eastsussex.gov.uk

Learn Virtually,

Learn Flexibly,

Learn Confidently.

Learn-Smart

Over the last 7 Years, ISEND teaching and learning provision has been working hard to meet the educational needs of vulnerable learners. Learn-Smart is a short term solution when a full school package isn’t suitable. Learn-smart enables young people to access live lessons taught by fully qualified teachers through the use of a virtual learning platform. This ensures young people can access from any number of locations for different lengths of time. This flexibility provides our students with not only the ability to maintain and develop their educational progress in line with their peers but also, where necessary, to build their confidence and enhance their social and emotional well-being in a safe and positive environment.

Introduction

Learn-Smart employs a number of fully qualified, quality assured teachers who deliver live lessons to pupils via Blackboard’s virtual learning platform. Pupils and teachers interact in a virtual classroom. Pupils can access the lessons in various locations including at home, school, or any location as long as they have access to the internet.

We offer a timetable of differentiated lessons covering the core subjects of English, Maths and Science plus PSHEE for both Key Stage 3 and 4.

I would like to say thank you so much for EVERYTHING you have done for me, you have helped me come so far and I wouldn’t be here today without your support.

What is it?

CASE STUDY

What does it look like?

Learn-Smart delivers live interactive lessons but also the website allows pupils to access work, documents, useful websites and independent extended learning activities to support their study outside of the lessons. All lessons are recorded for quality assurance purposes but also to enable students to access any missed lessons at any time.

Joe was a lovely young man who worked hard; with a good circle of friends and enjoyed school. Nearing the end of year 10, he became increasingly withdrawn from school and his friends. His attendance started to fall and Joe was finding it difficult to access his lessons. He wasn’t completing homework, was displaying signs of anxiety and felt unable to communicate with the school the issues affecting him.

The school put a package in place to support Joe including reducing his timetable; his form tutor supporting with homework and providing a quiet place for Joe to go to. To ensure Joe was still receiving essential academic input they bought Learn-Smart lessons in English, Maths and Science enabling Joe to access part of his education at home. Over time, Joe increased his time at school, moving to accessing his Learn-Smart lessons at school before being able to successfully reintegrate fully back into his lessons. Joe achieved all of his target grades in his GCSEs and is now attending college.

Hi everyone, welcome to today’s class

Hi everyone, welcome to today’s class

Hi everyone, welcome to today’s class

How Learn-Smart Works

Hi everyone, welcome to today’s class

Pupil can access from home

Pupil can access whilst still in school

Pupil can access at any location with an internet connection

Teacher delivers their lesson

Hi everyone, welcome to today’s class

How do we ensure thatpupils make progress?We ensure that pupils make progress in a number of ways:

All our groups are tiered to offer focused teaching for the different needs and abilities of our students

Ensure activities within lessons are differentiated enabling students to be challenged and engaged

Sharing clear learning objectives and learning outcomes with the pupils

Regularly assessing students’ progress within lessons through targeted questioning and appropriate activities

Formerly assess at the end of each topic

Assigning key workers to the students to identify any barriers to learning to maximise their progress and to ensure regular communication with the schools and families

Writing six weekly reports attaining to the student’s academic progress and their social and emotional welfare

Where can studentsaccess lessons?Learn-Smart can easily be accessed from a number of places including:

The home

School or any educational establishment

Hospitals

Anywhere with an adequate internet connection, compatible device and supervision

Who is it for?Learn-Smart is available to any vulnerable pupil who is unable to access a full school package including:

Young people who are experiencing a short term challenging situation

Young people who find it difficult to cope within a classroom environment

School age mothers

Looked After Children

Those with SEN awaiting placement in special provision

Young people who are at risk of permanent exclusion from mainstream school

Young people unable to attend school due to ill health

Young people with anxiety

Learn-Smart has helped us to reintegrate our most vulnerable pupils back into the school environment and get them back on track with their learning.We have found Learn-Smart to be a great learning tool and a huge confidence booster.Secondary School Pastoral Care Manager

It can take place in an environment where the young person feels safe

Communicating with the teacher and their peers can be easier than face-to-face and via texting rather than the young person needing to speak

Class groups are small, generally fewer than 12

Young people remain anonymous.

The impact of challenging behaviour is minimised

Why is Learn-Smart successful in engaging pupils in learning?

Benefits for Schoolsand Pupils

There are many benefits that Learn-Smart provides for schools and pupils. These include:

Enabling pupils to achieve their full academic potential and maintain progress in line with their peers

Providing continuity and consistency of education when pupils are out of school

Enabling schools to respond quickly to the needs of pupils who are out of school

Supporting curriculum delivery to pupils within Learning Support Units

Enhancing individual packages for pupils on personalised learning programmes

Supporting reintegration programmes for pupils with protracted poor attendance or challenging behaviour

Quality Assurance We firmly believe that virtual teaching and learning should be of the highest quality and relevant to each pupil’s educational needs. In order to achieve this we use up-to-date resources, careful planning and measure our success by pupil progress, both academically and socially.

Quality assurance remains a high priority for the Learn-Smart Service, recognising that quality of provision is also dependant on the quality of delivery.

CASE STUDY

Learn-Smart was a life-line for Rachel when her condition was at its most acute.She really enjoyed the sessions and they helped to build her confidence to return to school.Parent of a Year 8 Pupil

Holly was a year 9 student showing signs of challenging behaviour; the family had suffered a bereavement of a close family member and Holly was finding it very difficult coping within lessons. Whilst Holly was still able to remain in school full-time; in order to give her adequate support during this difficult time alongside bereavement counselling, Holly accessed English and Maths via Learn-Smart. As Holly worked through the grieving process she was gradually able to reintegrate back in to her lessons with the full support of school, friends and family.

Attendance and Behaviour Attendance on Learn-Smart is recorded and the school is informed on a weekly basis of their student’s attendance and a brief update on their engagement. Communication between the keyworker and the school is essential in order to establish and identify solutions and appropriate support to enable the young person to successfully access the lessons. If there are technical difficulties support will be offered to address and rectify the issues.

Safety Online safety forms a core part of our safeguarding policies and we have clear processes to ensure that pupils are kept safe both in and outside our lessons. Pupils are only ever referred to by their first names and contact between pupils within lessons is regulated and monitored.

The Learn-Smart portal is protected from malicious and inappropriate websites at all times and teachers monitor what pupils are accessing whilst engaging in a lesson.

I was on Learn-Smart because I suffer from anxiety which left me unable to attend school, so I was very thankful when I found everyone was extremely welcoming!

How much will it cost?

It isn’t as expensive

as you might think!

Package Cost DetailsImmediate £10 per lesson • Must access all lessons per

subject.

• Only for individual students

• Short term support – 2 week minimum

Termly Block 1 Block = 9 hours per week x 6 weeks @£432

Additional Blocks @ £432 per block

Add on for additional hours @ £8 per hour

• Can start at any time during term

• Multiple Students – 9 hours per block per week

• There is no limit to the number of termly blocks that can be purchased

Annual Block 1 Block = 9 hours per week x 38 weeks @ £2250

Add on for additional hours @ £6.50 per hour

• Multiple students

• 9 hours per week

• There is no limit to the number of annual blocks that can be purchased

Bespoke Package A bespoke package can requested to meet your students’ specific needs please call TLP, 01273 336505

For more informationCall us on 01273 336505or email TLP@eastsussex.gov.uk

www.eastsussex.gov.uk

eastsussex.gov.uk