Welcome to The Kestrels!

1. Welcome to The Kestrels! Mrs Jackie Hammond – Class Teacher Miss Stacey Horton – Teaching Assistant Mrs Clare Green – Teaching Assistant Miss Denise Hurden – Teacher

2. Expectations… • Oldest children in school – greater expectations! Need to be good role models! • Take on increasing responsibility for their own learning – know what resources are the most appropriate/how do they learn best? • Know the learning intention and ensure the work is completed to the best of their ability. • Behave appropriately at all times.

3. Behaviour… • Appropriate praise is vital for children’s self esteem and progress. Our class ethos is positive reinforcement. In other words we praise children. • Stickers are given as a reward for effort. • Pasta In The Jar – children earn a handful of pasta for good manners; superb listening and general behaviour. A whole class reward is given, (decided by the children). • The “Sunshine, Rainbow and Cloud” will be introduced shortly to further support positive behaviour in the classroom, (ask your children in a few weeks time to explain how it works).

4. Our Learning Values… • Thinking: solves problems, uses creativity, follows own lines of enquiry, organises their thinking. • Independence: manages own learning, reflects and evaluates their learning, transfers learning to other areas, able to think for themselves. • Interdependence: listens and values the views of others. Takes an active role in a group, negotiates and compromises, works towards a common goal.

5. Creativity: generates new ideas, expands and develops ideas, uses their imagination, creates innovative outcomes. • Emotional Intelligence: has self belief, discusses their feelings, manages feelings in a positive manner, responds sensitively to other peoples feelings. • Spirituality: recognises and appreciates differences, think deeply, asks questions, develops a strong sense of themselves and the world around them.

6. Our Curriculum: Lead by a hook which introduces a project. I’m Special; I’m Me! Guardians of the Forest. Are you afraid of the Big Bad Wolf? Christmas Angles. Discovering Africa. The Unsinkable Ship. Amazing Animals. One Small Step.

7. What happens in Year 2? Here is a sample of a typical day: Mornings: Afternoons: • Challenge Handwriting • Phonics Spellings • Maths PE • Fruit / Story Religious Education • Break Guided Reading • Literacy Project Work

8. Class Blog… Kestrels 2014-2015 Blog at: http://kestrels2014.primaryblogger.co.uk/ Twitter: @KestrelClass

9. Keeping You Informed… 3 parent consultations – Autumn, Spring and Summer Term Class Blogs – new this year School website Parent mail

10. End of KS1 Assessments • At the end of Year 2 – we report to parents levels in speaking and listening, reading, writing, maths and science. • Based on teacher assessment – the level we see the child working at on a regular basis. • We do SATs tests because they are statutory. • We only use them to back up our judgements. The children are unaware that we are doing them. • Please avoid holidays in May/early June.

11. Reading… • Reading Books – (colour bands on spine) Encourage children to change their book as often as they like. • We listen to children read during Fred Time; Guided Reading Sessions and at other times during the week. • Read to Me Books – please remember to sign books in and out and complete an activity in their log book. • Children’s University will continue this year. • Faster Reading Project – this will commence in a few weeks – any volunteers?

12. Helping your child… • Follow our class blog and read the curriculum newsletters – so you can talk to the children about their learning. • Read with and to your child on a regular basis. • Purple Mash website – all children have a login • Ensure they get a good night’s sleep…

13. Any Questions?