At The Online School UK, we strive to create a calm, focused, and distraction-free learning environment for all students. While we value parental engagement and support, it is essential that parents refrain from interrupting live lessons. Questions or concerns should be directed through the appropriate communication channels outside of class time.

1.  Guidelines for Parental Involvement

• Appropriate Channels for Communication: Parents should direct any questions or concerns to the message board, student polling survey, or by contacting Happiness Manager outside of live sessions.
  
  
• No Interruptions During Lessons:
  
  Live lessons are dedicated to the students’ learning experience, and interruptions from parents disrupt the focus and flow of the class. We ask that parents allow their children to engage in lessons independently.

2.  Managing Repeated Parental Interruptions

To maintain an optimal learning environment, we have established the following steps to handle repeated interruptions from parents:

First Incident:

The teacher will politely remind the parent to direct all questions and concerns to the appropriate communication channels after the lesson (e.g., message board, student polling survey).

Second Incident:

The student’s microphone and chat privileges will be removed for 5 days. During this period, a senior team member will reach out to discuss the importance of maintaining classroom focus and explain how this benefits both the student and their classmates.

Third Incident:

A signed agreement will be required from the parent, acknowledging the issue and agreeing to avoid further interruptions during live sessions. This agreement serves as a formal understanding that future disruptions may impact the student’s access to certain features.

Fourth Incident:

If interruptions continue, the student’s microphone and chat privileges will be revoked for the remainder of the half-term to ensure the smooth running of lessons and prevent further disruption to the learning environment.

While these steps may appear strict, they are designed to protect the integrity of the learning environment for all students. We believe that all children deserve an uninterrupted and focused lesson time to optimize their academic progress and emotional well-being.

3.  Parental Responsibility for Child Readiness

In order for students to successfully access and benefit from the learning experience, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to ensure that their child possesses the following basic skills:

• Reading and Writing: The child should be able to read and write at a basic level to follow lesson content and instructions.
  
  
• Basic Math Skills: The child should have basic math knowledge, including recognition of numbers, shapes, and patterns.
• Computer Literacy: The child should be able to use a computer independently to access the lessons, operate basic tools, and navigate the learning platform.

This is critical to ensure that the child, rather than the parent, is the one participating in and benefiting from the lessons. If we suspect that a parent is directly controlling the computer on behalf of the child, we may take action to protect the integrity of the learning environment.

4.  Safeguarding and Monitoring Parent Involvement

For safeguarding reasons, if it becomes evident that a parent or guardian is overly involved in controlling a child’s participation during lessons, we may take the following actions:

• Revocation of Public Chat, Camera, and Microphone Access: If we suspect that an adult is operating the student’s account, we may remove public chat, camera, and microphone privileges without prior warning, particularly if any inappropriate behavior or content is shared.
  
  
• Safeguarding Measures: These actions are taken to safeguard the child and ensure that their engagement and progress reflect their own development rather than adult intervention. These restrictions may remain in place until we can be assured that the child is independently engaging with the lessons.

5.  Ensuring a Positive Learning Environment

The aim of these measures is not to limit parental involvement but to ensure that the focus of the lesson remains on the child’s learning and development. We encourage parents to support their child outside of lesson times and communicate through the appropriate channels. By working together, we can create an environment that allows each child to flourish academically and emotionally.