St Mark’s Elm Tree Parent Consultation 2013 How you can help your child to achieve

Reading Listen to your child read three times a week. Ask questions about what they have read e.g. Why did the character do that? What words do you think are particularly good and why? Comment on their responses in their reading diary. Encourage them to read anything – notices, comics, websites. If your child is on Read Write Inc, they will take home a decodable reading book, which they should read successfully, and a more challenging class reading book which they may need support in reading.

Reading at Level 1 Use blending to read words. Stop at full stops. Recall what has happened in a book. Have an opinion on the book they have read.

Reading at Level 2 Sound out unfamiliar words Recall simple information e.g. names To know that stories have a beginning, middle and end Know where to look for information in a book Say what they like and dislike about a book, sometimes with reasons Think about how a character might be feeling (how would you feel if it were you?)

Reading at Level 3 Sound out unknown words to read fluently, using expression Begin to use what they have read to answer questions (may use quotations from the text) Say how someone is feeling or why something has happened and give reasons Identify how books/information/stories are organised Identify good words the author has used

Reading at Level 4 Find information quickly and accurately. Use parts of the text in answers. Comment on the words the writer has used. Work out what the writer is trying to make the reader think. Say what they like or dislike about a text. Pick out things that are the same/different in two texts.

Reading at Level 5 Find and use information quickly Use evidence from different parts of the text to comment on how characters feel. Explain how writers organise factual texts and compare two texts. Explain how writers use words for particular effect. Describe and comment on style: chatty, formal, personal. Make links between a text and a time and place in which it is set.

Writing Your child’s writing will be assessed over a range of different text forms (e.g. stories, information texts, recounts, diaries) In addition to the requirements for each level, we also have ‘non-negotiables’ in writing which include: Finger spaces Handwriting Presentation Capital letters and full stops

Writing at Level 1 Writing makes sense. Sometimes can use capital letters and full stops. Order events. Blend to spell words Form my letters correctly

Writing at Level 2 Simple sentences using ‘and’ Begin to use different sentence openers; not always ‘I’ or names Use question marks, and commas in lists Begin to write in a sequence Sometimes use opening and endings to stories Simple words spelt correctly Begins to use some features of the form of writing

Writing at Level 3 Use the connectives ‘and’ ‘but’ ‘so’ Use ? ! “ ” Begin to use commas to separate parts of a sentence Begin to use simple paragraphs Add extra detail using adjectives Use the main features of the form of writing Carefully choose some words for effect Spells words with unusual spelling patterns

Writing at Level 4 Use paragraphs that have a main sentence then follow-up sentences giving more details. Use a range of punctuation correctly including . , ? ! Use the features of a range of forms of writing Use different words to join two short sentences e.g. if, when, because.

Writing at Level 5 Use paragraphs and make sure they are linked and in the correct order. Use a range of punctuation correctly including . , ? ! () : Use different words to join two short sentences e.g. hence, therefore, which. Use different words to open sentences e.g. however, as a result, consequently.

Maths The best thing you can do to help your child with their maths is to help them learn their times tables. They should be able to: say them in order answer them in a random order answer the division facts e.g. 6 x 5 = 30 so 30 ÷ 5 = 6

Maths at Level 1 Read, order and write numbers to 10. Use + and = to record additions. Know the addition and subtraction facts to 10. Tell the time to the hour and half hour.

Maths at Level 2 Count objects in 2s, 5s and 10s. Read, order and write numbers up to 100. Know how to double and half a number and that doubling and halving are the opposites of each other. Know that addition and subtraction are the opposites of each other and can use this to help check answers.

Maths at Level 3 Understand the value of each digit in numbers up to 1000 Use number facts to solve other problems e.g. use 17 + 3 = 20 to know 170 + 30 = 200 Mentally add and subtract numbers with two digits Add and subtract 3 digit numbers Solve divisions with simple remainders Find fractions of numbers

Maths at Level 4 Multiply and divide numbers by 10 and 100. Recall all of their times tables up to 12 x 12 AND quickly find the division facts. Add and subtract numbers with up to two decimal places. Multiply numbers with one decimal place by a single digit number.

Maths at Level 5 Multiply and divide numbers by 10, 100 and 1000. Multiply, divide, add and subtract numbers with up to two decimal places. e.g. 31.62 x 7 = Order decimal numbers with up to three decimal places. Find fractions of quantities e.g. 3/8 of 980

Level 6 Work Your child may have a Level 6 target in either, reading, writing, maths or all three. This means that they are working on KS3 objectives and will sit an extra test during the assessment week in May.

ENJOY LEARNING, HAVE FUN AND BE PROUD OF WHAT THEY ARE GOOD AT! Ultimately… Encourage your child to have a go and not be afraid to make mistakes. Allow them to find things out for themselves and solve problems. Use the Its Learning school platform. ENJOY LEARNING, HAVE FUN AND BE PROUD OF WHAT THEY ARE GOOD AT!