Yew Tee Primary School

1. Yew Tee Primary School Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Welcome to Yew Tee Primary School P6 Parent Briefing 15January 2016

2. Yew Tee Primary School Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Home-School Partnership Staff @ YTPS

3. Yew Tee Primary School P6 Level Teachers Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens

4. Yew Tee Primary School P6 CL Teachers Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens P6 ML & TL Teachers

5. Yew Tee Primary School Pupil Well-Being & Support Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens

6. Yew Tee Primary School School Leader’sAddress Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens

7. Yew Tee Primary School Our Philosophy Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Every child has intrinsic worth. • Every child can and wants to learn. • Every child can contribute as a gracious and responsible citizen of the world.

8. Yew Tee Primary School Our School Vision and Mission Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens V M Engaging minds Touching hearts Inspiring growth

9. Yew Tee Primary School Our School Values Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Integrity Responsibility Respect Perseverance Care V

10. Yew Tee Primary School What is a Reflective Learner? Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Confident and articulate • Curious about learning yet discerning – a critical thinker • Resourceful - Takes initiative to seek clarification • Adaptable - Dares to explore & try new things

11. Yew Tee Primary School What is a Gracious Citizen? Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Is a person of character, possesses Integrity, Responsibility, Respect, Perseverance & Care • Possesses social emotional competencies of Self Awareness, Self-Management, Social Awareness, Relationship Management and Responsible Decision-Making • Will actively contribute to the school, nation and environment

12. Yew Tee Primary School How do we nurture a Reflective Learner, Gracious Citizen? Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Empowering Curriculum • Synergistic Staff • Collaborative Partnerships

13. Yew Tee Primary School Empowering Curriculum Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Provides space and structure for the explicit and implicit teaching of the Pupil Vision Outcomes. • Provides meaningful and well-designed school experiences to allow pupils to apply these outcomes so that there is deep learning.

14. YTPS Total Gracious Citizens Curriculum Framework Capacity Building Reflective Learners Leadership Support Technology Pedagogy Assessment Content Attitude Awareness Explain Engage Activate Evaluate Integrity Responsibility Respect Perseverance Care Citizenship Creativity Leadership Action Service Knowledge Skills Numeracy Literacy

16. Key Points to Note • Promotion to the next level • School policy on early dismissal, discipline and leave matters

17. Yew Tee Primary School Promotion in the Lower Primary Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • From P1 to P2 - Pupils are promoted to P2 en-bloc (ie they remain in the same class) 2. From P2 to P3 -Based on EL and Math results, pupils are placed in 2 large groups - First 50% - Next 50% • Both groups are mixed ability groups • There is a separate grouping for MT language classes based on MOE guidelines

18. Yew Tee Primary School Promotion in the Middle Primary Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • From P3 to P4 - Pupils are promoted to P4 en-bloc (ie they remain in the same class) 2. From P4 to P5 (Subject-Based Banding) • Pupils are grouped by ability in the individual subject. • A vast majority of the pupils will offer subjects at the Standard Level. • A small minority will offer subject/s that they have difficulty in coping at a Foundation Level. • Pupils are split into 2 groups (first 3 classes – by ability, the remaining pupils – by performance in Maths)

19. Yew Tee Primary School Promotion in the Upper Primary Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens 3. From P5 to P6 • If the same subject combination is offered, pupils will be promoted to P6 en-bloc • If pupils are offering subjects at a different level, they may be allocated new classes.

20. Yew Tee Primary School School Policy – Early Dismissal Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens 1) Early Dismissal When child is unwell or is hurt • School will contact the parent to pick the child up to consult a doctor • Parent/ Guardian MUST accompany the child home • If immediate medical attention is required, the ambulance will also be contacted 2) Other reasons • Must be accompanied by parent’s letter • In the case of an external examination, the official notice must be submitted to the form teacher for endorsement and permission for early dismissal • Parent/ Guardian MUST accompany the child home

21. Yew Tee Primary School School Policy – Discipline Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • When the child misbehaves or flouts a rule • The child will be given a verbal warning by the teacher • When it is repeated, parents will be informed. • Details are provided in the pupil diary • When there is a misunderstanding or an issue between pupils • Parents will be informed • School will conduct the investigation and decide on the necessary course of action • Parents will not be allowed to interrogate or conduct independent investigations • School will facilitate mediation sessions using restorative approach between pupils not parents

22. Yew Tee Primary School School Policy – Leave Matters Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens 1) Holidays during the official school term • Term holidays; please submit online travel declaration • School Days; leave will not be granted. However, should parents insist on taking your child abroad, you must • inform the school in writing. • Note that no additional or make-up lessons will be conducted for lessons missed. • During exam period, no make-up papers will be given in this instance. 2) Leave of Absence • For parents who are posted overseas and wish to take their child along; and would like the child’s vacancy to be retained • An official application form must be completed for submission to MOE through the Principal. • Fees must be paid for the period of absence.

23. Communication Keep regular contact with your child’s teachers Contact us if you have any queries or feedback Preferred mode - via e-mail We will respond as soon as we can Read all circulars and memos Put up the term calendar at home

24. Yew Tee Primary School School Safety & Partnerships Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens

25. Yew Tee Primary School Safety Updates Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • PERI School Upgrading • new facilities to encourage greater interaction and self-discovery, and to facilitate experiential and hands-on learning • Upgrading works have re-started in December • on parade square, outdoor learning areas • Parents will NOT be able to drive into the school to drop off your child on rainy days during the period of construction

26. Yew Tee Primary School Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Safety Updates Opening hours of the school gates: • Front Gate : 6.45 a.m. - 6.30 p.m. • Side Gate : 7.10 a.m. - 7.30 a.m. 1.40 p.m. - 2.00 p.m. (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday) 12.40 p.m. - 1.00 p.m. (Wed only) • Back Gate : 7.10 a.m. - 7.25 a.m.

27. Yew Tee Primary School Sending Your Child to School Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Reporting time for pupils is 7.30 a.m. • Please allow your child to come into school by himself / herself. Hence, please send your child up to the school gate ONLY. Please refrain from carrying your child’s bag up the stairs / into the school • Parents /caregivers, who are driving your child to school, must drop off your child at the HDB car park opposite school front gate.

28. Yew Tee Primary School Dismissal Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Choose to walk your child home or make necessary transport arrangements for them. • Pupils in the Bus & Child-Care group will gather at the waiting area at the ISH. • Ensure that your child knows where to wait for you (in school) in case you are late

29. Yew Tee Primary School Safety & Traffic Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Follow all traffic rules especially outside front & side gate. • Please educate your child to practise safety road-crossing habits (e.g. using zebra-crossing outside front gate to cross over to school from opposite blocks.) • To avoid disruption to traffic flow and ensure safety for our pupils and other road users, we would like to request that parents DO NOT • stop their vehicles in front of the school front gate to allow their children to alight. • make a U-turn at the yellow box or in front of the front gate. • park their cars illegally along the roads whilst waiting for their children. Instead, please park at the HDB carparks while waiting for their children.

30. Pedestrian Crossings Parents to help to reinforce the message Ensure that all the vehicles have come to a stop before you start crossing at the zebra crossing. Yew Tee Primary School Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens

31. Yew Tee Primary School At crossings – walk between the dotted lines Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens

32. 3-STEP KERB DRILL Yew Tee Primary School Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens 3 2 1 RAISE your hand when crossing Look LEFT and RIGHT again Look RIGHT

33. Yew Tee Primary School Safety & Security Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Entry to school only on official business • Strictly by appointment with staff only - OM / security post clearance • E-mail the teacher for an appointment • All visitors are to register at the security post and must report to the General Office to seek assistance and wear their visitor pass at all times. • Should you wish to purchase an item from the school bookshop, please arrange to do so only after 2 pm.

34. Yew Tee Primary School Safety and Security Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Reinforce the following message to your child: • Keep your belongings safe and secure • Do NOT leave your valuables in the classroom • Do NOT leave your bags in the canteen, ISH or anywhere else unattended (while you go off and play with friends, etc) • Do not bring too much money or expensive items

35. Yew Tee Primary School Other Matters Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens • Pupils should not bring their own basketball, frisbee, etc • Equipment available for pupils to borrow during recess • Uniform sales by vendor • Parent Briefing days / T1 Weeks 1 and 2 • 9 am – 3 pm

36. Yew Tee Primary School School Rules & Regulations Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens For Boys For Girls • Long hair touching the collar must be neatly tied. • Hair accessories should be black and kept simple. • School T-shirt worn over the skorts. • Fringe must not fall across the forehead and touch the eyebrows. • Hair short and neat and should not touch the collar. • No side burns. • School T-shirt worn over the shorts. • Fringe must not fall across the forehead and touch the eyebrows. Name tags must be ironed-on / sewn onto the uniform

37. Yew Tee Primary School School Rules & Regulations Reflective Learners, Gracious Citizens Please stay in ‘FASHION’ as stated in the school diary • F- Fingernails  kept trimmed and clean. • A- Attire  only prescribed school uniform to be worn. Black shorts only to be worn for PE lessons. • S- Shoes & Socks  only black shoes are allowed. Ankle or branded socksare not allowed. • H- Hair  unusual or fancy hairstyles are not allowed in school. • ION- Iron-on Nametag all pupils must have their nametag on their uniform. Orders for nametags can be made at the school bookshop. • FASHION checks will be carried out twice per term and if caught, conduct grade may be affected.

38. ? ? ? PSLE T-Score Explained

39. PSLE - a placement exam • Need to reflect the relative achievement level of pupils within their peers. • Places pupils into different courses according to their academic ability • Enables posting to secondary schools by merit and as far as possible into a school of their choice.

40. The PSLE Aggregate Score • Is a sum of scores • Incorporates performance of pupils in all 4 subjects • Allows pupils to be ranked fairly

41. NO ! Can raw scores be used?

42. Why Not? • Different subjects have different levels of difficulty • So are the spread of marks from the average mark, i.e. the standard deviation (spread = standard deviation)

43. Narrow Wide MEASURE OF S P R E A D

44. H U R R A Y ! I scored 85% in both English and Mother Tongue ! DOLLY

45. Her performance in MT is very close to that of other pupils 85% • She did much better in EL as compared to other pupils Dolly scores 85% in both EL and MT EL MT 0 100 EL ave = 60 MT ave = 80

46. Transformed Score or T-Score A need for standardisation of the raw scores

47. EL 85% 85% ave = 60 50 T-Score MT ave = 80 T-Score converts average mark of each subject to a common score of 50 points. It also converts other marks taking into consideration the extent to which they differ from the average and the size of spread of the marks around the average

48. What is a T-Score? • It gives the relative position of a pupil’s performance as compared to the performance of all the other pupils in that subject • The raw mark obtained in the exam only shows how good the pupil is in that subject, not how good he is as compared to others

49. How is the T-Score calculated for each subject? (X - Y) = + T 50 10 Z where X: pupil’s mark for the subject Y: average mark (mean) scored by all pupils Z: spread of marks around the average mark (standard deviation)

50. (50 - 68.0) T = 50 + 10 14.0 = 37.14 Example: • Pupil’s mark (X) in exam = 50.0 • Average mark (Y) scored by all pupils = 68.0 • Spread of marks (Z) around the average mark (Y) = 14.0