Key Stage Two Meeting September 2015 Adults in Key Stage Two Key Dates Expectations Routines, Homework and Uniform Key stage 2 timetables and topics New Curriculum

Adults in Key Stage Two Willows Class, all of Year 3 and some year 4 - Miss Johnson Supported by Mrs Chalmers (Mon to Fri am) Ash Class, Some year 4 and all of year 5 – Mr Howse Supported by Mrs Pearce (Mon, Tues am) and Miss Steptowe (Thurs, Fri am) Oaks Class, Year 6 – Mrs Grasby (Key Stage Two Leader) Supported by Mrs White (Monday pm) and Mrs Chalmers (Wednesday pm) From October Oaks class will be supported by a full time PGCE student most weeks. Additionally a range of interventions are led throughout key stage two for some children by: Mrs White, Mrs Chalmers, Miss Steptowe and Mrs Jones.

Key Dates Harvest Festival 28th September 2015 – 1.30-2.30pm at St Mary’s Church Please come and join us… Harvest boxes, one per family please to be sent in by Thursday 24th. Boxes will be judged on Friday 25th by School Council Show and Share- 22nd October 2015 at 2.45-4.00 Opportunity for your children to share their work with you and talk you through their learning. Collect your children’s work from their classroom and browse with your child in the hall. The classroom will be open for your child to show you round.

Expectations for behaviour We have high expectations of behaviour and we will expect your child to follow the School Rules: The children have: A right to learn A responsibility to try to do the best that they can. A right to be safe and cared for A responsibility to look after each other A right to play A responsibility to include others A right to be respected A responsibility to listen, to speak politely and to be honest.

Expectations for children: We expect our children to be ambassadors for our school and to embody our school values of: respect, love and responsibility. We expect our key stage two children to be good role models for our younger pupils. We expect children in key stage two to tell us if they have a problem or issue as soon as possible so that it can be resolved.

Expectations for Parents: If parents have a concern or news they want to share: In the first instance: Please inform the class teacher. If a quick query/ sharing of news (up to 5 minutes) you can catch us in the playground, if you need longer ask for an appointment (in person or via the school office). In the second instance: please inform the key stage leader. If you feel the matter is still not resolved- please ask for additional meetings with the class teacher/key stage leader or make an appointment to see the headteacher. If parents have a concern about special educational learning, first speak to your class teacher, then the SENCO, Miss Akehurst. For confidential matters please approach the most appropriate person (class teacher, designated child protection officer, SENCO, before speaking to the headteacher).

Routines Morning Maths Meetings Four times a week Five Differentiated groups – targeted to the needs of your child, across the key stage. To support mastery in maths curriculum. Spellings On Wednesdays (30 minutes) Five Differentiated groups – targeted to the needs of your child, across the key stage. Based upon the requirements of the new NC. Handwriting: Whole Class Sessions- Handwriting will be modelled within these sessions and sometimes linked to spellings. Small groups- For children we identify who need additional support.

Timetable-years 3, 4 and 5 We have worked hard to organise the weekly timetables and to utilise additional teaching staff to enable the children to be taught in mainly separate year groups and year 4 children to be together for 6 hours a week. This includes: Separate Science and PE for years 3-5, Spelling Groups, Morning Maths Meetings and an additional year 4 Maths/English skills session. The children additionally will have: assemblies, play times and lunch times together (approximately another 9 hours)

Topics in KS2 Topics KS2 Teaching in a cross curricular way. Incorporated subjects such as Literacy, Geography, History, Computing, Art etc. Year 6 have separate topics and then year 3, 4 and 5 have a three year cycle of topics so that they get a breadth of study and a range of ideas. Some subjects cannot be taught in this way and therefore are split into year groups such as RSE and Science. Mr Howse, Mrs Grasby and I have looked carefully at the objectives and have made sure that there is ample opportunity for all children to stretch their thinking and learning, but of course the following topics are still a work in progress and will be tweaked as necessary.

Homework Homework Spellings linked to their KS2 spelling group will be sent home on Thursdays. Spellings will be tested on Wednesdays in groups. Two other activities which will usually be linked to Maths and English, with occasional topic work. Homework will be set and DUE IN on these days: Willows: Set on Friday, due in Tuesday. Ash:Set on Fridays, due in Wednesdays. Oaks: Set on Wednesdays, due in Mondays. Details of homework will usually be stuck into your child’s homework book each week (will move to online this year). Reading – It is expected that you read with your child and commment/sign their reading records at least 5 times a week in years 3-4 and at least 3 times in years 5- 6. Remember to encourage your child to log additional independent reading in their reading records too. Reading Records will be checked by an adult in school at least once a week. Children will read with an adult in school for guided reading at least once a week.

Uniform and Equipment Equipment Please provide your child with: Water bottle – clear and named Wellies – named Waterproof coat (light anorak in the summer) – named Reading Record in school every day please PE Kits to be worn on PE days (remember winter kit) Year 3: Tuesday and Friday Year 4: Thursday and Friday Year 5: Thursday and Friday Year 6: Thursday and Friday Uniform- All clothes should be clearly labelled. A School jumper/cardigan should be brought to school every day. Earrings – studs only, to be removed for PE by child Shirts should be kept tucked in. Long hair should be tied up and kept away from the face.

New Curriculum Growth Mindset High expectations for all. All children move through the new curriculum at broadly the same pace Enrichment opportunities offered to deepen knowledge and understanding. Support and extra provision still allocated to children with AEN (including significantly able). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh0OS4MrN3E Assessment There are now no levels New curriculum can not be matched to old levels. Every year group has a programme of study (POS). Children at the end of the year are assessed as: below POS, Emerging (working towards POS), Expected (achieved POS at mastery level), Exceeding (beyond mastery level). The majority of the children will be working towards emerging targets up to the February half term.

New Curriculum There will be a range of workshops/meetings for parents this year to extend your knowledge of the new curriculum. These will include: Early years Phonics (RWI) meeting FS and KS1 Maths workshop KS2 Maths Workshop New SATS information meetings (year 2 and year 6) Please look out for dates in newsletters and on the website.

Collective Worship Collective Worship is not just an assembly. It is a time to reflect on our school values and our own lives. Children will be expected to show these values in their learning and conduct around school. The collective worship theme for the forthcoming week can be found on the final page of the weekly newsletter so you are able to continue the discussion at home. Mondays: Whole School Collective Worship Tuesdays: Key Stage Collective Worship Wednesdays: Key Stage Collective Worship Thursday: Whole School Rejoice Together Friday: Celebration Worship at St Mary’s Church

RE Teaching RE Teaching is for 90 minutes a week in Key Stage 2. We follow the Diocese of Rochester’s Syllabus. Godly Play: Godly Play is a creative and imaginative approach to Christian nurture and is based on long established, tried and tested approaches and uses symbols and objects as well as words. Godly Play values process, openness and discovery and encourages people to make meaning for themselves. It invites listeners into stories and encourages them to connect the stories with personal experience. Assessment: Teachers assess against AT1: learning about Religion and AT2: learning from religion Teachers can share your child’s learning in RE at parent consultations. You will see how well your child progressed last year in their end of year school report.