Dear Parents and Children It has been a great start to the term. Your children have returned to school with an abundance of enthusiasm and a mature attitude to learning. We couldn’t ask for more. We are starting the year with a topic called ‘Walk this way.’ It is based on a science unit about moving and growing. It links well with our initial literacy study of information texts and will also provide good opportunities to develop skills in art, music, dance and DT. The classhave planned the questions they want to ask and have already learnt how to present them in a concept map, using a software program to develop their ICT skills. Later on, we will move onto studying the Tudors and again the children will take charge of their learning and decide what they want to find out. Literacy lessons will continue to follow the primary framework and will as much as possible be tied in with our topics. There will be a focus on improving language and communication skills and we will focus heavily on speaking and listening. The children will be encouraged to try and expand their vocabulary and to hopefully embrace a ’passion’ for new words. We will continue to have guided reading sessions and we implore you to continue to listen to your child/children read at home as much as possible. Even two minutes of an evening is better than nothing at all. Encouraging your child to read doesn’t have to mean a chore. Reading out a recipe, finding out what is on television or browsing a comic is all good too! They can also earn house points if you, as the parent, write it in the home reading recording. In numeracy we will follow the abacus scheme of work. There will be a strong focus on the four rules of number and a real drive to learning the times tables. Most of the classwill be set this for home learning and will be tested on a fairly regular basis. The test takes a random approach rather than a systematic one, so the children need to not just learn them by rote. We will also spend a lot of time working on mental arithmetic and later on in the term, I will introduce applying mathematic skills to problem solving. In RE,we will be studying Hinduism, what life is like for Hindus in the UK, Hindu stories and pilgrimage. For PSHE,we will continue to follow the Seal, rainbow scheme, which will start with considering ‘new beginnings’. We will then progress to ‘getting on and falling out.’ French lessons will take place on a weekly basis and will follow the Catherine Cheeter scheme of work. Finally, gamesand PE! This term we are fortunate enough to have specialist coachescome and work with us. They will deliver invasion gamesand dance, whilst I will work with the children on tennis
and gymnastics. The lessons will consolidate and further develop the children’s skills, giving opportunity for performance and appraisal, both self and peer. The children will be encouraged to give considered and positive comments to each other. Pleasecan you ensure that they have the correct PEkit in school, including trainers and something to tie long hair back with. Home learning will become an integral part of our school week, and it is set to try and encourage the children to become independent learners, in preparation for the move to senior school. It will usually include spellings, taken from the school scheme, multiplication tables and topic related work. The children will be given the work on a Thursday and be asked to return it by the following Tuesday. This will give me an opportunity to look at their efforts, write comments and hopefully reward them with house points. In order to help your child’s progression, I would very much appreciate it if, as parents and guardians, you take an active interest and give your child support with their home learning. Of course, I will always be happy to help anyone who is having difficulty and hope that home learning is seen as a challenge rather than a chore. Accessto the internet will be provided on a Friday and Monday lunchtime, for those who don’t have it at home. If at any time you have any concerns or need clarification on any aspect of your child’s school life, then please don’t hesitate to come see me at the end of the school day. Best wishes Melissa Thomas & Paige Cooper