News

The Really Big Summer Adventure

Change4Life have launched their new campaign to run throughout the six week summer holiday to inspire children and their families to increase their physical activity and healthy eating.

Year 3, 4 and 5 will be receiving their Really Big Summer Adventure maps this week full of daily activities, weekly challenges and gold medal rewards to keep active all summer long. 

However, all children, parents and carers are encouraged to use the Change4Life Fun Generator with over 100 fun activities to keep children up and about during the summer holidays.

Have a happy and healthy summer!

SEAL statement 11 July

‘I am ready to cope with a change of teacher’ is the final SEAL statement for our Changes theme. 

This week the children will be spending an afternoon with their new teacher and teaching assistant in their new classroom. 

During the session the children will be able to ask questions about their new class and get to know their new teacher, helping them to get ready for this upcoming change.

Pupil Participation

We’re often featured in the local press for the great work we do.  Here’s the most recent article, describing a recent event where Mrs Taylor, Cydnee, Arjun and Farhan represented our school:

Pupils deliver involvement message to other schools

Youngsters from 12 primary and secondary schools have been giving pupils and staff from another 50 schools a lesson in taking a more active role.

The event this week celebrated a range of programmes in primary, secondary and special schools that relate to pupil participation.

Each of the workshops lasted 45 minutes and were delivered by children and young people.

Councillor Judith Blake, executive member for Children’s Services, said: “I am impressed that so many children and young people want to take an active role in their school community.  This fantastic event highlights the advantages it brings to all involved and shows how easy it is to take part.  Participation in school life will develop children and young people’s knowledge and skills in many different ways, providing valuable experience to help them as they progress through life.”

Schools leading the workshops included Moortown Primary School, Bruntcliffe High School and Raynville Primary School.

SEAL statement 04 July

‘I know strategies to deal with feelings to do with change’ is our next SEAL statement.

Children can experience a range of powerful and conflicting emotions as a result of change – for example, excitement, anxiety, uncertainty, loss, anger and resentment.  Having strategies to deal with these feelings will help children to cope better with change.

Bike Week

Last week, during Bike Week, over 120 journeys were made to and from school by bike.

All the names of children who cycled to school have now been entered in the Leeds City Council prize draw to be held on Monday 04 July with tickets drawn by the Lord Mayor.

Good luck to all those children.

It’s great to see children continuing to use their bike after bike week has finished as a healthy way to travel to school.

Why are we closing?

You’ll be aware that many public sector workers, including teachers who are members of the National Union of Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, are taking industrial action this Thursday, 30 June.

Briefly, pensions are the big issue. The unions say that government plans mean teachers will be required to pay more, work longer and receive less when they retire.  The teaching unions’ reasons for taking this action can be found here.

There’s been plenty of talk in the media about Michael Gove’s suggestion that headteachers should do all they can to keep schools open, even to the extent of asking parents / carers come in to help.

As headteacher of Moortown Primary, closing the school is a decision I never take lightly.  On Thursday, however, I have no choice.  All teachers at Moortown plan to take industrial action.

I realise the closure of school causes many problems (eg with childcare) and, for this, I apologise.  However, there are issues which I have to consider, whether or not Mr Gove has done so.  Not so long ago, for example, schools could fail an Ofsted inspection if they could not show they had carried criminal record checks (CRB checks) on volunteers in school; these would be necessary, and costly, if we were to use parents to cover staff absences on Thursday’s strike.

Even for those volunteers with the correct documentation, there are other issues I’d need to consider, including:

• confidentiality
• first aid training
• safe use of equipment
• behaviour management
• knowledge of restraint procedures
• guidance on physical contact with pupils
• insurance liability

Based on these points, and other arguments, the headteachers’ union, the National Association of Head Teachers, has recommended its members do not invite parents / carers to help on Thursday.

Once again, I apologise for the inconvenience caused.

SEAL statement 27 June

‘I can make the most of an unwelcome change’ is the new SEAL statement for this week.  Unwelcome changes can happen at any time and it is important for the children to have the ability to make the most of these changes.  This may be through developing a suitable response to this change, turning the situation into something positive, understanding and managing feelings associated with this type of change and seeking support from others.

How’s my child doing at school?

We’re still waiting on the Key Stage Two SAT results for Y6, but (just like last year) I’m confident that the children performed extremely well. More importantly, their attitudes and behaviour have been excellent throughout the year – a really great year so far.

Children from Y2 to Y5 have also had some end of year assessments recently. These tests help teachers to decide on a final level to give to each child for reading, writing and maths. They only help teachers decide; for example, if a child performed quite poorly in a test but have excelled throughout the year, teachers would quite possibly ignore a test result. In Reception and Y1, teachers base their final assessment entirely on the children’s day to day actions and abilities.

Soon, you’ll be receiving the end-of-year annual report about your child’s attainment, progress and attitude in school. On the report (except the Reception report), teachers use ticks to indicate how your child is doing.  If you’d like to know their actual level, we’re happy to give you this – just ask me or your child’s teacher near the end of the year.

Pupils in Y2 and Y6 are at the end of a key stage. Because of this, parents of these children will receive a letter alongside their reports with the teacher assessment level on it. Parents / carers of Y6 children will also be told the results of the SAT tests.

Here’s a table to show general, national expectations for the end of each year. Letters are used to indicate a higher or lower level eg 2A is a higher level of attainment than 2C, but a lower level of attainment that 3C.

From this, you can see that any child reaching Level 5 at the end of the year is working at a level above national expectations. Well done to Yutaro and Rosie for attaining a Level 6 in Maths this year – about the level of an able 14 year old!

Reception children are not given a level. Instead, they are assessed against criteria and typically reach 6 points in each strand, such as reading or numbers for counting and labels. A point is given when adults observe a child securely showing a particular skill or activity.

SEAL statement 20 June

‘I can change my behaviour for the better’ is our ‘Changes’ SEAL statement for this week. 

As stated in our Positive Relationships policy:

It is the responsibility of pupils to make good choices at all times and with all adults and pupils in school. This will lead to pupils behaving well and building up and maintaining good relationships. Pupils should follow three simple rules to avoid bad choices:

• follow instructions
• use positive language (including body language)
• keep hands, feet and objects to themselves

Therefore a change in behaviour can be made by making positive choices rather than negative choices.  

Working together for good behaviour in schools is a helpful document for parents.

Bike Week 20 – 24 June

Next week is Bike Week.  Why not use our cycle rack and bike to school during this week?

Throughout the week each time you cycle to school you will be entered into a prize draw from Leeds City Council to win lots of cycling related prizes.  Let your class teacher know each time you come to school on your bike.

Year 5 and Year 6 have both recently had their cycling training and what a better way to put these new cycling skills into practice than to bike to school during Bike Week.

For more information about Bike Week visit www.bikeweek.org or www.leeds.gov.uk/bikeweek

For more information about cycling in Leeds visit www.leeds.gov.uk/cyclemaps