Homework

Here at Lightmoor our prime focus for home learning, for all year groups, is reading. We ask that all children are read to, or are heard reading each day. As children move up through school they become independent readers with exciting ideas for their writing and that is all formed from those earlier years of enjoying books with others. Using our Go Read app, parents and Carers can make comments on what their child is reading and children can enter competitions and earn gems.

Our other focus is learning Timetables (years 2-6), multiplication facts underpin the maths system like counting, number bonds and place value. If children can learn their times tables then they have a solid foundation for future problem-solving. Children in Years 2-6 have their own accounts for Time Tables Rocks stars and we ask that they spend 5 minutes each day practising this in an interactive and fun way. School host competitions and challenges linked to the app to create fun and provide motivation.

Alongside our expected daily reading and Timetables practise we have also introduced some voluntary home learning activities that some children might wish to take part in. Please see more information at the bottom of this page for our ‘Picture News Projects’ and year group words lists and maths prompts.

Why Reading?

Being a good reader makes you a good writer. Reading for pleasure and enjoyment not only helps children perform better in at reading in school but also increases their general vocabulary. Reading is not only about working out what is written on a page, it is about understanding the bigger context, inferring how characters might be feeling and what might happen next.

“There can be few things as powerful as regularly reading to a young child. It has astonishing benefits for children: comfort and reassurance, confidence and security, relaxation, happiness and fun. Giving a child time and full attention when reading them a story tells them they matter. It builds self-esteem, vocabulary, feeds imagination and even improves their sleeping patterns.”

National Literacy Trust

Reception class pupils will come home with sounds books, new sounds will be added as they learn them through the Read Write Inc phonic scheme. When they start to independently blend sounds for reading they will receive their first school reading book and be set up on our Go Read app.

Please see our ‘Early Reading Skills - A Guide for Parents’ at the bottom of this page.

Why Times Tables? (Years 2-6)

Times tables matter as multiplication facts form the basic building blocks that children need throughout all areas of Maths. The National Curriculum states that children should learn, and recall:

2s, 5s and 10s in Year 2

3s, 4s and 8s in Year 3

And know all facts to 12×12 (and corresponding division facts) by the end of Year 4.

This is a big ask so we must give as many opportunities to practise this in a fun way as possible!

What else can we do at home?

Picture News: At the start of each week in a Monday assembly, children in year groups 1-6 are introduced to a current news story from the world around us. They are given many opportunities to discuss and debate the topic during the week and to form their own opinions on a range of topics. Each topic will have an activity that children can choose to complete at home linked to that particular news story. The link for this will appear in each Friday newsletter (paper copies will be available for any families at request). Children are invited to bring any completed activities into school to share.

Read and Spell words recommended for year groups

Try out some activities from year group maths prompts

Please keep an eye on this page Parents and Carers as we will be reviewing our Homework Policy throughout the year.

Early Reading Skills - A Guide for Parents

Reading is a key skill that lays the foundations for all future learning. Making a good start in reading helps children to progress well as they move through the school.

Sharing stories together reading new stories and old favourites!
Talk about books together: Can you see a …? What might happen next? What’s happening in the picture? What would happen if …?
Point to the words as you read them (associating spoken word with written word).
Look for familiar words (family names and high frequency words).
Listening to story tapes.
Visit the Library choosing a range of stories and non-fiction books.
Look at picture books and make up your own stories.
Read shopping lists (let them have their own with picture clues!) comics, labels and signs.
Learn and sing Nursery Rhymes – for rhythm and pattern.
Make up silly sentences (Sammy snakes slithers and slides).
Games involving initial sounds. Play I spy. Look for sounds in street names or the supermarket. Start with letters in their name.
Use magnetic letters (lower case) on the fridge to help children learn their sounds.