Classes

Welcome to our Foundation Stage overview page. Our class teacher is Miss Davies, and we have support from our teaching assistants, Mrs Chohan and Miss Rumble. Mrs Chohan is a qualified higher level teaching assistant, which means she is utilised to cover when Miss Davies is teaching other classes.

General:

Our Foundation Stage children have access to a substantial outdoor area, and we ask that their wellies are here daily for sand and muddy surface play. A hooded coat all year round is necessary as we go out in the rain and join Year 1 and 2 with the daily mile. There is no such thing as bad weather, only a poor choice of clothing!

The Foundation Stage children learn through a combination of directed time and different types of play. This encourages them to develop their social and emotional skills, mark making and reading for both a purpose and pleasure. We engage the children in playful learning and utilise observations to provide both challenge and support. We encourage freedom of expression through patterns, music, art and writing. Guided learning increases over time as engagement, motivation and thinking about learning develops.

Maths:

Maths homework is to complete the daily tasks (10mins) set on DoodleMaths. These tasks need to be completed independently by the children as the software adjusts the future tasks (either up or down) based on their performance. Please support your child in logging on daily.  Each year group also has a Key Instant Recall Fact to learn by heart each term in order to aid mathematical fluency. These Key Instant Recall Facts are provided for parents at the first parents evening of the school year. 

Daily Items:

Wellies kept outside on the stand - please return daily if taken home.
Named water bottles and book bag.
Spare clothes, underwear and socks to be kept in P.E or book bag with a carrier bag for wet items.

'Thermal Thursday' - Dedicated Outdoor Learning Development:

Every Thursday afternoon we utilise our woodland environment and the children engage in outdoor learning. Each week children will need a waterproof coat and wellies. They can bring in waterproof trousers or wear the ones provided by school. Wellies are kept on our racks at school. Please allow them to wear their PE kit on these days. When the temperature drops, hats, gloves and snoods are useful as scarves can get caught.

PE:

PE is every Friday morning. Children should come to school wearing appropriate PE kit and suitable layers on this day. 

*Updated by Miss Davies 25/07/2024*

Welcome to our Year 1/2 overview page. We are an infant class with two teachers:

Mrs Williams (Mon-Wed) 
Mrs MacDonald (Thurs-Fri)
Miss Davies (PPA cover)

We are supported by
Mrs Grozellier
Mrs Chohan
Mrs Francis

Key Links:

• Suggested reading list for Year 1 
• Suggested reading list for Year 2 

Homework:
As well as daily reading, the children in our class will be expected to learn their weekly spellings, complete tasks on DoodleMaths and read topic knowledge organisers.  To download their current spellings lists, Maths KIRF tasks and knowledge organisers please visit our homework page.

Twiggy Tuesday (Outdoor learning):
The class will have an Outdoor Learning afternoon every Tuesday with Mrs Williams and Mrs Grozellier. We often need extra adults with us on the weeks we wish to go off-site and for some of the more challenging activities. If you would like to offer your help with this, then please let us know, and we will add your name to the sign-up sheet in the school entrance. We have developed a handbook for you to read before joining us. Each week the children will need a waterproof coat and wellies. They can bring in waterproof trousers or wear the ones provided by school. Wellies can be kept on our racks at school. Please allow them to wear their PE kit (joggers) on Tuesdays.

PE and PE Kit:
PE is usually on a Friday morning. Children should come to school wearing appropriate PE kit and suitable layers on Tuesday for Twiggy Tuesday and Friday for PE lesson.
 

Welcome to Year 3/4. We are also called lower juniors and our teachers are Mrs Hartley (Mon/Tues) and Mrs Robertson (Wed/Thurs/Fri).
Miss Gregory, Mrs Francis, Ms Grozellier  and Miss Webster support us throughout the week. 

Key Links:
• Y3/4 Statutory Spelling List

• Y3 Recommended Reads
• Y4 Recommended Reads
• Multiplication Tables Check Simulator (Y4s Only)

Reading:
The children are expected to read for 20 minutes every evening. In the juniors, the children are old enough to be responsible for writing in their own reading records and logging what they have read. This should then be signed by a parent or responsible adult and brought into school to be checked and signed by a member of staff in exchange for house points. If the children aren't able to read/get it signed, they are expected to stay in for 10 minutes to read at break. This is a means of teaching responsibility. For special occasions, allowances can be made, please just write us a note in their record.

Homework: 
Children should now be completing their daily tasks on DoodleMaths independently. DoodleTables should also be visited regularly to support our learning of the times tables for our fortnightly screening checks.

Aside from Doodle and reading, children in year 3 are expected to spend a minimum of 30 minutes and year 4 are expected to spend a minimum of 40 minutes on additional homework tasks each week.  Please see our homework page for details.

DoodleMaths
Maths homework is to complete the daily 'A-day' task (max. 10mins) on DoodleMaths. These tasks need to be completed independently by the children as the software adjusts the future tasks (either up or down) based on how they are managing. Their login details will be stuck into their reading record book. Little and often makes a big difference to fluency, recall and confidence.

Supporting your child at home: Times Tables
Times table are a massive part of life in Y3/4 and are essential ahead of moving into Y5/6. Children should regularly practise their times tables. In addition to DoodleTables, We would recommend the 'Hit The Button' App or similar - some families have since informed you can actually access it for free by going onto the website version. Two minutes of times table practise daily is much more effective than half an hour once a week as this supports the working memory to retain these facts more effectively.

Dedicated Outdoor Learning and PE time: 
Outdoor Learning and PE will be on Monday afternoon with sport coaches or Miss Hudson. The children will be reminded when this is.

PE will take place with ProActive coaching on Friday morning.

Children should come to school wearing appropriate PE kit and suitable layers on PE days. For outdoor learning we suggest a waterproof coat and trainers.

Welcome to Year 5/6. We are also referred to as upper juniors or upper key stage 2.

Our teacher is Miss Hudson.

Our classroom assistants are Mrs Francis and Miss Gregory.

Mrs Robertson teaches us French as she is an excellent French speaker.
Pro-Active coach Mr Pereira teaches us PE as well Miss Hudson.

SATs: 
You can find a list of recommended texts here to further support your child. We are particularly fond of the 10-minute 'SAT Buster' books - a quick and easy to use tool to build confidence and speed in your child's thinking.

Key Links:
• Y5/6 Statutory Spelling List
• Y5 Recommended Reads
• Y6 Recommended Reads

Reading: 
The children are expected to continue developing their reading appetite for 20 minutes every evening. As with Year 3/4, the children are expected to take responsibility for writing in their own reading records and logging what they have read: This should indicate the book and pages/chapters read. This should then be signed by a parent or responsible adult and brought into school daily. If forgotten, they will be expected to stay in to read for 10 minutes at break. Reading is key to higher standards in writing as it supports  structure, word choices and vocabulary development.

Homework:
Aside from Doodlemaths and reading, children in year 5 are expected to spend a minimum of 50 minutes and year 6 are expected to spend a minimum of 60 minutes on additional homework tasks each week. 

Maths: 
Children should carry out a Doodlemaths 'a day' task every day and there are also a range of great maths games. Children should continually practise their times tables at home using Doodletables as well as other sites such as Top Marks. Additionally, they have a smartphone app called 'Hit the Button' (at a cost of £2.29) which I highly recommend to support mental times table strategies.

Supporting your child at home: 
Reading - Sharing reading is just as important in Y5/6 as other year groups. Read to your child have them read aloud to you and also allow them to read alone. A healthy diet of trickier texts from our reading list alongside graphic novels, past favourites and comics or magazines is perfect. When you discuss reading, ask your child to predict events and their effects at different points throughout a narrative. Spend time looking at keywords and author decisions in their writing.

Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling (English Shed)- The children have areas within the app to change to this platform. Pre-learning and overlearning assignments are set in here.

Maths - Quick recall of multiplication facts to 12 x 12 and corresponding division facts are very useful. Use Doodlemaths and time on journeys to keep those facts quick to recall! Times tables are the bedrock of all maths so keeping this fresh and instant is vital!