Learning Meeting for Parents Year 1 Friday 12

Learning Meeting for Parents Year 1 Friday 12 th September 2014

A new National Curriculum Why the big curriculum change? The main aim is to raise standards. Although the new curriculum is intended to be more challenging, the content is actually slimmer than the current curriculum, focusing on essential core subject knowledge and skills such as essay writing and computer programming. The main changes (in core subjects)

A new National Curriculum • Stronger emphasis on vocabulary development, grammar, punctuation and spelling (for example, the use of commas and apostrophes will be taught in KS 1) • Handwriting( not currently assessed under the English national curriculum) is expected to be fluent, legible and speedy • Spoken English has a greater emphasis, with children to be taught debating and presenting skills.

A new National Curriculum Maths • Five-year-olds will be expected to learn to count up to 100 (compared to 20 under the current curriculum) and learn number bonds to 20 (currently up to 10) • Simple fractions (1/4 and 1/2) will be taught from KS 1, and by the end of primary school, children should be able to convert decimal fractions to simple fractions (e. g. 0. 375 = 3/8) • By the age of nine, children will be expected to know times tables up to 12× 12 (currently 10× 10 by the end of primary school) • Calculators will not be introduced until near the end of KS 2, to encourage mental arithmetic. • Strong focus on scientific knowledge and language, rather than understanding the nature and methods of science in abstract terms Science • Evolution will be taught in primary schools for the first time • Non-core subjects like caring for animals will be replaced by topics like the human circulatory system

A new National Curriculum • Design and Technology has become more important in the new curriculum, setting children on the path to becoming the designers and engineers of the Design & future technology • More sophisticated use of design equipment such as electronics and robotics • In KS 2, children will learn about how key events and individuals in design and technology have shaped the world. ICT • Computing replaces Information and Communication Technology (ICT), with a greater focus on programming rather than on operating programs • From age five, children will learn to write and test simple programs, and to organise, store and retrieve data • From seven, they will be taught to understand computer networks, including the internet • Internet safety – currently only taught from 11 -16 – will be taught in primary schools • Currently not statutory, a modern foreign language or ancient language will be Languages mandatory in KS 2. Children will be expected to master basic grammar and accurate pronunciation and to converse, present, read and write in the language

Assessment without levels: what does it mean for schools? Assessment from September 2014 • In March 2014, the Department for Education (Df. E) published information for schools on the National Curriculum and assessment from September 2014. The document stated that level descriptors would be removed from the National Curriculum and will not be replaced. They added: • Schools have the freedom to develop their own means of assessing pupils' progress towards end of Key Stage (KS) expectations.

Statutory Tests The following assessments will be statutory: • The existing progress check for two-year-olds • A short reception baseline, as part of the assessment that teachers make of children in reception • The year 1 phonics check • Teacher assessment at the end of KS 1 in mathematics, reading and writing • KS 2 national tests in mathematics, reading, and grammar, punctuation and spelling; and a teacher assessment of maths, reading, writing and science • KS 1 and KS 2 tests will be based on a scaled score The response document explains that the KS 1 and KS 2 tests will be based on a scaled score where 100 represents the new expected standard for the relevant KS.

Assessing progress without levels: Df. E principles The Df. E published additional guidance which says: • The assessment framework should be built into the school curriculum, so that schools can check what pupils have learned and whether they are on track to meet expectations at the end of the KS. (Schools need to develop assessment systems which complement the programmes of study for the new National Curriculum. )

What will we be learning?

Maths Geometry, Place value, number operations (- and +), fractions, number operations (x), statistics/ handling data, Measuring (time), measuring (length), measure (money), patterns and algebra. The maths homework will link to the area of mathematics we are working on in that week and will build on what they have been doing in class.

English The following areas will be covered on a 3 weekly basis (apart from poetry, which will be 1 week at a time). • • • • Narrative stories from other cultures Non fiction explanation Poetry Narrative adventure/ Fantasy Non fiction recount Poetry Non fiction instructions Poetry Narrative mystery- patterned language Non fiction persuasion Poetry Narrative historical Non chronological reports Poetry

Learning Challenge Why can’t a Rhino live in the North Pole? KS 1 Geography: identify seasonal and daily weather patterns in the United Kingdom and the location of hot and cold areas of the world in relation to the Equator and the North and South Poles WOW: Read ‘Meerkat Mail’ LC 1 Why does Lanku live in Kenya the desert? LC 2 Which animals live in cold places like the North and South Pole? LC 3 How do Polar Bears keep warm? LC 4 What do we mean by hot and colours? LC 5 Why do people usually like going to hot places for their holidays? LC 6 Why do we wear different clothes in summer and winter? LC 7 Reflection: Would you rather be a Rhino or a Polar Bear?

Throughout the year we will explore… • Where do the leaves go to in winter? • Who was famous when mum and dad were little? • What has changed since my grandparents were young? • Where do, and did, the wheels on the bus go?

Science • Why are Humans not like Rhinos? • Which material should the three Little Pigs have used to build their house? • WEATHER • Which birds and plants would Little Red Riding Hood see in our Park or School? • Why isn't everybody afraid of the dark? (dark and light)

Computing Over the Year we will cover: • E-safety • Programming • Multimedia and technology in our lives • Handling data We will explore these through: • Toys • Film • Shadows and stick men

PE and Premier sports • Tuesday morning • Wednesday afternoon Games, Dance, Games, Outdoor adventurous activities, athletics, Gymnastics (at RGC)

Homework consists of: • Reading (30 minutes every night) • Spelling practice (ransom words) • 1 Maths task. These will all be given out on a Friday and be due back on a Wednesday

Uniform The home-school agreement specifies that all children should have a sweatshirt or cardigan with the school logo on it. All children should have outdoor shoes and indoor shoes. (Please make sure all clothes are named).

Any questions?