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Each child has specific Maths Passport targets to which they are working and these can be found on the target sheets previously sent home with each child. Further information and activities to help your child at home are on the Maths at home page. If you are unsure of these, please ask and we can send home new copies.

 

Ways to help your children with the next steps in their learning are included in the written reports home and discussed at parents' evenings. You can also talk to your child's teacher for more ideas. This is how we keep you informed about your child's learning throughout the year. 

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All children should have a book bag (if you would like a Shire Oak one, these are available to buy from reception) which should be brought into school and taken home each day so that all children can regularly practise these skills. We suggest that all children read to an adult four to five times every week for about ten minutes each time. For KS2 children, this can be supported by questions from the Reading Comprehension Bookmark. This might be a book from home, the local library, from the school reading scheme or from our school library. We will have a library session every week when children will choose two books to bring home. Please help your child to remember their library day. If your child is in Reception or KS1, this information about phonics may be useful.

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Here is our Recommended Fiction Reading list.

 

Additionally each individual child has passwords that allow access to sites such as Google Education, Mathletics, Times Table Rockstarz and Reading Eggs. If your child has lost or cannot find their passwords, please let their class teacher know. 

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Your child may, at times, work with a catch-up teacher in school (currently Mrs Carol Hill). They may get in touch with you

to discuss ways to help your child at home. 

 

At Shire Oak, we believe that accurate spelling is very important. In particular, we believe that it is important that children

call spell confidently when they are writing. We want children to be able to write the most effective words they can in every

situation - to get across their message, to persuade someone, to impress someone, to entertain someone or to communicate

information.

 

We recommend that each child spends around 10 minutes each day practising their spellings. In KS2 these are recorded in their spelling books. This time is best spent on activities that use Look, Cover, Write, Check or ways that make learning words fun. If you would like to know more about how you can help your child with spelling, please speak to your child’s teacher. We want to help you as best we can. 

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Here are some ideas from the Shire Oak Spelling Guide for Parents:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Your child's teacher(s) will always be happy to talk to you about things that you can do at home that will help your child's learning. Additionally, look out for the half termly homework leaflets that have information about both the long project and short tasks that have been set. (Years 1-6). These are also on the class pages, in the Pupil area. 

            

If you are working with your child, or talking to them about their day at school, have you considered asking more open-ended questions? This can really encourage their thinking and evaluating skills...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Do you want to talk about your child's learning?

We know that when school and home work closely together, children are happier and make good progress. Parents’ Evenings and other school events are a good chance to talk to us. This sets out how we keep you informed about your child's learning throughout the year. but there are often other times that you may feel it is helpful to let us know something, ask us a question or have a conversation about your child’s learning or well-being. 

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Please arrange to see the teacher, by making an appointment via the office. You can also make the appointment directly at the start or the end of the day. Quick chats can often be held at the end of that day.

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Do your want to tell us something about your child's health?

If your child needs to have medicine during the school day, please bring it to the school office and sign the form so we know when to give it. If your child has an illness or medical condition it is helpful, and sometimes vital, for us to know this. Please speak to Jackie Vollans, Susan Koyuncu or Marcelle Maver as well as making sure that our pupil information sheet is always up to date.

 

Are you concerned about something outside of school? 

 

Please mention it to Lawrence Nash, our Family Support Worker and Learning Mentor. He is usually out in the playground in the morning before school or can be phoned during the day. The office can also pass on messages for him to contact you.

 

Do you need support with money, health, housing or emotional issues?

Again, Lawrence Nash is a good first port of call. She can help with applications to the Opportunities Fund, referrals to the cluster services in our area and with other ways of helping like Early Help Plans. If you are not sure whether you might be entitled to Free School Meals then Susan Koyuncu in the office is a good person to talk to.

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Do you have any queries, ideas, concerns or celebrations to share?

The headteacher, Jane Astrid Devane, is always happy to talk to parents and carers. Feel free to catch her on the playground before or after school or ask at the office to speak to her. If she isn’t available right then an appointment can be made or message left to call you.

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