Terrific times tables
By the end of Year 4, children are expected to know their times tables and corresponding division facts up to 12 x 12, as stated in the National Curriculum. They should be able to recall a multiplication or division fact within about five seconds.
A couple of weeks ago, we checked this for children in Key Stage 2 – and got some really encouraging results.
Out of a total score of 25, children in Year 4 got an average of 21.2 out of 25 – and, of course, there are still two more terms to keep on improving.
We’ve seen similarly encouraging results in Years 5 and 6. 100% of the Year 6 children scored over 20 out of 25, and their average score is 24.6.
In school, we explore times tables so children have a secure understanding of the concept of multiplication and division, and the various patterns and sequences related to each times table. There’s also regular practice in each class. We’ve also introduced regular tables to practise at home, followed by times table tests each Friday. Thank you for supporting your child with this.
If you’re confident your child knows their tables, don’t forget to help them know related facts. So, 3 x 8 = 24, which means…
- 8 x 3 = 24
- 24 ÷ 8 = 3
- 24 ÷ 3 = 8
- 30 x 8 = 240
- 3 x 80 = 240
- 30 x 80 = 2,400
- 3 x 0.8 = 2.4
- and so on!
Top tip! 7 x 8 = 56 is probably the hardest fact to know. Here’s a way that might help… Reverse the statement: 56 = 7 x 8. Can you see the sequence of the digits? 5, 6, 7, 8… 5 6 is 7 8s…
Crazy carpet dangerous driver
The article below is taken directly from the Yorkshire Evening Post website. We’d like to thank the parent who has reported this shocking incident to the police.
Leeds driver spotted with huge carpets obscuring his windscreen
A father walking his child to school had a shock when he spotted this car with its windscreen obscured by CARPETS. The man saw the overloaded vehicle in Moortown while dropping his son off at nearby Moortown Primary School. When he challenged the man driving the Ford estate, he was told he could still see where he was going despite the two large carpets strapped to the roof rack.
“I was just about to cross the road when I saw the car with its windscreen almost entirely covered by the carpets. The driver had the window open and I saw him adjust the position of the carpet as it had moved while he was driving. I asked the driver why he was driving dangerously, and he said ‘I always do it like this’ and that it was ‘OK, because I can still see where I’m going.’ ”
He took the photo at around 9am on Thursday morning.
“Complacent attitudes towards driving are becoming a real concern for me and my family. I’ve also recently witnessed people using mobile phones while driving, driving along the footpaths, parking on pavements, speeding and even a van driver eating a bowl of cereal while passing the school gates at drop-off time.”
The driver has been reported to police.
Subscribe to First News and raise money for school
Sphere Federation has teamed up with First News to offer a fantastic opportunity which will help us raise money for our school.
The children love reading First News in school and now you have the chance to get a great offer and have First News delivered to your house every Friday for your kids to enjoy at home.
To make things even better for every subscription parents take out using our unique voucher codes X17SFED we will get money back to put towards our school.
To subscribe, please click here.
Packed lunches
On Monday, Caitlin Kitson, Nutritionist and Healthy Eating Adviser, delivered a whole school healthy eating assembly. The main focus was the importance of healthy packed lunches.
We talked about the different food groups on the Eatwell Guide, why different proportions of each food group are important for our bodies and how to achieve this in a packed lunch.
It was great to hear the children’s excellent knowledge of the Eatwell Guide when answering Caitlin’s questions.
At Moortown Primary, our packed lunch guidance includes:
- information about the different food groups
- how to put together a healthy, balanced packed lunch
- links to recipes and ideas for healthy packed lunches
Following the assembly, all children were given a copy of our packed lunch guidance and the Eatwell guide.
As an alternative to packed lunches, school meals, including a vegetarian option, are prepared daily in our kitchen and children are offered a choice of main courses and desserts. Children select their main meal choice at the start of the day. Catering Leeds provides food which meets national Food Standards criteria. School meals can be combined with packed lunches.
Free school meals are available to all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2. They are also available to some older children according to family income. It’s important to register for entitlement to free school meals, even if your child has a packed lunch or is in a younger class – this is so we can receive additional funding (called the pupil premium) which we can use to help your child.
What is our new school charity?
Part of our Who do you think you are? themed week was to learn about charities and how we can support them.
Our previous school charities, Leeds Mind and Yorkshire Air Ambulance Money, will benefit from £309.97 and £508.88 respectively as a result of fundraising and donations. Thank you.
It is now time to change our school charity. Each class discussed a range of charities, researched by the children for their homework, and voted on one charity they wanted to put forward for the school councillors to decide on.
Here were the class choices:
- Year 1 Plastic Oceans Foundation
- Year 2 Barnado’s
- Year 3 RSPCA
- Year 4 St Gemma’s Hospice
- Year 5 Make a wish
- Year 6 Diabetes UK
The final decision was a vote by the school council and the winning charity for 2017-2018 was Make A Wish. We will support this charity for one year.
We look forward to welcoming representatives from the charity in January for an assembly where we will hear more about their valuable work.
Who do you think you are?
Our themed week is in full swing with many highlights so far.
- Mindfulness workshops for Year 1, 2, 3 and Reception.
- Dove self esteem sessions for Year 5 and 6 (Visitor feedback – ‘We really enjoyed running the sessions and the classes we had were great and very engaged!’)
- Visits from RNIB, BID sensory services and the Leeds deaf and hearing impairment team for all classes
- West Yorkshire Police Hate Crime session for Year 5 and 6
- Some Year 5 and 6 children attended the Moor Allerton Elderly Care ‘Old & New Games’ afternoon (Visitor feedback – ‘They were brilliant and a pleasure to have.’)
- Whole school assembly about charities by Val from the Salvation Army charity shop in Meanwood
- Year 4 visit to St Gemma’s Hospice
- Year 5 visit to Marjorie and Arnold Ziff centre
- Year 2 visit to Donisthorpe Hall
Thank you to parents who have attended our mindfulness workshop on Monday and our community coffee morning and wake up shake up today.
There is still more to come.
- PCSO visit to talk about community safety, road safety and monitor speed outside school in 20mph zone for Reception, Year 1 and 3
- Mindfulness workshops for Year 3, 4 and 5
- Learn languages in our community for Year 3 and 4
- Two more chances to walk, bike or scoot to school (Road Safety Week) to be in with a chance to win prizes on Friday
- New school charity will be chosen
- Have a go at the Who do you think we are? competition
Take a look at the class news pages to find out more about your child’s learning this themed week.
Important information regarding measles
You may have heard in the news that there have been a number of confirmed cases of measles in Leeds. As you will be aware, measles is extremely infectious and can be a serious illness in some cases. The attached information contains advice on preventing the spread of measles, what the symptoms of measles are and how parents can protect their families by ensuring that their children have had two doses of the MMR vaccine.
If you are not sure whether your child is up to date with their vaccinations or your child is not up to date, please make an arrangement with your GP practice as soon as possible.
It is never too late to immunise: measles can have serious complications regardless of age.
Mindfull or mindful?
Would you like to find out more about mindfulness and how it can be used to support your child at home?
As part of our whole school themed week next week, all children will be taking part in mindfulness workshops. There’ll also be a parent/carer session on Monday 20 November at 2:30-3:15pm.
Please contact the office if you would like to attend.
Watching us at work
Our first ‘Watch us while we work’ morning went very well. We had parents in most classrooms watching maths lessons. There was some great feedback from the parents who came along:
- “It was wonderful to see the children so engaged and actively learning. The different methods used by teachers were varied and equally effective.”
- “It was a very good opportunity to see how my child is taught and to see the new methods they use.”
- “It was especially helpful to see the next class so we understand how the children will be learning and how we can support them.”
- “Behaviour was excellent. It was good to compare what children are learning in maths in KS1 and KS2.”
Thanks to those parents who came along. If you couldn’t come to this one, there will be another one in the Spring term so watch this space!
Come along to our community coffee morning
Wednesday 22 November 9-10am
As part of our upcoming themed week, we welcome parents and carers to an informal coffee morning to meet other members of our school community including representatives from the PTA, our governing body, Moortown Community Group and Friends of Moortown Park. I will also be available to speak to parents about our new Living and Learning scheme of work. A whole school community Wake up Shake up will follow at 10am in the main playground.
