Living and Learning: Democracy
Having discussed the importance of voting following our homework last week, school council elections will take place this week. We talked about the importance of voting for who we thought was the best candidate once we’d heard all of the speeches. We understand that our friend won’t always be the best person for the job and how our secret ballot allows us to vote fairly.
School council speeches will take place on Wednesday 23 October and the children will vote in the morning on Thursday 24. New school councillors will then be announced in an assembly at the end of the day on Thursday.
Multiskills at Roundhay
On Wednesday, some children joined in with a multiskills event at Roundhay Secondary Campus.
We worked our way around a number of activities which tested our speed, agility, aim and resilience and tried to beat our own score each time. The children were fab and enjoyed their time there.
Living and Learning: Rights and Responsibilities
This week, we’ve been discussing rights and responsibilities. We’ve explored what rights we have as children and what responsibilities go with these rights.
Here are some of the points that have been discussed. See whether your child can tell you the right or responsibility that goes with each one.
Rights
- to be educated
- to be healthy
- to be happy
Responsibilities
- to bring my homework
- to be a good role model
- to be kind to others
School Council elections
We have recently launched this year’s School Council election process. Our School Council is one of the ways that children are encouraged to take an active part in pupil voice.
The election process allows children to develop an understanding of one of the British Values, democracy, with two representatives from each class, chosen democratically by their peers.
Here are some of the qualities our school councillors think are needed to be an effective school councillor.
- use the 8Rs for learning
- be respectful and polite
- help others
- be a good speaker and listener (to members of your class and in the meetings)
- share and be confident with your ideas
- let others speak
- accept the views of others even if you don’t agree
- be friendly and approachable
- follow our school rules and make good choices in class and around school
Our current whole school homework is all about the election and democracy, ready for the elections next Thursday 24 October.
Bonfire night themed menu
Catering Leeds, our school meal provider, will be running a special themed menu on Tuesday 5th November. Please contact the office, as soon as possible, if your child would like a school meal on this day (no action needed if your child normally has a school meal on this day).
Supporting your child’s learning
Thanks to everyone who attended the learning workshop last week. We hope that we were able to answer any questions that you had and that you feel able to support your child’s learning at home.
Remember, short chunks of time will work best to keep your child focused and interested. Try learning a few spellings or times table facts a night rather than looking at them all at the same time; listen to your child read for 10 minutes but then read to them too; and make sure they see you read for pleasure, even if it is a newspaper or magazine.
Here is the powerpoint that was used for the workshop. Please come and ask if you have any questions.
Design and Technology: treehouse building
We’ve researched. We’ve designed. We’ve planned. Now, it’s time to make.
Starting with our three main criteria, we have moved into the making stage of our design process. Our platform, entry/exit and team flag were the criteria that every group had to include in their design and all groups have added these to their trees this week. Some groups have moved on to their other criteria too.
We’ve found it really tricky to attach things to our trees and are having to develop our knotting skills and analyse whether what we’re attaching is sturdy enough.
There’s been some great teamwork throughout the whole design process. Now, we’re having to work together to decide what the best materials are for the different parts of our plan and weigh up the cost of these materials too.
At home, ask us what we’ve achieved on our treehouse so far and what obstacles we’ve had to overcome.
Living and Learning: 8Rs
Having reflected on all eight Rs for learning, Year 4 decided they learnt most about resilience this term in our tower building lesson.
As a team, we had to try and build the tallest tower but it kept getting knocked down. Despite our frustrations, we had to encourage each other to carry on and start again. We talked about situations that make us feel like this and strategies we had to help us to keep going.
At home, see if we can tell you what the 8Rs are and ways we can showing we’re using them in our learning.
School Savings Club paying in dates 2019/2020
Did you know we offer a School Savings Club in association with Leeds Credit Union?
The account is open to all children and it is free to set up. As there is not minimum deposit requirement, it is a great way for your child/children to learn the importance of money.
As an extra incentive, Year 3 pupils who open an account, or who currently have an account, will be credited with £10.
We offer paying in sessions every half term where you can bring along any savings to be paid into your child’s account.
The paying in dates for this year are at 3.15-3.45pm on the following dates (the penultimate Monday of each half term).
- 14 October
- 09 December
- 03 February
- 23 March
- 11 May
- 06 July
If you’re unable to attend in person, please hand in any money to be deposited to the office in a sealed envelope addressed to Mrs Tiffany.
To find out more about the accounts or if your child would like to open account, please enquire at the office.
Times Tables
0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36
We’ve moved on to the 3 times table this week. In class, we have explored patterns in the three times table:
- It goes odd, even, odd, even
- If you add the digits together (15… 1 + 5 = 6), you always get a multiple of three
- The ones column goes back to 3, 6, 9 once you get to 10 times 3 or 20 times 3 or 30 times 3
- What arrays can we make?
We talk about how we can use facts we know to work out fact we’re less confident with:
I’m unsure about 8 x 3 but I know 5 x 3 and 3 x 3 so I can add them together to get 8 x 3.
Rather than just answering questions or reciting the times table at home, see if you can explore the times table like we have in class.
