News

SEAL statement 17 Jan

As we continue our 7 Rs for learning, our new statement for the week is  ‘I can be resilient.’

Research shows that resilient children have high expectations, goals and inter-personal problem-solving skills.

Resilience in school may be observed as how a child bounces back from a set back.

Demand for primary school places

The following information could directly affect friends or family who have children starting school in September 2012 or later.  Please do alert them of the need to find out more.

In Leeds, demand for places at primary schools is increasing rapidly.  The local authority is proposing that various primary schools around Leeds expand (despite the authority closing primary school a few years ago).

In this area, the proposals are more unusual: to increase primary school places by changing the age range of three local secondary schools – Allerton Grange, Roundhay and Carr Manor – so that they accept children from 4 – 18 years. As one school, there would only be one headteacher managing provision for 4 year olds as well as 18 year olds.

Whilst there is a primary school already close to all three of the schools (Moor Allerton Hall, Kerr Mackie and Carr Manor Primaries), these schools are not subject to any expansion proposals.  There is scope for Moortown Primary to expand using the land at the rear of the school and the authority has registered interest in this; however, there are no immediate plans to do so and previous proposals to use the land have not gone ahead.

You can read more about the proposals online or call in to school for paper copies of the consultation booklet. There is a series of public meetings in the week beginning 24 January where you can ask questions and express your views about the proposals:

Regarding Allerton Grange High School expansion:

Tuesday 25 January 2011, 6.30pm at Allerton Grange School, Talbot Avenue, LS17 6SF

Thursday 27 January 2011, 6.00pm at Moor Allerton Hall Primary School, Lidgett Lane, LS17 6QP

Regarding Roundhay High School expansion:

Monday 24 January 2011, 6.15pm at Roundhay School, Gledhow Lane, LS8 1ND

Regarding Carr Manor High School expansion:

Wednesday 26 January 2011, 6pm at Carr Manor High School, Carr Manor Road, LS17 5DJ

Tuesday 25 January, 9am and Thursday 27 January, 2pm at Carr Manor Children’s Centre, Carr Manor Road, LS17 5DJ

Written responses can also be made:

• using the form in this booklet, which includes details of where to send it;

• by letter, to School Organisation Team, 10th Floor West, Merrion House, 110 Merrion Centre, Leeds, LS2 8DT; or

• by email to: educ.school.organisation@educationleeds.co.uk.

How can we do Talk Time homework?

Homework at Moortown Primary can be based on Creative Homework, Practice Makes Perfect and Talk Time.

This week, many classes have Talk Time homework.  In the Year 5 Homework page, Mr Owen has helpfully added some extra detail and top tips which are also noted below for all children, parents and carers to benefit from:

Research shows direct links between the spoken language children use and are exposed to and their written language.

So, please, for this discussion:

• Turn the TV off!
• Get a few adults together if possible to join in.
• Ask the adults to go first – “I think it would be a good idea to ban all advertising of junk food ______ because _____.” and then “I totally disagree! It’s OK to advertise burgers etc because ______ although _____.” This gives children a chance to see some connectives (because and although) in action and how adults disagree politely.
• Use some words you don’t think your child uses / knows and explain their meanings.
• Put a comment in their homework book.

SEAL statement 10 Jan

This week we are focussing on our second ‘R of learning’, risk-taking, and our weekly statement is “I can take a safe risk.”

As part of our 7 Rs topic we will be looking at how taking a ‘safe risk’ can have an impact on learning.  This may include ‘having a go’ in class, for example:

• asking a question
• putting  your hand up to answer a question
• working with someone different in class
• making suggestions in group work

Happy children, happy staff

At Moortown, we listen to the views of everyone in our school community.

We regularly ask our children for their opinions.  Recently, children have expressed their views on topics, their learning and how safe the school feels.  Each year, we also ask parents / carers for their views in the Annual Survey.

It’s important to also listen to the views of staff in school, whether teachers, teaching assistants or support staff.

I’m delighted that, once again, we’ve had a very positive response to the Annual Staff Survey; for example:

• 100% enjoy working at Moortown Primary
• 100% feel valued and supported and feel they are treated fairly and with respect
• 100% feel they have access to training when they need it

This all confirms that Moortown Primary is a happy and healthy place to work as well as to learn!

SEAL statement 04 Jan

This half term we are focussing on 7R’s of learning in place of our usual SEAL topic.  The first statement is ‘I can take responsibility to learn well.‘  

We shall be looking at a different area of learning each week, starting with responsibility.

Taking responsibility for learning may include:

• using listening skills in lessons
• asking questions
• contributing and working well in a group to complete a task
• bringing guided reading books, spelling books etc to school when needed
• learning spellings and tables at home
• completing homework

SEAL 'thought'

Managing emotions, in particular anger, forms an important part of our SEAL Getting On theme.  This comment was posted by a parent in response to our calming down statement:

Prophet Muhammad gave this advice:

“When one of you becomes angry while standing, he should sit down.  If the anger leaves him, well and good; otherwise he should lie down.”

This is said because the likelihood of you lashing out, harming anyone and getting out of control is very difficult whilst sat down and almost impossible whilst lying down.

Thank you for this comment.

Calendar working again

Google tell us they have fixed the bug that was causing our calendar to display events on the wrong days, so we’ve reinstated it to the site.

Sorry for any confusion that was caused by the problem.

Problems with our calendar

We use Google Calendar to publish our timetable of events, meetings and holidays. Unfortunately, Google has identified a bug which is causing events to be shown on the wrong days. They’re working on the problem; until they find a fix we’ve taken the calendar page down.

The next few important dates on our calendar are:

• Tuesday 14 December, 2.15pm – Reception, Y1 and Y2 Christmas production
• Wednesday 15 December, 2.15pm – Reception, Y1 and Y2 Christmas production
• Thursday 16 December, 2.30 to 4.30pm – PTA Christmas Fair
• Friday 17 December – school closes for the holidays
• Tuesday 04 January – school reopens

Sorry if you’ve been confused by our calendar recently!

SEAL statement 06 December

‘I can see things from other people’s point of view’ is the final SEAL statement for our Getting On theme.

This follows on from our work last week on solving problems where, as part of the problem solving process, children are encouraged to listen to each other to consider their feelings.