23rd
October 2014
Dear Parents,
Our
half term break is nearly upon us, it has been a busy half term and I am sure
the children and staff are looking forward to the week off, to recharge their
batteries!
As I mentioned before a New National Curriculum has come
into place since September 2014. Children in years 2 & 6 will continue to
follow the programmes of study from the previous curriculum as they are in the
final year of their key stage.
Why the big curriculum change?
The main aim is to raise standards. Although the new
curriculum is intended to be more challenging, the content is actually slimmer
than the current curriculum, focusing on essential core subject knowledge and
skills such as essay writing and computer programming.
The main changes.
The table below summarises the main changes in the core
subjects.
|
Subject
|
What’s new?
|
|
English
|
- Stronger
emphasis on vocabulary development, grammar, punctuation and
spelling (for example, the use of commas and apostrophes will
be taught in KS1)
- Handwriting is expected to be fluent,
legible and speedy
- Spoken English has a greater emphasis,
with children to be taught debating
and presenting skills.
|
|
Maths
|
- Five-year-olds will be expected to learn to count up to 100 (compared to
20 under the previous curriculum) and learn number bonds to 20
(previously up to 10)
- Simple fractions (1/4 and 1/2) will be taught from KS1, and by the
end of primary school, children should be able to convert decimal
fractions to simple fractions (e.g. 0.375 = 3/8)
- By the age of
nine, children will be expected to know times tables up to 12×12
(previously 10×10 by the end of primary school)
- Calculators
will not be introduced until near the end of KS2, to encourage mental
arithmetic.
|
|
Science
|
- Strong focus
on scientific knowledge and language, rather than understanding
the nature and methods of science in abstract terms
- Evolution will be taught in primary schools for the
first time
- Non-core
subjects like caring for animals will be replaced by topics like the
human circulatory system
|
In order to prepare pupils for the more
ambitious end of year expectations in English, Mathematics and Science, as set
out in the new curriculum, we have adapted our Curriculum Plans. Details of
which can be found on our website under information.
UNIVERSAL FREE SCHOOL MEALS
Since September 2014 all pupils in reception,
year 1 & 2 are entitled to a free hot dinner. The uptake has been high at
our school. Our kitchen staff are serving about 350 hot dinners each lunchtime
for the whole school compared to about 160 in previous years. In order to
accommodate this significant increase and get all these pupils through our only
dining hall we have had to alter our lunchtime arrangements.
All reception pupils (90) start their lunchtime at 11.45
and go into the dining hall at 12.15 for lunch.
Year 1 pupils (90) start their lunchtime at 12.40 and go
straight into the dining hall for their lunch
Year 2 pupils start their lunchtime at 12.45 and all are
called into the dining hall by 1pm for their lunch
Years 3-6 lunch time still starts at 12.45 and
over the hour year groups are called in, following a daily rota. We are
managing to have all pupils called in for lunch by 1.25.
SOME
OF THE DATES FOR THE REST OF THE TERM
|
Date
|
Event
|
|
Friday
24th October
|
Last
day of half term
|
|
Monday
3rd November
|
Back
to school as normal
|
|
Tuesday
4th November
|
Year
1 trip to Tropical Wings
|
|
Tuesday
11th November
|
Remembrance
day. More details of events nearer the time
|
|
Thursday
13th November
|
Individual
photographs ( more information to follow)
|
|
Thursday
27th November
|
Reporting
to parents evening 3.30 to 7pm
|
|
Monday
15th December
|
Infants
concerts to parents ( more information to follow)
|
|
Tuesday
16th December
|
Infants
concerts to parents ( more information to follow)
|
|
Thursday
18th December
|
Class
parties in the afternoon
|
|
Friday
19th December
|
Last
day of term
|
|
Monday
5th January 2015
|
School
closed to pupils: Staff training
|
|
Tuesday
6th January 2015
|
Start
of the Spring term. School open to pupils at normal times
|
Thank
you again for your continued support this term and we look forward to seeing
you all again on Monday 3rd
November.
Yours
sincerely
Mrs.
A. Lipski
Head Teacher
