St Martha Class
Class Teacher: Miss Ammah
Teaching Assistants: Mrs Ingram, Mrs Kemsley
Now that your child is in Upper Key Stage 2, please encourage them to take responsibility for their behaviour and learning and help them understand these are fundamental to their future at secondary school and beyond.
We would be glad to speak to you at a convenient time about any queries you or your child have throughout the year. Please speak to the office to arrange a phone call or email Miss Ammah at: ammaj006@mastacademy.co.uk
The core priorities of the school this year are reading and writing and ensuring pupils are challenged regularly in these areas
SEND Pupils
If your child is registered with the school as having specific special learning needs, please look at the home learning links to meet their requirements attached to this link. Thank you.
Our Learning
We have a daily maths lesson that is taught using our school scheme ‘Third Space Learning’.
Daily English lessons cover all aspects of speaking and listening, reading, writing and grammar, punctuation and spelling (GPaS). Many of these lessons are linked to the Cornerstones topic for that term. Each term's learning is based around a cross-curricular theme; knowledge organisers for each term can be found below. Super-starter days introduce the theme and fantastic-finisher days conclude the learning at the end of the term. We follow the RE scheme 'Understanding Christianity' as recommended by Rochester Diocese. PE and French are taught discreetly.
Challenge
Each term, the children are set a curriculum challenge which is linked to the cross-curricular theme. Every lesson includes a challenge which the children strive to reach to extend their learning further. Weekly chocolate challenges are set in maths based on the week's learning. Children complete the task independently and one child is selected to win a prize.
Children can be selected to join the Maths Masters Challenge Club where they receive additional weekly problem solving activities.
Homework in UKS2
Children are expected to read and practise their spellings and times tables (up to 12x12) every night. Independence is a critical skill pupils should develop in preparation for secondary school and are encouraged to do so through autonomous engagement in homework.
Weekly homework tasks will be provided on a Friday and be expected the following Friday. These will include a literacy and maths based task each week.
Please use the knowledge organiser as a starting point for extra study. The information on these sheets should be easily recalled by the children once the topic is completed. Children are encouraged to extend their learning beyond the knowledge organiser if they have a specific interest in the topic.
Spellings & Times tables
Please note - Every Friday is spelling test day and every Tuesday 120 club day. Please practise the spellings which are given out during Friday's lesson and placed on spelling shed. All the spellings are on the 'Spelling Overview sheet' (below) should you forget which ones you should be practising. Dedicate some time to practising your times tables. 'Hit the Button' and 'TT Rockstars' would be good games to do this with.
This term's spellings
Physical Education
PE Days in St Martha are: Thursday and Friday- pupils should bring their PE kit in on these days. (please dress appropriately).
P.E. kit: White t-shirt, dark shorts or jogging bottoms, plimsolls or trainers. NO jewellery. Long hair must be tied back.
School uniform: white shirt or polo top, plain grey or black trousers / skirt, navy blue jumper or cardigan and flat school shoes.
If your child cannot partake in PE, we expect to receive written confirmation of this unless the class teacher has already been informed previously. PE is a compulsory element of the National Curriculum.
Suggested Reading
Behaviour and Rewards
The children are expected to work towards our six school rules which run throughout the school. These are:
We are kind, gentle, inclusive and supportive.
We listen carefully and follow instructions.
We look after property.
We respect and follow our school values.
We are safe and honest so everyone can enjoy.
We work hard to achieve and shine brightly.
Children are individually rewarded for good work, effort and behaviour.
Individual pupil names are added to the school praise book for English, Maths and Attitude to Learning.
Whole class rewards are negotiated between pupils and staff in each class every term. The children decide what they would like for a whole class prize.
Partnership Work
We have an informal 'open door' policy in upper key stage two. We are asking during this time for parents to make contact either via email or pop into the school office and request a call back and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Alternatively, write a note and get your child to pass it on.
Parent – teacher partnership. How can you help?
Reading - the key to everything. If we can get our children engaged and loving reading, then they will achieve great things. When children read, they are unknowingly taking in new vocabulary, spellings, sentence and text structures and hopefully enjoying it too.
Times tables - need regular practise and revision. Please support your child to learn their times tables by heart.
Spellings - need regular practise. Please support your child and test them on their spellings. Look, cover, write, check also works a treat.