Well done to all of Year 2 for their hard work this term. It’s been very busy with Enterprise week, a school trip, the Christmas fair and, of course, the Christmas production!
I hope you all have a very lovely holiday and a well-earned rest. (I certainly will be!) I look forward to seeing everyone fresh-faced in January.
Merry Christmas!
This week’s homework is creative.
I can respond, creatively, to a piece of art.
Each child has one of three pieces of art in their homework book that have been the focus of three art afternoons this week. We would like them to respond to this art in any way they choose but make it creative.
Here are some ideas to start you off:
DfE performance tables are published today. Here’s an overview of learning in 2012-13 for Moortown Primary compared to other primary schools, based on 2013 Key Stage 2 results.
DfE performance tables are published today. This year, they are more detailed than ever, covering everything from amount spent on resources to absence rates.
Here’s an overview of learning in 2012-13 for Moortown Primary compared to other primary schools, based on 2013 Key Stage 2 results.
In the tables, there are many, potentially confusing, ways to compare schools and their 2013 results. You can compare progress, percentage of pupils at expected level, how effective a school is in closing the attainment gap caused by poverty… You can compare test results against teacher assessment, how well children with low attainment perform compared to those with high attainment…
Here are some headline figures:
Well done to the 2012-13 Year 6 class, to Ms Hazell, Mrs Raseta and to all the previous teachers who have supported the class.
DfE performance tables have been published. This year, they are more detailed than ever. Here’s an overview of absence rates for Moortown Primary compared to other primary schools.
DfE performance tables are published today. This year, they are more detailed than ever, covering everything from Key Stage 2 results to average teacher salary, from amount spent on resources to absence rates.
Here’s an overview of absence rates for Moortown Primary compared to other primary schools.
(Don’t get confused: we often talk about attendance rates – the higher, the better. The performance tables refer to absence rates, so the converse is true – the lower, the better.)
The absence rate for Moortown Primary is 4.1%. This compares well against the average across England’s primary state-funded schools (4.8%) and Leeds (4.7%).
I’ve gone through the table and noted the absence rates of 11 other primary schools in the area, chosen in a relatively random way other than schools which are nearby. Moortown Primary comes about half-way up the list. It’s great our absence rates are lower than national and Leeds averages. What we need to keep working on is improving attendance against similar schools nearby…
The attendance tables also include figures to show persistent absenteeism – the percentage of pupils in a school who have particularly high absence. For Moortown Primary, the figure is 2.8%. This is much better than national (3.6%) and Leeds (3.5%) rates. Last year, the 2.8% was made up six pupils. To put this into context, we can account for four of these children – we know they had / have specific reasons:
Parents / carers of the other two children could not provide us with any reason for the absences. Under stricter, clearer guidelines, parents / carers of these children would be fined – £60 per child, per parent. So far this school year, we have passed on to the local authority two instances of extended and unauthorised term-time absence.
It’s time to get arty in maths this week as we look at symmetry. Today we donned our aprons and used paint to create symmetrical pieces of art. First we tried creating a symmetrical image ourselves, then we painted one side of the paper and folded it in half to make sure it was symmetrical.
Here’s our gallery of symmetry.
This week is talk time homework.
Should everyone have the right to electricity in their homes?
Although we all have homes with electricity, not everybody does! Do you think it is fair that not everybody can access electricity? Discuss this with somebody at home and we will have our own discussion in class next week.
Our attendance data is looking great so far this year – thank you to all of you who are respecting new guidelines around avoiding term-time absence.
Our attendance data is looking great so far this year – thank you to all of you who are respecting new guidelines around avoiding term-time absence, which is having a big impact on our attendance and therefore on your child’s learning. The table below lists attendance this year up until 22.11.13 (final column), which you can compare with the same period last year, and the overall figures for the whole school year.
Don’t forget that each row for last year and this year is a different group of children, so you might want to compare Year 1 last year (95.8% for this period) with Year 2 this year (97.7%) – a great improvement for the same children (and parents / carers) here!
|
Year group |
2012-13 this period |
2012-13 overall |
2013-14 up to 22.11.13 |
|
R |
97.0 |
94.8 |
97.2 |
|
1 |
95.8 |
95.4 |
97.8 |
|
2 |
98.1 |
96.9 |
97.7 |
|
3 |
97.8 |
97.4 |
97.0 |
|
4 |
93.6 |
96.2 |
96.9 |
|
5 |
95.4 |
96.3 |
98.0 |
|
6 |
93.5 |
95.6 |
96.5 |
|
Average (inc YR): |
95.9 |
96.1 |
97.3 |
Attendance data is something which Ofsted and other educational bodies look closely at. For example, Fischer Family Trust reports on attendance by breaking down figures for different groups in school. They report, for example:
Once again: thank you to all parents / carers who are trying hard to maintain good attendance for their child.
This Friday, it’s Takeover Day. The day gives children and young people the chance to work with adults for the day and be involved in decision-making. Children benefit from the opportunity to experience the world of work and make their voices heard, while adults and organisations gain a fresh perspective on what they do.
This Friday, it’s the Children’s Commissioner’s Takeover Day. The day gives children and young people the chance to work with adults for the day and be involved in decision-making. Children benefit from the opportunity to experience the world of work and make their voices heard, while adults and organisations gain a fresh perspective on what they do. It’s hoped this will help break down barriers between generations and encourage children’s active involvement in their communities.
As part of Takeover Day, I’ll be having a meeting with a Governor, Mrs Greenhalgh, and Mrs O’Malley, the School Resources Manager, and joining us will be some Year 5 pupils – we’ll be reviewing the school finances, checking that our spending is on-track! After that, some younger pupils will join me for a ‘learning walk’, one of the ways I use to monitor and evaluate the quality of teaching and learning in school. Some pupils will take over the certificate assembly, too. In each class, there will be takeover activities – pupils might lead a spelling test or teach the first part of a lesson, for example.
Around Leeds, lots of organisations invite pupils in to takeover in some way. Lest week, four Year 6 pupils visited NHS Leeds North Clinical Commissioning Group. Here are extracts from their thank you letters:
We came to Leafield House so we could learn new things and find out about the different jobs which people have. I especially enjoyed learning where the money is distributed to and how you deal with it. I never knew that North Leeds were responsible for £240 million!
The first thing that we did was have a ‘Grand Tour’ of the building. I’ve learned a lot of things about the NHS like there are 55 people in Leafield House and the UK has £600,000,000 to spend. I have learned lots and lots more as well… When we were in the meeting, I was really nervous because there were so many adults! We discussed the best ways to help those who need help from the NHS.
All the members of staff were very kind and helpful. Thank you very much for my visit. It was a real privilege to spend the day with all of you.
We visited the NHS because we are interested in health, medication and people’s needs.
I found the information you provided us (about the different jobs) particularly useful as I am having thoughts about being a doctor as my career when I’m older.
I learnt that it is hard work being an employee at the NHS building (especially when it comes to managing money) and you have to be qualified for the job. I also learnt all about the executive chief (Nigel Gray) and how he came to the job of managing!
I don’t think you could have done anything different as everyone was very friendly, smart and sometimes you tried to make us giggle – and it worked!
To summarise, our visit was great and fun! Again my deepest thanks to you and everyone in the NHS – thank you!
Thank you very much for the remarkable time we had at NHS. I really appreciated it! We came to learn new things and improve our knowledge about the different jobs people have and where the money from the government is distributed (I think I have achieved that with the help of you guys)!
My favourite thing that we did was Dragons Den because we got to intimidate people and think of different business ideas. Thankfully, we got a tour of the whole building and got to ask as many questions as we liked. After that, we looked at the posters and put down as many ideas as we could about how to make children be heard. You and your team have helped me when speaking out to people I don’t know more confidently.
I also learnt about how you can project your voice in the Boardroom. To be honest I can’t think of anything you could have improved… It was brilliant!
Thank you very much for inviting us to the NHS. I really appreciate it. The reason we came to the NHS was so we could learn lots of new things.
I loved going round all the rooms and finding out about all the different jobs people have. I loved learning about how the money is shared into lots of different NHS services and I think my favourite bit was Dragons Den because I love making decision. I also enjoyed working with adults about characters with problems. I don’t think you could have done anything better it was all perfect.
Thank you very much for all your kindness. All the staff were really nice and welcomed us very well. Thank them for that too.
A word from our Chair of Governors, Mrs Janice Rush.
Our Chair of Governors, Janice Rush, writes:
The Department for Education say that “the governing body has general responsibility for the conduct of the school with a view to promoting high standards of educational achievement”.
At Moortown we believe the best way of doing this is to work both in committees (small groups of governors) and to have some individual governors who look at specific areas in more detail. Governors meet regularly with school staff and external experts to monitor standards and to ensure that the school is meeting all its statutory responsibilities. We also ensure that Moortown Primary is doing the best it can to grow and improve and continues to be a “happy and healthy place to learn”.
More detail on school governance can be found on the DfE website.
The governing body of Moortown is made up of 15 people drawn from the staff, parents, local community and local authority.
Mr David Roundtree (headteacher)
Mr Paul Wilks (elected staff governor)
Sits on the Resources Committee
Mrs Gillian Sherriff (elected staff governor)
Mrs Janice Rush (elected parent governor)
Chair of Governing Body; sits on Teaching, Learning & Curriculum, Resources; Pupil Support; and Pay Committees; has responsibility for Extended Services and Positive Contribution
Chair of the Governing Body for the local cluster of schools (NE/XT); member of Leeds Schools Forum and Leeds Education Challenge Board
Mrs Melanie Deyes (elected parent governor)
Chairs the Pupil Support Committee; has responsibility for child protection and attends regular monitoring visits for child protection; sits on the Pay Committee
Mr Mark Russell (elected parent governor)
Chairs the Resources Committee and has responsibility for health and safety, conducting termly monitoring visits; attends monthly finance monitoring meetings
Mrs Jackie Sykes (elected parent governor)
Sits on the Pupil Support Committee with responsibility for Health; conducts regular monitoring visits
Mrs Rachel Gibbins (elected parent governor from November 2012)
Sits on the Resources Committee
Cllr Rebecca Charlwood (appointed local authority governor)
Cllr Mark Harris (appointed local authority governor until April 2013)
Mrs Liz Bassant (appointed local authority governor)
Sits on the Teaching, Learning & Curriculum and Pay Committees; has responsibility for Literacy and Spiritual, Moral, Social & Cultural development; conducts termly monitoring visits and learning walks
Mrs Becky Lawrence (co-opted community governor)
Vice-chair of governing body; chairs the Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Committee; attends meetings with the School Improvement Advisor and has specialist knowledge of school data; has link governor for School Council and attends their meetings; sits on the Pay Committee
Mrs Cath Howley (co-opted community governor)
Sits on the Pupil Support and Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Committees with responsibility for inclusion; conducts termly monitoring visits and learning walks
Mrs Penny Siller (co-opted community governor)
Sits on the Teaching, Learning & Curriculum Committee with responsibility for maths; conducts termly monitoring visits and learning walks
Mr Paul Houghton (co-opted community governor)
Sits on the Resources committee
During the year various governors attended school events such as assemblies, concerts, themed weeks. Governors have also attended training courses in topics such as handling complaints, restorative practice, Ofsted inspections, performance management, governor induction.
This week our homework is practice makes perfect.
I can tell the time.
We have been learning how to tell the time this week. All of the children have completed similar tasks in lesson but a bit of extra practice will make sure we’re ready to take on a challenge next week. Give them every opportunity to be telling the time throughout the day too, especially for o’ clock, half past and quarter past.
This homework is due on Wednesday 13 November.
Have fun, you marvellous mathematicians!