The De Montfort School

Welcome to the Year 8 Parents’ Information Evening.Mr Ballantine aballantine@tdms.worcs.sch.uk

Our tutors8AS – Mrs Stanley AStanley@tdms.worcs.sch.uk8CWA – Mrs WaldenCWalden@tdms.worcs.sch.uk8LP – Mrs Phillips LPhillips@tdms.worcs.sch.uk8NK- Mrs KeoghNKeogh@tdms.worcs.sch.uk8RW – Mr Ward RWard@tdms.worcs.sch.uk

SENCO kweston@tdms.worcs.sch.uk

Senior Intervention Tutor (S.I.T.)• Mrs Reade SReade@tdms.worcs.sch.uk

How to contact

Tutors will be pleased to speak with you.1. Use email - We will try to return email queries within 48 hours2. By phone – before 8.35am or after 3.40pm3.Make an appointment 4. A note in the planner – but please remind your child to show their tutor the query!

Where the year have come from

• Last year, as a cohort they had the lowest attitude to learning (ATL) in the school

• They collected more reward stamps than any other year group

• Pupils reduced the amount of detentions received each half term

• Embraced new leadership and responsibility roles

ExpectationsYear 8 expectations and our Core ValuesOur aim is for every child to achieve their potential. To assist them we have the following expectations:• The highest expectations and a genuine sense of pride-

To always be in correct uniform and wearing it correctly• Developing healthy and safe lifestyles- Apply skills/

knowledge from school in their life• Developing lifelong skills – Apply themselves in all

subjects• Respect for others - Allowing all class members to

achieve • Realising potential- Being fully applied in all subjects

Progress reports

• You will receive regular progress reports throughout the year

• Progress evening to meet all teachers – Thursday 12th May 2016

• Pupil’s work and progress is assessed as well as their attitude to Learning (ATL)

• Progress report 1 issued on 6th November

Key Dates

Week beginning 28th September Individual pupil meeting with Mr Nichols October the 15th The De Montfort High school open eveningNovember the 6th

Progress report 1 issuedMay the 12th Year 8 Parents’ eveningJuly the 5th

Schools transfer day

Rewards

• Stamps in planners - up to 18 per day from lessons

• Post cards• Non uniform days• Certificates• Reward days –earn ‘money’ from the stamps

they collect (20th July)

Behaviour

• After school short detentions on the same day• Parents informed by telephone/text alert• Report cards issued by tutor/HoL/SLT if

necessary

Homework

• Homework timetables in planners• Homework is posted online for you to check• Please check regularly• Sign planners at the end of the week• Use for communication too

Information from us• Key dates – please check your child’s calendar• Staff email addresses

Information from you• Please keep us informed of any change in

circumstance, new address and mobile phone number

• Please sign parent and student agreement in planner

• Monitor your child’s attendance• Monitor your child’s behaviour

• View your child’s school timetable• View when homework has been set for your child

• Download your child’s school reports and other documents (in PDF file format)

FROG PARENTAL PORTAL

Visit the school website “http://www.tdms.worcs.sch.uk and click “Frog” at the top of the page

Select “Frog Parents”

Log on using the username and password given to you. If you do not have an account, you can request a login by clicking the link shown below in red.

When you have logged on, you will be presented with the Frog Parental Portal Home Page. From here you have links to all the areas available to you in the left menu, as well as information regarding your child’s teachers. The Latest Feed displays any updates such as positive or negative behaviour marks, and if any new documents are available to download.

Selecting “My Child’s Timetable” displays the timetable for that day. You can move backwards and forwards by clicking the links at the bottom of the page.

Selecting “My Child’s Attendance” allows you to view the attendance marks for your child. If you have more than one child in school, you can specify which child you wish to look at from the pull down menu at the top of the page. You can also choose a month to view as well.

Selecting “My Child’s Behaviour” will display any positive or negative behaviour marks given to your child by their teachers. The staff name and a brief description will also be given next to each mark.

Selecting “My Child’s Homework” allows you to view homework set for your child, including the subject, teacher, task and due date.

Selecting “My Child’s Documents” allows you to download a secure copy of your child’s reports when they become available. These files are in PDF format and are available to view on most computers, laptops, and other mobile devices.

FROG PARENTAL PORTAL

Year 8 Maths• Students have 12 lessons of Maths over the

two week timetable.• A higher achieving student is expected to master the topics within the year group. Showing greater depth of understanding and application.

• Students will be introduced to GCSE style questions in preparation for their next step.

Year 8 Programme of Study• Numbers and the Number System.

• Calculating.• Visualising and constructing.

• Understanding Risk.• Algebraic Proficiency.

• Fractions, Decimal and Percentages.• Proportional Reasoning.

• Pattern sniffing.• Investigating Angles.• Solving equations.• Calculating Space.

• Presentation of and measuring data.

Assessments• Students sit an assessment each half term.

• These assessments as well as classroom performance will

feed into the progress we report to you.

• Assessments based on external papers, to generate accurate and

robust results.

• Assessments cover all aspects of the subject to show progress over

time.

• All assessments are evaluated by the class teacher and the

student to highlight areas of improvement.

Homework• Each class will receive homework once a week.

• Homework is important for revision, consolidation and to practice skills the students are developing in the classroom.

• Opportunity to stretch themselves and develop their independent learning skills.

• Variety of activities including: Research into a new topic, exam style questions, MyMaths.

• Pen and Pencil.• Ruler.

• Rubber.• Calculator (scientific).

Equipment

How can you help?

• Check that homework is done with due care and attention. Then handed in, on time.

• Enable your child to have the basic equipment in school every day.

• Reinforce our high expectations. Everyone can achieve with motivation and effort.

• Encourage your child to attend school every day.• Talk about Maths.

Year 8 English• Integrated reading, writing, speaking and

listening

The purpose of the Year 8 curriculum:• To foster a love of learning through:• Reading a range of fiction and non-fiction texts

including prose, poetry and drama from both pre and post- 1914.

• Writing accurately and fluently, at length and for pleasure, for a range of purposes and audiences.

• Speaking confidently and effectively in a range of formal and informal contexts.

What will Y8 study and how will they be assessed?

Year 8 Term 1a Term 1b Term 2a Term 2b Term 3a Term 3b

Science-Fiction Narrative Writing

Animal Farm Cool Schools project. Our day Out

The Tempest Roald Dahl reading and writing. Assessment preparation unit.

Poems from Other Cultures and Traditions.

Assessments and Assessment dates

Mock assessment narrative draft Final Assessment: Narrative

Extended assessment question Final extended assessment question

Assessment 1: Headteacher’s speech. Final assessment :Cool Schools: Letter. Our day Out: Extended essay assessment question

Mock assessment question: Final assessment question: Comparison Persuasive leaflet

Preparation – assessing model paragraphs AQA test papers.

P.E.E. Paragraph assessments. Assessment: Choice of extended essay questions (focus on comparison)

Extending learning beyond the classroom…

• Year 8 project.• Encourage your child to read for at least 20 minutes

each day. Talk to them about their reading. Discuss genres and be a role model where possible.

• Teachers will also set homework and it would be useful for your child to independently research topics that relate to the learning in English.

• BBC bitesize is excellent for supporting your child with technical accuracy.

Contact• Class teacher in the first instance.• Mrs M Causer (Head of English until January

2016)• Mrs C Baldwin from January 2016.