Meet the Team St. Michael’s Catholic School Primary Phase 2017 - 2018

What is new for 2017 – 2018? We will continue to embed the new expectations for the National Curriculum. The curriculum handouts will give you an overview of what is learnt in each year group. We will continue to assess without levels. We are planning opportunities for parents to find out about life in school, starting with maths week next week.

Welcome to Year 5 The team this year is: Mrs A Heffer/Mrs A Nowak Mrs H. de Leon Mrs David

Timetable for Key Stage 2 9.00 – 10.05 10.05 – 10.30 10.30 – 10.45 10.45 – 12.00 12.00 – 1.00 1.00 – 2.00 2.00 – 3.15 MON Maths Reading Break English Lunchtime Science Hymn Practise TUES Collective Worship ICT Art WED KS2 Assembly Humanities THUR PSHE PE DT FRI RE Celebration Assembly

PE days Our PE lesson day is Thursday For PE lessons, children will need both an indoor and outdoor kit. This should include both trainers and plimsolls.

Home learning The children will receive home learning activities on: Friday to be handed in the following Friday (spellings) 5D maths: Wednesday to be handed in on Friday (mathematics – approximately 30 minutes). 5H maths: will run on a 2 week rota where Mrs Heffer and Mrs Nowak will give homework on alternate weeks each Friday, due the next Wednesday. We will occasionally send home an additional piece to support a topic. Please ensure that your child reads every night. Books will be changed by Mrs David as they are completed. It is your child’s responsibility to place the finished book in tray. Please support your child with his / her homework. This might be sitting with them to help, hearing them read or just keeping them on track for handing it in on time. If your child does not understand some aspect of their homework, please send them in to ask us – they should take responsibility for this.

Assessment Teachers will continue to assess pupils’ understanding in the wide range of ways that we have done previously – including questioning, marking and use of school assessments. We will continue to report to parents and carers annually whether pupils are working at(WA), beyond (WB) or towards (WT) age related expectations for their year group.

Trips and visits We will give you good notice for trips so that payments can be processed in time for your child to attend. Please complete the annual consent form but a specific consent form for any trip must also be completed otherwise we cannot take your child.

Focus of Year 5 A greater level of independence in pushing learning forward. Taking personal responsibility for completing work set and handing in homework on time. Experiencing the secondary site more through DT and using facilities there Taking part in more speaking and listening activities such as debating and dragons den.

General routines School starts promptly at 8.45am so please ensure that children are here on time. Children leave at 3pm in Reception, 3.10pm in Key Stage 1 and 3.15pm in Key Stage 2. Please let us know about changes to end-of-day arrangements as soon as possible and preferably in writing. Ensure once children are collected that they are escorted promptly from the playground. Children should not be allowed to play on equipment or use scooters on the infant playground. Please contact Justine Briggs if you require places for breakfast club or Hi5. Details are: Email: HI5outofschoolclub@gmail.com Phone: 07775626520

How we communicate with you Fortnightly e-newsletter Letters which let you know about other events, trips or important information Website Seeing you in the playground / by telephone if anything has cropped up during the day Appointments Parents’ evenings

How to communicate with us Most teachers are out at pick up time with at least one member of the staff team from each year group available at this time. (Afternoons work better than mornings unless it is a real emergency.) E-mailing the office@stmichaels.bucks.sch.uk or contacting the office staff. Staff don’t use their e-mails as they don’t have time to check them during the day. A note in the school bag Making an appointment if an issue is likely to need some discussion Parents’ evenings

Uniform Please label all items so that anything lost can be returned. No jewellery is permitted. If girls have recently had their ears pierced, they should have studs covered for the first six weeks after which earrings should not be worn in school. Boys’ haircuts should be a similar length all over. Shavings, mohicans and extreme styles are not permitted. If boys have these styles, they should be allowed to grow out and not be repeated. Girls should have blue or white hair decorations only and these should not be overly decorative. Proper schools shoes only are permitted. Children may not wear trainers.

Snacks and lunches Children will continue to have hot lunches – if requested – in the canteen. Children in Reception and Key Stage 1 continue to have fruit or vegetables provided for snack time. Key Stage 2 should bring a snack for break time but this should be fruit – biscuits, crisps, chocolate, sweets etc. are not permitted. Please do not send sweets / cakes etc. into school for birthdays or other special occasions. These will not be given out in case children have allergies.

Snacks and lunches Children can bring a water bottle to school. Squash is not permitted other than for lunch times. Water is also provided in Reception and Key Stage 1 classrooms and is available in the Key Stage 2 playgrounds. Please use a refillable water bottle to cut down on plastic waste.

Any questions?

We hope to have an enjoyable and productive year with you and all the children. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.