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Supporting Learning at Home


Digital Schools Awards Scotland

Digital Learning Newsletter – The purpose of this newsletter is to give you further up to date advice on remote learning and share some information, some useful “hints and tips” and also point out some of the “pitfalls” with you.

Online Safety Policy – Westhill Academy

Westhill Academy Twitter account

Introduction

Below, you will find information on:-

Additionally, below is some background support and information:-

a) Parents information

including Parents as Partners and Parent Council Information

b) What is Glow? (also describes Microsoft Teams, Scholar and our Faculty Twitter feeds): –Explanation here from our Digital Literacy working group.

c) Remote learning   this describes the roles and responsibilities of learners and how parents can support remote learning

d) Read and Write Gold information

e) Instructions on how to use Glow email for pupils

1. How to support Numeracy in S1-S3 

A guide for parents to support pupils with their numeracy skills in S1 – S3 can be accessed through this link:-

S1-3 BGE Numeracy 

2. How to support Literacy in S1-S3

A guide for parents to support pupils with their literacy skills in S1 – S3 can be accessed through this link:-

S1-3 BGE Literacy 

3. How can you support learning at home- S1-3 Broad General Education (BGE)?

Our  S1-3 Broad General Education (BGE) guides are designed to keep you informed about what types of learning your young person is likely to encounter in our different curricular areas. The guides also give you an indication of homework expectations and the skills being developed.

Moreover, the guides illustrate types of activities you could be doing with your child to support learning in each subject area – it really can be as simple as watching the news together, planning meals or discussing a topic that’s being covered in class.

Research, backed up by feedback from learners, indicates that families ‘taking an interest’ in learning in just these ways has a significant impact on progress.

The guides include useful hints and tips as well as highlighting relevant resources such as websites for you to access and use at home. We hope you find this useful in supporting your children in their learning.

The booklets were designed as a direct result of your feedback and input via questionnaires, focus groups and through our Parent Council.

This Information for Parents about the BGE is available here:-

S1BGE –  Information for Parents 

S2 BGE –  Information for Parents 

S3 BGE –  Information for Parents

Health and Wellbeing

4. Learning how to learn

The science faculty are working on study skills and ‘retrieval practice’ as follows:-

The following learning/study techniques can be used after lessons to help pupils identify what they have understood and also any knowledge or skills which they are struggling with (and can then seek help at the earliest opportunity).

They are based on the idea that you need to practice retrieving information from your short-term memory to find out what they do actually know/understand.

The techniques can also aid the transferring of knowledge from the short-term memory to long-term memory.

More information on how to use the methods can be found in the various documents posted alongside this one.

What is retrieval practice?

Promoting learning strategies for success

Concept Maps

Dual Coding

Flashcards

Teaching Someone at home

Traffic Lighting (with a twist)

Brain Dump

5. Websites to support learning at home

General Education websites

Twinkl  https://www.twinkl.co.uk/offer

use code UKTWINKLHELPS     for month of free resources

TWIG   https://www.twigsciencetools.com/?utm_source=t.co&utm_medium=social&utm_content=free-twig-science-tools-covid19&utm_campaign=twig-education-organic-social

Khan Academy            www.khanacademy.org
Especially good for maths and computing for all ages but other subjects at Secondary level. Note this uses the U.S. grade system but it’s mostly common material.

Seneca             www.senecalearning.com
Written for those revising at GCSE or A level but can be used for Scottish curriculum. Tons of free revision content. Paid access to higher level material.

Openlearn       www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses/full-catalogue
Free taster courses aimed at those considering Open University but everyone can access it. Adult level, but some e.g. nature and environment courses could well be of interest to senior phase students.

Blockly             https://blockly.games
Learn computer programming skills – fun and free.

Scratch            https://scratch.mit.edu/explore/projects/games/
Creative computer programming

Ted Ed             https://ed.ted.com
All sorts of engaging educational videos

National Geographic Kids       https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/
Activities and quizzes for younger kids.

Duolingo          https://www.duolingo.com
Learn languages for free. Web or app.

Mystery Science          https://mysteryscience.com
Free science lessons

The Kids Should See This        https://thekidshouldseethis.com
Wide range of cool educational videos

Crash Course   https://thecrashcourse.com
You Tube videos on many subjects

Crash Course Kids       https://m.youtube.com/user/crashcoursekids
As above for a younger audience

British Council             https://www.britishcouncil.org/school-resources/find
Resources for English language learning

Big History Project      https://www.bighistoryproject.com/home
Aimed at Secondary age. Multi disciplinary activities.

Geography Games      https://world-geography-games.com/world.html
Geography gaming!

The Artful Parent        https://www.facebook.com/artfulparent/
Good, free art activities

DK Find Out     https://www.dkfindout.com/uk/…
Activities and quizzes

Fuse School     https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3wWlfGUijnRIf745lRl2A

YouTube education channel

Bright Red Digital Zone           https://www.brightredbooks.net/subjects/

SFL

www.sqa.gov.uk

www.bbcbitesize.co.uk

Scholar

www.twinkl.co.uk

Business and ICT

Scholar

www.bbcbitesize.co.uk

Microbit

Scratch

Maths

Twitter                 https://twitter.com/MathsDeptWA

www.bitesize.co.uk

www.mymaths.co.uk

www.sumdog.com – free access during a school closure

www.twinkl.co.uk/offer – free access during a school closure

www.SQA.org.uk

Drama

BBC Bitesize (N5)              https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zrs3kqt

BBC Bitesize (H)                https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zgnv9j6

Revision                               https://performingartsmeldrum.wordpress.com/revision-pages-drama/

Music

BBC Bitesize (N5)              https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zkty4wx

BBC Bitesize (H)                https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z8hv9j6

Quizzes (H)                          https://mymusiconline.co.uk/national-5-quizzes

Flashcards                           https://quizlet.com/13222756/national-5-music-concepts-flash-cards/

Quizzes (H)                         https://mymusiconline.co.uk/higher

Revision                               https://performingartsmeldrum.wordpress.com/revision-pages/

Guidance

Bullying           https://respectme.org.uk/

Cyber Safety    https://ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/

Diversity          https://www.actionforchildren.org.uk/what-we-do/about-us/equality-anddiversity/

Diversity          http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00sfxn7

this is a link to one of the programmes we often show called Autistic Superstars

Puberty           http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/puberty.html

Drugs               www.talktofrank.com

Alcohol and Drugs Action, Aberdeen (ADA):              www.drugsaction.co.uk

Global Citizenship + Children’s Rights:                       www.unicef.org.uk   www.oxfam.org.uk

Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration:             www.scra.gov.uk

Sexual Health and Relationship Education (SHARE) http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/4946.aspx

YPI Scotland    http://ypiscotland.org.uk/

Work experience         https://www.workit.info/

CV’s / Personal Statements / Future planning          https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/

Science

Twitter                 https://twitter.com/ScienceDeptWA

BGE (S1-3)

S1 and 2               https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zq8myrd

S3                           https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zjk2fg8

Fuse School        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3wWlfGUijnRIf745lRl2A

Biology

SQA       https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45723.html

Past papers         https://mrssmithsbiology.wordpress.com/national-5-biology/sqa-past-papers-and-marking-instructions/

Course revision http://www.oronsay.org/Biology.htm    https://mrssmithsbiology.wordpress.com/

BBC Bitesize (N4) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z3ykjxs

BBC Bitesize (N5) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zync87h

BBC Bitesize (H) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zm6tyrd

Scholar https://scholar.hw.ac.uk

Fuse School        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3wWlfGUijnRIf745lRl2A

Chemistry

SQA       https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45720.html

Past papers         http://www.chemistry-teaching-resources.com/PastPapers.html

Course revision http://www.chemistry-teaching-resources.com/

BBC Bitesize (N4) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zhvycdm

BBC Bitesize (N5) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zmnp34j

BBC Bitesize (H) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zjmtsbk

Scholar https://scholar.hw.ac.uk

Fuse School        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3wWlfGUijnRIf745lRl2A

Physics

SQA       https://www.sqa.org.uk/sqa/45729.html

Past papers         https://mrsphysics.co.uk/n5/past-papers-for-national-5-physics/

Course revision https://mrsphysics.co.uk/

BBC Bitesize (N5) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z6fsgk7

BBC Bitesize (H) https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zpyb4wx

Scholar https://scholar.hw.ac.uk

Fuse School        https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS3wWlfGUijnRIf745lRl2A

English

English work is available for S1-3 on the Glow English page in the folder “Snow Day School Closure”. There are both short tasks and more extended project work. All pupils are encouraged to keep up with personal reading and book, play and media reports can be downloaded from Glow. Pupils should also refer to their own class Teams for additional work set by their teachers.

Follow us on twitter @WesthillEnglish for book recommendations!