First Day on Placement

After looking over school policies and safety regulations I sat in on my first lesson. The children were expected to walk in to the classroom quietly and continue reading while the register was taken. They appeared to be well behaved as this must be a daily routine which they have become accustomed to.

Attendance and absence:

Attendance and absence are taken very seriously and children are closely monitored. Through positive reinforcement they are rewarded for arriving on time and attending all lessons. The school uses a teddy bear and rabbit as a symbol for the least absentees or tardiness. If the class have these in their possession for the greatest amount of time in a half term/term they will be rewarded by being allowed to wear their own clothes in for a day.

Reading:

Children are expected to read books that they have chosen at the beginning of their afternoon session. The room has a library corner and a selection of books displayed from varied backgrounds and cultures. B shows her interest in what the children are reading and asks questions to prompt thought and to give encouragement. To keep track of what is being read by who a system is in place to sign for books.

Dance:

Each year is putting on a performance for the rest of the school and any parents who would like to attend. Every year has been asked to produce a different genre of dance - thinking particularly about dance from different cultures. Earlier in the week dancers came into the school to teach routines choreographed to suit their age group. These performances were recorded so they can easily be watched back via the electronic whiteboard, allowing pupils to dance along to practice and memorize routines.

The class worked as a team ( following clear, repeated instructions) moving tables and chairs to prepare the room for the session and returning it at the end, thinking about health and safety (not blocking exits, leaving furniture where it would be obstructive or tripped over).

They class were split into two groups to practice, chosen by B so that they were fairy evenly distributed in ability.

Behavior:

Behavior is taken very seriously and treated with a firm approach. Bad behavior is not tolerated
but good behavior is rewarded and praised. Individual children have star charts and each table collects table points. A 4 step warning and discipline strategy is in place which is echoed throughout the school for consistency and maximum effect.

Class Jobs:

Children assist with collecting and returning registers and the trolley with the lunch bags.

Homework:

If homework is not completed, children are expected to attent 'homework club' to finish where a teacher will be present to assist.

Staff Meeting:

These are held every Monday and Wednesday to discuss any recent news and school developments. This week teachers had visited a maths make sence school, to learn about different techniques for maths education. Value Added results were presented much to the delight of contributing teachers for achieving a value added score of 130. An international school award was also mentioned.