Isham CE Primary School Weekly Newsletter - FRIday 28th April 2023

Pupil Achievement - Teacher Awards

EYFS/Reception - Henry - for great work on ordering numbers

Year 1 - Freddie – for working really hard in science this week when learning about objects and materials

Year 2 - Luna – for confident writing in English, using powerful adjectives and exclamation marks

Year 3 - Holly - for great work in Geography this week!

Year 4 - Freddie - for fantastic effort in all learning and a great setting description in English

Year 5 - Adam - for his amazing effort and contributions in maths this week

Year 6 - Bella - for her super setting description of a desert in English

Curriculum Spotlight...Reading

At Isham CE Primary School, reading is a fundamental part of everyday life and an important part of a child’s education. Children learn to read from the very start of primary school and continue that journey throughout primary school and beyond. We want all children to see the benefits of reading, but we also want it to be something that they choose to do because they love it! In school, we regularly try to promote reading for pleasure through story time, author studies and book talk, to name a few. Obviously, reading for pleasure does not end once the children leave the school grounds and much of the children’s enjoyment will come through the books they choose to read at home.

How is reading taught at our school?

We aim for all our children to be successful readers. Reading comprehension develops through pupils’ experience of high-quality discussion, as well as from reading a range of stories, poems and non-fiction. All pupils are encouraged to read widely across both fiction and non-fiction to develop their knowledge of themselves and the world they live in, to establish an appreciation and love of reading, and to gain knowledge across the curriculum. We intend that all pupils understand and can articulate what it is to be a ‘good reader’.

Early Reading (Word Reading)

• We use one synthetic phonic programme from YR to Y2. We use Read Write Inc to teach phonics and graphic knowledge (common exception words and tricky words). We have fidelity to this one programme. Using this programme, we are confident that: - grapheme/phoneme (letter/sound) correspondences are taught a clearly defined, incremental sequence; - we introduce children very early on to a defined initial group of consonants and vowels, enabling them to read and spell as soon as possible many simple CVC words; - children are taught the highly important strategy of blending phonemes in order, all through a word, to read it; - children are taught to apply the skills of segmenting words into their constituent phonemes to spell; blending and segmenting are reversible processes; - Multi-sensory activities used are interesting and engaging but firmly focused on intensifying the learning associated with its phonic goal. The programme is begun almost immediately children enter EYFS, from the second week of starting school.
• We make time to teach phonics on a daily basis and a 'keep up' approach is adopted to support the lowest attaining pupils with targeted support
• Children practise early reading with fully decodable books - matched to their phonic knowledge

Reading comprehension (and Responding to Texts)

The development of word-reading is fully balanced in EYFS and KS1 by the development of vocabulary, comprehension and a love of books. These become the focus for the teaching of reading in KS2. A wide range of high-quality books are read to, and shared with EYFS, KS1 and KS2 children daily, accompanied by frequent discussion of books to develop comprehension. Teachers have an extensive knowledge of children's books and read aloud with enthusiasm and in engaging ways. Books have a high profile around classrooms and school and these are continually built upon throughout the year by donations from FOIS to enable further purchasing of books, Reading Rocks Subscription, money raised from the Book Fair, donations from parents and school.

The teaching of reading is a whole-school approach based on a range of research and is part of the teaching of writing three-phased approach. During the first phase of the teaching sequence, children are immersed in a range of reading comprehension strategies (VIPERS) such as: summarising, imagining, predicting and making connections are taught explicitly.

Whole class reading

Children hear, share and discuss a range of high-quality texts through our whole class Literacy teaching, both in terms of fiction and non-fiction. Books and genres are mapped out across Key Stage 1 and 2 to ensure progression and breadth of coverage. Explicit teaching of reading comprehension takes place as part of the Literacy teaching sequence at least once a week. We ensure children of all ages learn comprehension strategies and are able to respond to texts. We explicitly teach and model the following key reading strategies outlined in the National Curriculum to ensure that children understand what makes a good reader: - Using background knowledge to understand text - Predicting - Understanding vocabulary: developing strategies for this including recognising which vocabulary they don't understand - Asking questions and “wondering” about the text - Visualising - Developing inference - Summarising. Isham CE Primary School 6 Some of the above key reading strategies are taught through the VIPERS reading domains approach: - Vocabulary (and grammar – linguistic knowledge) - Inference - Prediction - Explanation - Retrieval - Summarising (KS1) / Sequencing (KS2) The level of challenge increases throughout the year groups through the complexity of texts being read. It is recognised that reading comprehension relies heavily on knowledge. Our broad curriculum aides reading comprehension by ensuring that children gain the knowledge of the world in which they live and bring such knowledge to their reading.

Reading in school with children

• In EYFS and KS1, children have daily phonics (for Year 2 - when ready they progress to the RWI spelling) and read their RWI levelled decodable book appropriate to their RWI groupings. They then progress to levelled reading books (Turquoise to Lime). They have 1:1 reading time 1x per week with an adult and for those children who needed targeted supported, they will read more frequently on a 1:1 or group basis. In school individual reading is recorded in the reading record.
• In KS2, children do not read 1x per week on a 1:1 basis with an adult unless your child needs targeted support. The teaching of reading moves from a 1:1 basis to whole class teaching of reading through VIPERS (weekly basis), the reading phase in the teaching of writing, and exposure to a range of carefully selected high-quality texts across the curriculum and story time. For those who need targeted support, they will read 1:1 on a more frequent basis with an adult in school, and if needed, guided reading interventions. For KS2 books, the levelled reading books are from Brown to Dark Red.

Reading records:

Reading records are to be only used for reading comments. If you have any concerns or queries then please contact the class teacher in the first instance. If parents / carers feel their child's needs are still not being met they should make an appointment to see the Headteacher.

Guided Reading

In addition to whole class teaching of reading, guided reading takes place for those that need it. Children are grouped based on needs and texts are selected carefully to ensure match of challenge to need. Reading domains and strategies taught in the whole class sessions are reinforced in the guided group sessions. Guided reading sessions are particularly targeted at the lower 20% of children in relation to attainment but is used for any child not on track.

Reading Interventions

Reading interventions focus on comprehension for those children who can decode fluently but do not understand what they are reading. (Word reading interventions continue in KS2 for children who are continuing to struggle to decode.) All programmes are rigorous and systematic with the intention that these children catch up rapidly with their peers.

Developing the Love of Reading

The following strategies are used to encourage reading and to develop the love of reading in our academy: -

• Story Time: Story time takes place every day in EYFS – Year 2. We have identified as an academy which stories the children will be highly familiar with by the end of EYFS, Year 1 and Year 2. Story Time continues to take place daily throughout Key Stage 2 including poetry at least once a week. High quality texts are selected by each teacher to tie in with the topic being taught.
• School Library: The library is well stocked with a variety of fiction and non-fiction books and the children access the library for their reading books. The library is often used for research in KS2 lessons and for wider reading around curriculum work. The environment is welcoming and has seating areas that encourage the children to spend time in there enjoying books.
• Reading areas are being developed to include space for children to share books based on an author or a theme. Children have access to high quality texts and are encouraged to share their thoughts and recommendations.
• Reading displays include recommended reads for each year group, teacher and pupil recommendations and reading questions.
• Home –School links: Mystery Readers takes place weekly in EYFS and KS1. Parents, and adults in the community, are able to share their favourite stories with the children. Book and Biscuit takes place monthly enabling parents to read with their own child and/or small groups.

Parental Partnership:

Every effort is made to help parents understand and support the school approach to reading. Parents are helped to know how best to support their child in early reading, reading comprehension and vocabulary development by carrying out parent workshops and information on our website. Reading at home is strongly promoted; our expectation is that children read at home daily (or at least 5 times a week). Teachers ensure that parents understand how to work appropriately (and differently) with decodable books and ‘real’ books. Children take reading books home on a daily basis. The system in place for changing books in KS1 is that children can change their books when they have read each book through at least twice so they can read it fluently. In KS2, children can change books as and when they need to. Reading diaries / records are used by parents to record how the children are reading and share targets for improvement. The children also keep a record of their reading in these books. The teacher monitors these in order to ensure children are reading at home and also to gain information about other books that children may have access to at home.

Further recommended reads for your child can be found with the Reader Teacher website: https://www.thereaderteacher.com/

School Office Hours

The school office hours are from 8:30am until 3:30pm. Please note the office is closed from 12:30pm - 1pm for lunch break. You can email office@isham.pdet.org.uk outside of these hours.

Reporting your child's absence

All absences need to be phoned in to the school office which is open from 8.30am. Please do not email your child's teacher to report an absence. We are looking into updating our system with a voicemail system if you ring in earlier! We'll keep you posted when we get this system in place.

Doctor's/Dentist Appointments - We are now required to see evidence of all medical appointments, this can be a text message, email or letter.

Lateness - If you are late dropping your child off to school, please make sure they are safely handed over onto the school premises - please do not leave them to walk down the road and through the gate unattended.

Parking at School & One-Way System

We have a voluntary one-way system during drop-off and pick-up times. We politely ask that parents enter down Church Street and then follow the road up and out through Middle Street.

Please do not drop-off children outside the school gate in the middle of the road as this is unsafe/dangerous and also blocks the road for other road users.

Please be careful and considerate to pedestrians when driving down Church Street at drop-off/pick-up. Please do not mount the pavements and be mindful of your speed.

Parents can park in a number of places around school:

• The Sorrels
• Fairfield Road
• At the bottom of Church Street, near The Lilacs

On the opposite side of the road to school, against the wall, on Church Street, not opposite zigzags

Please park considerately, please do not block driveways, park on pavement/corners/zigzags/staff car park entrance.

Thank you for your support in keeping everyone safe.

Attendance

Poor punctuality can lead to your child…

• Feeling embarrassed in front of their friends
• Missing the beginning of vital lessons making them fall behind
• Missing important instructions for the rest of the school day
• Learning bad habits which could affect their employability in the future.

Please work with us to provide your child with the best chances of learning by ensuring that they are in school every day and on time

Parents/Carers with any Concerns - Please phone to make an appointment

We urge parents/carers with any concerns regarding the provision made for their child to speak to the school as soon as possible and, in the first instance, to the class teacher by making an appointment through the school office, (parents cannot 'drop in' to speak to a teacher or Headteacher). If parents / carers feel their child's needs are still not being met they should make an appointment to see the Headteacher. If concerns are still unresolved parents / carers may wish to engage with PDET’s Complaints policy procedures.

School Uniform

School PE Kit - Please go to our school website for the school PE kit expectations: https://www.ishamprimary.org.uk/policies-documents/ The PE kit for both girls and boys is a black sports t-shirt, black shorts or skorts, bottle green hoody, trainers and black tracksuit bottoms.

Trainers - Trainers are to be worn for PE and brought in for non-PE days so they can safely complete the daily mile. Children should not be coming to school in trainers and wearing them for the school day.

Nail Varnish - As part of our school uniform policy, children should not be coming to school wearing nail varnish.

Coats - Please remember to send your child in with a coat every day, thank you.

Name Labels - Please label all clothes, lunch boxes, drinks bottles, etc so if (when) it gets lost it can be easily returned to your child.

The Stikins labels can be purchased from https://www.stikins.co.uk/name-labels/ you just need to enter our code 10571 at the check out where it says school code

The Stamptastic labelling stamp can be accessed from https://bit.ly/STAMPNN141HD and our PTA code is NN141HD

Our Safeguarding Vision

Isham CE Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children. Our school has a child centred and co-ordinated approach to safeguarding. Consequently, safeguarding and child protection is at the forefront of everything we do. We ensure systems are in place that are well promoted, easily understood and easily accessible for children to confidently report any form of abuse or neglect, knowing their concerns will be treated seriously, and knowing they can safely express their views and give feedback.

Our Designated Safeguarding Leads

If you believe that a child in our school may be at risk, please talk to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or one of the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads. These are:

Miss Alexandra Price (Headteacher and Lead DSL) - a.price@isham.pdet.org.uk

Mrs Helen Hughes (Deputy Safeguarding Lead) - h.hughes@isham.pdet.org.uk

If you are worried about a child outside of school time, you can call the local Multi Agency Support Hub (MASH) for advice (anonymously if needs be) on 0300 126 7000 (option 1).

Wellbeing

Wellbeing Activities and Ideas for Parents

• Mindful breathing can be a good place to start regulating and recognising breathing patterns. Mindful breathing and colour activities can help slow down the pace of the day and enjoy some reflection time.
• Going out for a walk is a great way to reset and enjoy nature. Why not try a sound walk together and let the sounds of nature give your walk a purpose?
• Use Daily Reflection Journal Pages to help learn how to reflect on a days activities.
• Interaction: Children need to connect, so build connections with people around you. Stay in touch with family and friends in person or via video chat.
• Energy: Children need to be active, so help boost your energy and mood by doing something active.
• Mindfulness: Children need to take notice so encourage curiosity about the world and savour the moment.
• Discovery: It's important to keep learning, so learn something new to boost confidence. Consider taking virtual tours - for example, check out the animal cameras at places like the Edinburgh Zoo. Kids can use this to then create their own animal portraits.
• Be Creative: Find time to paint, make, sing or dance on your own or with another person.

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National Online Safety release a weekly guide, #Wake up Wednesday and aim to cover all major social media platforms, apps and issues that children encounter online. This aims to help empower parents with the knowledge to protect their children from the dangers of the internet.

Technology changes at such a rapid pace that it can be hard to keep up with the latest trends. The resources below are an invaluable way of making sure you know as much as your children. You are the first line of defence in keeping your children safe online – our aim is to encourage and support you to become involved in this process so that they are receiving the best protection they can – you can’t eliminate the dangers but you can reduce them!

Please click on the button below:

May Day Attendance

As our May Day Gala is fast approaching we would like to check who is attending on the day, this will help us to organise the dances and retinue.

Please could we ask you to complete this form: May Day Attendance Form, by Friday 5th May, to let us know if your child will be attending May Day and doing the dances.

Reserving Seats

If you have an elderly member of the family, or anyone with a disability, who will be attending on the day and will require a seat to be reserved for them, please contact the school office: office@isham.pdet.org.uk, by Friday 5th May 9am.

Commemorative Tea Towels

The whole school has been very creative putting together a self-portrait Commemorative Tea Towel in preparation for the Coronation of King Charles III.

Please see the picture below. These are now available to purchase through ParentPay, for £3.00 each. The deadline for ordering the tea towels is 5th May 2023. (Please note: any orders after this date will have to be placed separately and may incur an additional charge and also an extra charge for the postage).

School Trips - Payment Reminder

Polite reminder for trip payments: Year 1 & 2 Trip to Silverstone, Year 3, 4, 5 & 6 Trip to the Natural History Museum in London - all payments via ParentPay. Thank you.

A Message from FOIS

May Day - Volunteers Needed

This year the May Day Gala will take place on Saturday 20th May, with the dancing taking place between 2-3pm, and a traditional Fete between 3-5pm. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we really need as many people to volunteer as possible. Any help setting up before, tidying up after or helping on a stall would be very much appreciated!

There is a sign-up sheet on the wall by the school office, so please put your name down if you can help at all, or email us fois@isham.pdet.org.uk.

We also need donations of ‘home made goods’, that can include anything like cakes, pies, jams, bread, eggs, pickles, plants, seedlings, knitted or craft goods or anything else that is home made that can be sold.

Please also note that we are holding a MUFTI Day on the 15th May for donations of bottles (KS2) and chocolates (EYFS & KS1) please see previous email for details. We also need Raffle prizes – if you know of any company that could donate, please get in touch.

Thank you for your continued support.

The FOIS Team

FOIS Meeting

The next FOIS meeting is next Monday morning 24th after drop off, I hope we can see lots of you there. The main aim of this meeting is to talk May Day which is only 4 and a half weeks away now !!!

Useful Links for FOIS fundraising extras:

Easy fundraising – sign up via their website www.easyfundraising.org.uk and search/register to support Isham CEVA School – Kettering or follow the link: https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/ishamprimary/?utm_campaign=raise-more&utm_medium=clipboard&utm_content=rm-cpl

Stikins Labels - Name Labels For School Clothes. Stick On Name Labels: Stikins. When ordering name labels please use the School Fundraising number 10571 (Isham C of E Primary School) https://www.stikins.co.uk/

Stamptastic – Name stamps for labelling. All purchase give donation to FOIS if you need to enter the PTA code (usually for deluxe packages) it us NN141HD https://bit.ly/STAMPNN141HD

Follow us on Facebook or email us on Fois@ishamprimary.org.uk

Please 'like' our Facebook page as this will keep you up to date on all events: https://www.facebook.com/FOIS-Friends-of-Isham-School-176690376296486/

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Reflection Time...

This term, Collective Worship is focused on our school value - forgiveness. We discussed what forgiveness means, how it can be difficult at times and how forgiveness is more than just accepting an apology. Forgiveness is about letting go and moving forward.

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." - Ephesians 4:32

Dates for your diary

Please look at the calendar on our website to see further ahead: https://www.ishamprimary.org.uk/diary/grid/2021/11/

• Monday 1st May - Bank Holiday (School Closed to Pupils)
• Monday 8th May - Bank Holiday (School Closed to Pupils)
• Monday 15th May - Mufti day for May Day stalls - EYFS/KS1 to bring chocolate donations / KS2 to bring bottle donations
• Wednesday 17th May - Celebration of King Charles Coronation 2pm - picnic in the playground
• Saturday 20th May - May Day Gala
• Friday 26th May - Last Day of Term
• Monday 5th June - School Re-opens to Pupils
• Thursday 8th June - Class Photos (no sibling photos)
• Monday 3rd July - Shuffle up morning - classes will spend the morning with their new teacher
• Monday 3rd July -Meet the class teacher - 3.30pm - 4.00pm - parents meet the new teacher!
• Friday 7th July - Whole School Beach Trip! (more info to follow)
• Wednesday 12th July - A.M. Whole School Sports Day (TBC)
• Friday 21st July - Last Day of Term