The threat of Coronavirus has already caused some schools to take action. Such decisions are never easy but with preparatory work and the right edtech solution, it is possible to maintain a basic level of teaching and learning practice outside school.
Your school continuity plan
The fast spread of Coronavirus has brought home just how important it is to have a continuity plan in place - and it's not just viruses to be prepared for! There's a whole host of threats a school may face that require preemptive action. Unfortunately we have seen many of these already play out around the world...
- Flooding
- Stormy weather
- Snow
- Terrorism
- Fire
- Environmental
The good news is that there's plenty of support available to make your school continuity plan sufficiently robust to withstand many of these kinds of threats. Once you have a continuity plan, it can be cloned and tweaked to take into account unique actions linked to a particular threat. The master plan can address common actions to be taken in the event of an unplanned school closure, with continuity enabled post-closure.
As we have seen on the news, the potential for further spread of Coronavirus is largely coming from staff, parents or students who may have been exposed while visiting affected areas. Nicholas Postgate Catholic Academy Trust was one such school reported to have closed after 36 pupils and eight staff members returned from an Italian skiing trip. Parents who had children on the trip were advised to self-isolate, whilst the school remained closed to all students for a deep clean to take place. A closure such as this, is a perfect example of the kind of scenario a continuity plan could envisage.
Prepare for the unexpected
Here's some preparatory work to ready your school for the unexpected...
- Create suitable content to keep pupil learning on track.
- Train staff (and add to induction material) so everyone is aware of the role they will play.
- Share plans with parents. This will ensure they know where to check-in in the event of a closure.
- Embed digital teaching and learning practices in-school to protect data and resources.
Introducing the School Continuity Portal
Frog's School Continuity Portal is designed to keep the line of communication open for as long as possible in extenuating circumstances.
How it works
The portal includes three lesson plans (Maths, English and Science) appropriate for years 7-9 that are ready to use, with plenty of scope to add your own content too.
There's a gallery, forms and guidance available for teachers, so everyone can connect and share - even from remote locations.
Frog at the heart of your digital strategy
Frog technology works at the heart of your digital strategy, supporting your activities across school from curriculum design through to teaching and learning practice.
If you'd like to explore Frog for your school, please get in touch for an initial chat. We're always happy to provide a demonstration so you can experience Frog in action.
Digital Resources
To help you with the Coronavirus outbreak
Frog Webinar: How Frog can help if your school has to close temporarily
Case study: How North Lakes School is using Frog
What is FrogPlay?
Free trial FrogPlay for schools affected by Coronavirus