Fab feedback
‘Behaviour throughout the lessons was exemplary. Pupils were on-task, focussed and being supported well by adults within classrooms. Pupils were keen to learn.’
That’s just one of many very positive comments from our School Improvement Advisor
Leeds maintained primary schools benefit from around three visits from a School Improvement Advisor. On Friday 17 November, we welcomed our advisor into school for the first of these visits – the focus was Phonics and our current topic, Art. Here’s a few more extracts from her report…
- ‘The teaching [of Phonics] continues to be high quality enabling pupils to learn to read quickly.’
- ‘The quality of learning [in Art] was excellent. Pupils were fully engaged in learning, discussing artists and art pieces including their personal opinions.’
- ‘High quality learning was embedded throughout school and seen during visits to lessons. Children could talk about and name different artists that had been studied and were able to discuss their current learning.’
Well done to all the teachers and children in the lessons visited, and thank you for your continued support at home.
Morwick Grove
17 November 2023
Our whole-school homework this week is:
Reading: please make sure your child is reading on a daily basis.
Number Fact Fluency: Use Numbots or Times Table Rock Stars in regular short bursts.
Talk Time
Our Talk Time homework this week is all about charity.
To start the discussion at home, talk with your child about charities. Things you might talk about are how charity is the act of giving help to those in need of it. It involves giving money, goods or time to those that need it, without expecting something in return.
Soon, the Junior Leadership Team will choose our new charity. Each school leader in Sphere Federation has suggested a charity and now it’s over to you. Spend some time at home considering each of the six shortlisted charities below. Which one will your child encourage the junior leaders in school to vote for?
Did you know you can find out more about any registered charities really easily:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission
This site tells you lots of facts and figures about different charities – even things like how much income they receive and how many workers and volunteers they have.
You might use this site to decide which of the six charities to support. (In the list below, the text in italics is taken from the Charity Overview page from the site.)
The Children’s Heart Surgery Fund
The main objective of the charity is to enhance the quality of care and support available to babies, young children and adult congenital cardiac patients, who are treated at the Leeds Congenital Heart Unit, based at Leeds General Infirmary.
Zarach
We receive referrals through our network of schools. We deliver a bed bundle for every child in the household that requires it; this includes a brand-new Bed, Mattress, Duvet, Pillow, Bed Sheets, Pyjamas and Hygiene Kit. We work with local partners to include Food Parcels and, if needed, a school uniform. We can also mediate between families and their support services, as well as making referrals.
Leeds Hospitals Charity
To further any charitable purpose or purposes relating to the general or any specific purposes of Leeds Teaching Hospital Trust or the purposes of the National Health Service.
https://www.leedshospitalscharity.org.uk
Simon on the Streets
Objectives are to: 1) prevent and relieve hardship and need and distress amongst those who are homeless and rootless by the provision of practical and emotional support, in particular but not exclusively to those who are sleeping rough or who are unwilling or unable to accept existing provision; 2) educate the public concerning the problems of social isolation and homelessness.
https://simononthestreets.co.uk/
Trussell Trust
The Trussell Trust supports a nationwide network of food banks and together we provide emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, and campaign for change to end the need for food banks in the UK.
Mind (The National Association for Mental Health)
We provide information and support, campaign to improve policy and attitudes and, in partnership with independent local Minds, develop and provide local services.
The charities will be reviewed in class on Thursday 23 November. Each class will vote for one charity which will be brought to the Junior Leadership Team who will have the final vote on Friday 24 November.
This week’s message (Friday 17 November 2023)
This week, we marked Anti-Bullying Week. Make sure your child knows our definition of bullying (Several Times On Purpose) and the solution (Start Telling Other People).
Near the start of each half-term, Mr Wilks writes the weekly message to tell you more about the current topic in school…
What do we mean by topics?
Topics are the way we deliver much of the learning in the foundation subjects (eg history, art, geography, DT). Each half-termly topic has a driving subject – the main focus for teaching pupils the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in life. The driver changes with each topic to ensure a broad and balanced curriculum.
Although the learning in each topic is provided by the driving subject, there are opportunities for enrichment through other subjects. For example, learning in an art topic may be enriched by geography learning about where an artist was born and lived.
What is this half-term’s topic?
This half-term, we’re artists: we’re developing our art knowledge and skills. The learning this half-term has two aspects to it. In art history and appreciation lessons, children learn about some specific artists and their work. In art process lessons, children practise and develop skills by creating art.
Each phase has age-related specific knowledge, skills and vocabulary that they’ll learn, use and apply across the topic. Follow this link to the Curriculum Guide to find out more.
Years 1 and 2
Children have two featured artists: Leonardo Da Vinci and Paul Klee. They’ll compare their art, talking about similarities and differences. They’ll discuss what they like and dislike about the art and how it makes them feel. They’ll also learn about the artists’ lives and where in the world they lived.
In practical art lessons, children will hone their artistic skills and knowledge by sketching objects using pencil, learning about and mixing colour and then they’ll be learning how to print by creating relief prints inspired by the artwork they’ve studied.
Part way through the half-term, they’ll visit the Hepworth Gallery for a printmaking workshop to complement the learning in school.
Years 3 and 4
Children will learn about the work of Wassily Kandinsky and Martha McDonald Napaltjarri. They’ll compare and contrast the artworks by these artists and also learn about their lives and the places they lived. In particular, children will learn about abstract and figurative art (see the vocabulary for definitions of these words).
In practical art sessions, children will develop observational drawing skills and their understanding of colour by learning about warm, cold and complementary colours. They’ll then apply what they’ve learnt by creating sculptures inspired by the artists they’ve studied.
Years 5 and 6
Children in Years 5 and 6 are learning about sculpture in their art lessons and will focus on three artists: Thomas J Price, Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth.
The children have already been on their school trip to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park this week. They’ve seen and learned about sculptures by these artists. In art history and appreciation lessons, they’ll learn about the lives of these artists and how their localities have influenced their art. They’ll learn about classical and modern art in relation to their featured artists and in art movements more generally. They’ll also learn when and why the modern art movement happened.
In practical art lessons, children will continue to develop their observational skills and will create maquettes (see the vocabulary list) inspired by the work of Barbara Hepworth.
How can you help?
Talk to your child about what they’ve been learning in class. The class news page of the school website is a good place to go to find out more about what the children are doing.
Familiarise yourself with the artists and the artwork that your child is learning about. Look in books or on the internet for pieces by the artists and talk about them. Find art by other artists that you like and compare it to the featured artists. If you feel confident, you can go into more depth using the vocabulary. However, if not, leave that to the teachers and just enjoy looking at the pieces and asking general questions:
- What do you like or dislike about the art?
- How does the art make you feel?
- Is it life-like or not?
- What colours can you see?
The Tate Gallery has a good children’s website with games and activities which children can explore.
If you’re in Leeds, the Leeds Art Gallery and Henry Moore Institute are both free to enter.
Children in Need
A huge thanks for the money you donated this morning. So far, we’ve raised £351.81!! Amazing
A few people asked if the buckets would be there at the end of the day – yes they will be. I’ll send you the grand total as soon as I know.
Thanks for your generosity
A happy and healthy place to learn…PE
This year, we’ve thought a lot about how we teach PE at Scholes (Elmet) Primary School. We’ve re-designed our curriculum and really value how an effective, whole-school approach to our PE curriculum helps our school to be a happy and healthy place to learn.
As part of this, we worked alongside Foot-Tech. They’re an innovative sports coaching company that provide sessions across the city for children to develop their skills and develop a life-long love of sport and physical activity. We’re lucky to have worked with them over the last few months to improve our PE provision.
Recently, they came into school to work with our Early Years and KS1 teachers to deliver some valuable CPD about how to teach effective PE lessons. Their purposeful, game-based approach to delivering PE matches our vision and they’ve helped us to develop our provision for Early Years and KS1.
We’re grateful for their support and hope you can check out their website for how to get your child involved in what they do.
Help at home by asking your child what they’re learning about in their PE lessons. What’re they enjoying? What skills are they learning? At the moment, all our children are developing their confidence, strength, flexibility and coordination through gymnastics.
Scholes news
A few bits of news and a couple of reminders…
Monday is Odd Socks Day, part of anti-bullying week. Come to school in your odd socks to show how unique you are.
Friday is Children in Need day. We’ll be having a non-uniform day and our JLT will be in the playground shaking their buckets. Please make a donation if you’re able to.
I’ve had a few emails from local residents about parking around school. Wood Lane, close to Scholes village library, has been blocked to such an extent that residents are unable to gain access to their land. Morwick Grove’s road markings have recently changed -you should be aware that places where you used to park may now be covered by double yellow lines.
Our dedicated Lollipop Sue has also noticed that some people are crossing the road in the place where the crossing used to be and not where the new crossing is. This makes it dangerous for everyone. Please cross with Sue.
On Wednesday 22 November, I’ve said that Garforth and District Lions can use our Key Stage 2 gazebo as a collection point for used clothes which will then be donated to The Clothing Bank. I’ll open the gates a little earlier at the end of the school day (2.45 pm) so that local people can drop off their donations. If you’d like to bring any of your old clothes (they must be clean and serviceable – no underwear or socks), please bring them at the end of the school day. If this is successful, we might tag this event onto our annual harvest collection.
This week’s message (Friday 10 November 2023)
This week’s been a busy one – the first of our two themed weeks in the year. This one’s been Me and My Money. Ask your child what they’ve been learning about. Our Living and Learning Curriculum Guide lists the learning that we’ve been focusing on in school – see page 17.
Sticking to Living and Learning…
Bullying, Odd Socks and STOP
Next Monday, 13 November, is Anti-Bullying Day. This year’s theme is ‘Make noise about bullying’ and we will be taking part in Odd Socks Day on this day.
Odd Socks Day raises awareness of our differences, individuality and personal choice. Your child can come to school wearing odd socks (with their uniform) to celebrate what makes them unique.
Check out this parent and carer pack about bullying.
Remember our two STOP acronyms about bullying:
- the definition: Several Times On Purpose
- the solution: Start Telling Other People
Attendance matters
The whole-school attendance figure for Autumn 1 half-term was 95.7%. The national figure from 11 September to 13 October 2023 was 93.7% – we’re two percentage points higher than national! Thank you for making sure your child attends school as much as possible.
Here’s a breakdown for each class – the Year 3,4 phase are smashing it!
- Sunshine (Miss Parling) – 95.6%
- Rainbow (Mrs Allen-Kelly) – 96.0%
- Class 1A (Mrs Brown and Mrs Wilkins) – 95.1%
- Class 1/2B (Mrs Latham) – 96.0%
- Class 2C (Miss Young) – 96.1%
- Class 3/4A (Mrs Paterson) – 96.4% – excellent!
- Class 3/4B (Miss Iveson) – 96.3% – brilliant!
- Class 3/4C (Mrs Wadsworth) – 97.1% – amazing attendance!
- Class 5/6A (Mr Wain) – 94.9%
- Class 5/6B (Mrs Hogarth) – 94.5%
- Class 5/6C (Mr Lindsay) – 94.5%
Remember to check this new NHS website if you’re not sure whether your child is ill enough to miss out on school.
Rocking Rockstars
If your child’s in Year 3, 4, 5 or 6, they should be practising their times tables regularly at home – a little every day is best for most children. Children in Year 4 are expected to know their times tables with quick recall, and the matching division facts – check out this guide.
A good way to practise is to use Times Tables Rock Stars. The Times Tables Rock Stars website has just been updated, including:
- intro video
- parent guide
- the importance of times tables
- FAQs
- free downloadables
Have a happy and healthy weekend.
Phenomenal phonics
Phonics is the foundation stone for reading and for lifelong learning. It’s all about matching the sounds of spoken English with individual letters or groups of letters. For example, the sound k can be spelled as c, k, ck or ch.
We’re proud of our excellent teaching and the excellent results. In 2023, almost all of our Year 1 children reached the expected level in the national Phonics Screening Check. The outcomes are significantly above the national data – in fact, we’re in the 97th percentile.
(Percentiles are a way of ranking. Basically, imagine all the schools in England in order from lowest to highest outcomes, and then divide the group into 100 smaller, similar performing groups. The first percentile is the lowest performing groups and the 100th percentile is the top-performing group.)
Well done to all the children in the cohort (our current Year 2 pupils), and thank you to parents and carers for making sure their child is reading regularly at home.
This week’s message (Friday 27 October 2023)
It’s our last Friday’s message of Autumn 1 half-term.
Today’s a training day in school. All the teachers across Sphere Federation have gathered together to learn more about Maths, PE and Art. They’re learning about it in a carousel of phases – Early Years and Y1,2 in one, Y3,4 in another, and Y5,6 in the third.
In last week’s message, we announced our new Junior Leadership Team. This week, we thought you might like to hear from some them, talking about their favourite aspects of Scholes (Elmet) Primary…
- Jenson, Y2: “Our school library is full of fun, exciting books that we get to take home.”
- Eric, Y6: “I find maths puzzling and fun at the same time because it makes me feel challenged.”
- Noah, Y6: “We do a variety of different topics ranging from Geography to Computing. This helps us learn about the world.”
- Eric, Y6: “I find it fun testing different things like running around with bin bags.”
- Emilia, Y6: “Living and Learning allows us to share our thoughts and feelings.”
- Lani, Y4: “I enjoy playtime as everyone gets to play with each other.”
- Caleb, Y4: “Our teachers make lessons interesting and fun – we get to enjoy our learning.”
- Lani, Y4: “I enjoy assemblies because I get to think and learn about different things from around the world.”
- Thea, Y4: “Mrs Hague always helps us and she is a very kind person.”
- Noah, Y6: “Mr Roundtree is polite and never forgets to greet people when he’s at the gate.”
- Olivia, Y2: “Our school has lots of things to do after school like dancing and football.”
These comments now feature at the foot of the homepage of our website, too.
Leeds City Council Admissions Policy – consultation
Leeds City Council is running a public consultation on the 2025/2026 admission policy for Leeds community and voluntary controlled schools. You can share your views until 4 December. Share your views.
It’s been an extra long Autumn 1 half-term – eight weeks. Lots of children are tired – a break will be welcome to relax and recuperate. We hope you’re able to enjoy a longer weekend and a great half-term break.