2. Changes to Curriculum and Assessment The New National Primary Curriculum was implemented in September 2014 Due to national testing in Year 2 and Year 6 both these year groups were to continue working to the ‘old’ national curriculum. From September 2015, all year groups are now studying the New National Curriculum

3. Main Changes The curriculum itself is more challenging. Many objectives have been incorporated into earlier years’ work, particularly in Mathematics and English. Greater focus on teaching of grammar and punctuation and reciting poetry as part of the English curriculum. Curriculum maps are on the school website detailing what children will be covering in each year group.

4. Assessment Attainment targets and levels were introduced with the national curriculum in 1988. To align with the introduction of the new national curriculum (2014), statutory assessment arrangements will change in summer 2016 to align with the content and principles of the new curriculum. The Commission on Assessment without Levels July 2015

5. SATs for 2016 Children in Year 2 and Year 6 will still undergo statutory assessments In Year 2, these are teacher assessments in reading, writing and maths, supported by externally set test in reading and maths. A new spelling, grammar and punctuation test is to be introduced that will support teachers’ assessment of writing. Sample papers for Years 2 and 6 can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum- assessments-2016-sample-materialshttps://www.gov.uk/government/collections/national-curriculum- assessments-2016-sample-materials

6. SATs for 2016 At Key Stage 2, children will take external tests in reading, mathematics and grammar, punctuation and spelling. Writing will continue to be teacher assessed. Mathematics will have 3 papers: 2 for reasoning of mathematics and 1 for arithmetic

7. SATs 2016 At Key Stage 1, 4 performance descriptors will be used to report children’s attainment. These are: Mastery standard National standard Working towards national standard Below national standard

8. SATs at Key Stage 2 Performance descriptor used for Reading, Mathematics, Grammar, Punctuation and Spelling will be: Working at the national standard. A scaled score will also be used where 100 score indicates a child working at the national standard.

9. SATs 2016 Writing assessment is still teacher assessed with 5 performance descriptors: Mastery standard Above national standard National standard Working towards national standard Below national standard Science – there will be biennial sample tests with 1 performance descriptor: Working at the national standard

10. Other Year Groups The curriculum objectives have been carefully divided mainly into separate year groups. This enables teachers to assess children’s progress against a set of given criteria. In mathematics, every year group has its own set of objectives. In English, objectives for reading and writing have been spread over 2 years in lower Key Stage 2, that is Years 3 & 4, and upper Key Stage 2, that is Years 5 & 6.

11. Due to the added challenge of the curriculum, teachers are having to ‘plug gaps’ created by some criteria moving into earlier year groups. The principles underlying the New Curriculum, promoted by the Expert Panel who designed the new curriculum, was based on the highly successful teaching methodology of successful jurisdictions, such as Singapore and Hong Kong. Their approach is every child having access to the full curriculum – all children covering the same criteria. All children having secure knowledge / understanding before moving on.

12. Different Approach The need to secure ‘deep learning’ in key concepts and ideas (Expert Panel) No longer will teachers be trying to cover different objectives in a lesson All children will be working on the same objective but possibly using different resources / methods / support Those children ‘secure’ will be given opportunities to apply their knowledge in different contexts, work independently, show resilience and perseverance to solve problems: to show ‘mastery’ It is important not to move with undue pace through the curriculum.

13. Different Approach As teachers assess against criteria they will know who is secure and who needs further work. Ability groups will be a thing of the past! By no longer grouping pupils according to levels, teachers can give more focus to providing pupils with personalised feedback. Commission on Assessment without Levels July 2015 Working ‘groups’ will be flexible, based on teachers’ on-going assessments of all pupils.

14. Different Approach Teachers record their assessments and are able to quickly identify those children needing further consolidation.

15. Assessment Teachers will be able to identify even more clearly children’s strengths and areas needing further support and will be able to share this information with parents and, of course, the pupils themselves. Any questions?

16. Communication School newsletters Website Twitter 2 Simple (Used in Reception and Year 1) Class newsletters Text messaging Considering Parent App We always try our best to keep parents informed of forthcoming events but parents must help by checking upcoming events.

17. Supporting Reading This year, in order to make reading a high priority across the whole school we are participating in a project: ‘Reading Quality Mark’. There will be lots of activities taking place this year, some of which will involve parents. Reading Quality Mark is about promoting ‘reading for pleasure’. As a first task, we are asking parents to model reading at home!

18. Parent Workshops We have recently sought the support of Knowsley Family Learning Service. They are going to provide a variety of workshops across the school year. We have asked them to try to offer some workshops outside of the normal school day to support our working parents. Please do keep a look out for these. They will be advertised in the weekly newsletter.

19. Parent Workshops One of the workshops offered will be on E-Safety. We are asking all of our parents to monitor children’s use of IT ensuring children are playing age appropriate games. Some of our children are playing games that are aimed at older children, some even 18+! As a school we also have concerns regarding the number of children who are on tablets, etc. for long periods of time. ICT is a fantastic tool and we are not saying ‘No’ to IT. As a school, we are fully aware how e-learning can engage our pupils, however, there is more and more research about the harm long periods of use can have particularly on sleep patterns.

20. A study by Mariana Figueiro, of the Lighting Research Centre at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, New York, revealed that: Using an Ipad set at maximum brightness for at least two hours suppresses the normal night-time release of melatonin – a crucial hormone in the body’s clock. Under regular conditions, the hormone signals the body that it is night and helps make you drowsy. Delaying the release of melatonin could delay sleep.

21. Primary school children – need about 9 to 10 hours sleep each night. Studies show that increasing your child’s sleep by as little as half an hour can dramatically improve school performance. Symptoms of sleep deprivation include: Moodiness and irritability Temper tantrums The tendency to emotionally ‘explode’ at the slightest provocation Over-activity and hyperactive behaviour Daytime naps Grogginess when they wake up in the morning Reluctance to get out of bed in the morning. Workshops are there to support parents and will offer lots of suggestions and advice to parents.

22. Any questions?