Author: Mrs Taylor

Living and Learning

Living and Learning sessions are held weekly, in class, to promote social and emotional aspects of learning and other areas of Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE).  This half term we have two main themes, from our long-term plan.
  • Drug, alcohol and tobacco education (DATE) 
  •  Keeping safe and managing risk
Our Staying Safe themed week (w/c 04 February 2019), including Safer Internet Day,  will be part of this learning.  More information will follow about this.
We begin the half term with a focus on manners and in particular interruptions.  Children will consider what is a valid interruption, for example an emergency and what alternatives are there to interrupting?  Children across school are encouraged to use our brain, buddy, boss system to try to avoid interruptions.  This means they would first think themselves.  Then, they could try asking a friend and the final option would be to ask the adult.  This encourages the children to become independent and take responsibility.

Here are the weekly Living and Learning statements, for this half term, to support this learning.

  • I don’t interrupt (with my mouth or my hand).
  • I can make things better.
  • I know what a drug is.
  • I know how to seek help.
  • I make safe choices, including online.
  • I can assess my own risks.

Keeping active

As part of our commitment to being a happy and healthy school, we’re always looking at ways to increase our pupils’ physical activity both in and out of school.

The government’s childhood obesity plan has set out the ambition for all children to achieve 60 minutes, or more, of physical activity every day (30 minutes in school and 30 minutes outside of school).

In response to this aim, we’ve compiled a physical activity guide suggesting out-of-school physical activities available to families in our local area.

The information on the guide is correct as of November 2018.  Keep an eye out on our news and class news pages where will promote any new activities throughout the year.

We’d love to hear feedback about any activities you or your child try based on this guide.

 

Living and Learning: manners

We always encourage and model good manners and each half term we have a different manners focus.

As we approach Christmas, and other celebrations, this is a time for giving and receiving presents so we thought about the importance of using these manners.

We also thought about other times to use please and thank you…

  • In the dinner hall
  • If someone opens the door for you
  • If you are given something
  • At mealtime
  • If someone has helped you
  • If you are given a compliment

Living and Learning: Identity

Over this half term, our Living and Learning theme has been Identity.

Firstly, we considered there were lots of things the same about each other but everyone is different too.

Nobody is exactly the same, everyone is unique.

Children were invited to bring in something to share with the class  that made them special.  We learnt lots about each other including the different religions the children follow (or in some cases don’t follow), speaking different languages, having different interests and achievements and hearing about their family including their origins (Eleanor is half Irish).

In our following lesson, we learnt about our roles and responsibilities at home and at school (also linking back to our 8 Rs for learning) and why it is important to take responsibility (including in the community around us).

We acted out some different roles and responsibilities and considered whether they are easy or difficult, which they do well or not so well and willingly or less willingly.

Our action plan was to think about one way to take responsibility.

‘I can take responsibility by practising my reading, maths and writing at home. ‘

‘I can take responsibility by tidying my bedroom.’

‘I can take responsibility by looking after my brother.’

‘I can take responsibility by taking care of my cat.’

‘I can take responsibility by helping with the cooking at home.’

 

Wake up Shake up leaders

Thank you to our KS2 WuSu leaders who have led our daily WuSu physical activity this term and taught us lots of new routines.

Thank you to Mrs Charlesworth who has helped to run our WuSu after-school club where they have created all of the routines.

Next term, we will be running a KS1 and KS2 dance /WuSu club which will lead into a dance festival after Easter.

 

Living and Learning: Creative cultural and spiritual homework

Wow – what fantastic creative homework based on the children’s cultural and spiritual experiences.  We spent time looking at all the homework and the children were able to give stars to each other about what they liked.  The homework gave a great insight into the identity (our current Living and learning theme) of the children in terms of what they celebrate or what they enjoy culturally.

We even heard about a festival for dogs, Dog Fest, and Jack had a great suggestion for a brand new festival to celebrate friendship.

Number facts – how to help at home

During this term, our focus in Year 2 has been to reinforce the children’s knowledge of number bonds to 20, in order to support their progress toward age-related expectations in maths. The ability to quickly recall addition facts and corresponding subtraction facts within 20, helps children solve more complicated calculations as they move up the school. For this reason, it is very important that children continue to practise these basic facts.

‘Hit the Button’ game is a great way to encourage children to practise addition and subtraction facts. If you have access to this game at home, spending just ten minutes a few times a week working on these would go towards helping your child internalise these facts and use them when solving more complex problems.

Year 2 book club

We had a great first book club session yesterday.  Thank you to all the children who brought in books to share and enjoy with the rest of the class.  We had a variety of fiction and non-fiction books and it was interesting to see what the children enjoy reading outside of school.  Keep reading!

Look out for the next book club session next year.

Living Streets update

We are pleased to work alongside the Living Streets local Moortown group to support our aim for children to make healthy, active and safe journeys to school.  Here is an update from the group.

A BIG THANK YOU!
Both Living Streets UK and Living Streets Moortown would like to say a big thank you for all the noticeable improvements you have helped to bring about on journeys to and from school this year:
• Reduction in parking in Allerton Avenue (which is access only for residents) and on the double yellow or zig-zag lines adjacent to the school
• Reduction in vehicles mounting the pavement near to the school
• Reduction in vehicles parked with engines idling
• Increase in the number of families opting to Park & Stride from M&S* when driving is unavoidable

* M&S has 200 free 2-hour spaces available and the short walk to school is much safer and more enjoyable with fewer cars passing through key crossing points on the routes to school (such as Allerton Avenue and the
shopping parade entrance & exits).

This is fantastic progress and with continued support from all the families at Moortown we’ll see further improvements in air quality, safer ‘vehicle-free’ pavements and more families choosing to make and enjoy active trips to school.

OUR CURRENT PRIORITIES
While all the improvements we have seen around the school gates are encouraging, there is still a lot to be done. Cars, vans and HGVs continue to be driven up footpaths and recently there appears to be an increase in drivers passing through the main M&S lights while the green man is on so please be mindful of this when crossing.

We are already campaigning to deal with issues like these and the great response we had to our recent survey of parents and carers has helped us to submit a feedback document to the ‘Connecting Leeds’ consultation – a proposal to improve bus and other sustainable travel options in Moortown. We recently met with a representative from the project and are hopeful that some of the suggested pedestrian improvements will be incorporated into the scheme which is due to be delivered next year.

THE YEAR AHEAD…
The Moortown Living Streets Group is still in its first year, but we already have some exciting plans for 2019, including a project to monitor local air quality as well as some great ideas to get Moortown moving!
➢ Register to get involved or receive news here
➢ Access info on walking to school here

Thank you once again for you support to date – it’s making a real difference and we’re keen for that to continue throughout the year ahead.
Season’s Greetings!
From everyone at Moortown Living Streets Group
E: moortowngroup@livingstreets.org.uk T: @moortownlsg

Living and learning: New Childline website – Speak out Stay safe

Staying Safe is one of our Living and Learning related themed weeks this year, taking place in February.

As part of the NSPCC’s Speak out Stay safe programme, Childline has launched a Speak out Stay safe website aimed at children under the age of 12.  This provides age appropriate content on topics including: bullying, family, friends, feelings, school, abuse and staying safe. It also includes games and therapeutic tools for young visitors to play and express how they are feeling.