Briefing for parents in Years 4, 5 and 6in September.

Welcome!

The Junior Team 2014-15

2015-2016 Teacher 2014-2015 ClassY3 Mrs Poole / Mrs Thomas Y2 CTY3 Mr Lewis Y2 MWY4 Mr Dale Y3 LP/STY4 Mrs Allan / Mrs Bes-Jeary Y3 ACY5 Mrs Element Y4 HA/JBY5 Mrs Luckhurst / TBC Y4 ICY6 Mrs Swanwick Y5 KEY6 Mr Lether Y5 LC/SH

Communication

If there is anything that you are unsure about or need to know

Check out the events diary on the school website www.bridgetown.warwickshire.sch.uk

Make an appointment with your child’s teacher. Catch us in the playground in the morning to arrange

a convenient time to talk. Write us a note or email through the office.Call the office to arrange a convenient time to talk on

the phone

Behaviour• It is expected that our children in KS2 will show positive and good

behaviour both socially and in their attitude towards their learning. • However there are time when this is not the case and we follow our

behaviour policy to deal with this.• Any incidents of poor behaviour will be dealt with by first of all issuing

one rule reminder followed by the offending individual missing a playtime. You will be informed with a simple note which we ask you to acknowledge by returning a slip which will then be kept on record. Should a number of incidents occur we will invite you into school to discuss ways of moving forward to improve your child’s behaviour.

• This is part of the school’s wider behaviour policy which we encourage all members of the school community to read on our website.

Behaviour key

Documents

Uniform• We consider school uniform to be an important way of developing a child’s sense of belonging within our school community and as such

we ask you to help us enforce a strict dress code.

• Girls • Grey skirt or pinafore dress• School sweatshirt or cardigan • White, buttoned shirt, blouse or school polo shirt • School type, plain grey trousers for cold weather wear.• School fleeced jacket• Sensible, black low heeled shoes (not boots)• Grey or green tights/white socks• Summer wear options: Green/white gingham/striped dress and sandals• Boys• Grey trousers - short or long• School sweatshirt• White or grey buttoned shirt or school polo shirt • School fleeced jacket• Grey socks• Sensible black shoes• Summer wear options: Sandals

• Any boys or girls with hair that falls below their collar should have it tied up with a plain band in school colours.

• Nail varnish or make up are not part of school uniform .

PE kit and other bits and piecesPlease ensure that your child has the correct PE kit is school at all times. We are tightening up

this year. This consists of:

• A white polo or plain T Shirt or dark green ‘swan’ T Shirt, or house coloured T shirt• White or black shorts.• Black pumps.• Trainers.• A smart track suit and spare socks may be needed in the winter.• Your child may also wish to bring in a deodorant (Yrs 5 + 6).• This should be a roll on and not a spray please.

PE and swimming kit should be brought to school in a simple draw string bag not a rucksack. (Yr 4)

Other things your child will need:• A water bottle• A reading bag for their books and pen- please remember the limited classroom storage

space.• A healthy snack.

English• At Bridgetown we teach English according to the National curriculum

2014.

• In literacy lessons children are taught a range of skills which include: analysing texts, writing for different purposes, sentence construction and punctuation, organising ideas, grammar rules and spelling strategies.

• Children are then given opportunities to apply these skills across the curriculum in other lessons, particularly through topic work.

• Children are sometimes taught in class ability groups and sometimes on mixed ability tables are which are flexible and based on the needs of the individual children. There are opportunities for movements within and between groups inline with pupil progress and assessments.

• As children become more familiar with the different genres in writing they will be able to identify the features that are required and we encourage them to assess their own and other’s work.

• Speaking and listening is also considered an important skill and so we provide many opportunities for children to ask and answer questions, talk with partners or with small groups and speak in front of audiences. Not only looking at the content of what is said but also how the information is presented.

English and writing • Children enjoy the challenge of being awarded a pen licence. This year, year

four, five and six pupils can earn one.• Year three pupils will develop their skills in pencil throughout the year. • To write in pen children must produce a consistently legible joined script.• They can lose their licence if the standard is not maintained.• Presentation is a key element of all curriculum areas and is reinforced by

the class teacher.• Children are asked to write in blue ink using a fibre point or cartridge pen,

provided from home, however we also have a limited supply of basic pens in school. Please ask if you’re not sure on a suitable pen choice.

• Other than a pen we ask that children refrain from bringing stationery including pencil cases into school.

• Instead these items could be used at home to set up writing and homework desk.

Reading• We strongly encourage pupils to read a wide range of texts for enjoyment.

• Each child will have a reading scheme book to read in school and at home; they should also have another book in school they have chosen to read and a range of books at home they can access.• Weekly sessions are available for each class to use books from the library. In addition, they will read a range of texts in guided reading sessions and

English lessons.• Children with particular needs in reading will have additional sessions where

they will read individually to an adult. These will be at least on a weekly basis.• Reading IS part of homework! We strongly encourage all children to read to an

adult a number of times week and to make a comprehensive comment about the materials read in their reading diary.

• Even the older, more able pupils are still apprentices at reading!

HomeworkDaily Homework• Mental maths• Reading• Spellings• Multiplication tables

Weekly Homework• Homework will be given on a Friday and should be handed in the following Wednesday.• At times this is flexible and weighted with varying content and time requirements, but over the year it

will balance out.

• Year 5/6• This will consist of a piece of Literacy (writing, reading or grammar) and Numeracy work, based on that

week’s topic.• Yr 6 also have additional short research tasks feed towards preparation for Yr 7 homework expectations.

• Year 3/4• A single homework task based on Literacy, Numeracy or an aspect of topic work.

Maths and ScienceMaths• At Bridgetown we teach the National Curriculum 2014. Coverage for each

year group can be found on our website.• We teach maths in a practical way which builds skills in a systematic way,

developing the building basic blocks needed for mastery of this subject.• We will shortly be publishing an updated calculations and methods policy

which will help you to support your child more effectively when working at home.

• Children continue to be grouped for Numeracy this year. In these groups they will be further differentiated into smaller groups according to their needs. There are opportunities for movements within and between groups inline with pupil progress and assessments throughout the year.

Where appropriate science will be taught through

the topics covered in each year group. Sometimes themes may not fit comfortably within these areas and so will be taught discretely.

Science is taught through practical experiences and allows the children to predict, theorise, investigate and make links within and beyond the world in which we live.

Assessment, marking and reporting

At Bridgetown we assess children’s progress in variety of ways:

• Watching, talking with and listening to children • Marking work• Setting assessment tasks and test throughout the

year• Formal end of year • Asking children to assess their own work and

progress and to comment upon marking.

Progress is recorded and reported through:• Verbal feedback to children• Marking• Identifying key targets met on the children’s target

charts at the front of their books• Using the school’s computer tracking system• Informal conversations • Parents meetings • Annual reports

Year Six• Focuses on child independence, personal organisation, in

preparation for Yr 7 transition, and is built up over the year. Please support your child in becoming independent at home

• SATS, the national SAT test take place 9th-13th May Please don’t book a holiday then! Preparation builds up throughout the year, to ensure they are ready for them but not pressurised.

• School applications for secondary schools will need to be in by 31st October. Whilst there are times during the year when this is a big talking point at home we try to manage discussions in school sensitively.

Marle Hall

• Marle Hall is an outdoor adventure centre in Llandudno, North Wales.

• Year 6 children are invited to attend a 5 day residential trip in the Spring Term.

• Letters will be sent out early in the autumn term.

• DATES Monday 14rd March – Friday 18th March.

Volunteering

FOBS- We need your help! Do you have any fun fund raising ideas? Have you considered becoming a committee member? Could you help out at some of our events? Do you want to know what we do? Helping in schoolWe rely on parental help in order to run educational visits and

provide extra learning opportunities in school.If you are able to help on a regular basis or just occasionallyplease let us know.

Questions