Discover how Finton House School are using Frog to create a virtual school environment for their staff, students and parents with a specific focus on ePortfolios.

Captured by Katie Cousins, the video below shows the school's ePortfolio system that allows for teacher feedback, student responses, demonstrates the breadth of work and also progression over time!

Watch video on Youtube.

Discover how North Lakes School are using Frog to engage and interact with students during the current Coronavirus lock-down!

Captured by Martyn Soulsby, this is the first video - in a two-part series - showing us how the school are helping their children to learn from home. 

If you’re a Frog school, it would be great to get similar videos from you to share with other schools.

Some are leading the way during these challenging times, but in truth, most are catching up. Let’s aim to get everyone on the front foot as quickly as we can.

As ever, if there’s anything you need from us at Frog to help you get the best during these times, you know where we are.

Capturing your clips
If you haven't done this before, one bit of software we've found useful is Flashback Recorder. You can send your clips to us in any way you choose - WeTransfer, GoogleDrive or simply upload to your Frog platform.

How the school have been using Frog to:

Interact with students

Watch a video created by Martyn Soulsby...

Watch video on Youtube.

Engage with students

Watch a video created by Martyn Soulsby...

Watch video on Youtube.

Keen to create structure for their pupils adapting to learning from home, Finton House School created personalised day plans to support the teaching and learning experience...

Personalised plans

Each day pupils login to a remote learning dashboard where they will find their plan for the day. The schedule includes links to registration, zoom lessons, tutor groups and Frog subject pages with pre-recorded videos and activities for the afternoon sessions.

Whole school content, for example assemblies, clubs & enrichment and Wellbeing sessions are embedded in timetables so they appear in each class's schedule.

Personalised links for 1:1 sessions, messages and resources from the teachers help pupils feel better connected. The day's plan also includes a shared folder with any resources requiring printing and a list of equipment the pupils need to have ready for the day.  

Connecting teachers with their class

To set up the personalised daily planners, teachers start with a standard template and edit to add their own content.

Pupil ePortfolios

The school is also rolling out ePortfolios for each year group as a way for pupils to manage and display their work. 

The clever Set Keyword Widget notifies teachers when there's something new to see and they have visibility of their whole class too. Feedback is given to the children in the comments, with children also able to respond to marking.

A pupil's ePortfolio is shared with their parents, so they can monitor their child's work and teacher feedback. For exemplary work, teachers have the ability to send an ePortfolio direct to the Headteacher for commendation at the touch of a button.

Discover how The Winston Churchill School are using Frog to teach multiple subjects during the current Coronavirus lock-down!

This is a series of nine videos that teachers have taken of themselves showing us how they are helping their children to learn from home. 

If you’re a Frog school, it would be great to get similar videos from you to share with other schools.

Some are leading the way during these challenging times, but in truth, most are catching up. Let’s aim to get everyone on the front foot as quickly as we can.

As ever, if there’s anything you need from us at Frog to help you get the best during these times, you know where we are.

Capturing your clips
If you haven't done this before, one bit of software we've found useful is Flashback Recorder. You can send your clips to us in any way you choose - WeTransfer, GoogleDrive or simply upload to your Frog platform.

How the different departments at the school have been using Frog:

Science

Watch a video showing how M North is using Frog to teach students Science.

Watch video on Youtube.

Music

Watch a video showing how C Drake is using Frog to teach students Music.

Watch video on Youtube.

Maths

Watch a video showing how J Ray is using Frog to teach students Maths.

Watch video on Youtube.

Physical Education

Watch a video showing how A Daniels is using Frog to teach students Physical Education.

Watch video on Youtube.

English

Watch a video showing how G Collins is using Frog to teach students English.

Watch video on Youtube.

Computer Science

Watch a video showing how D Falleiro is using Frog to teach students Computer Science.

Watch Computer Science video on Youtube.

Geography

Watch a video showing how S Harris is using Frog to teach students Geography.

Watch Geography video on Youtube.

Film Studies

Watch a video showing how N Parsons is using Frog to teach students Film Studies.

Watch Film Studies video on Youtube.

Design Technology

Watch a video showing how A Lighton is using Frog to teach students Design Technology.

Watch Design Technology video on Youtube.

It is strange how the summer term has started yet schools remain closed. However, at North Lakes School, like so many others, we are continuing to work hard to ensure that all of our children receive the learning they need at home.  

Teachers have been providing daily online learning resources via our “Frog” Virtual Learning Environment.  There are numerous activities to help keep everyone engaged and motivated, from setting daily assignments to uploading fun pictures to class timelines.  Activities are developing and embedding skills taught throughout the year and encouraging children to be inquisitive.  Both children and staff are busy monitoring progress and interacting with the children in their class.

Pupil feedback...

Noah, in Year 5, wrote:

“Home learning has been a massive change for my daily life. At first, I struggled with the change and missed school massively. Now that I am in the routine of logging into Frog every day, I can keep in touch with what everyone is doing, and it is not so bad really. I have just received a Bronze Froggies award for my Online Learning!

All my teachers must be working very, very hard to get all our assignments organised, and keeping in touch with us on our timelines – it’s great to be able to keep in touch with my classmates and friends throughout the school”

The children are enjoying logging on to “Frog” daily, earning team points for their school team and checking the daily Froggie awards and certificates. The staff at North Lakes understand that this change in conditions is a very difficult time for all children. Teachers are setting creative activities, fun photo challenges as well as exercise challenges on their timelines. They are encouraging the children to look after their sunflowers linked to the school campaign #NLSSTANDTOGETHER.

Lola, in Year 5, who is a member of Elterwater class, would agree that even though she is finding it difficult to learn from home, she is enjoying the use of the timeline throughout the different classrooms. She also believes that many children would agree that the assignments and online activities like Charanga YuMu are really helping them keep on track.

At North Lakes, we enjoy learning together, whether it is online or at school. We aim to achieve our best and continue to support our children the best we can.

North Lakes School has also produced a free Home Learning Links site for families which is available free to any reader.  It contains free, safe links to help promote home learning and also includes advice and tips for Online Safety for parents and children.

It is available from this link:

The Edron Academy, Mexico City

Frog has been used extensively across the school during the recent pandemic and school closure to keep our students making excellent progress. Frog has been an invaluable teaching and learning tools for students, teachers and parents.

In building this platform, three elements were vital for effective, extended learning:

• Focus on blended learning;
• Integration of extra-curricular activities;
• Emphasis on wellbeing.
  
  

Blended Solutions Work Best

Pedagogically, Frog is a self-contained virtual sphere and a link to other platforms, enabling a mix of live and recorded lessons, with links to interactive subject software. This keeps learning engaging and varied. Teachers can focus on individual needs by timetabling small group support sessions, using linked video communications software, such as Zoom or Google Meet. Parents can oversee their children’s work without the burdens that home schooling often brings. Online learning must be engaging and effective so as to counter parental perceptions that it is an inferior substitute to traditional schooling.

Keep it moving

Away from school, children become more physically inactive: longer screen time, irregular sleep, and less favourable diets. Without activities and the interaction with friends, the negative effects on health are greater. Isolation breeds frustration and boredom. Lack of contact with classmates and teachers has enduring effects on mood and attitude. And the normal separation of spheres, school and home, suddenly abandoned, invades a child's personal space and sense of freedom.

Frog has helped to construct social solutions of a virtual nature. Edron activity providers give home based exercise which all the family can do. Regular live lessons give Edron children a friendly face and some semblance of school. Duke of Edinburgh has moved online.

Well-being is the way

Whilst the academic and pastoral welfare of children has been the first focus of schools, the needs of parents, teachers and wider staff must not be overlooked. Mindful of the needs of all staff and parents, Frog is used to stage online activities, share useful articles and bring the community together, in parallel with zoned Whats App groups to check on staff wellbeing. All staff have access to professional counselling and full coverage of medical costs. In turn, teachers are stepping forward with sessions, such as Edron Master-Chef and Yoga for staff.

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