Dear Parents and Carers,

Thank you for attending our KS1 parents meetings this week.  Your children are looking forward to working with a new teacher from September and we would like to welcome Mr Hunt and Miss Hill to our KS1 team.

We are excited about our new Learning Journey curriculum and to using a rich and practically resourced approach to Mathematics.  Children’s knowledge of blending phonemes to read and writing graphemes to spell will continue in Phonics lessons at the beginning of the day.

We have considered how to group our children this year as previously children have been set by ability.  After speaking to Mr Rowe at Tipton Green and other advisors who help us in school we have decided to teach children in mixed ability classes which will prepare them for the Junior School and meet the needs of all our children.  Equality of opportunity is important to us at Silvertrees and the move away from setting will give all our children the opportunity to grow and reach their full potential.

Children working in sets were often taught in a different group to their special friends and now children will be in class for all lessons and have the opportunity to develop their friendships throughout the day.  Our children see their friends from all classes at play time and lunch time and they will continue to do this.

I am very proud of all the children at Silvertrees and we have had a lovely year where children have developed their knowledge and skills in the classroom and made many friends who they will take with them to new schools and meet again in their new classes in September.

Kind regards

Mrs Garratt