Curriculum information for parents and supporting your child at home
After reviewing the present homework policy, we are now committed to provide the following support for parents:
Curriculum Maps will be sent out every half term.
The maps outline the fundamental learning objectives in the main key areas of Numeracy and Literacy that will be covered over the half term. The objectives will be assessed in a termly exam that will be completed at the end of each term. This will enable the teachers to provide an accurate assessment of your child’s progress against year group expectations. I will provide further information about assessment week and how you can support your child at home in next week’s newsletter. The curriculum maps will also inform you of key dates for the half term and ways of supporting your child at home with reading.
Learning Menus
Each week your child will receive the Learning Menu that provides a weekly overview of what your child can do at home.
Example from a Year 3 Learning Menu
Main Course – you MUST do every week:
Optional Project
We also suggest an optional project that links with the topic for the term.
At our IPC exit points, the children produced some exceptional work, which demonstrated parents and children working together on the optional, home projects.
Learning Platforms
Last week we held a training session on available learning platform for the parents. This was a huge success and parents went away with a better understanding of the platforms and the way to support their children at home.
Reading Eggs makes learning to read interesting and engaging for children, with great online reading games and activities. And it really works! Children love the games, songs, golden eggs and other rewards which, along with feeling proud of their reading.
Mathletics is an online learning space providing your children with all the tools they need to be successful learners in Mathematics, both in the classroom and beyond. Interactive activities aligned to the Fundamental Learning Objectives are differentiated to be in line with your child’s abilities.
Education City
The school has recently invested in a wonderful new support for learning that parents can now access. I have identified just a few of the areas that this can be used for to support literacy and mathematics and can support revision at home for this term’s assessment week.
They are:
The phonics area aims to boost phonetic understanding from the earliest stage. The activities use clear graphics featuring environments familiar to the children. Even the youngest of learners can relate and easily transfer the literacy skills and language they acquire, to their everyday lives.
The spelling, grammar and punctuation activities, learn screens and worksheets are excellent to help children address the key spelling, punctuation and grammar objectives from understanding punctuation marks and homophones, to identifying prepositions and spelling polysyllabic words.
Sing along to the catchy times tables songs all the way from the 2 x to 12 x table.
The mathematics tests are linked to the mathematics curriculum in England and so are great for assessment week practice.
Structured and more detailed homework
In response to parents’ requests for a more detailed and structured approach to homework at the ‘Meet The Teacher’ evening, the school reviewed several options. It was decided to use CGP books which provide a structured support for parents and therefore we have ordered the following support books on a trial basis. I have written a brief description of what each book provides and included the website link. These should be available for parents in the next month, at a charge 20 QAR per book.
CGP Books
Mathematics Work Out Books
The Workout Books are bursting with quick-fire practice Maths questions for children aged 5 to 11. It’s all presented in a fun and friendly style, with lots of cartoons to keep them interested… perfect for making sure they’ve really got to grips with all the important topics.
What’s more, all the answers are included in a cut-out-and-keep section at the back of the book, so it’s simple to find out how well they’re progressing.
KS2 English Targeted Question Book: Grammar
Packed with engaging grammar practice for Years 1 to 6 this full-colour Targeted Question Book is fully up-to-date for the National Curriculum. In addition to all those questions, there are notes and examples throughout the book to help children get started, and self-assessment tick-boxes to keep track of their progress.
Click here for the link to the website.
I must stress this is purely a resource for parents to use to support their children at home and will link with the fundamental learning objectives the children are covering at school. As soon as the books are delivered I will inform parents and we will take orders.
All homework is sent home on Thursday by email - Please ensure your contact details are up to date if you have not been receiving the homework - please use the communication books to inform teachers of any issues you may have regarding homework.
Nick Jefferson
Head of Primary School
Nord Anglia
International School Al Khor
Building 5
Taimiyah Street
Zone 74
Al Khor
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