Chad Vale News Friday 15th May 2015

Friday 15th May 2015
SATS and Assessment Updates
Head Teacher: Mr. Paul Sansom
NPQH, BA (Hons) QTS
To our Fantastic Year Six…
This week you have completed your SATS tests for reading,
writing, spelling, grammar and punctuation. We know how
hard you have worked and we have seen you rise to the
challenge, but there is something important that you must
know.
The SATS tests do not assess all of what makes you special
and unique. The people who create these tests do not know
each of you the way we do and certainly not in the way that
your families do.
They do not know that some of you speak two languages or
that you love to sing or draw. They have not seen your
natural talent for sports or playing the piano. They do not
know that your friends can count on you to be there for
them, that your wicked sense of humour can have the class
in tears, or that you always win every dance-off! They do not
know that you are kind, trustworthy, thoughtful, friendly,
confident and that every day you try your very best.
The levels that you will get from these tests tell you and your
teachers something, but they do not tell us everything. There
are many ways of being ‘smart’ or ‘clever’ and every single
one of you made fantastic choices this week to focus,
concentrate and do your very best.
There is no way to test all of the amazing and awesome
things that you do on a daily basis at Chad Vale, at home, or
when you are out and about, but remember that we all see
this every day, and when you leave us in July, you leave us
with many happy memories and a feeling of pride in what
you have become. Well done for this week...have a
wonderful and relaxing (revision-free!) weekend, you
certainly deserve it! From the Chad Vale Family xx
Chad Vale Year 6
Class of 2015
Very well done! :-)
When you are looking at your child’s assessments this year, things might not look as clear as they once did. Having spent years
getting your head around levels and sub-levels, I’m afraid they are no more, for pupils in all years except Y2 and 6. Teachers the
length and the breadth of the country have been doing their utmost to provide the smoothest and most effective transition for
your child as we move from one national curriculum to another, but it hasn’t been easy. It means that when you receive the report
on the attainment of your child at the end of this academic year, the picture may look very different from the past. Children who
were comfortably on track for their age will suddenly and unexpectedly appear to be falling behind. Those who were flying high
may seem no longer to be.
The reality is that the goalposts have moved so significantly that it has been almost impossible to keep on track. Your child may
well have made excellent progress this year, and yet still be showing as ‘not yet attaining the required standard’. Treat that with
the caution it deserves. Let me illustrate with an example. In the past, KS2 children who were achieving well in maths might have
explored the notion of probability, allocating fractions to likelihoods of events and working out the chance of things occurring. All
of that work is now ignored: the new curriculum does not include it, and so the attainment scores will not recognise that your child
may well have excellent knowledge and skills in this area and would count for nothing in the new curriculum.
Instead, those same children are now expected quickly to fit in three years’ worth of fractions work that never previously existed.
Content that was previously covered in Year 7 and 8, is suddenly now expected of our 10-year-olds. The issue is repeated for
aspects across the subjects, and age ranges. Be reassured that we are filling those gaps and adjusting our curricula to provide the
extra direction and support pupils need. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. And similarly, a four-year Programme of Study cannot be
covered in 30 weeks!
In time, all of our children will work through the national curriculum at the expected rate, and numbers of children working at the
expected standard will rise. This won’t be a reflection of some brilliant work achieved by the government, but rather of teachers
adjusting what they teach to meet the new requirements. So apologies, parents. We recognise that it’s confusing, indeed worrying
in cases. We’ve been confused and worried too, at times! Doubtless your child’s teacher will be able to reassure you of the
progress they have made this year, and will be able to explain how they’ve set out to change things to meet the new requirements.
This year more than ever, I’d urge you not to panic when you see the scores, or tick-boxes, or highlighted grade. Take time to read
the comments written by your child’s teacher that highlight what your child has achieved and where they need to go next. As ever,
teachers will be doing the best to provide the best possible education within the parameters set by the government. If you have
worries, then of course, ask. As a profession we don’t yet have all the answers (we’re still waiting, too!) But the teachers who work
with your child know much more about them than any grade, score or tick-box will ever tell you. So read the report, take note of
the assessments, but most importantly, think back to how your child has grown this year, and what they now know and can do that
is new to them and you. And share your pride with them of what they have achieved.
Let us do the worrying about how we pull together the curriculum to meet their needs: we promise – we’re experts at it!
Testing Arrangements for children in Y3,4,5
Some parents were asking this week about tests for their children this year. As the old style ‘QCA’ tests are no longer valid to assess
children in the new curriculum we will be carrying out a new style of standardised tests in the week beginning 22nd June. We will
share more information about this in the coming weeks. Teachers have also begun to update their ongoing assessments on School
Pupil Tracker Online for the end of the summer term. Please visit your child’s page to see more (www.spto.co.uk).
This week’s
Attendance
Lates
RC
RV
1C
1V
2C
2V
3C
3V
4C
4V
5C
6C
98.7
96.8
99.4
95.3
96.3
98.3
98.7
98.6
97.9
99.3
94.0
100
3
4
3
3
3
15
6
1
1
11
1
4
After 5 weeks of tennis the Inter Form Tennis Championship came down to the final match of the final
round to determine this year’s winner! The quality of tennis played this week was outstanding and
neither side deserved to lose. However, there had to be a winner and 6Vale clinched victory in a thrilling
final match to claim a 3-2 win.
The 6Chad team were obviously disappointed with the result, but can hold their heads up high and be
very proud of their performance and their fantastic sportsmanship in defeat.
See
d
1
2
3
4
5
Chad
Score
Vale
Ramiyah Ubiaro & Maariyah Mobeen
Ashfaq Choudhury & Teniesha Walker
Alex Ferro & Ariana Mafazi
5-7
8-6
5-7
7-5
4-7
Thea Clearkin & Jacob Cunningham-Ebanks
Karam Gill & Ria Mistry
Sujay Gowda & Ayesha Begum
Yusuf Ali & Reva Kamboj
Kaan Cangul & Abbigail Walker
Jai Johal & Aliyah Alqab
Byron Howard & Tanvi Dhinsa
Vale now lead the overall standings 48-27.
Last weekend our boys football team took part in its first Saturday fixture of the season. Playing at the
Futsal Centre, the team took part in a 4-a-side indoor football tournament competing against 16 other
schools. Split into 4 leagues our team played against 3 other schools trying to earn a place in the knock
out stages of the competition. Unfortunately our defending didn’t match the quality of our attacking play
with the team suffering 3 close fought defeats as a consequence.
A special mention must go to Jacob Cunningham-Ebanks & Ramiyah Ubiaro whose goal scoring exploits
and overall play caught the attention of the Birmingham City FC scouts in the crowd! I look forward to
updating you on the boys’ progress after their trials!!
This weekend (16th & 17th May) is one of 3 Great British Tennis Weekends planned for the
summer. To mark the event our local club, Lordswood Tennis Club, is proud to announce
that it will hosting a FREE OPEN DAY on Saturday the 16th May, 1-3pm.
Everyone is invited to come and play, in fun free play sessions, where you will be able to practise against
your family, friends and coaches. You will also be able to try and ‘Beat the Coach’ in
quick-fire competitions!
All equipment is provided, just bring a drink and wear clothes suitable for outdoor sport!
To sign up, please visit www.clubspark.lta.org.uk and search for ‘Lordswood Tennis Club’
to sign up for FREE!! For more details please call Stu Maidment on 07772 833660.
Both Chad Vale and Lordswood look forward to seeing you on court!!
Sainsbury’s ended their Active Kids promotion last week, so if you
still have any vouchers left please drop them into the collection box
located by the school office window.
Dates for your Diary
Event
Monday 18thMay—Friday 22nd May 2015
Walk to School Week
Monday 18th May 2015
Year 1 Chad and Vale School Trip—Birmingham Think Tank
Wednesday 20th May 2015
Sponsored Walk
Friday 22nd May 2015—9.00am
PPTA Coffee Morning
Friday 22nd May 2015— 14.15pm
Chad Vale’s got Talent
Friday 22nd May 2015
Break up for Half Term—Last Day for Pupils
Monday 1st June 2015
SCHOOL CLOSED—TEACHER TRAINING DAY
Tuesday 2nd June 2015
Back to School for Children
We are looking forward to taking part in
Walk to School Week next week(18-22
May). The children will have a number of
exciting challenges to complete over the
week. Watch this space!
http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/walk-withus/events/walk-to-school-week
Please help us in gathering evidence for how we use social
media in our school, how effectively it is used and how well
our parents engage with it.
Please follow the link below to fill in a short survey.
https://bcu.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/chad-vale-social-media-survey
KIDZ.COMM will be open
on Monday 1st June at the
St. Marys School site from
7.30am-6pm for any
parents that need them on
the Teacher Training Day—
See Shaz in the Studio
After school or ask in the
school office for more information