Hogwarts Class

About Us

Hogwarts Class is a friendly class of KS2 children, Years 3 to 6. Our class teacher is Miss Middleton with support from Mrs Hallesy, Miss Isaacs and Mrs Katie Cooper.

Our classroom is a one end of our school building with direct access to the woodland area, the field, the climbing frame, trim trail and then the playground. These are all shared with Gruffalo Class. Through our windows we can see the trees and the animals that call them home. There is easy access to the Hogwarts Class toilets and our cloakroom area in the corridor. We can also wash our hands in the classroom at the sink. It is a short walk down the corridor to the hall where we have our lunch all together as a school.

Our classroom has plenty of room for us to use and is colourful. We have a reflective area and a range of books to suit different tastes in reading. There are other resources easily available in our classroom for us to help ourselves to when we need them. Our work is displayed in the classroom and around the school and we are proud to see how good it looks.

We are encouraged to be independent and to work things out for ourselves. We use our secrets of success to help us to improve ourselves as learners. We support each other in our learning, we enjoy learning together and playing together. We work hard but we have lots of fun together.

Class Teacher

Miss Caroline Middleton

Teaching Assistants

Mrs Alison Hallesy, Miss Jade Isaacs and Mrs Katie Cooper

Learning Overview

Hogwarts Class Knowledge Organiser – Rocks, Relics and Rumble

Hogwarts Class Knowledge Organiser – Ammonite

Hogwarts Class Knowledge Organiser – People and Places

Hogwarts Class Knowledge Organiser – Making it Move

Hogwarts Class Knowledge Organiser – Forces and Magnets

Hogwarts Class Knowledge Organiser – RE – Judaism

Favourite Links

BBC Bitesize

National Geographic Kids

STEM

Times Tables Games

Spelling Games

Top Marks Maths Games

CrickWeb Numeracy

English Games

eSafety

Home Learning

You have a vital role as parents and carers in supporting and encouraging your children’s learning. As children get older, homework can help develop the confidence and self-discipline needed to study on their own, preparing them for their life at secondary school. Homework is given to support and build on each pupil’s skills and understanding. It might also be an activity to find things out to then use back in the classroom. We know that children have lots of other things to do after school. So, home learning can be worked around your family’s timetable, they will have a few days to do it.

Ways to Help Your Child

Here are some ideas for how you can help your child to make the most of the opportunities they encounter in school.

Reading

Children will have books based on where they are in their reading skills. They should be able to read fluently at least 90% of the book they share with you at home.

During our guided reading sessions, which happen at least once a week, children will tackle a more challenging book of text. This is where we will work on comprehension and developing their fluency skills, they will practice these at home with you.

We also access online reading books through Collins Ebooks and each child has their own login details to enable them to access this at home.

Ways to help your child

Daily reading at home is especially important for all children, including KS2 children.

You can help your child at home by:

  • Sharing books with your child, fiction and non-fiction
  • Listening to them read, reading to them or taking it in turns
  • Make reading pleasurable, pick a place and time to give it your full attention
  • Shorter more frequent sessions is better than a big ‘splurge’
  • Ask them questions about what they have read: what happened? Why did it happen like that? How did the character feel? What might happen next? If you were in the story, who would you be? Why?
  • Visit any of the local libraries, it is free to join. The smaller libraries are cosy and friendly and the big library at Taunton has a great stock of books to sit and read there or borrow, all for free. (Opening times are online – https://www.somerset.gov.uk/libraries-leisure-and-communities/libraries/our-libraries/ )

As well as from books, reading can happen in other situations. It is still reading. Kindles, tablets and phones and computers can all provide reading opportunities. To play a computer game you often read instructions.

Spellings

There may be some spelling activities for your child to complete. These will build on the spelling and phonics work we do in class or be specific words to support them in their topic work.

As well as spelling words they will investigate how words work, which suffixes (endings) and prefixes (beginnings) can be added to words to change their use and what are the rules when that happens.

Maths

Knowing number bonds (eg pairs of numbers that make 100), multiplication and division facts is important. The quicker children can recall these facts the better their mental and written calculation skills will be.  Children will practice these in school regularly but extra practice at home helps to secure their knowledge. Computer games are a great help with this.

See the favourite links section above.

Topic

Children may also be asked to explore our topics at home. They may do research to find out extra information, ask family members about their experiences and opinions, observe nature in their local area, find out about a place or person or many other things!

If children are particularly interested they may choose to do their own research and work around the topic.

Residential

Kilve Court is a Georgian Country House with modern extensions, situated in 40 Acres of wooded grounds and gardens, at the foot of the Quantock Hills and one mile from the sea. The Centre is part of Somerset County Council’s Children and Young People’s Services Directorate. It has a 24-hour CCTV system is in place, with cameras covering the grounds and inside the building. Bedroom areas are fitted with electronic Keypads to provide restricted access.

Adventure Activities Licence

Kilve Court holds licences issued by Adventure Activities Licensing Service (AALS) for the safe conduct of activities it delivers, as required by law. AALS is an independent organization sponsored by the Department of Education who inspect on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive. Their remit includes Climbing, Caving, Water sports and Trekking (be it on foot or cycle.) The inspection process covers the safety management of activities, which includes risk assessments, staff qualifications and the maintenance of equipment associated with the activities. The inspectors are experts in the field of Outdoor Activity delivery and the inspection is rigorous.

Kilve Court holds: Licence Number L9466 Reference Number R0580

Staff Competence

All staff leading activities will hold the relevant National Governing Body qualification or have been assessed as competent by an appropriately experienced and qualified person as required by the Licensing Authority.

Risk Assessments

Kilve Court conforms to Somerset County Council policies, which are further supported by their own Health and Safety Policy and Codes of Practice. Activity risk assessments are reviewed daily to consider any variables e.g., the weather forecast, which may affect the safe conduct of an activity. Risk assessments and risk management is also a major part of the AALA inspection.

Child Protection

A criminal background check via the disclosure process is carried out on all Kilve Court staff and volunteers. The policies are consistent with Somerset County Council procedures.

More about Kilve Court can be found on their website. www.kilvecourt.org

Assessments and Reports

Teachers are continually assessing children through questioning and reviewing their work.

Records of progress are kept in order that we can plan lessons, which match each child’s needs and ability.

Formal tests are taken at specific points in-line with Government requirements.

There is a Baseline Assessment undertaken by teachers in the first few weeks of children starting in Reception. During the Reception Year the teacher completes the Early Years Foundation Stage Profile which is discussed and reported to parents at the end of the year.

Pupils undertake a Phonics Screening Test in Year 1 and if necessary, retake in Year 2.

Year 2 and Year 6 pupils (at the end of each Key Stage) take Standard Assessment Tests. Results are reported to parents and used by the school to monitor our standards.

As we have very small cohorts in each year the results of ‘formal assessments’ may not be published, but as a school will evaluate performance on an individual basis.