2. Year 6 Information Meeting Welcome to everyone

3. The aims of this session…  To talk about how we can work together to achieve success for your child.  To ensure your child is happy and is able to achieve their full potential.  To reassure you that life in Year 6 will certainly be hard work but hopefully fun!  To briefly mention the importance of SAT’s in their final year of Primary School.

4. How can I help my child? Reading  It is important that you still hear your child read.  But remember to ask them questions about their reading – this became evident in the recent tests that children do not necessarily see beyond the obvious they need to question what they are reading.  Fill in the new Reading Journal please take care of them if they are lost they will need to be replaced and this will cost a £1.

5. More reading…  Make sure they read every night this can be comics, books or even instructions for a game!  Make sure your children understands what they are reading and able to predict what it is likely to happen next..  Use the book marks to ask questions, this is in your pack.

6. Spelling  Learn the weekly spellings with your child – this can be in the form of games don’t make it a chore. Spelling Test will be on a Friday and they will not all be the same.  Encourage your child to use them in their writing this I feel needs further development in Year 6 the children do not realise the importance of putting the learnt spellings into their writing it can make a difference!

7. Writing  Writing has finally become something we are very proud of at school.  We are above National Averages at achieving Level 4 but we need to improve the number of children achieving Level 5.  When the children are doing extra work at home make sure they write neatly and using correct punctuation. Ask the children lots of questions…

8. Writing Part 2  Ask them what are their maths, reading, science and writing targets?  They will set home to you when I have set them which will be at the beginning of July.  At Parents Evening you will be given their end of year targets.  The children will be aiming to get an MP3 player if they achieve ALL their targets.  What do we have to achieve gold, silver or bronze certificates or even the new Platinum level!  Your child will talk about the level they are working at – let me explain ……………

9. Writing Part 3…  The children will no longer to take an ‘actual’ writing test.  Writing is assessed throughout the year in the classroom as part of a ‘Big Writing’ session. This is less stressful and gives the children a much better chance to shine.

10. Maths  All children were given a tables sheet at the beginning of the year in the back of their homework books.  Practice daily 5 -10 minutes is enough. The need is to know how to use them!! Use them as division tables.  Play Maths games – Monopoly is fantastic!  Watching Countdown is also very good.

11. Maths Part 2  Help them to complete maths tasks in their head (help with the shopping list is very useful to them and you).  Look on learnanywhere for maths activities on the Internet.  Please read through the booklet on how to explain key concepts in Maths.

12. More maths…  We are putting a lot of intervention sessions into the timetable to help improve your children’s maths ability but it is vital that we get 100% effort from the children themselves.  These sessions worked incredibly well last year especially through the raising the children’s confidence in their own ability.  The sessions will include small groups led by Teachers, 1:1 intervention which is usually after school.  G&T Sessions focusing on attainment at Level 5 and 6.  The Level 6 sessions will start in September I will hold another meeting to discuss this particular intervention.

13. Homework o This is where I ask for your support, I have been very impressed so far this term with the children’s attitude to their homework. o Homework will involve Maths, Literacy and sometimes Science. Some may include quizzes on the learning platform.  Please continue to encourage your child to do their best and complete the work neatly. Any work can be e-mailed to me: bcalderbank@grassmoor.derbyshire.sch.uk orbcalderbank@grassmoor.derbyshire.sch.uk https://grassmoor.learnanywher e.co.uk https://grassmoor.learnanywher e.co.uk

14. More homework! 20 Dream Points  I would appreciate if you could sign when the work has been completed and if there are any issues please make a note for me to read and I can get back to you, there is 20 Dream Points for your child if you do! 3.15 – 4.15pm  A Homework club has been organised for your children to use if they would prefer to complete homework at School Friday lunchtimes or Monday after school. 3.15 – 4.15pm  Mrs Hurst and Mrs Bradley run these sessions in the ICT suite. This is particularly useful if your child is reluctant to complete work at home or does not have access to the Internet.

15. What can you do to help?  Ask your child what they have been doing at school?  Encourage your child to do their best – that is all we ask of them, particularly homework it should be as neat as it is in school.  Help them with their homework – do not be afraid to come and please come and see me if your child does not understand the work.

16. More ways to help….  Are you available to come in and help in school, I am always looking for volunteers to help listen to children read.  Look at our new website – look at the wonderful things going in at School.  www.grassmoor.derbyshire.sch.uk/ or type in Grassmoor Primary School into Google. www.grassmoor.derbyshire.sch.uk/  Check out messages and websites to use on the new learning platform:  grassmoor.learnanywhere.co.uk grassmoor.learnanywhere.co.uk

17.  Praise and encouragement are a key motivation to work.  We have several rewards systems in 6C:  Sticker Charts – complete one row of their sticker chart – a dip in the box.  It’s good to be green! I have found the behaviour chart has been particularly successful in previous years – the children don’t like to turn any other colour apart from green – unless for a privilege card!  Thankfully I haven’t had to use it much this term yet….  Dream Points – children can collect Dream Points from attending clubs, Helping at Lunch Time, Homework to name just a few.

18. School Behaviour System…  The yellow and red card system will be working as before but if a child receives a red card they take their work and work in another classroom.  They return after that particular lesson. I will inform you if it happens more than once in a week – hopefully it won’t happen at all!

19. Topics for this year….  Very flexible at the moment – we are continuing with our Creative Curriculum, based on the children’s interests. They will have their views listened and planning will revolve around this.  The children have yet to decide their topics for this year but there has been a lot of whispers about World War 1 & 2. If this is the case it would have a very different focus as Chloe and Erin have already studied this topic.  Of course we will teaching Literacy, Numeracy and Science alongside this topic.

20. Trips….  It is hoped that there will be a residential visit this year.  I am at the moment researching places to go and the most important feature the cost!  I will send out information in the next few weeks.

21. SAT’s or SOT’s (Show off time!)  There will be assessment focussed weeks in October, February and April.  SAT’s week is in May but no official date yet.  The tests will be in Reading, Maths and Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar (SPAG).  Teacher Assessment in Writing and Science.

22. For coming this evening I am looking forward to the challenges the new year brings and I hope we can all work together with the same aim: For your child to reach their true potential and to have a very happy final year in Grassmoor Primary!

23.  Celebration of Work 2.30pm on Tuesday 16 th July.  Parents Evening October 2013, look out for the date in the September newsletter.  SAT’s Meeting – January 2014