Frequently Asked Questions

We care for our children and all other families that are effected by the pressures that social distancing and isolation due to COVID-19 can cause. Remote learning is not easy, we want to make it easier, more inclusive, more fun. School is about more than just learning, its about friendships, teamwork, communication, emotional intelligence and community. In times of crisis we have to face the challenge together. Officials, essential workers and other organisations are doing all they can to overcome the most important challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools and education authorities are doing a fantastic job to make sure the best possible education continues. We can do our bit too. Harnessing the power in our community, we can work together to support the progression in the curriculum, give a platform to people willing and able to support, and maintain the benefits our children (and parents) receive from supporting each other as a team, as a community.

What are the benefits to my child of learning on Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

Keep Calm and Carry On Learning does not aim to replace the existing remote learning programs put in place by the appropriate authorities. We aim to support them. In addition to supporting delivery of the curriculum your child will benefit from:

• Playing an interactive role in the process
• Interacting with the platform, choosing lessons, expressing likes and dislikes
• Finding visibility over their schedule and plan with friends to co-learn
• Learning in a virtual classroom with friends
• Maintaining social connections
• Experiencing the positive feelings around remote learning through the community
• Feeling part of a team that can solve a challenge together

Remember, anyone can contribute. Your School Teachers can chose to deliver their classes through Keep Calm and Carry On Learning and parents, grandparents and friends can tutor."

What are the benefits to me, as a parent or guardian, from my child learning on Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

As a parent/guardian you are able to contribute to your own child and other children's education and entertainment by playing a role in the community. You can learn tricks and tips from other parents/guardians and share your own. Parents can share the burden of caring for each others children's education and relatives and friends can contribute too. Even for 30 mins a day, that can make a big difference. It’s a chance for you and your community to contribute for the better. We hope that Keep Calm and Carry On Learning becomes another source of entertainment in the home which delivers additional benefits. Keeping your children happy for longer, nurturing them, and giving you a chance to give back.

What are the benefits to Teachers or Tutors of learning on Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

Keep Calm and Carry On Learning provides Teachers and Tutors an effective way to schedule classes between Learners and Tutors, share knowledge with other Tutors, pool Tutors efforts to reach more Learners, and a platform for delivery of interactive, video classrooms.

What are the benefits to the community of learning on Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

Keep Calm and Carry On Learning provides a platform for people who would otherwise be unable to contribute and help in this time of crisis. It also creates a platform for people who would like to help in other ways to focus their efforts. It creates a platform where our ideas and work can be shared and distributed across the community and not just in our own home. Families can benefit from other families efforts and we can harness the power of community spirit in order to face this challenge.

How is Keep Calm and Carry On Learning different form remote learning provided by schools and education organisations?

Keep Calm and Carry On Learning is a virtual classroom where children benefit from the social and emotional environment of a real classroom. It is a place for social interaction via the delivery of education. Keep Calm and Carry On Learning is different to other programmes because it is community driven. Anyone can contribute, not just school teachers, but mothers, fathers, grandparents, friends and anyone with the time and capability to help can also be Tutors.

Can I tell other people about Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

Yes. Please do! We are building functionality on the platform as fast as we can, and you will see additional features that enable us to handle a growing community appearing.

Who funds Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

Keep Calm and Carry On is entirely self-funded and built as a philanthropic venture by people who care about the family community.

CLASSES

How do classes work?

Classes are delivered via video conference. At the moment, one teacher can teach up to 4 children per class. Each class lasts 30 minutes. Tutors are given guidelines how to deliver classes. During the class the Tutor will deliver a lesson around a prepared subject which the Learners have selected. The content delivered will broadly fit to the Key Stage 1-4 guidance for the chosen subject and the focus will be on encouraging interaction with the Tutor and other Learners.

Are classes free?

Yes

How do you match Learners to Tutors?

When matching Learners to Tutors our overarching objective is to drive the matching process in line with the Learners requirements and on a first come, first served basis. We do this focusing on the following priorities:

• Giving Learners a structured social interaction with existing and new friends
• Scheduling the classes in a structured manner to ensure continuity and ease of use
• Furthering their education according to Learners interests and capabilities

How do I know when classes are being run for different subjects?

Visit our Homepage and go to the schedule. You will see the schedule of available classes for all subjects from Key Stage 1-4. Available classes are those that have Tutors committed to a day and time and that have less than 4 Learners signed up already. If a subject/class is unavailable it is because the class is already full or does not yet have a Tutor (why don't you sign up to teach that subject?)!

How do I sign my child up for a class?

Click on "I want to Learn". You will be asked to fill in an online questionnaire regarding your Child’s interest and your contact information before your booking is confirmed. We will get in touch with you to schedule. (Soon we will be adding booking functionality so that you can book an available class without even contacting us!). You will then receive a calendar invite with a link to your classroom and technical instructions in case you need them. You may also receive a brief overview of your class subject matter.

Do my children have to be of a certain level before joining a class?

We encourage Tutors to design classes that are flexible and cater to most children in the relevant age group. When you book a class we ask you to fill in a brief questionnaire regarding your child's interests so that the Tutor has some information to guide them.

What is the format of the classes?

We provide 'tips and ticks' and guidance to Tutors for how to run a class. Tutors will design the class themselves and so can follow different formats, however the intention is always to deliver educational material while promoting social interaction.

Can I arrange for my child to take place in a specific class with some of her friends?

Yes. At the moment you can coordinate with parents of your your Child's friends and arrange to sign up to the same class, as long as there are available spots and you are no more than 4 Learners. Alternatively you can let us know the details and we can coordinate. Soon we will be adding functionality which will allow you to coordinate who you learn with on the platform.

Do I have to do any subject matter preparation with my child before the class?

Not necessarily. For classes we will provide you with an overview of the subject matter. It is always good to keep your child's education going. But in our case it is not necessary to prepare your child for the class content.

What should I tell my child about what to expect from the class?

It is very helpful if parents/guardians prepare their children for what to expect. It can be very exciting doing remote learning, especially if your friends are there too. Therefore, it is helpful if you find a quiet, comfortable, seated place for your child to take part in the lesson without distractions and prepare their minds to concentrate on the lesson. Leave the rest to us!

Does my child need anything for the class?

We recommend always having a pencil and paper ready and also a ruler. Please also check the subject matter documentation you were sent for your class, if anything specific is needed for a class it will be mentioned there.

How can I find out more about the subject matter?

We broadly follow the Key Stage 1-4 guidelines however, individual Tutors decide on the specific content for a class. We provide an overview of the subject matter when you book a class.

How should I help my child chose a class?

We ask you to fill in a simple questionnaire with your child when you first sign up. This helps any Tutor understand your child's interests, improvement areas and personal likes and dislikes. This is all the info we need. Then choosing a class is up to you. We encourage you to go through the schedule of available classes with your child and ask them what they think they should do. Encourage them to work on their improvement areas, but enjoyment and social connections are just as important to us.

The subject or year group I want is not available, why?

Our subjects and classes are driven by the Key Stage 1-4 guidelines. If there is no Tutor committed to a day/time for a subject yet, then the class will not be available. The class will also not be available if there are no more places. If there is no Tutors - why don't you teach?! If there's no places available - why don't you teach an additional class?! If the subject is not available at all and you think it should be included we would love to hear from you.

There is no more room available in the class I want to join, why?

We limit places to 4 Learners per class to make sure we have the right balance between social interactions and distractions. There can be multiple Tutors committed to multiple days/times for the same class. So if your class is not available, why don’t you teach it or encourage someone else to?

Does Keep Calm and Carry On Learning support other Key Stages beyond Key Stage 1?

Yes we support Key Stage 1-4. However, we are expanding our community and as we do so we cover more areas. Perhaps your year group or subject isn't covered yet, but its coming soon.Get in touch with us if you want to help.

Should I support my child in the class or leave them alone?

It is your choice, you know your child better than anyone. We recommend that parents/guardians leave their children to participate alone in the class wherever possible. It can be fun to watch, but try to let your child interact on their own.

What should I do if my child is not enjoying the class?

You can mute your microphone and see if your child regains interest later in the class or just leave the classroom. There is no obligation, and no detention!

How do you make sure that Tutors are providing suitable content?

We perform brief due diligence on each new Tutor to ascertain that they have good intentions and the ability to deliver their subject matter and we check that any new Tutor is known to several parents of children already learning on the platform. So we ensure a certain level of comfort that Tutors are reliable. We do not have the capacity to monitor all classes (yet). We have set this platform up as an initiative to help us cope in a time of crisis, its not perfect. We look to the community to help us curate content in this manner. Soon we may release functionality to 5-star Tutors you like and at any time you can report any inappropriate behaviour. We have the ability to kick Users off the platform if necessary.

How do you make sure that Children in the classroom are not disturbing others?

They might! We, and you, have the ability to mute the microphone if any child loses interest and is disruptive.

Who are the Tutors?

Tutors are people who want to help. They can be your school teacher who wants to deliver content via our platform, it can be a grandpa, an uncle, it can be you. We perform a brief due diligence to make sure that any new Tutors have good intentions and are able to deliver the subject matter. But this is all about us pulling together and helping each other. There are lots of Children stuck at home wanting to learn with their friends, and lots of adults wanting to help but not sure how. Lets bring them together!

TECHNICAL

Is there an app for desktop, tablet or Mobile?

Yes. There are apps for all devices that can be found here .

Do I need to download an app or does the software work through a browser?

It is not necessary to download the app for your device as, when you click the link, you will be taken to your browser to sign in and take part in the class. We do recommend however that you down-load the app on your mobile, tablet or desktop as it makes the whole experience much more easy.

How do I make sure I am logged in to the right classroom?

When you book a class, we ask you for your email address and you will receive a calendar invite which contains a link to your class. Just click the link and you will be taken directly to the right class.

I have forgotten which classes I have signed up to, what can I do?

All of the classes you signed up for will be sent to you as calendar invites. So just check the calendar associated with the email you signed up with and you will find all your bookings there.

I cant log-in to the software, what can I do?

As you know, most problems are solved by "turning it off and on again". If that doesn’t work please visit the help desk here.

I am logged in to the software but I am having audio issues, what can I do?

As you know, most problems are solved by "turning it off and on again". If that doesn’t work please visit the help desk here.

How do I mute my microphone?

When you are in the classroom a small control panel will appear towards the bottom of your screen. There is a microphone icon, click it and when the icon appears struck-through you are muted. If this does not work please check your audio settings on your device.

How do I un-mute my microphone?

When you are in the classroom a small control panel will appear towards the bottom of your screen. There is a microphone icon, click it and when the icon appears struck-through you are muted, click it again, the strike-through disappears and you are un-muted. If this does not work please check your audio settings on your device.

I WANT TO HELP

Do I have to be a real Teacher to Teach?

No. People who teach on our platform are Tutors. They may be qualified teachers but not necessarily. We will check that any new Tutor has good intentions and is capable of teaching (the standards similar to Harvard professor so nothing to worry about). We have a full onboarding process. The intention is that anyone capable can offer their services and teach.

How can I become a Teacher?

Go to our Homepage and click on the link "I want to Teach". You will be asked to fill in an online questionnaire and we will contact you to confirm the details of your class. You then receive technical instructions and you may also receive a brief overview of recommendations how to run a class. Finally you will receive a calendar invite with a link to the schoolroom of the class you scheduled.

Do you have any guidance how to run a class?

Yes we do. When you sign up as a Tutor you will receive our "tips and tricks" guidelines. You can always contact us at any time.

Can I teach a subject that is not in the curriculum?

At the moment, no. However, when you take a close look at the curriculum you should be able to find a way to teach your passion and satisfy some of the curriculum requirements. So usually you can make it fit. If you have any doubts, contact us.

How can I support without becoming a Tutor?

We are open to support in the form of financing, administration, content, equipment and materials, and Other. To express your interest please go to our Homepage and click on "I want to Support"

I'm a Learner and I have a suggestion, where can I submit it?

Great Idea!! Please contact us with your suggestion following the link on our Homepage.

I have a suggestion, where can I submit it?

Please contact us with your suggestion following the link on our Homepage.

How can I contact Keep Calm and Carry On Learning?

Please follow the link on our Homepage to contact us.