What's discussed in this article?

  • Home Learning at School
  • Curriculum
  • Assessment
  • Family Learning
  • School Lunches
  • Tower Hamlets Healthy Lives Matter Newsletter

Home Learning at School

• Every day the children complete the online learning set to them by their teachers. It’s important to keep up with the work while we are not in school together.

• We are sad not to see all our school friends but we are happy that some of us are at school together! Today we enjoyed doing our home learning in the morning, P.E., and pottery. In the afternoon, we finished our home learning and did a bit of baking. We melted chocolate and mixed in cornflakes with pretzels. It was fun!

Sports Day and Ice Cream

• Today, we completed many races from hopping to relay races. After, we treated ourselves to a scrumptious ice-cream!

Nature Collage

• This morning, we used photos from our colour walk and clippings from magazine to create a nature collage.

Curriculum

At Brightstone Academy all our children will study the 2022 National Curriculum for both core and foundation stage subjects.

In the Early Years Foundation Stage children will experience the seven areas of learning that are required:

  • Personal, Social and Emotional Development
  • Communication and Language
  • Literacy
  • Mathematics
  • Understanding the World
  • Physical Development
  • Expressive Art and Design

These areas underpin the organisation of the learning environment; the activities provided for children and the monitoring of children’s’ progress and development.

In Key Stage One and Key Stage Two, children are taught all the elements of the newly required syllabus of the 2014 National Curriculum for both core (English, Maths and Science) and foundation subjects (history, geography, music, art, physical education (PE), design technology and religious education).

At Brightstone Academy we teach units from the International Primary Curriculum. This is a cross-curricular, thematic approach, consistent with recognised good practice. In our curriculum planning we always endeavour to ensure that activities are matched to the individual needs, development and ability of the children. In our curriculum planning we always endeavour to ensure that activities are matched to the individual needs, development and ability of the children.

Details of the units taught are contained within our curriculum overviews:

International Primary Curriculum overviews for each half term are published on year group pages of the website. These detail the content of the International Primary Curriculum.

Please also note the following:

Parents have a right to withdraw their child from Religious Education. Parents are requested to write to the Headteacher to request that a child does not take part in Religious Education lessons. Children would still take part in daily assembly but not the part that is concerned with a corporate Act of Worship. Parents are also entitled to withdraw their child from Sex Education but not the part of this that is covered by the Science Curriculum. Parents should again put this request in writing to the Headteacher.
The swimming programmes of study are covered in this school at Year 5, as the children visit the local swimming pool to do this.
Teaching Methods

Teachers in each year group plan meticulously to meet the needs of your child and to satisfy the requirements of the National Curriculum. Teachers may work with their own class or they may work with children from the whole year group. There are times when an individual child or a small group of children may work with a teacher or learning support assistant away from the classroom.

Often a teacher with a particular expertise, e.g. mathematics, music, P.E., science and dance will take another teacher’s class for a specific lesson.

On some days you will find children from one class working on different activities at the same time, equally you will see formal whole class teaching taking place. The key to which method is used in our school is a combination of the needs of the children and the requirements of the subject being taught. We will always attempt to match our teaching to the learning styles of our pupils. Sometimes pupils are set by ability. The pupils cover the same syllabus but the work covered is closely matched to the ability of the children.

Literacy and Numeracy

All children have a daily Numeracy and Literacy lesson. Maths and English are also taught through other subjects as part of our cross curricular topics.

Our approach to the teaching of reading is through group guided reading in class but there are also individual programmes for children who have not yet achieved at least an average standard in reading. Phonics is formally taught in small groups (see section on teaching of reading and phonics). All children are taught spelling as a weekly activity. The school has an agreed approach to the teaching of writing known as ‘guided writing.’

Information Technology

The school has a computer suite with at least one computer per child for class lessons. There are also computers around the school and at least one computer in each classroom. Computers are used to teach computer skills but also to enhance learning across the curriculum. Children have class lessons to be taught computer skills but also apply those skills in other subject areas.

Information technology also facilitates children using many other items of equipment such as cameras, visualisers, recording equipment and sound equipment. In the summer the school intends to introduce a new scheme of work called “Rising Stars”.

Assessment

Children’s progress is assessed against attainment targets and will be formally reported to parents in Parent Consultation meetings during the year and one detailed written report. Informal consultations may take place at other times.

More information on our approaches can be found on the assessment page. Please click here.

Enriching and Extending Learning

In addition to the compulsory National Curriculum Programmes of Study, the school has a comprehensive programme of enrichment activities. These include

  • Residential trips to Gorsefield
  • A programme of day trips, visits and visitors in every year group
  • A large selection of clubs both before and after school
  • Small group musical instrument lessons
  • Cycle training and first aid training in Year 6
  • Themed days such as world book day
  • Competitive sporting events
    Inclusive inter school sports days

The curriculum at Brightstone Academy is designed to address the knowledge, vocabulary and experience gap that many of our pupils, disadvantaged or not, face. It has been created to enhance the cultural capital of our pupils; to improve life chances; to reflect modern, diverse Britain and to offer access to the best and most current thinking.

The curriculum is not static, it will evolve over time as both our pupils and teachers develop and grow. However, it will remain ever true to our vision of ambitious, high quality teaching and learning with the whole child at its centre.

If you have any questions about our curriculum, please make an appointment to speak with Sian or Joanna.

Our Curriculum Aims and Intent

Since 2014, we have followed the programmes of study outlined in the revised National Curriculum, which all local authority maintained schools are required to teach.

Whilst following local and national guidance, we have developed our curriculum specifically to meet the needs of our school community. Due to the large percentage of pupils with EAL, there is a focus on literacy and numeracy skills so that pupils can access a wider cultural curriculum.

Whilst there is a focus on Literacy and Numeracy, this is not at the expense of a broad and balanced curriculum.

We utilise the skills of artists in residence and specialist teachers to ensure exemplary teaching of all subjects.

To ensure our children are not limited by social, economic or cultural disadvantages, we organise a broad range of cultural experiences, which we believe adds value by contextualising learning. As a result, a range of activities and trips are organised to enrich the curriculum and to provide a cultural education, encompassing theatre, art and design, music, literature and sports. We regularly invite ‘expert adults’, such as established authors and poets to raise aspiration.

Research from Carol Dweck (2006) on growth mindsets underpins the way in which we develop pupil’s learning attitudes and teach pupils the skills to overcome barriers in their learning. It is part of our belief that teaching qualities like resilience and perseverance will help pupils to become successful lifelong learners.

We believe that creating external partnerships with other schools helps us to share and discuss best practice with the wider educational community. We are part of the Mcubed partnership and THEP (Tower Hamlets Education Partnership), which allows us to learn more from other school settings and in the light of this reflect on our practice. Our curriculum leaders work in partnership across the Mcubed network in order to improve and refine our curriculum.

Please see our Curriculum Map in the Overview Page, and subject specific maps in the subject pages.

Our Curriculum Implementation

We deliver our curriculum by providing consistently high quality teaching and learning, which will equip our pupils with the skills needed to reach their full potential. We acknowledge that children learn in different ways and recognise the need to provide pupils with a wide range of activities, environments and approaches to learning.

Talk

We believe that, “talk is the sea upon which all else floats” (James Britton 1970) and Professor Frank Hardman reinforces this when he states “[Talk is] the most powerful tool of communication in the classroom and it’s fundamentally central to the acts of teaching and learning.”

Staff explicitly teach talk using progressive language structures which are displayed in all classrooms.

Classroom discussion is structured around an ABC model that invites children to agree, build or challenge. This moves the emphasis away from ‘teacher talk’ and towards a more pupil-directed discussion model.

Talk underpins all written work. We believe that if a pupil can articulate thinking verbally, then they will be able to expand and develop learning.

We want classroom talk to be preparation for the social, educational and employment settings they may encounter in the future.

Growth Mindset

We have incorporated within the PSHCE curriculum a series of lessons demonstrating the principles of and strategies for having a growth mindset, which are explicitly taught to ensure that we embed the growth mindset principles within our classroom culture.

Teachers use growth mindset language to provide specific and supportive feedback that helps pupils understand that learning is a process.

Weekly assemblies help to promote and reinforce Growth Mindset attitudes; pupils are taught that they can utilise practical strategies to improve their learning outcomes.
In the Pupil Attitude Survey 2018-2019, a pupil can be quotes as saying, “I love using growth mindset. Growth mindset helps me with all my learning. When I see other people win, I know that they’ve been trying very hard which will make me more determined. Growth mindset is a great thing it helps everyone with their learning.

Memory and Recall

Our teachers teach lessons that are responsive to the learning needs of the pupils. Pupils are taught that forgetting is part of learning; they are given strategies to support memory. Teachers plan and structure lessons with an understanding of researched-based principles of instruction (Barak Rosenshine 2012) to enable pupils to ‘hold onto’ their learning through retrieval practice, modelled working, low stakes testing and an avoidance of dual coding.

Curriculum Areas and Planning

Although the objectives for teaching and learning remain constant and in line with the National Curriculum, planning is not static. It evolves according to the needs of particular cohorts of children, as opportunity arises and as a result of reviews for improvement.

Assessment

Dear Parents and Carers,

This information and advice has been put together to inform you of our assessment procedures for this and coming years.

As many of you will be aware, as of September 2014, the DfE has removed assessing with levels for children in primary schools. Schools are to be encouraged to create their own non-levels based assessment system.

Effective Assessment Systems should;

Give reliable information to parents about how their child, and their child’s school is performing
Help drive improvement for pupils and teachers
Make sure the school is keeping up with external best practice and innovation
(DfE Assessment Principles)

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
Children in the EYFS will continue to be assessed against the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile (EYFSP for short). This consists of Ages and Stages criteria for nursery learners moving into Early Learning Goals for Reception aged learners.

At the end of Reception these are reported as Emerging, Expected or Exceeding the Early Learning Goals in each area.

Evidence is gathered across the year to create ‘Learning Journeys’ for all children in EYFS and we value all contributions from parents and carers to these documents.

Assessment in EYFS is gathered through observations of learners, samples of learning, photographs and conversations which demonstrate the child’s understanding of a given concept.

In addition to this, staff identify the learning behaviours of children and plan lessons and activities to develop a wide range of learning skills in preparation for the next stage in their education Key Stage 1 (Years 1 and 2).

Years 1, 3, 4, 5
From September this year, children in years 1, 3, 4 and 5 will no longer be assessed against the national curriculum levels that parents and carers will have been familiar with.

In line with the new national curriculum and raised expectations, children will be assessed in a number of ways.

Staff are teaching from the new national curriculum and covering all requirements for the specific year groups. These are called ‘Year End Expectations’

The ‘Year End Expectations’ have been taken from the new national curriculum and state the minimum requirements a learner must meet in order to ensure continued progress throughout the year in line with age expected standards.

A copy of the ‘Year End Expectations’ for reading, writing, maths and Science for the year group your child is in will be attached with this information leaflet and can be downloaded from the school’s website on the curriculum page for each year group.

Any gaps identified in learning for the children due to the increased expectations will be covered and staff have worked together to ensure that the coverage for children is in place.

Children are assessed against the each area in terms of whether, at each stage, they are Emerging, Developing, Secure or Mastering.

Emerging: Yet to be secure in the end of year expectations.
Developing: Secure in the majority of the end of year expectations.
Secure: Secure in almost all or all the end of year expectations
Mastering: secure in all of the end of year expectations and is able to use and apply their knowledge and skills confidently across a range of areas.
The new curriculum focuses very much on ensuring children have a breadth of understanding within the concepts and skills they learn. The application of skills and understanding across a wide range of curriculum areas is key. Rather than moving ‘up’ the stages, the focus is on moving ‘outwards’ developing a deeper understanding.

Staff continue to differentiate all activities to ensure that all learners’ needs are met.

Gathering evidence of learner’s progress and development will continue with a wide range of formative assessment; (day to day assessment through learning completed, observations, conversations and guided sessions) which will inform staff’s planning and also summative assessment (more formal assessment/tests) which will play a part in the overall assessment and progress checks for learners’ at set times in the year.

The end of year expectations in the new curriculum are more challenging than the old curriculum. This may result in children, who have previously achieved the old end of year expectations, being described as working towards the higher expectations of the new curriculum. We would like to emphasise that this does not mean your children have not made progress.

Years 2 and 6
For this academic year, (2014 – 2015) both Year 2 and 6 children will be assessed against the previous curriculum as the transition takes place.

Parents of children in Year 2 and Year 6 will still receive information on their child’s progress relating to ‘National Curriculum Levels’. Outcomes for children in these year groups will still be reported on in this way after the children’s SATs tests in the summer term.

Children entering Years 2 and 6 next year will, however, move onto the new system for assessment without levels. Results from external national tests will be published in a new format in line with the new requirements.

All schools are waiting for clarification from the government on the precise way in which we are going to describe and measure progress and attainment and we will keep you informed of changes and developments as this information is received.

If you would like any further information at this time, please do not hesitate to contact Angie, Anna, Michelle or the year group staff.

Family Learning

At Brightstone Academy we encourage parents to get involved in their child’s learning. We offer the following:

Curriculum Workshops

Parents from each year group are offered two workshops led by teachers on how to support their child with Maths and English.

In addition, each year we offer a three week course called Maths for Dads, to enable fathers to understand how to support their child’s learning through playing maths games and using every day activities to support their child’s understanding of maths.

Maths with Dads

Maths with Dads- certificate presentation

Family Learning Outings
Through our partnership with the Apples and Pears Foundation we are able to offer every child the opportunity to go on two trips with their parents to a museum or London landmark, a year .These trips take place on a Saturday morning from 9.30-12.30. One trip is with their fathers/uncles/cousins and one is for mothers /aunties to come on with their children.

All the trips are linked to the topics the children are studying in class. About 170 children came on trips last year .

In 2015/6:

EYFS went to Discover Story telling centre and the Half Moon Theatre

Year 1 went to the Queen Elisabeth park and The Transport Museum

Year 2 went to the Monument and London Museum and on an I SPY around London

Year 3 went to the National Theatre for a drama workshop and on the Cable car

Year 4 went to the Tin Tin exhibition and to the Crystal Museum

Year 5 went to the Planetarium and to a 5D cinema

Year 6 went Ice skating and Tenpin Bowling

Family Learning OutingsFamily Learning Outings Family Outing 3Family Outing 4

Family Homework

As part of the Stepney Partnership all children are given a holiday homework project to do at half terms and the Christmas and Easter Holidays.

School Lunches

We serve freshly prepared hot meals at lunchtime everyday with meat, fish & vegetable options. All food is halal. A choice of salads and fresh fruit is always available.
The menu can be found below:

(Document available)

Lunches are provided by ...... Children Services Contract Services. They put a great deal of time and effort into creating healthy menus and promoting nutritious food to Primary School pupils.
If your child has any special dietary requirements then please obtain a letter to confirm this from your GP and speak to the School Office. Every effort will be made to cater for any such need.

For more information about our school lunches, please visit 'My School Lunch' website:
http://www.myschoollunch.co.uk/towerhamlets
For information about eligibility and applying for free school meals please click here

Tower Hamlets Healthy Lives Matter Newsletter

Each Friday Tower Hamlets Healthy Lives Team will be sharing relevant information, activities and resources to support ongoing health and wellbeing.

Please Click HERE to see the Healthy Lives Families Newsletter for Friday 2nd July.

Please click HERE for the Healthy Lives Team webpage where you can find out more about the team and access Healthy Schools resources and all their archived newsletters.

Schoolping
Our school uses SchoolPing to keep parents updated with news and calendar events.

SchoolPing is a free app which sends instant messages straight to your smartphone. If you do not have a smartphone, you can also receive messages via email or by logging in to your account on the web. Please click on the icon below to log onto your SchoolPing account.

www.marionrichardson.thamlets.dbprimary.com

To use SchoolPing and issue your welcome invites, we will require your email address. Please contact the school office and speak to Rahima for more information on registering with SchoolPing.

We recognise that not all parents/ carers have access to a smartphone or email and so hard copies will still be available on request.