Welcome back to all our pupils! · Welcome back to all our pupils! Volume 4, Issue 1 Autumn Term 2020 Our focus this year is to continue to teach pupils to develop their creativi-ty

It has been wonderful to have all our children back at school! They are excit-ed to be back and we have enjoyed seeing so many smiles in classes and in the playground!

We continue to ensure that our chil-dren flourish here at Davies Lane, de-spite not being in school for much of last year and the difficulties posed by COVID 19.

Our recovery curriculum aims to reflect on the impact 2019-2020 had on many of us. Now, more than ever, we need to ensure the well-being and safety of all our pupils, both in school and at home. Positive mental health and well-being are at the root of any opportunities for learning and through our recovery cur-riculum we aim to ensure that children have a voice and a space to share their feelings. We have all had different ex-periences of the lockdown and may react to the return to school in differ-ent ways.

‘Caught being Kind’ is our motto for this term—we are focussing on care, creativity and compassion within our school and within the curriculum.

We continue to build an inquirer’s mindset by nurturing curiosity, critical thought and developing problem solv-ing skills.

We are addressing conscious and un-conscious bias and truth and reflecting on equality within the curriculum.

Welcome back to all our pupils!

Volume 4, Issue 1

Autumn Term 2020

Our focus this year is to continue to teach pupils to develop their creativi-ty and ideas and develop a critical understanding of artists, architects and designers, expressing reasoned judgements that can inform their own work.

Similarly, design and technology is an inspiring, rigorous and practical sub-ject. Using creativity and imagina-tion, pupils will have the opportunity to design and make products that solve real and relevant problems within a variety of contexts. Through this, children acquire a broad range of subject knowledge and draw on disciplines such as mathematics, sci-ence, engineering, computing and art. Pupils learn how to take risks, how to be resourceful, innovative, enterprising and capable citizens.

Through a variety of creative and practical activities, pupils will build the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to engage in an interac-tive process of designing and making. This will prepare pupils to strive in industrial contexts aligned with our concepts of engineering, construc-tion, agriculture (including horticul-ture) and energy (linked to sustaina-ble planet).

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Key Priorities for

2020-2021

Deepen the most able pu-pils’ exposure and experi-ence to a wider range of ‘The Arts’ through greater opportunities to appraise, appreciate and curate a wide range of art forms in-cluding artefacts, tech-niques and methods.

Expand and deepen how technology is used to design new products linked to con-struction, architecture, engi-neering and agriculture.

Explore prose, poetry and drama to deepen under-standing: plays and seminal world literature considering historical periods, forms and authors, including high-quality works from English literature, both pre-1914 and contemporary– includ-ing Shakespeare.

Develop our recovery curric-ulum to support emotional

and mental health.

Address the unconscious and conscious bias and ‘truth’ in our curriculum.

At Davies Lane we are striving to

ensure that your child’s mathe-

matics knowledge continues to de-

velop, especially during these chal-

lenging times. A focus on fluency

and understanding of place value at

the beginning of the year cements

strong foundations for reasoning

and problem solving later on.

Teachers have worked incredibly

hard to identify missing compo-

nents while also making links across

other areas of the curriculum. For

example, children have been repre-

senting data in Science, measuring

and converting weight in DT and

Mathematics

ing from a decodable book with a partner.

Y2 have been busy preparing for their Phonics Screening check. Staff and children have been working hard to close gaps in learning. They are being taught phonics twice daily as well as using decodable books to consolidate new sounds taught.

In September, we had a great num-ber of parents attend our online phonics coffee morning. It was a

Page 2 Davies Lane Primary

Phonics fantastic opportunity for parents to gain a better understanding of the way we teach phonics at school. Parents were able to have all their questions answered and leave with a bank of ideas on how to support their children at home. Thank you to all the parents who have been read-ing at home with their children reg-ularly. It helps move the children forward at a faster pace in their reading journey.

analysing mathematical algorithms

in Computing. Creating layers of

mathematical knowledge, devel-

oped across all areas of the curricu-

lum, ensures that children have a

deeper conceptual understanding

through exposure to mathematics

in variety of contexts.

During this term, across the early years and key stage 1, children have been taught synthetic sys-tematic phonics daily following our Letters and Sounds pro-gramme. Flashcards, magnetic letters and phoneme frames are used effectively to support chil-dren in decoding, blending and segmenting new words. To apply their taught sound of the day, children spend each session read-

The computing curriculum allows children in all years the chance to learn how to investigate, code and debug computer programs. For example, in Year 3, the chil-dren were tasked with debugging a racing car computer game on SCRATCH. The pupils needed to read the programming code, un-derstand the actions that were being undertaken and decide

Computing which variables produced which output, when they had this knowledge, they were able to ad-just the variables to get the game to play properly. As a school we are also looking forward to the arrival of a new set of Google Chromebooks. These new devices will allow many of our lessons to become much more interactive and promote critical, evaluative thinking at a greater

depth. We are encouraging all pupils to access their homework via the Google Classroom, even if it is completed on paper and upload-ed. Having access to the virtual classroom now means that if you have to self-isolate as either an individual or a bubble, you will still be able to access your learning.

how language functions and how

best to use this when writing

themselves.

A well-chosen text provides rich

language models and structures

from which children can learn

how writing works and the effect

it can have on a reader. To devel-

op the children into confident

young writers, shared reading les-

sons are a part of the daily timeta-

ble in which high quality texts

across a variety of genres are

read, reflecting a range of writing

styles.

Texts chosen are rich in vocabu-

lary, and enable children to com-

prehend beyond their own read-

ing fluency level.

Creating a rich reading environ-

ment demonstrates the written

word in all its forms and shares

how writing can be used for thinking,

for communication and as a means of

expression. With a rich diet of quality

texts and enriching experiences chil-

dren will be able to find their own

reasons to write and develop a style

that fits the purpose, audience and

form intended.

Developing children as writers is so

much more than asking them to re-

member grammatical constructions

or tricky spellings. It is a complicated

and intricate process – and if you

enable a child to become a writer

you have given them a voice, sup-

ported them to communicate and

provided them with a skill that is vital

for all of their schooling and to their

life beyond. This is our aim for all our

children at Davies Lane Primary.

Volume 4, Issue 1 Autumn Term 2020 Page 3

English

Reading

At Davies Lane Primary, high-

quality children’s literature lies at

the core of the English curriculum,

inspiring children to develop as

independent readers and confi-

dent writers. Starting with our

phonics scheme in Reception, the

children explore the possibilities

of the English language through

daily lessons in creative writing,

comprehension, grammar,

spelling and handwriting.

Speaking is a vital component in

writing and recognising this, Da-

vies Lane participated in debating

contests with other academy

schools.

We know that children draw on

their experience of reading when

shaping their own writing. When

children have explored a range of

texts across genres, they form an

understanding and appreciation of

Events This Autumn term, children cele-brated Roald Dahl day by wearing his favourite colour yellow or dressing up as one of his books characters. The children in the foundation stage and KS1 have been incredi-bly lucky to have had Craig the sto-ry teller in over the term, telling them his enchanting, cultural sto-ries from around the world. Novel Studies We believe that reading is at the heart of our curriculum and cele-brate the joys reading can bring through daily shared reading and listening to stories for enjoyment. Children have had the opportunity to read and focus on at least two books through shared reading

and literacy lessons. Through our ‘novel studies’ children are im-proving on their reading, compre-hension, vocabulary and writing. Here is a list of some of the books the children have focused on this past term: Year 1: The Robot and the Blue-bird, How to find Gold

Year 2: Horrid Henry, Flat Stanley

Year 3: Cliffhanger, Gregory Cool

Year 4: The Iron Man, Street Child

Year 5: Kensuke’s Kingdom, Shake-speare Stories

Year 6: Good Night Mr Tom, Storm breaker

French

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Bonjour !

We had an exciting first half term back with many opportunities to practise our French language and to learn new skills.

Year 3 children have started to learn French this September and they are now very proud as they can say their name and their age

and they can have a short conversa-tion with their classmates. Children in Year 4 have learned about Fran-cophone countries and they have improved their writing skills by cre-ating a postcard in French.

Children in Year 5 have discovered how important bread is in French culture and cuisine and they wrote a pizza recipe in French, using only

their favourite ingredients.

In Year 6 we shared our opinions about school, school subjects and we created an ideal timetable, sharing in French what time we would love to start school and what subjects we would love to study.

We are looking forward to improv-ing our French speaking skills this year with new topics!

Volume 4, Issue 1 Autumn Term 2020

Science

This academic year, we have continued to develop our Science curriculum, providing learning experiences that allow children to ‘know more and remember more'.

This year in Science, we are en-hancing our learning experience through the use of our forest school area. Outdoor learning offers a unique experience for our students and brings learning to life. Over the term, pupils in year 1 and year 4 have used the forest school area to chop vege-tables and cook a soup using the fire pit. In year two, the children created structures to protect plants as the seasons change.

Our Year 3s thoroughly enjoyed their experience in the forest school and made a bug hotel for the many mini-beasts that our school provides a habitat for.

Agriculture

Our Agriculture curriculum runs parallel with most of our founda-tion subjects and seeks to en-hance and develop an apprecia-tion of life. It teaches an under-standing of the origins of prod-ucts in our everyday life. This curriculum aims to increase awareness of agricultural pro-duce and the essential role it

plays in our daily life. Farming plays a vital part in all our lives; without it, our ability to feed the world would be under threat. The role of agriculture is increas-ingly topical in an era when food security, climate change and energy security is of global concern. Throughout this cur-riculum, children learn to ask ques-tions linked to cur-rent affairs and begin to appreciate the way agriculture may their future on a more global scale. Our forest school and eco gardens provide practical opportu-nities to put theory to practise; en-abling ample hands-on opportuni-ties to explore the different types of farming and method of sustaina-bility.

The Agriculture curriculum aims to:

Develop an appreciation of the origins of product in our everyday life

Understand the importance of food security and the im-pact it has on a global scale

Be equipped with scientific knowledge on sustainability and understand the uses and implication on a global scale

Evaluate findings through re-search and present an in-formed conclusion clearly and accurately

Like our science curriculum, agricul-ture addresses matters of citizenship and sustainability and provides many opportunities to reflect upon being responsible citizens on a global scale. Agriculture raises some moral ques-tions and social questions and the opportunity to discuss topical issues and research ways to make a signifi-cant contribution to our planet.

History, Geography and Architecture

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This term we have been studying

many different periods throughout

history across the school, from An-

glo Saxons to The Great Fire of Lon-

don, The Stone Age to Ancient

Greece! Year 4 have been studying

the Anglo Saxons and learning

about their homes, culture and the

way they lived. They have been

looking closely at the places that

they called home and even have

drawn a reconstruction of an au-

thentic Anglo Saxon home.

While studying the Ancient Greeks

Year 5 have looked at the open air

theatres of Ancient Greece com-

paring them to the theatres of

today and how they were built to

best serve their purpose.

Year 1 have also been studying

buildings by looking at the homes

we live in, now and in the past.

They have ordered these different

homes into a timeline and looked

closely at the differences between

them. They have even began to

design some of their own build-

ings using influence from the past.

Year 2 have been studying the Great

Fire of London and learnt that after

the fire Sir Christopher Wren built St

Pauls Cathedral. They then designed

their own Baroque style building

using the same features used in St

Pauls Cathedral.

We have also been looking at a wide

range of historical sources across

the school. These sources tell us

about the past and we can learn

about what happened and how peo-

ple lived long ago. In Year 2 for ex- ample they have looked at Samuel

Pepys diary to discover what really

happened during the Great Fire of

London and Year 4 have looked at

the finds of Sutton Hoo.

Volume 4, Issue 1 Autumn Term 2020

mental lessons was really good this term and the majority of pupils learning before lockdown are con-tinuing their lessons in school.

Whole class instrumental lessons have resumed in years 1 to 6 as part

We were delighted to be able to welcome all our music tutors back into school in September, albeit under new and ever-evolving COVID guidelines! We are so pleased that uptake for instru-

Music of the Music Curriculum.

This term Year 4 and Year 2 will be taking part in their musicals, which will be performed in the classroom with each class presenting their own interpretation. Parents will be invited to watch the Musicals online and the dates and times of these performances will be sent out via email.

Year 5 pupils have been invited to take part in the online Civic Carol Concert, which will be streamed on Youtube this year. Children taking part will work with a videographer in school to pre-record their sing-ing, which will be included in the livestream.

School council

School council have had to be very adaptable and we have changed how we would normally meet and work to ensure that we are fulfilling the social distancing and COVID safety rules. We have been meeting virtually every other week to discuss how we can improve safety around the school. Every school council member has met with their class to share ideas from school council and collect ideas about what needs to be improved or changed next.

We have been happy to discover that all classes are following the COVID safety procedures. Classes are washing their hands or using hand sanitiser at least 6 times a day. Staff are regularly cleaning the ta-bles and are reminding the children to use the one-way system and to keep their distance . Through feed-back, we have found that social dis-tancing needs to be improved when the classes are on the stairs and we are trialling in some classes whether it is better for the children to clean their own tables instead of the teachers.

Next term, we will continue to mon-itor that all the COVID procedures are being implemented and that the school is reacting effectively to any new government directives. We will also be reviewing the school lunch-es, both the current packed lunch and the standard hot meals from pre lockdown. We will be looking at

us.

Children had the opportunity to

learn and be aware of the changing

seasons and what birds eat during

the year. In reception, the children

made bird feeders to encourage our

birds to become regular visitors,

especially during winter when food

is scarce.

In our outdoor area, children have

been using the fire pit to cook. With

this experience in hand, the children

have gained a lot of knowledge and

key vocabulary that has then been

reflected in their learning. Children

access the outdoors in a fun, sociable

setting and gain a deeper under-

standing of the natural world around

Volume 4, Issue 1 Autumn Term 2020 Page 6

the nutritional value of our meals and seeing if and where we can make any improvements.

This has been an exciting term so far and we are looking forward to continuing our work next term.

Learning Council

The learning council have been fo-cusing on the impact of the recov-ery curriculum since returning from lockdown. They agree that the ad-justments made to the timetable to allow children to have more PHSE lessons as well as art lessons to ex-pressing feelings and emotions, and personal journals have enabled them all to come back and reflect on their personal experience and acknowledge the impact that the lockdown has had on them.

We have also been discussing and looking at bias in the curriculum and they have had an opportunity to challenge bias views. The learn-ing council will continue to look at the impact of the curriculum and review their learning over the next term.

Eco-warriors

This term, the Eco-warriors have launched a project called – ‘Farm to Fork’. The Eco-warriors are explor-ing the journey our vegetables trav-el before they make a delicious meal. The challenge of this task is to grow vegetables out of season- using a range of different methods.

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pupil Groups

The eco-warriors have been re-searching and sharing ways in which their classes have risen to the challenge. Through research, many year groups have identified chal-lenges farmers endure when grow-ing their seeds out of season. Some year groups are considering grow-ing their seeds indoors to simulate the summer seasons; while others are growing their vegetables out-side and using a range of materials to keep the soil warm. The Farm to Fork projects encourages us to demonstrate the 3C’S; which are courtesy, care and creativity.

Playground Advocates

This term our Year 5/6 playground advocates have been busy review-ing and refining rules for break and lunchtimes which they have shared in phase assemblies. As well as this, they have also helped Miss Mal-colm order new equipment to sup-port pupils with fun and engaging activities during their break times. Our pupils are keen to encourage pupil voice and so have worked hard at creating a pupil survey which will be used to ascertain pu-pils’ attitudes towards lunchtimes; they will soon share this online through google classroom. In order to promote the 3Cs, our pupil advo-cates will be rewarding pupils this term who are 'caught being kind' which they hope to share in the upcoming newsletter- watch this space.....