Oak Class
Key Stage 2 - Years 3 & 4
In Oak class, termly topics are designed to interest and inspire our children by creating an engaging and dynamic curriculum.
Topics
A new 4 year topic cycle has been designed to ensure a highly engaging curriculum is offered to our children across the whole of key stage 2. It is carefully planned to provide opportunities to develop the skills and understanding the children will need as they progress through the key stage and onto key stage 3. Although the topics have been designed with a main focus on Geography and History, many of them provide excellent opportunities to develop other areas of the curriculum such as ICT and Computing, Music, Art and Design Technology. Wherever possible, Science forms a central part to our topics. Texts have been chosen alongside each topic, to enhance both the topic and English curriculum and provide opportunities for the children to write for a purpose. We aim to provide some exciting trips and visits to complement the teaching and learning and to provide some ‘wow’ moments for the children.
Mathematics
Teaching of Mathematics in lower key stage 2 follows the whole school approach of mastery, where topics are covered for an extended period of time to ensure fluency and allow for reasoning and problem solving opportunities. Although Mathematics is taught in discrete lessons, wherever possible, we make links across the curriculum, for example directions in computing; collecting and displaying data in Science and Roman Numerals in History. The children also have the opportunity to practice multiplication tables, fluency of number facts and key skills through daily maths meetings. We aim to ensure the children become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. At this stage, pupils should also develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value, making links from measures to their knowledge of number. By the end of Year 4, the children should have memorised their multiplication tables up to 12, including the division facts.
Children are expected to spend time during the week practicing their multiplication tables. They have access to Times Tables Rock Stars to support this learning at home. Some additional home learning tasks may be sent home throughout the year to build fluency of number facts.
English
In lower key stage 2, we plan a curriculum which aims to ensure the children read fluently with good understanding; acquire a wide range of vocabulary and an understanding of grammar and linguistic conventions; write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of purposes; use discussion in order to extend learning and are competent in speaking and listening.
We choose a wide range of texts, including traditional tales, pictures books and longer novels and encourage children to read for pleasure. Weekly reading, writing, grammar and spelling lessons aim to develop the children’s skills and understanding and wherever possible, we make links with the texts we choose or the context for writing with other curriculum areas. The children also have the opportunity to practice their handwriting, spelling, grammar and reading comprehension skills through daily practice sessions.
In both Mathematics and English, we offer different levels of learning and encourage the children to challenge themselves and choose the level of learning that will do this. This is encouraged through self and peer assessment of learning objectives. If any child has not met the lesson objective, they are given extra help that day to ensure progress is made.
The children are expected to spend time at home reading (3 times a week for at least 10 minutes). Spellings are set weekly, with a test at the end of the week and weekly English home learning is also set.
Science
Weekly Science lessons are designed to allow the children to explore and develop their knowledge of a range of areas such as habitats, forces, light and sound and space. Where possible, these topics are planned to fit into and become a central part of our topic. The children will have the opportunity to use our beautiful local environment to support their learning. The children also have the opportunity to develop their experimental skills needed to plan, test and conclude a fair test in a safe controlled way.
Religious Education
Like all year groups, we follow the Emmanuel scheme to teach RE. This scheme provides opportunities for the children to engage, enquire, explore, evaluate and express in topics which are designed to enable children to learn about a variety of important beliefs and stories in different religions, and to make links between them and explain their understanding of these.
ICT and Computing
Our ICT and computing curriculum aims to enable the children to use a range of technology for a variety of purposes using ipads, laptops and digital cameras. Whenever possible, learning is linked to our topics, for example, researching, creating a newspaper, poster or short film, inputting data in Science or writing a program to simulate something that happened in history. Internet safety runs throughout our ICT and computing curriculum, ensuring the children can use technology effectively, safely and responsibly with an understanding that they have choice about their internet use.
In Oak class, termly topics are designed to interest and inspire our children by creating an engaging and dynamic curriculum.
Topics
A new 4 year topic cycle has been designed to ensure a highly engaging curriculum is offered to our children across the whole of key stage 2. It is carefully planned to provide opportunities to develop the skills and understanding the children will need as they progress through the key stage and onto key stage 3. Although the topics have been designed with a main focus on Geography and History, many of them provide excellent opportunities to develop other areas of the curriculum such as ICT and Computing, Music, Art and Design Technology. Wherever possible, Science forms a central part to our topics. Texts have been chosen alongside each topic, to enhance both the topic and English curriculum and provide opportunities for the children to write for a purpose. We aim to provide some exciting trips and visits to complement the teaching and learning and to provide some ‘wow’ moments for the children.
Mathematics
Teaching of Mathematics in lower key stage 2 follows the whole school approach of mastery, where topics are covered for an extended period of time to ensure fluency and allow for reasoning and problem solving opportunities. Although Mathematics is taught in discrete lessons, wherever possible, we make links across the curriculum, for example directions in computing; collecting and displaying data in Science and Roman Numerals in History. The children also have the opportunity to practice multiplication tables, fluency of number facts and key skills through daily maths meetings. We aim to ensure the children become increasingly fluent with whole numbers and the four operations, including number facts and the concept of place value. At this stage, pupils should also develop their ability to solve a range of problems, including with simple fractions and decimal place value, making links from measures to their knowledge of number. By the end of Year 4, the children should have memorised their multiplication tables up to 12, including the division facts.
Children are expected to spend time during the week practicing their multiplication tables. They have access to Times Tables Rock Stars to support this learning at home. Some additional home learning tasks may be sent home throughout the year to build fluency of number facts.
English
In lower key stage 2, we plan a curriculum which aims to ensure the children read fluently with good understanding; acquire a wide range of vocabulary and an understanding of grammar and linguistic conventions; write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their language and style for a range of purposes; use discussion in order to extend learning and are competent in speaking and listening.
We choose a wide range of texts, including traditional tales, pictures books and longer novels and encourage children to read for pleasure. Weekly reading, writing, grammar and spelling lessons aim to develop the children’s skills and understanding and wherever possible, we make links with the texts we choose or the context for writing with other curriculum areas. The children also have the opportunity to practice their handwriting, spelling, grammar and reading comprehension skills through daily practice sessions.
In both Mathematics and English, we offer different levels of learning and encourage the children to challenge themselves and choose the level of learning that will do this. This is encouraged through self and peer assessment of learning objectives. If any child has not met the lesson objective, they are given extra help that day to ensure progress is made.
The children are expected to spend time at home reading (3 times a week for at least 10 minutes). Spellings are set weekly, with a test at the end of the week and weekly English home learning is also set.
Science
Weekly Science lessons are designed to allow the children to explore and develop their knowledge of a range of areas such as habitats, forces, light and sound and space. Where possible, these topics are planned to fit into and become a central part of our topic. The children will have the opportunity to use our beautiful local environment to support their learning. The children also have the opportunity to develop their experimental skills needed to plan, test and conclude a fair test in a safe controlled way.
Religious Education
Like all year groups, we follow the Emmanuel scheme to teach RE. This scheme provides opportunities for the children to engage, enquire, explore, evaluate and express in topics which are designed to enable children to learn about a variety of important beliefs and stories in different religions, and to make links between them and explain their understanding of these.
ICT and Computing
Our ICT and computing curriculum aims to enable the children to use a range of technology for a variety of purposes using ipads, laptops and digital cameras. Whenever possible, learning is linked to our topics, for example, researching, creating a newspaper, poster or short film, inputting data in Science or writing a program to simulate something that happened in history. Internet safety runs throughout our ICT and computing curriculum, ensuring the children can use technology effectively, safely and responsibly with an understanding that they have choice about their internet use.
Useful links and tips to support at home:
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Welcome to the Autumn Term 2021!
We hope you had a wonderful Summer holiday and are ready for the new term! We are sure that we will all adapt quickly to the new term time routine.
This year Oak class will be taught by Mrs Ling on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings and by Mrs Jeffery on Thursdays and Fridays. They will be supported by Mrs Firth. Mrs Ballam will teach Science on a Wednesday afternoon. We are pleased that we have a student teacher with us this term too.
We provide all of the equipment needed so there is no need for the children to bring in any stationery from home. The children will bring home a small book where any reading and times table practice that they do at home should be recorded. It contains lots of useful information about supporting your child’s learning and any usernames and passwords that the children need are there too. Please ask if you would like any further ideas for supporting your child at home.
This newsletter outlines the exciting and inspiring activities planned for your child that we hope will make their learning a rewarding and fun experience this term.
You can also stay in touch via your child's reading log for very brief messages. If you need to speak with us at length, please make contact via the office. We are able to respond to emails and can be contacted on the following email addresses.
If you have any resources, expertise or knowledge of any trips or visits we could use that may help us with our topic this term then please do let us know.
leanne.ling@rattlesdenprimaryschool.co.uk
cath.jeffery@rattlesdenprimaryschool.co.uk
Mrs. Ling, Mrs. Jeffery and Mrs. Firth
This year Oak class will be taught by Mrs Ling on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesday mornings and by Mrs Jeffery on Thursdays and Fridays. They will be supported by Mrs Firth. Mrs Ballam will teach Science on a Wednesday afternoon. We are pleased that we have a student teacher with us this term too.
We provide all of the equipment needed so there is no need for the children to bring in any stationery from home. The children will bring home a small book where any reading and times table practice that they do at home should be recorded. It contains lots of useful information about supporting your child’s learning and any usernames and passwords that the children need are there too. Please ask if you would like any further ideas for supporting your child at home.
This newsletter outlines the exciting and inspiring activities planned for your child that we hope will make their learning a rewarding and fun experience this term.
You can also stay in touch via your child's reading log for very brief messages. If you need to speak with us at length, please make contact via the office. We are able to respond to emails and can be contacted on the following email addresses.
If you have any resources, expertise or knowledge of any trips or visits we could use that may help us with our topic this term then please do let us know.
leanne.ling@rattlesdenprimaryschool.co.uk
cath.jeffery@rattlesdenprimaryschool.co.uk
Mrs. Ling, Mrs. Jeffery and Mrs. Firth
Hola! From Oak Class during our European Day of Languages celebration.
We have been creating rescue scenes as part of our RE topic to begin thinking about the Christian idea about salvation.
Last Year's Highlights!
Roman Catapults
Roman Day
Party Week
ITFC Football session
Camp day
Stone Age inspired art
Round House project
Roman Shields
