Year 6 Homework

More homework? No – more encouragement

Posted on Friday 13 February 2015 by Mr Roundtree

We had a record number of parents / carers who attended parents’ evenings this week – thank you to all who showed up.

A small number of parents asked for more homework. Please bear in mind we asked your views about homework in the Annual Survey last year, and the findings were quite mixed: some thought there was too much whilst about the same proportion thought there was not enough. The majority agreed with us: the amount of homework we set is about right.

Taken from our Homework Policy, this is our rationale for giving homework:

Educational experience that a school by itself provides is limited; children benefit from wider, complementary experiences out of school. However, some prompts and guidance from school can direct these experiences and develop greater learning. We see homework as an important example of cooperation between teachers and parents / carers. An aim of our teaching is to promote independent learners; homework is one of the ways in which children can acquire the skill of independent learning.

We recognise the importance of quality family time; this policy should help to promote opportunities to be creative rather than labour over frequent worksheets or carry out activities that pupils and / or parents / carers may not understand.

Whilst homework develops children’s learning and independence, quality family time, play and free time are also important. Homework should not prevent children from taking part in wider activities such as those offered by out-of-school clubs and other organisations. Children develop their interests and skills to the full only when parents/carers encourage them to make maximum use of the opportunities available outside school.

Also in our Homework Policy is this statement:

We believe the frequency of homework set out here provides the right balance for pupils and meets the expectations of most parents (whose opinions we sought in the Annual Survey, 2014). Staff may occasionally provide additional homework; this will amount to two or three extra pieces across the year. As an alternative, staff will be happy to suggest to parents other ways they can support their child’s learning at home.

Please do not expect extra homework for you child to be set as a matter of routine. Governors want to protect teachers work / life balance, but – importantly – we believe extra homework would not be helpful for most pupils.

 

 

 

06 February 2015

Posted on Thursday 05 February 2015 by Mrs Taylor

For all children in Year 1 – Year 6, the homework this week is talk time and is due in on Wednesday 11 February.

I can prepare a speech (School Council elections).

or

I know the importance of voting.

It’s time for children to consider if they would like to stand for election for our new school council.  With two representatives from each class, chosen democratically by their peers, all children at Moortown Primary are encouraged to take an active part in pupil voice.

Elections for our new school council will take place next Thursday 12 February with our polling station and ballot boxes at the ready.  Candidates will have the opportunity to give their election speech to their class on Wednesday 11 February.

What makes a good school councillor has been considered by our current school council.

  • ‘Communicating with others – pupils and adults.’
  • ‘Having good listening skills to know what to contribute in meetings.’
  • ‘Thinking of realistic ideas to suggest in meetings.’

Hints for your speech include:

  • What skills and abilities would a good school councillor have?
  • What are you particularly good at that would help you to be a great school councillor?
  • What do you think would make the school better? What could you do that people would really like?
  • Think of things that are realistic, maybe that you could do yourself, rather than having to ask other people to do?

Thank you to our current school councillors for all their ideas and contributions over the last year.  We hope you have enjoyed this role and responsibility and you are welcome to stand again for election.

Good luck to all children who decide to stand in the elections.  Results will be announced in our assembly on Thursday 12 February.

If you choose not to stand in the election then you should consider the importance of voting.

05 December 2014

Posted on Thursday 04 December 2014 by Mrs Taylor

The whole school homework this week is creative: children are invited to respond to something from either a cultural or spiritual perspective.

I can show what I know and think about something cultural.

We’d like children to present their responses about a recent book they’ve read, film they’ve watched, piece of art they’ve looked at, piece of music they’ve listened to – anything cultural in fact. We’re interested to read some sort of description (a summary, for example) and then your child’s opinions. This review might include pictures, an interview (your child could write a fictional script between himself/herself and the artist, for example), a letter (eg to or from a character, or perhaps even the author) – anything which might include your child’s responses!

However, your child might prefer to do the following:

I can show what I know about a festival.

Over the course of this term, some children in school will have celebrated a religious festival of some sort. This might have been

  • the Muslim festival of Eid ul Adha, this year in October
  • the Sikh and Hindu festival Diwali, also in October
  • the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, coming up in December
  • the Christian festival (of course, celebrated by many non-Christians, too) of Christmas
  • the Chinese New Year festival which next year will be in February

There are lots of other festivals and celebrations which you and your child together might want to reflect on, from the anniversary of the crowning of Selassie (a festival which might be celebrated by Rastafarians) to the Winter Solstice (a Pagan festival). You can also research more festivals.

We invite children to respond to the sentence above – they might include a recount (like a diary entry), pictures, an interview (perhaps in a script). Your child might also choose to research a completely unknown festival, or they might even think about creating a brand new festival, one that everyone will celebrate.

Whether inspired culturally or spiritually, your child’s homework is due on Wednesday 10 December.

21 November 2014

Posted on Thursday 20 November 2014 by Mrs Taylor

Following our Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds themed week, our whole school creative homework this week is:

I know how to have a healthy body and healthy mind.

Each class has taken part in a variety of learning this week including a range of visitors to support our teaching of keeping healthy bodies and healthy minds.  These include physical activities such as karate, tai chi, tennis, Leeds United football, assemblies by Leeds Rhinos and Leeds anti-social behaviour unit, class talks by Heart Research UK, d:side (drug education), various parents with health-related jobs and visits to Tesco for their Farm to Fork scheme and Allerton Grange.  Class-based learning has also included dental health, hand-washing, the importance of sleep and breakfast, healthy eating and food preparation and mental health.

Your child could present this creative homework in a variety of different ways:

  • a quiz which tests the knowledge of other children
  • art work
  • poetry
  • a poster
  • writing: diary, story, letter, instructions, report
  • a rap
  • a mindmap
  • your own creative idea

We look forward to seeing your creative ideas to demonstrate how to keep a healthy body and healthy mind.

Please return this homework by Wednesday 26 November.

It’s half-term…

Posted on Thursday 23 October 2014 by Mr Roundtree

…so there’s no specific homework this week, apart from ensuring your child spends at least 20 minutes each day reading and 5-10 minutes learning their number bonds / times tables.

Enjoy your October break. If you stay in Leeds, check out all the activities the museums and art galleries have on offer.

Ready to learn

Posted on Tuesday 29 July 2014 by Mr Roundtree

It’s the summer holidays and, in line with our homework policy, there is no formal homework set over the six-week break.

That doesn’t mean that your child won’t be learning!  We learn all the time – and so do children, whether it’s through play, day-trips, independent reading, discussions at home…

And of course, you’ll be keen to support your child at home so the basic facts aren’t forgotten.  Please think about key English and Maths knowledge that you can gently practise over the holidays:

  • number bonds: knowing pairs of numbers that add to make ten, like 3+7=10 and therefore 10-7=3).  When your child is secure with pairs that total ten, can they extend this knowledge to pairs which make 20 (13+7=20, for example) and 100 (such as 30+70=100) – make this fun by using some sweet treats or how about stringing ten loom bracelets on string and then hiding some and making the link with the ones that are left (how many are hidden if you can see three bracelets?)
  • times tables: Year 2 children should have an emerging knowledge of the 2 times table and the 10 times table at least, and children who have just finished Year 4 should know all their times tables (up to 12 x 12) and the division facts, too (7×8=56 so 56÷7=8) – think about chanting some times tables or buying an app to practise just a few minutes every day to keep your child’s knowledge sharp!
  • reading: lots of reading over the holidays will help your child in lots of different ways – visit the local library; take part in our Extreme Reading competition; if you’re going to a theme park or museum, read the leaflet and the website… there are loads of opportunities to build in reading as a daily activity!
  • writing: reading will help your child’s spellings and writing style, so don’t force lots of writing, but do try to encourage some useful, purposeful writing – write some postcards to friends and relatives , or send some emails instead, and make lists for what to pack on holiday, or what to buy if planning a sleepover.

Check out this guide about supporting learning, useful whether it’s term-time of holiday time!

Finally, make sure you enjoy the summer break!

11 July 2014

Posted on Thursday 10 July 2014 by Mrs Taylor

This week’s whole school homework is creative following our themed week, Staying Safe.  It should be returned by Wednesday 16 July.

I know how to stay safe.

Throughout this week, a variety of visitors have worked with classes to deliver key learning about different aspects of safety.  These include:

  • water safety (lifeguard – Mr Glass and RNLI)
  • scooter training (Mrs Strange)
  • bike maintenance (Edinburgh bicycle cooperative)
  • skateboarding (sk8 safe)
  • trampolining (Roundhay high school)
  • food/kitchen safety (school kitchen)
  • first aid (British Red Cross)
  • e-safety (One day creative)
  • road safety (Leeds City Council)
  • drug education (dside)
  • safety within engineering (Mr McDermott)
  • bike security (police)

Alongside these external visitors, children have been learning other aspects of safety within their class.

The creative homework is a great opportunity for your child to demonstrate their learning from this week. They could:

  • write a poem
  • produce a quiz
  • create a comic strip
  • produce an information leaflet
  • create a crossword
  • …or anything else they can think of.

 

20 June 2014

Posted on Friday 20 June 2014 by Mrs Taylor

This weeks’ whole school homework is Talk Time and also involves completing the pupil health questionnaire sent home with your child.

I can share my views about health.

Emotional health and obesity are our two main health targets to further our healthy schools status and the questions are linked to these areas. They include:

  • Are you happy at school?
  • What do you enjoy most about playtimes and lunchtimes?

Please support your child to complete the health questionnaire in order to find out their views on some of our key health issues at school.  This should be returned to your class teacher by Wednesday 25 June.

 

It’s the Easter holidays…

Posted on Friday 04 April 2014 by Mr Roundtree

…so we have no set homework or spellings, in line with our Homework Policy.

That doesn’t mean we expect your child not to be developing their skills in reading, writing and maths!

Your child should be reading daily – this could be fiction, factual books, a comic or newspaper, and could include being read to at bedtime, too.

It would be good to practise basic skills in writing by writing a letter or email to a relative, perhaps recounting a day-trip or reviewing a film your child watched.

We’re finding quite a few children are ‘squashing their sentences’ such as I went to Leeds City Museum it was really interesting which is wrong.  It would be much better with punctuation to separate or a word to join:

  • I went to Leeds City Museum. It was really interesting. (A comma isn’t strong enough to separate two sentences.)
  • I went to Leeds City Museum – it was really interesting.
  • I went to Leeds City Museum; it was really interesting.
  • I went to Leeds City Museum and it was really interesting.
  • I went to Leeds City Museum which was really interesting.

Finally, to improve calculation skills, please keep practising mental number facts which your child must know:

  • number bonds (two numbers which add up to 10, 20 and 100 eg 3+7, 13+7, 30+70) – these facts should be known by children in Y1 – Y2
  • times tables (up to 12×12) and the division facts with your child – children in Y2 should have rapid recall of x2, x 5 and x 10 at least

We know we mention these ‘basics’ a lot, but that’s because they involve practice, practice and more practice – we practise a lot at school, but your child will need to practise at home, too, if they are to truly succeed.

Learn more about current expectations for reading, writing and maths.  However, do be aware that a new National Curriculum comes into effect from September, meaning these expectations have been raised and so many aspects of learning now feature in younger age groups.

07 March 2014

Posted on Friday 07 March 2014 by Mr Wilks

For all children in Year 1 – Year 6, the homework this week is creative and is due in on Wednesday 12 March.

 I can respond to my reading.

This homework follows the wonderful costumes and learning inspired by World Book Day.

As always, some ways that your children can respond are listed below:

  • Write a letter to a character or author.
  • Interview a character or author.
  • Annotate a page of a novel with words/phrases/sentences/ descriptions that you like and why (top tip: get a photocopy of the page, don’t annotate your actual book!)
  • Create a book review.
  • Create a comic strip which summarises the story.