Author: Mr Roundtree

Maths

Some of the areas we will be covering in Maths this half-term are, with an example of how to support for each:

  • place value – practise saying a larger number for your child to write using digits
  • multiplication – make sure your child has rapid recall of their 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 times tables (this means being able to say the answer straight away, rather than counting up to the answer
  • division – and make sure they can recall the corresponding division facts, too
  • measurement – do lots of measuring at home when ever an adult is using measures, whether length (compare journey distances in kilometres and miles); mass (weigh everyone in the family in kilograms each week); capacity (look at how much cartons of juice, bottles of milk etc hold)
  • money – keep receipts and talk about the prices of things you’ve bought so your child has an idea of the value of things

In Year 3 the children are expected to know their 2, 3, 4 and 8 times tables. Therefore, we will continue to focus on one of these each week.

Don’t forget: your child has a log in to access Mathletics. I frequently monitor their usage and progress whilst also assigning certain tasks. Have a go at some of the activities to ensure your child is getting the best from this with your support!

Writing

Writing is key to our English lessons. We’ve already written reports about Samba and we’re soon to write promotions linked to our Time Travel topic.

Spellings this term will follow a similar structure to last term: ten spellings will be given but only eight will be tested. The words are set in line with the 2013 National Curriculum with a focus on the spelling patterns and root words.

How can you help?

  • Little but often spelling practice is the best way to support your child. Try spelling the words aloud, writing the words, spotting the words in the books you read with your child etc.

Reading

Our new class novel is a classic: The Family from One End Street by Eve Garnett and comes recommended as a childhood favourite of Mr Roundtree and Mrs Weekes! The novel tells of the Ruggles family of seven children in the 20th century – it’ll tie in great with our Time Travel topic!

You can read an overview of the book or an interesting review.

How can you help?

  • Be sure to ask your child how they’re finding the novel and make comparisons between your family and the Ruggles.
  • Guided reading groups will continue to read each day – your child must have their guided reading book with them and have read to the agreed target page.

A happy and healthy AND EFFECTIVE place to learn!

Here’s an overview of learning in 2013-14 and as an average in the last three years.

A recent survey says that parents don’t find performance tables especially helpful: “Fewer than a third of parents check league tables when choosing schools for their children, suggests a UK-wide survey for a teaching union.” (BBC, 09.01.15). However, we find lots of parents and prospective parents are interested to know how we’re doing and do check out the league tables which the Department for Education publish each Autumn term.

They are very detailed, covering such aspects of performance as pupil progress and attainment, attendance, three year averages and how disadvantaged pupils (those in receipt of pupil premium) perform – they even cover finance and workforce characteristics. We find it’s best to start by looking at just primary schools and Leeds.

Here’s an overview of learning in 2013-14 for Moortown Primary compared to the 62 other primary schools (or those which include primary pupils) in a three mile radius, based on 2014 Key Stage 2 results.

  • the proportion of pupils reaching Level 4 or more in reading, writing and maths combined is 93% – joint 4th of schools in a three mile radius and 14 percentage points higher than nationally (79%)
  • the proportion reaching Level 4B (a mid Level 4, which the current government describes as a level indicating a pupil is ‘secondary ready’) or more in reading, writing and maths combined is 93% – joint 2nd and significantly higher than national (67%)
  • 100% made expected progress in reading, writing and maths – one of only seven schools in a three mile radius to achieve this and about 10 percentage points higher than for England as a whole
  • the average level for our pupils was a 5C, which matches quite a few schools in Leeds, but only two schools had a higher level (5B)
  • 57% of pupils attained a Level 5 in reading, writing and maths combined – 3rd in a three mile radius and 4th highest across all 255 primaries Leeds

Well done to the 2013-14 Year 6 class (and their parents), to Mr Owen, Mrs Raseta and to all the previous teachers who have supported the class.

Looking at results for just one year group is only a snapshot. The league tables also allow you to look at three year averages:

  • the proportion reaching Level 4 or more in reading, writing and maths combined is 93% – with just ten schools across the local authority’s 255 primary ahead of us (the average in England is 76%)
  • for disadvantaged pupils (those in receipt of pupil premium funding), our performance is even better: proportion reaching Level 4 or more in reading, writing and maths combined is 94% – this is 5th in the local authority (average in England is 64%)
  • this shows the difference between disadvantaged pupils and others is just 1% – nationally, the ‘gap’ is 17% and in the local authority it’s 20% – indicating that we invest pupil premium money very effectively

If you’d like to know more about how we’re doing, please ask… and equally, please ask if you want more information about how your child is performing.

Be safe on-line

Simple, easy to follow instructions have been produced for parents to set privacy settings on the most popular technological devices and apps – make sure your child is safe on-line.

At this time of year, many parents, carers and relatives will have purchased technology (iPads, games consoles, mobiles) for children as gifts for Christmas.

On this basis a series of simple, easy to follow instructions have been produced for parents to set privacy settings on the most popular technological devices and apps. The idea being that the parent can enable the settings prior to the child or young person receiving the gift and therefore helping to keep their child or young person safe when their online. The instructions can be found on the LSCB website.

This is part of Leeds Safeguarding Children Board’s work around the implementation of the Leeds Child Sexual Exploitation action plan. Within this plan is an action to raise awareness of the dangers of online grooming with parents and carers.

Happy Christmas!

Hello all! Autumn Term is at an end and we’re off to enjoy our festive holidays. Just a quick note to say well done to the children for this term. They’ve had an excellent attitude to learning meaning that we’ve been able to do all sorts of fun learning. We’ve travelled the globe in our ‘Where in the World’ mini-topic; taken a journey through art in ‘Katie and…’ big topic; and become enquiring scientists through ‘What’s the Matter?’. Rounding off our term was the fabulous production of Baubles which we all hope you enjoyed.

One last round of applause for all of the Year 2s…

THE SHEEP

THE TEACHERS

THE NARRATORS

THE TOWNSPEOPLE, INNKEEPERS, MARY AND JOSEPH

THE ANGEL

THE CHILDREN

and, of course… MR POTTS

Thank you for your support this term, have a lovely holiday and, from all of us…

Peshawar, Pakistan

To pay our respects to school pupils in Pakistan, there will be a one minute silence at 11.00am tomorrow.

The Lord Mayor of Leeds will lead a one minute silence tomorrow to show support for those affected by this week’s tragic events in Pakistan. The event will take place in front of Leeds Art Gallery tomorrow at 11.00am and will be attended by elected members, city partners, multi-faith leaders and community representatives.

Members of the public are invited to attend and join the one minute silence, which has been organised to mourn the deaths of more than 140 people, including at least 132 children, at a school in Peshawar on Tuesday.

Lord Mayor of Leeds councillor David Congreve said: “People in Leeds and across the world have been deeply moved by the reports and images we have seen following these appalling events. It is fitting that as a city that promotes diversity, tolerance and peace, we gather to pay our respects to those who have had their lives cut so tragically short and I would invite the public to attend and show their support.”

Equally, as a school which promotes diversity, tolerance and peace, we will also gather to pay our respects at 11.00am tomorrow.

It’s Christmas…

…so teachers are not giving new lists of spellings to learn this week.

If your child didn’t do so well in the Spellathon, please make sure (s)he keeps learning the spellings that you teacher has set this term.

The Department for Education has set out a list of 100 words which children in Y3,4 should know, and a further 100 words for children in Y5,6.  If you’d like to give your child a head-start, you might like to support your child in learning some of these.  The lists can be found on page 54 and page 61 of this document.

(This list is new for 2014; teachers have begun to include the words in their spelling lists.)

12 December 2014

This week’s homework is Practice Makes Perfect and is due on Wednesday 17 December.

I can practise telling the time.

You have been assigned three activities on Mathletics, all to do with telling the time and days of the week. Have a go at these as many times as you want and, if you want to go on and do more, please do! We can then have a look at how we did and what we need to practise more in class. Don’t forget to use the question mark: if you’re not sure how to answer a question, click on the question mark and it will give you some help.

As a challenge, have a go at the test and see how you do then we can take it again later and see how much better we are.

 

 

Show Racism the Red Card

More great feedback following our recent Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds themed week.

Here’s some more great feedback following our recent Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds themed week, this time coming from the team who lead Show Racism the Red Card workshops in schools.

The over-riding message that we are trying to instill is the understanding of equality for all regardless of appearance, differences and pre-conceived perceptions. The school children’s understanding of the subject matter was of a standard so high (prior to input) that it was a two-way educational process and a pleasure to deliver. A pleasure to attend and I thank you on behalf of ‘Show Racism the Red Card Team’ for giving us the opportunity. (Staff are amazing, too.)