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Phonics tests

You’ll be aware that all children in Y1 classes in England have recently been tested on 40 words prescribed by the goverment. The screening checks are intended to test a child’s knowledge of letter sounds with a challenging combination of both real and made-up words (eg proom, groiks).

Any child who did not read at least 32 words correctly must be re-tested again next year. In the meantime, they will recieve additional phonics support in Year 2 – this will include daily phonics sessions and frequent reading (don’t forget how powerful it is to read at home, too!).

We always value your involvment and support. The test results are sent home on Monday 09 July, along with your child’s annual report. Mrs Maver or Mrs Weekes will be happy to discuss in more detail how your child did in these tests. If they’re not available, I can also help.

Most schools I’ve spoken to have similar results and conclusons:

• around 70% of children scored over 32/40
• able readers have often not done so well as they’re reading would suggest – we found this was often because they automatically corrected some of the made-up words so they could make sense (you might have done the same whilst reading this article – did you spot the five errors?)

Scratch the surface

Scratch the surface is a summer school project for Y5 and Y6 pupils. If your child is interested in computers, gaming, art and design, or animation, then this will definitely be of interest!

The club runs from Monday 13 August to Thursday 16 August from 10am to 3pm. It happens at the North Leeds City Learning Centre, which is situated close to Allerton Grange High School.

If you’d like to know more, contact Nick Field on 0113 288 3500.

06 July 2012

We’ll be writing instructions in our literacy lessons next week so the spellings are all adverbs which could be used to describe how to do something.

Top tip for writing: You can move the adverb to the start of the sentence with a comma after it to make it an adverb opener. For example:

Stir the porridge gently.

Could become…

Gently, stir the porridge.

06 July 2012

This week’s homework is Creative and is due on Wednesday 11 July.

I can show my learning journey this year.

Children have spent the past academic year learning lots and now’s the time to show it. Your child can produce anything that communicates some of their best or favourite learning. The learning can be from one of their topics or from maths, art, science or literacy, or a mixture of lots of subject areas. Your child can decide how to present their homework. Here are some ideas:

• a diagram
• a picture / photographs
• a video
• a report
• a conversation between two people
• a piece of art work

This will be the last piece of homework before the summer holidays.

06 July 2012

This week’s spellings are all words which have been misspelled in our writing recently. Children will be tested on eight out of the ten words on Friday 13 July.

06 July 2012

This week’s spellings are all synonyms for said.

We are learning about news reports at the moment and these spellings will be helpful when writing quotes.

Looking at Leeds 2012 photography competition

Every picture tells a story… The Looking at Leeds 2012 photography competition is looking for photographs of Leeds that capture its people and places, its cultures and communities, and they want young people in Leeds to help bring the story to life.  The competition is open to everyone across Leeds, with a special category for young people in Year 11 and under.

The city has a lots happening this summer: Breeze, concerts, festivals, sports, museums, Olympic celebrations… There is something taking place nearly every day, but can you or your child capture what it means to be in Leeds in 2012?

Closing on 31 July 2012, the competition is open to everyone and there are some fantastic prizes on offer:

• first prize for the Year 11 and under category is a family ticket for Leeds Rhinos
• runners up prizes include a family ticket for the West Yorkshire Playhouse, a season pass for Lotherton Hall and two tickets for the Carriageworks

Entries can be made by emailing your image to imagesofleeds@leeds.gov.uk using ‘Leeds 2012’ as the subject header. Images must have been taken during 2012 and should include the following information:

• the entrant’s name, age and contact details
• the month, place or event at which the image was taken

For more information visit www.leeds.gov.uk/leeds2012.  If you’d like to find out more information about the competition, please email imagesofleeds@leeds.gov.uk.

29 June 2012

This week we are learning to spell words with aw.

These words will be tested on Friday 06 July.

29 June 2012

The homework this week is Talk Time and is due in Wednesday 04 July.

I know feelings that are involved with change.

You could talk about the change of class teacher next year and the feelings associated with that, and any other significant changes your child has experienced or would like to consider.

We’ll have a discussion next week where your child will have the chance to listen to the views and experiences of others, as well as reflect on their own.

29 June 2012

The homework this week is practice makes perfect and is due in on Wednesday 04 July.

I can find fractions.

Your child has a fractions worksheet in their book that they should complete. If  you have any questions about the worksheet, please come and see me.