satchel One; there are no other changes.  

Understandably, remote learning does pose many challenges for children and their families, but please do remember that our teachers are available to support our students with their work. Students can contact their class teachers with questions about their work via Show My Homework or via email. Equally, when a task has been completed, this should be submitted to their teacher so that they can then receive feedback and guidance on their next steps. This feedback is vitally important for helping consolidate and shape future learning.  

At school, our students are very used to a structured timetable of lessons that helps them organise their day. In order to help them manage their workloads at home, we suggest that they follow the timetable below throughout Term 6. This is based on students completing three study sessions a day. While, of course, this can be flexible, we hope that it will help students and their families help manage chunks of work and structure their week. 

Years 7 & 8

Year 9

Year 10

Work will continue to be set fortnightly by teachers with clear guidance on the tasks and activities that students should be completing and clear deadlines for submission of tasks. 

Alongside this, we feel it is important for students to participate in exercise, enjoy fresh air, perhaps engage in activities together as a family such as baking, or family games, and spend time processing the very challenging circumstances that we find ourselves in. As ever, young people’s well-being is vitally important.  

For our students in Year 12, they will continue to be set work directly from their class teacher through their existing methods of communication, including via email, Microsoft Teams or Show My Homework. Again, all work should be submitted directly to the teacher so that feedback and guidance on next steps can be received.  

If you have any questions regarding your child’s learning, please do not hesitate to contact:  

Mrs Shilling, Teaching & Learning: ashilling@canterbury.kent.sch.uk 

Mrs Banbery, Head of the Middle School: abanbery@canterbury.kent.sch.uk 

Mr Brooke, Head of Senior School: jbrooke@canterbury.kent.sch.uk 

Mrs Winslow, Head of Sixth Form: lwinslow@canterbury.kent.sch.uk 

Mr Hadlow, Director of Post-16 Education: shadlow@canterbury.kent.sch.uk 

Finally, we would like to thank you for your ongoing support through these exceptional and challenging times. 

Yours faithfully,

Jon Watson
Trust Executive Principal