Fabulous free phonics resource to use at home

By J Jackson19th March 2020

Phonics Play are currently offering a free service! This is a great website for practising phonics skills. You can log in using the username and password on the image below to have full access to the site. Currently children in Year 1 are expected to be working within Phase 4 and 5 but some children may feel more confident with the Phase 2 and phase 3 games until they know some of the Phase 5 sounds.

By the end of Y1 children are expected to be able to sound out and read words within Phase 5.

This is also a really good resource for children in Y2 who need to further develop their phonic skills and for rapid reading practice.

 

Communication whilst self isolating and at home due to enforced closure

By C Salter18th March 2020

In order to ensure we are in touch with all of our students whilst they are self isolating or not attending school due to the closure notice. We have created a web page on our website ‘home learning portal’ (https://sites.google.com/greentopschool.co.uk/home-learning-menu/home) which will be regularly updated.
In addition, teachers will be inviting children in F2-Y6 into the ‘google classroom’ to work on activities (these will also be hosted on our home learning page.) Reception children will have a pack sent home with an exercise book and pencil enclosed tomorrow after school to complete their activities in from next week if working at home.
There will also be sessions for teaching staff in Y1-Y6 to ‘hangout’ using google hangouts through their school log ins and these times will be communicated via the school blog but all be in a morning (9am / 9.30am / 10am OR 2pm / 2.30pm). In order to ensure we are in communication with children whilst they are not at school we will follow the following protocols for communication.
1st check
Online learning interaction with a class teacher. 
 
2nd check (if first check not achieved by 11am)
Text to main mobile number asking to make contact via email or learning action by 12pm
 
3rd check (if second check not achieved by 1pm)
Phone Call Home to contacts in order (speaking to the child if possible).
Final check (if necessary)
Home visit by 2 staff
Finally, we have, and will continue to, provide our whole curriculum on the ‘Our Expeditions’ tab of the school website. As the time progresses we will populate the case studies within our Summer Expeditions to allow for children to learn at home.
Any child who would like an exercise book and pencil to record their work in is welcome to do so please ask class teachers.
Thanks

Teacher Your Monster to Read

By Miss Schön18th March 2020

Today children in classes 3 and 4 will come home with a username and password for the app ‘Teach you Monster to Read’. Yesterday the KS1 children also brought these home.This app is a great tool for learning the phonic sounds and learning to read words and sentences. This is a great way to improve confidence in reading whilst having fun playing games. We hope the children will enjoy using it.

In addition you can sign up to the ‘Oxford Owl’ website for free and you will have access to lots of age-appropriate ebooks very similar to the reading books we have in school. Sign-up is quick and easy and there are no costs involved.

https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/

UPDATE: COVID-19

By C Salter16th March 2020

Today, we need to go further, because according to SAGE [the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies] it looks as though we’re now approaching the fast growth part of the upward curve.

And without drastic action, cases could double every 5 or 6 days.

So, first, we need to ask you to ensure that if you or anyone in your household has one of those two symptoms, (the high temperature OR a new and continuous cough) then you should stay at home for fourteen days.

That means that if possible you should not go out even to buy food or essentials, other than for exercise, and in that case at a safe distance from others. If necessary, you should ask for help from others for your daily necessities. And if that is not possible, then you should do what you can to limit your social contact when you leave the house to get supplies.

And even if you don’t have symptoms and if no one in your household has symptoms, there is more that we need you to do now.

Thank you for your continued vigilance and support at this uncertain time

Miss Salter, Mr Butler and the executive team of the XP Trust.

Making cuboids

By Miss N Hilton16th March 2020

Class 8 have been making a cuboid today with 12 straws to investigate different 3D shape properties. Everyone was really focused and tried really hard to build their cuboids. Well done everyone!

UPDATE: Coronavirus (Covid 19)

By C Salter12th March 2020

Dear Parents and Carers within the XP Schools Trust, 

As you are well aware the Corona virus (Covid 19) situation is escalating as we speak. The leaders within the XP School Trust would like to share our plans for dealing with this difficult situation. 

Firstly we continue to monitor and receive daily updates from the government and continue to follow their advice. The five Schools within the Trust have made their plans in case the government instructs us to close or partially close. In the event of any closures, partial or full, we will use our official websites and social media stations to inform parents. We will also message via our text to parents service. We will remain open until the government instructs us otherwise. 

In schools we have held assemblies / community Meetings to explain the situation to students and have posters around school regarding how to wash hands thoroughly. We have also had discussions in Crew on a daily basis to remind students about hygiene. In all Schools we have made provision for additional hand sanitiser to be made available and will request additional cleaning in our IT areas, ensuring keyboards are regularly wiped clean throughout the day. 

We will be monitoring all Field Work plans and making a decision on a case by case basis, following LA and government advice. The Teachers and Leaders within the Trust are currently making plans for how they will provide learning opportunities and communication with their classes, if the government does instruct a partial or full closure. 

Until we hear different, the schools within the XP Trust will remain open and continue to deliver great learning for all our students and will keep you all updated via websites and social media if anything changes.

This information will also be emailed and sent as a text to all parents on our system this evening – please update your information at the school office if you have not received it. I encourage you to subscribe to the school website so you receive the most up to date blog posts – this will be where the most up to date information will be given.  (available at the bottom right of the front page).

Thank you for your support

The XP Schools Trust Executive Team