Amazingly atmospheric writing
One of the Year 5 and Year 6 learning objectives is to develop the skills of using other writing as a model for their own writing. This isn’t simply copying another writer; instead, it’s using their work as inspiration, a model, for their own ideas and style (a bit like J K Rowling being inspired, perhaps, by a writer such as Ursula K Le Guin, who also wrote about a wizarding school).
Here, two Year 6 pupils – Reece Morley and Jacob Rayner – have done just that, with great results. The original text was the wonderful The Nowhere Emporium by Ross McKenzie. Their writing is reproduced here (with just a couple of spellings corrected). Enjoy!
The shop was made of midnight black stone, embedded in little specks of silver and gold. The iron gate sat there in front of the grand oak door, guarding the entrance like a soldier. It had wooden beams which reached sky high which loomed ominously over the dusty street. Although the giant beams and the great gate looked quite foreboding, there was something calming and also quite mesmerising about the strange building. Just above a black, tinted, barred window were some letters that spelled out the name: The Midnight Mall.
Inside it seemed almost completely normal. The darkness ate at the light in the corners but that was all. Or at least it seemed like that was all. But if you focused a bit more you’d notice a green aura of light around all of the objects. The walls had cracks in them, the plants whacked each other with their branches even though the air was still. Small and very distant screeches could be heard if you stayed quiet. The place seemed quite intriguing yet kind of scary all at the same time, if you notice all those things. The shop with all this stuff that is quite mysterious can only appear at midnight.
Afterwards, it will be gone.
The Master led Vindictus through the abandoned worn-out factory. The derelict building stood lifeless. Its crumbling chimneys and hanging gutters were clogged with moist, rotting leaves and the walls were pitted, as if they had been gnawed by hundreds of starving rats. Vindictus followed the Master through to the decrepit, ancient office. The Master snatched a worn key from a battered safe. They passed conveyor belts that hadn’t been used for a decade or two.
“Argh!” screamed the Master as a nightmare-ish, blood-curdling wail erupted from a larger-than-life bat. Whilst the Master was hyper-ventilating, Vindictus asked, “Is this where you keep him?” pointing to a weather-worn prison cell.
“I’m afraid we had no choice,” sighed the Master. “He was
violent to the other boys but he is well fed.” The prison cell was dark and dreary. Boxes were scattered around the room. They contained unknown items. Although the entrance was damaged from constant usage, it was still firm. The boy inside was dreary, lonesome and unexcitable. However, there was something intriguing about him.
Our Year 6 Reading workshop
Thanks to the parents and carers of Year 6 children who came to school yesterday evening for a Reading workshop. We’re really pleased to see so many of you taking the time to learn how you can best support your child at home.
Here are two examples of the great feedback we got:
‘The evening was very informative. It helped me understand what the reading SATs paper will be like and where I can help my child… Thank you for taking the time to give us an insight…’
‘I feel more comfortable with what [my child] is being taught and the support he is being given.’
Read the PowerPoint slides here: part one, part two and part three.
Watch a short video about the Key Stage 2 assessments (SATs) here.
One parent suggested the evening should be scheduled towards the end of the school for Year 5 parents, so they are more prepared for Year 6 from the outset. Thanks for the idea – we think it’s a good one and we’re going to organise this.
Golden star of the week!
Well done to our golden star of the week!
Steam Train and Santa!
We had a fabulous time at Middleton Railway this week. All the children were a fantastic advert for our school. We learnt about fireboxes, pistons and crankshafts. Ask you child how a steam train works!
08 December 2017
This week’s spellings are taken from the National Curriculum’s Y3/4 spelling list. They’ll be tested on Thursday 14 December.
- famous
- favourite
- February (remember this one must have a capital letter because it’s a proper noun)
- forwards
- fruit
Follow-up visit from Ofsted
On Tuesday 07 November 2017, we were inspected, under section 8 of the Education Act 2005 (as amended). This was a monitoring inspection following the ‘Requires Improvement’ judgement earlier this year. The focus was around whether we are taking effective enough action to improve provision and outcomes.
Whilst monitoring inspections do not result in a new inspection report or new judgement, a follow-up letter is published.
We’re happy to tell you the inspector concluded that senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to tackle the areas requiring improvement … in order for the school to become a good school.
We’re even happier with some of the positive comments from the inspection letter:
You and your senior leaders are tackling the areas requiring improvement identified at the school’s last inspection with focus and resolve. Together with middle leaders and staff, you are a strong and increasingly cohesive and effective team.
Governors are making a stronger and more influential contribution to improving the quality of education at Scholes (Elmet) Primary School. They are working in a more organised and systematic way and are bringing a sense of energetic purpose to the way they support and challenge you and your colleagues.
I could see the impact of [monitoring and evaluating] on pupils’ learning and progress in the lessons I visited with you and your senior leaders and by looking at the work in pupils’ books. The pupils I spoke to said that they find the work they are set interesting and fun.
[The teaching and learning of Maths] is being purposefully and energetically led by a senior leader who is also a specialist leader of education in mathematics.
Your self-evaluation is detailed and comprehensive. The judgements you have made are supported by a good range of evaluative information. It gives a clear picture of the school’s effectiveness.
It is quite normal in such monitoring visits to agree some new recommendations. For us, they are:
- secure rapid improvements in teaching so that all pupils make fast progress from their different starting points in reading and mathematics in key stage 2 – We’re very aware that outcomes need to improve at the end of the key stage, and have been taking lots of steps to address this; this includes recruiting an additional Maths teacher in the mornings meaning that Maths can be taught in single age classes (see News post, 19.10.17) and closely analysing how pupils have previously performed the the statutory tests – and taking appropriate action to address areas.
- develop and implement an effective approach to identifying and tackling errors and misconceptions in pupils’ mathematical knowledge and understanding – This had already been identified as something we can improve in order to speed up pupil progress; the smaller Maths groups will help here, and the fact that teachers can have a sharper focus on a single age.
- update the school improvement plan and pupil premium strategy so that they link more closely to the priorities and actions identified in the school’s self-evaluation – This is something which we suggested so that we can continue to plan for and monitor the much wider range of improvements that are going on, such as the new homework approach and the bnew ways we invite parents and carers into school (homework reviews, Watch us while we work, sessions, Join in Mondays).
If you have any questions, comments or concerns about the report, please contact Miss Hague, the Head of School.
24 November 2017
Your spellings to learn this week are words with –tial and -cial suffixes. These suffixes makes the ‘shul’ sound. Your child will be tested on Friday 01 December:
- partial
- artificial
- essential
- special
- residential
- beneficial
- substantial
- financial
- official
- commercial
Create your own rule that can be applied when adding these suffixes to root words.
We’ll also test your child on two extra words, not on this list. Encourage your child to look out for other words belonging to the list.
24 November 2017
This week’s spelling homework is to write the spellings from last week in fancy writing. You could try curly, dotty, bubble or spiky writing.
Year 1 – high frequency words
- of
- off
- there
- were
- where
Year 2 – alternative pronunciations of the grapheme ‘o’ – the long vowel sound.
- old
- cold
- gold
- hold
- told
- both
- most
- only
- also
- ago
Explorers Topic Share 17.11.17
On Friday, at the end of our Explorers topic, we had the chance to share our learning with different year groups. It was a great way to discuss learning and celebrate our achievements.
Children in Need
A huge thank you to everyone for joining in the fun fund-raising. We managed to raise £353.78 for Children in Need.
What a great achievement!