Children are most successful in school when there is a clear sense of partnership between parents and teachers. It is therefore in all our interests to sustain positive relationships. The Home/School agreement sets out the expectations and responsibilities for staff, pupils and parents. It is a very important document on which the ethos of the school is based. We do ask that you read it carefully with your child so that everyone is aware of what is expected of them. You will find a copy of our Home/School agreement at the end of this prospectus information.

At home it would help to give regard to the following:

• Have a copy of your child’s timetable displayed so that daily requirements can be checked.
• Make sure your child is fully equipped for school.
• Set aside a special time for homework and oversee that it is done in a satisfactory manner.
• Ask your child to explain work and to read from it.
• Listen to your child read on a regular basis.
• Give praise where it is due.

And with regard to school:

• Take every opportunity to come into school.
• Let us know if there is a problem so that we do not misjudge your child.
• Make sure all belongings are named.
• Offer your support and/or assistance at school events.
• If you can, offer your help during school time.

Help Your Child To Read

Every child at Place Farm is provided with a reading book – either from a reading scheme, a class book box, or the school library. If your child is a good reader, please help them to choose their books, talk to them about their reading, and encourage them to read as widely as possible. Perhaps you could link their reading to topics being covered in school.

For pupils in Key Stage 2, please try to find fifteen minutes every day to listen to, and help them with, their reading. The reading should be recorded in their planner for which they will be rewarded in school. They should have a suitable book from school, which should be brought in each day. This small input at home would help enormously and reinforce the hard work being done in school.

Hearing Your Child Read

Every child at Place Farm is provided with a reading book – either from a reading scheme, a class book box, or the school library. If your child is a confident reader, please help them to choose their books, talk to them about their reading, and encourage them to read as widely as possible. Perhaps you could link their reading to topics being covered in school.

Please try to find fifteen minutes every day to listen to, and help your child with their reading. The reading should be recorded on their reading record.

Children should have a suitable book from school, which should be brought in each day. This small input at home would help enormously and reinforce the hard work being done in school.

• Try to find a quiet place away from distractions like television.
• It might help to have a regular time to read: before breakfast? When she/he gets home from school?
• A short time each day is better than half an hour each week.
• Talk about the book: What happened? What might happen next?
• If she/he can’t read a particular word, use all the clues: What letter does it start with? Can you sound it out, or split it up into syllables? Do the pictures help?
• Take it in turns to read.
• Encourage your child to pick the kinds of books which she/he enjoys; reading is for pleasure!
• Give lots of encouragement and praise.

Helping with Mathematics

Make Maths fun by playing games.

Card Games

•  Matching Pairs
•  Adding values to a target number

Dice Games

• Adding values to a target number
• Beetle Drive – Roll a 6 for a body, 5 for a head, 4 for a tail, 3 for  Legs 2 for an antennae and 1 for eyes.

Board Games

• Snakes and Ladders
• Monopoly

Help Children

• Recognise the values of numbers. E.g. how many hundreds, tens and ones it has.
• Compare the size of numbers.
• Put prices on toys and games for children to play shops.
• Practise telling the time.
• Talk about what date and month it is.