It’s half-term…
…so there is no homework this week.
Please make sure your child spends some time most days reading – books, comics, newspapers… Why not visit the library or a book shop this week?
To support writing, your child should review their spellings from the last few weeks. You could test them on words from all the lists, and ask them to use the words in sentences or a story, or create a comic strip with a word used in each speech bubble.Perhaps you could set a challenge (for you as well as your child!) of using spelling words in everyday conversations! Practising handwriting by joining up is a useful activity, too.
In Maths, children in Key Stage 2 should definitely practise times tables – including the related division facts. Can your child respond within five seconds (not counting up to work it out) to questions like ‘What’s 7 times 8?’ and ‘What’s 42 divided by 6?’
Of course, make sure your child is happy and healthy over half-term, too! A walk and play at Roundhay Park, a bike ride, a conker challenge, a trip to the art gallery… Enjoy!
02 October 2015
This week’s spellings will be tested on Friday 09 October.
They are homophones whose spelling shouldn’t be difficult, but understanding their role in the sentence (noun or verb) is trickier.
advise – advice
- Verb – I advise you to stop smoking.
- Noun – That was good advice you gave me.
devise – device
- Verb – We need to devise a plan.
- Noun – This device will help us with our plan.
license – licence
- Verb – I am licensed to drive.
- Noun – I hope I can get my driving licence.
practise – practice
- Verb – I’m going to go and practise my piano.
- Noun – I need to walk to the piano practice.
prophesy – prophecy
- Verb – I prophesy that I will get top marks.
- Noun – The prophecy said I would get top marks.
compliment – complement
- Verb – That jumper complements your eyes.
- Noun – A full complement of workers built the house.
- Verb – I complimented my mum’s eyes.
- Noun – What a lovely compliment.
descent – dissent
- Verb – The crew dissented from the captain’s decision.
- Noun – A steep descent loomed in front of me.
It’s Christmas…
…so teachers are not giving new lists of spellings to learn this week.
If your child didn’t do so well in the Spellathon, please make sure (s)he keeps learning the spellings that you teacher has set this term.
The Department for Education has set out a list of 100 words which children in Y3,4 should know, and a further 100 words for children in Y5,6. If you’d like to give your child a head-start, you might like to support your child in learning some of these. The lists can be found on page 54 and page 61 of this document.
(This list is new for 2014; teachers have begun to include the words in their spelling lists.)
It’s the Easter holidays…
…so we have no set homework or spellings, in line with our Homework Policy.
That doesn’t mean we expect your child not to be developing their skills in reading, writing and maths!
Your child should be reading daily – this could be fiction, factual books, a comic or newspaper, and could include being read to at bedtime, too.
It would be good to practise basic skills in writing by writing a letter or email to a relative, perhaps recounting a day-trip or reviewing a film your child watched.
We’re finding quite a few children are ‘squashing their sentences’ such as I went to Leeds City Museum it was really interesting which is wrong. It would be much better with punctuation to separate or a word to join:
- I went to Leeds City Museum. It was really interesting. (A comma isn’t strong enough to separate two sentences.)
- I went to Leeds City Museum – it was really interesting.
- I went to Leeds City Museum; it was really interesting.
- I went to Leeds City Museum and it was really interesting.
- I went to Leeds City Museum which was really interesting.
Finally, to improve calculation skills, please keep practising mental number facts which your child must know:
- number bonds (two numbers which add up to 10, 20 and 100 eg 3+7, 13+7, 30+70) – these facts should be known by children in Y1 – Y2
- times tables (up to 12×12) and the division facts with your child – children in Y2 should have rapid recall of x2, x 5 and x 10 at least
We know we mention these ‘basics’ a lot, but that’s because they involve practice, practice and more practice – we practise a lot at school, but your child will need to practise at home, too, if they are to truly succeed.
Learn more about current expectations for reading, writing and maths. However, do be aware that a new National Curriculum comes into effect from September, meaning these expectations have been raised and so many aspects of learning now feature in younger age groups.
It’s half-term…
It’s the half-term, so in line with our current homework policy, there are no homework tasks or spellings to learn.
However, please make sure you’re reading lots with your child – we’re finding children are reading less than they need to if they are to gain fluency and understanding. You could take your child to a local library, hunt down an old favourite to re-visit, plan a story book for each bedtime over the holiday, read more about a favourite subject on the internet, buy a comic or magazine… And, so they have good role models, make sure your child sees you read, too!
Our current homework policy will be reviewed soon. A small number of you have told us you’re not entirely happy with it – it would be really helpful if you tell us more about what you’d like. Send us an email or speak with Mrs Weekes or me about this. Thank you.
It’s half-term…
…so no specific homework, spellings or tables this week. It’s a good time to relax and enjoy some time with your children – have you visited the free exhibition of Anthony Browne pictures at Leeds City Museum, for example?
It’s the half-term break…
…so there’s no homework or spellings this week. Enjoy the holiday, whatever you get up to.
03 May 2013
There will be no new words to learn this week. Instead, there will be SATs style spelling tests of words that the children are unfamiliar with.
I suggest children spend time each night looking through old spelling lists and trying to remember rules, especially:
- drop the ‘e’ for ‘ing’ eg hope / hoping, accommodate / accommodating
- drop the ‘y’ for ‘i’ eg happy / happiness, fury / furious
- double up for short vowel sounds eg diner / dinner, coma / comma
Spelling tests will be given at several points in the week.
26 April 2013
There will be no new words to learn this week. Instead, there will be SATs style spelling tests of words that the children are unfamiliar with. I suggest children spend time each night looking through old spelling lists and trying to remember rules, especially:
- drop the ‘e’ for ‘ing’ eg hope / hoping, accommodate / accommodating
- drop the ‘y’ for ‘i’ eg happy / happiness, fury / furious
- double up for short vowel sounds eg diner / dinner, coma / comma
Spelling tests will be given at several points in the week.
15 March 2013
For the final time, I want you to revisit all the spellings we have learnt throughout the year. Each day we will have a randomly generated test on some of the spelling from the year plus a bigger test on Friday.
Make sure your spellings are up to date in your learning list book – if they aren’t up to date, use the website to help you fill in the gaps.
You might not remember the spelling, but see if you can apply the rules.
