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Microsoft 365 & Teams: How-to Guide for Parents / Carers

Microsoft Teams is the learning, communication and information tool for Penistone Grammar School.

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Microsoft Teams is one of many apps in the Microsoft 365 suite of software, all provided free to students.

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All students must access Teams daily, via the app (recommended) or via a web browser. All home learning assignments, notices and School information will be posted inside Teams.

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Your will receive a weekly 'digest' email from Microsoft with a summary of your child's assignments, both completed and upcoming.

 

Download Microsoft Teams

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Access Teams on a web browser

 

‎Microsoft Teams on the Apple Store

 

Microsoft Teams on the Android Store

Microsoft-Teams-Logo.png

Getting to Know Teams

  1. PGS Intranet
    Contains links for support and all your subject department sites

  2. Activity
    A feed of all the notifications that you receive. For example, you will receive home learning assignment notifications.

  3. Teams
    A team for each class for home learning and subject notifications, and a year group 'Class of ...' team for general notices.

  4. Assignments
    Assignments across all you class teams gathered in a single location.

  5. Calendar
    Your timetable will be added as calendar events.

  6. Files
    A quick link to your OneDrive file storage.

  7. Search
    Search across all your teams and messages.

Getting Started

  1. Download Teams and sign in with your School email and password.

  2. Select Teams on the left rail (or bottom of the mobile app) to see which class teams you’re in.

  3. Once your teacher has activated the class team, you’ll see one of more (depending on how many classes you have) class team tiles.

  4. Note: Only see some of your classes? Your teacher needs to activate your class first for it to be visible on your Teams page.

Get Organised

Channels

  1. Every class team has a main discussion area: the General channel.

  2. Under General, your teacher may create more channels to organise topics and more.

  3. All channels include a Posts and a Files tab.

  4. The Posts tab is where you, your classmates, and your teacher can all start and reply to conversations.

  5. Look for shared documents in the Files tab.

  6. Along with Posts and Files tabs, the General channel has an Assignments and Grades tab.

Communicate

Create and Send a Message

Click the compose box to create a message. You can type out a simple message.

  • @mention your teacher or a classmate.

  • Use the format tool to improve your message display.

  • Rather than creating new threads for replies, use the 'reply' tool at the bottom of a message.
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Important: Messages posted inside a class team should always remain focussed on School work. Do not use class teams for informal messages and conversations with other students.

 

Note: Remember that normal behaviour procedures apply when communicating with your Teachers or fellow students.

Messages should be:

  • Formal when you are communicating.

  • Polite and respectful.
    ​​​​​​​For instance when you are communicating with a staff member: ‘Hi Sir/Miss’... ‘Thank you’... where possible.

  • Teachers may mute or remove students from a team if they fail to follow these guidelines.

Share and organise files

Find or Create a File

See the files that your teacher have shared in a chat or a channel by selecting the Files tab.

 

Class Materials

In the Files tab of every class team’s General channel, your teacher might add read-only resources to the Class Materials folder.

Look here for important documents that can help you with classwork, assignments, or projects.

Assignments and Grades

View and turn in assignments

  1. Head to a class team and the General channel. Select the Assignments tab.

  2. To view assignment details and turn in work, select the assignment.

  3. Attach any required materials by clicking Add work. You'll be able to browse your personal OneDrive area, or upload a file.

  4. Once an assignment has been completed, always click the 'Hand In' button.

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Note:

Your teacher may have included a ‘Grade Rubrics’ which is a set of grading criteria or a mark scheme that you will be assessed against when reviewing your work and providing feedback to you.

See Your Grades

To see grades, marks or points for assignments your teacher has reviewed and sent back to you:
 

  • Select the Grades tab in the General channel.

  • All your assignments are listed here.
    ​​​​​​​View your status on each assignment as well as points/marks you’ve received on graded work.

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