Dear Parents/Carers,
We are sure that the children are coming to the end of the work booklets and resources that we sent home when we finished (two weeks before Easter). With there being much uncertainty at the moment, we are continuing to set home learning on a fortnightly basis. Teachers have been busy planning more home learning activities that link to their current or new topics. Teachers have endeavoured to provide tasks that do not involve the overuse of worksheets and printing and engage and excite the children. You will notice that when you log on to the home learning page on the Hillside Primary School website, that there are now two home learning grids: one that is focused on mathematical learning and another that is focused on all other subject areas including extended writing. The children, from Year 1 to Year 6, are expected to write a piece of writing. This will be linked to their topic to make the writing purposeful and to provide an opportunity to show off their amazing knowledge. The teachers have provided the children with a WAGOLL- you may be asking yourself the question: What is a WAGOLL? Well, WAGOLL stands for, ‘what a good one looks like.’ We don’t expect the children to write at length without being shown an example of the writing type so hopefully, looking at this example will both inspire and support the children when writing their own. Furthermore, the teachers have also attached other prompts and word banks that will help with the style of writing and suggest examples of the features that should be included. A success criteria is something the children are very secure with using in class and the teachers have also prepared differentiated success criteria that the children can use to focus their writing and to ensure they are including all the features needed to make their writing a success.
The second grid that you will see on the home learning page is a mathematics home learning grid. This is linked to a sequence of six lessons that are linked to a fantastic maths resource that we use in school: White Rose. Each class teacher has provided links to lessons that come with a short video showing you clearly and simply how to help your child achieve the suggested objective. There are also activities attached to allow the children to practise the skills they have just been taught. As explained earlier, we don’t expect you to print reams of worksheets. The children can read the questions online and just include the answers in the home learning book that was given to them before we finished school. There are even mark schemes attached if you would like to check your child’s answers once they have completed the task. Teachers have also suggested times table and key maths skills they would like the children to focus upon.
Please remember to use Times Table Rock Stars to support multiplication tables and there are an abundant of other websites and online games on our home learning page.
Nursery/Reception Parents:
You may notice that your grids look slightly different to the rest of the school. You have one grid which focuses on maths and literacy skills and your other grid encompasses the other aspects of the EYFS curriculum. These tasks focus on the key objectives for your child’s age range and have links to the class topic.
We really hope that the home learning provides some structure and stability to your time at home and ensures that the children continue to keep their minds active and open for when they return to school. We want to stress that although continuing to consolidate and review learning is important, we do not want children to have any unnecessary pressure during this time. Incorporating learning into small, manageable chunks is more suited to some children or just focusing on key learning areas such as reading, number bonds and multiplication tables will be of benefit to the children. There are so many online resources (links can be found on the home learning page on the Hillside website) and these may be better suited to your child’s learning style at this time.
If your child is currently attending school, we will be using afternoon sessions to focus on the home learning grids. This will hopefully alleviate some of the additional pressures you, as key workers, may be feeling once you have finished work. Can you please send in your child’s home learning book into school so that the children can record the work they are completing in school in the appropriate book?
If you need any help or support accessing the resources or additional support for you child then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We are always happy to help.
Thank you and as always stay safe..