Dear parents/carers,
I realise that it has been a big change moving from students being taught face to face in classes to learning online. With this in mind, the College has put together a series of answers to frequently asked questions that we’ve received over the past week, in order to make sure that you are reassured of any processes and that your child feels supported in learning online.
How are teachers providing tasks for my child?
Teachers are e-mailing their classes with their learning for that day as per their normal timetable. So if a student normally has English on a given day, they should expect an e-mail from their English teacher with what to do that day. Maths activities are being set through HegartyMaths.
How does my child access their e-mails?
- On any web browser – go to www.horizoncc.co.uk
- At the top toolbar – click on Students’ Hub
- When the Horizon Student Hub is open – click on the ‘Waffle’ icon at the top left of the homepage – this is nine dots organised in a square on a green background.
- A menu will open with a list of applications to open – select Outlook
- Your child’s school e-mails will then open.
- Please note that if you have more than one child in your household, each child will need to sign out when they’re finished. This is done by clicking their initials at the top right corner of any open Horizon Student Hub page and selecting ‘sign out’.
How can I see my child’s timetable?
- In Outlook, at the bottom left of the page there is a Calendar icon (second one from the left) – click on this, and your child’s school timetable should appear. If this doesn’t work, contact info@horizoncc.co.uk, giving your child’s name, their year group and the specific problem you’re having.
What devices does the Horizon Student Hub and Outlook work on?
You can access the Horizon Student Hub and Outlook using any internet connected device with a web browser built in – computer, tablet, phone, as well as SmartTVs, even Amazon Fire Sticks and Chromecasts.
My child is unsure of what their teacher has asked them to do. What should they do?
Your child is welcome to contact their class teacher via their school e-mail account. The easiest way to do this is reply directly to the e-mail that their teacher has sent that day.
My child doesn’t appear to be receiving any e-mails from their class teacher. How do I get support?
E-mail us via info@horizoncc.co.uk, giving your child’s name, their year group, teacher’s name and subject area. The more detail you can give the quicker and more specific support we can provide.
I am having technical issues with the Horizon Student Hub. How do I get support?
Again, parents can contact College via info@horizoncc.co.uk, giving their child’s name, their year group, and an explanation of the issue. Screenshots are incredibly helpful if you can provide them.
My child is struggling to meet deadlines. What should they do?
They are more than welcome to contact their class teacher via their school e-mail account. We are aware that families working at home may be sharing time on devices and thus limiting how long their children can use them for home learning. Please do not worry – this is a different situation for all of us and teachers are understanding of this.
My child has asked their class teacher for support but haven’t heard back. What should they do?
Firstly please be aware that teachers may not be able to respond right away due to factors such as childcare issues, supporting family members, illness, poor internet connection and other considerations as a result of the current lockdown. Teachers should respond as soon as possible, but again, if there is an ongoing concern, e-mail us via info@horizoncc.co.uk giving your child’s name, their year group, and an explanation of the issue and we will deal with the matter.
My child can’t access their HegartyMaths account. What should they do?
- HegartyMaths has had high volumes of user traffic due to increased online learning – they are constantly working on increasing capacity to allow more users to access the website and complete their Maths tasks. If there is an issue with the website working properly then it is best to wait until later in the day and re-try accessing the website.
- If your child needs their password resetting, then they can e-mail their class teacher directly and ask for their password to be reset.
- Otherwise, e-mail info@horizoncc.co.uk, giving your child’s name and their class teacher and we will reset their password.
I hope that provides more guidance for you and your child as they continue to work online. If you have any questions that are not answered above, then again, contact the College at info@horizoncc.co.uk – please give as much detail as possible and we will be in touch.
Finally can I thank you for your support during this difficult time, and thank your children for the commitment they have shown so far.
We will continue to update you with information as the situation develops.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs C Huddart
Principal