Welcome back!
The year is flying by and we are into the summer term already! We have a lot of fun things lined up this term including our trip to Jorvic and Sports day. Reminders will always be sent out on Dojo.
As Mrs Clipsham has taken on other roles in school, I have taken on the role of LKS2 leader. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to get in touch with your child's class teacher, in the first instance, on Class Dojo. However, I am always available too if you wish to speak to me. Again, Class Dojo is the easiest and quickest way to get in touch. Thank you. Mrs Ogley.
Staff in LOWER Key Stage 2
Penguins (Year 3) - Miss Jeffery, Mrs Murray
Zebras (Year 3/4) - Mrs Clipsham, Mrs Thornton, Miss Dawson, Miss Black, Mrs Evans
Bears (Year 4) - Mrs Ogley, Mrs Walsh, Mrs Horner, Mrs Causier, Miss Griffin
Our timings for the school day will remain the same as last term and so we will open the doors at 8.45am and close them at 8.55am; we dismiss at 3.15pm. All LKS2 will enter and exit from the top door near the gates. There will always be a member of the LKS2 team at the door each morning and afternoon. If you have a quick query, please see one of the team at these points. If you would like to have a longer meeting with your child's class teacher, please get in contact with them via Dojo and arrange a suitable meeting time. We will be having parent's meetings again this term so please do make an appointment then to see how your child is getting on.
This newsletter is to inform you of the teaching and learning that will be taking place during the Summer term in LKS2. This will not only give you an insight into what your child will be doing in school but it will also enable you to support your child with any additional learning at home. If you have any questions about any of the content of this curriculum newsletter, please contact your child's class teacher or Mrs Ogley via Dojo.
English and mathematics
Our learning in English follows the National Curriculum and ensures that the children understand the links between reading and writing. We continue to push reading and the importance of reading; it not only improves vocabulary and understanding of words - great readers make great writers.
Accelerated Reader is still one of the ways we are encouraging our children to read. This is a great tool for us to see how much children are reading and how well they are understanding the books that they read. The children can complete quizzes at school or at home and need to be changing their books on a regular basis. Here is the link that you need to take any quizzes at home: https://ukhosted97.renlearn.co.uk/6707939/
Please encourage your child to read at home. They can read a library book from school or if they prefer, a book from home. If they are reading a book from home, check with your child's class teacher first to see if the book is logged on Accelerated Reader to ensure your child can complete a quiz at the end.
If you would like to see if a book you have at home is on Accelerated Reader, simply go to https://www.arbookfind.co.uk/
During our reading lessons, we are focusing on vocabulary and fluency as well as comprehension skills. We are continuing to read extracts from our class reader 'The Astounding Brocolli Boy' which all classes are really enjoying so far.
Our spelling scheme is RWI Spelling which will be taught daily and follows on from the RWI phonics program which is taught in KS1 and to some children in LKS2 who still need a little support with phonics.
As we are now in the Summer term, the National Multiplication Tables test for Year 4 is approaching. We are continuing to practise times tables in school daily but please encourage them to do this at home too. Rapid recall is essential to pass this test. Your child can practise on TT Rockstars or Multiplication Check on Maths Frame which mimics the test they will take in June.
We are continuing to follow the White Rose Maths programme. White Rose Maths is an organisation that provides maths resources and Schemes of Learning for pupils of all ages, from early years to secondary school. The Schemes of Learning break down what children need to learn during each week of each term to master the learning objectives laid out by the National Curriculum through small steps. The resources are designed to be enjoyable, engaging and varied, to help pupils develop a love of learning and work towards mastery with differentiated resources.
'Everyone can do maths: everyone can!'
https://whiterosemaths.com/
This term Year 4 will cover: Fractions, decimals, money, time, shape and position and direction.
Year 3 will cover: Fractions, money, time, shape and statistics.
Religious Education
In Summer 1 we will be looking at the story of Creation through following question 'What do Christians believe from the Creation story?' The children will study how Christians believe the world was made, look at God as a creator and focus on the wonderful things in our world and how we can care for them.
In Summer 2 we will be looking at the Gospel through answering the the following question 'What kind of world did Jesus want?' The children will study a number of different lessons taught by Jesus in the bible. They will learn who wrote the Gospel and why the Gospel is considered to be 'Good News.'
Science
Our science focus for the whole of the term is Physics and our topic is forces and magnets.
We will be investigating which forces are pulls and which are push, which materials are magnetic and why.
The two key scientists we will be learning about this term is Michael Faraday, a British scientist whose work was based around magnetic fields.
It would be great if there is anything you can do to encourage your children to find out about Michael Faraday as this will support their science learning this Summer term.
PShE
We will be following a new PHSE scheme of work this year. Each half term we will focus on a different theme. PSHE will be taught in straight year groups, weekly, so all children will be taught to the expectations of the year group they are in.
The focus in Summer 1 is 'Being my best'. The focus in Summer 2 is 'Growing and changing.'
Please see dojo each half term for the topics and lessons for each year group.
History
The Vikings
In Summer 2 the children will be looking at the question 'How did England Change During the Settlement of the Vikings?'
We will look at the areas the Vikings settled in and were called Danelaw. We will also look at how this conflicted with the Anglo-Saxons already living in Britain.
We will compare the Vikings ways of living to Anglo-Saxon Britain.
We will study the timeline of events in History and compare the Vikings to other time periods we have studied.
We will learn about Vikings as warriors and where they came from and how they travelled to Lindisfarne.
Geography
Biomes
In Summer 1 the children will be looking at the question 'What is the weather like in our world?'
Our geography unit of work this term will allow the children to understand that there are weather patterns and seasons and how these climate patterns are different in different regions of the world.
The children will learn where the coldest places on Earth are in relation to the equator and Poles.
Then they study different biomes including tundra, desert and tropical.
The children will carry out some field work to collect and analyse weather data.
Finally they will be able to describe the seasonal weather associated with a temperate climate in the UK and can say how it impacts on daily life.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Cricket
During the Summer 1, children in year 3 will be developing their cricket skills. Our enquiry question is 'Is the bowler or the batter the most important team member during the game?'
In Summer 1, Bears and Zebras will be having Forest school sessions. Bears will be on a Monday morning and Zebras on a Monday afternoon. They will need outdoor clothes and wellies for this session. Even though the weather is becoming milder, please send your children with waterproofs and a coat in case it does rain or is still a little cold! The children are outside for the full session in all weathers.
Year 4 children will continue to go swimming on a Wednesday afternoon.
In Summer 2, the PE focus for all three classes will be athletics and our enquiry question is: Is athletics a team or individual challenge?
PE improves motor skills and increases muscle strength and bone density, which in turn makes students more likely to engage in healthy activity outside of school. Furthermore, it educates children on the positive benefits of exercise and allows them to understand how good it can make them fit and healthy.
Penguins PE days are a Wednesday and a Thursday. Children need to ensure they bring their indoor/outdoor PE kit on these days.
Year 4 children will need to bring their swimming kit on a Wednesday.
Year 3 children in Zebras will need to bring their kits on a Wednesday.
Bears and Zebras children will need to bring their Forest School clothes on a Monday.
PE is an essential part of the curriculum and all pupils need to take part. If you are struggling to obtain any PE uniform, please contact Mrs Ogley via Dojo and we will do our best to help. The uniform bank is also available to support.
For PE children will need:
- Black or navy shorts/skort - these need to be mid thigh length and not hot pant style
- Plain white T-shirt (no logos or sport's teams)
- Trainers suitable for outdoor PE
- Plain black or navy joggers or leggings
- Plain black or navy jacket or hoodie
- A water bottle
Please note that children are not able to do PE with earrings in. These are government guidelines.
French
We will be continuing with our French tutor, Mr. Ratcliffe, who is coming in to work with all classes in Key Stage 2 this year. He will teach each class for 30 minutes every week. The children will not only be learning a variety of French vocabulary, but they will also learn how to write words and sentences in French.
The Arts
This term, through our Art lessons, we will be learning the skills of sculpting. The children will learn about the works of British artist Anthony Caro and will be constructing a playground sculpture made of recyclable materials. Please if you have any materials that you usually recycle such as cereal boxes, kitchen roll tubes etc, send them into school with your child as we do need a lot of materials!
In DT, the children will looking at mechanical systems and work towards making a pneumatic toy. They will be designing their toy, make it and then evaluating their finished work.
In Summer 1 music lessons we will be learning dynamics and tempo through rivers (linked to Geography). In Summer 2 we will be learning how to perform music and Haikus. It is Penguins turn for the whole class Samba music lesson taught by a music teacher from Wakefield Music Services.
Computing
During our computing sessions this first half term we will be investigating further coding and creating algorithms through Scratch. The children will investigate variables and how to create one. The end product will be to create a quiz using these variables.
In Summer 2, the children will design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals through our unit Computational thinking. They will learn what computational thinking is, understand what decomposition is and recognise patterns to develop skills to solve a problem.
Attendance
At St Botolph’s CE Academy, we believe that children have a right to fulfil their potential and flourish as unique individuals and so it is our vision that all children attend our school regularly and on time. To this end, we strive to support all our families in encouraging their child to attend regularly, no matter what barriers they may face
Please ensure that your child is in school each day. If they are not well, please phone the office to let them know. If we do not have a reason for absence, your child will be marked as an unauthorised absence.