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We teach students spelling rules and spelling strategies.

Support your child to practise spelling rules in the fortnightly tests that are set as part of their Yr 7 & 8 English PREP via SatchelOne.

You can also use the attached document to support your child in learning a range of different spelling strategies.

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Ensure your child completes their daily 5MinuteMaths PREP

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Ensure your child completes their daily 5MinuteMaths PREP

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5MinuteMaths is NSC's KS3 numeracy programme which supports students to practise key skills that they need for KS4.

Students are set daily PREP on satchel:one to complete 5 minutes of daily practice and work their way through different levels of fluency, represented by some famous mathematicians ranging from Al’Khwarizmi to Katherine Johnson, and Alan Turing.

If you have any questions about this programme, please contact Ms Burke eburke@northstowesc.org

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Talk about the weekly words taught in tutor time

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Talk about the weekly words taught in tutor time

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In tutor time each week, students are taught:

2 words from the Academic Word List

1 enrichment word or phrase e.g. an idiom

Students are set daily PREP on satchel:one to quiz themselves on these, and previously taught words.

Sit with your child as they're doing the quiz and come up with examples of different sentences that include the words.

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Dip into 'The dictionary of difficult words' by Jane Soloman

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Dip into 'The dictionary of difficult words' by Jane Soloman

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This is great book to dip in and out of which sparks curiosity about the meaning of fantastic and unusual words.

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Use Mrs Wordsmith's 'Storyteller's Word-A-Day'

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Use Mrs Wordsmith's 'Storyteller's Word-A-Day'

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Every day, flip the page and discover a new, hilariously illustrated word that will take your child's storytelling to the next level. Storyteller's Word a Day is packed with discerning data and insight on how to get the most out of every word. Set it on the breakfast table, talk about it together, tell stories, and create a daily word-learning habit that will take kids' storytelling to another planet. Hardcover with spiral binding for easy viewing by kids and parents.

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Bring everyone together with this fast-talking description board game as players try to describe as many card entries as possible within 30 seconds No "rhymes with" or "sounds like" allowed!

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This website has some great ideas for word games that can be played on car journeys....with no screentime involved!

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Ensure your child is reading for 20 mins every day

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Ensure your child is reading for 20 mins every day

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We set PREP to read for 20 mins each day.

Help your child to establish a reading routine e.g. reading when they go to bed.

If your child doesn't enjoy reading independently, then read to them - just because they're at secondary school, it doesn't mean that they're too old to be read to!

Make sure your child is completing a book quiz on Accelerated Reader when they've finished reading the book.

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Watch this video explain how to support with reading comprehension

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Watch this video explain how to support with reading comprehension

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Watch this 5 min video as Mrs Morrish, our Assistant Head for Curriculum, talks about a simple and effective approach to supporting your child's understanding as you read together.

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A book list for each year group has been curated with the intent of offering a broad range of diverse, challenging and classic fiction. Finish and Quiz 20 books to earn a Reading Swift blazer pin, and 20 House Points for your House

The Super Readable Rollercoaster Tracks are a selection of short and dyslexia friendly books which can be read and enjoyed at your pace. Finish and Quiz all 20 books to earn a Reading Swift blazer pin, and 20 House Points for your House

All these books are currently on display and available from your school library.

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Complete Accelerated Reader book quizzes

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Complete Accelerated Reader book quizzes

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When your child has finished reading a book, they need to go onto Accelerated Reader to complete a book quiz.  The score that they get will give an indication of how well they've understood the story.

Click on the icon above for a step-by-step guide to accessing the book quizzes.

Students should be aiming for 80%+ in the quiz - if they score much lower it might be that the reading age of the book is too difficult for them.  They should speak our librarian, Ms Wright, who can help find them books that are more suitable.

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Don't worry if your child seems a bit 'stuck' in reading the same type of books, or reading books that are aimed at younger children e.g 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid'.

The most important thing is that they're enjoying reading!

Suggest that you read a book with your child, in addition to the book they're reading independently.  This is when you can choose a book that is more challenging in terms of its vocabulary or subject matter, and you'll be on hand to help guide them through it so they don't lose interest.

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Listening to an audiobook is a really enjoyable alternative to reading a book and still exposes students to new vocabulary and ideas that will help them academically.

You can buy and download books from Amazon Audible , or borrow them for free from Cambridgeshire library.

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Audible UK | Free Audiobook with 30-Day Trial

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See audible.co.uk/FT for eligibility. Audible is home to the best podcasts, audiobooks, drama and documentaries with over 700k audiobooks and Original Podcasts to choose from.

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Encourage your child to visit our library, and to select books from their Accelerated Reader reading band.

The library is open every day during breaktime and lunchtime, and Ms Wright, our librarian, is always available to help out.

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Use the resources on our Maths Department padlet

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Use the resources on our Maths Department padlet

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Go to our Math's department's padlet to find many, many more resources that will support students to develop their numeracy.

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Find a book that your child enjoys reading

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Find a book that your child enjoys reading

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The links below will take you to websites with lists of suggested reading for different age groups and interests.

More suggested reading lists by year group

Book Trust's Bookfinder

Lovereading4schools reading lists by year group

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Graphic novels can a be great way of appealing to reluctant readers, or those who are needing to make the leap from cartoon style books like 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid'.

Graphic novels can also be a great way to help struggling readers strengthen vocabulary, build reading confidence and stamina, and develop a deeper appreciation of storytelling.

There's now a fantastic range of graphic novels available that are aimed at young adult readers - see this list of recommended graphic novels for 12-16 year olds.

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For over 20 years Barrington Stokes have been publishing super-readable books to help every child unlock a love of reading. Alongside brilliant and engaging stories from the best writers, their books contain a whole host of specialist features designed to help dyslexic readers in secondary school.

We have many Barrington Stokes books in our school library - please email Mrs Wright for more details hwright@northstowesc.org

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Non-fiction magazines such as ‘The Week Junior’ are great for dipping into - keep a copy in the bathroom or on the dining room table and children (and adults) will enjoy keeping up to date with current affairs.

A subscription to the magazine can also make a brilliant idea for a birthday or Christmas present!….

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If you’re battling to convince your child about the importance of maths, perhaps encourage them to read ‘What’s the point of Maths?’, a fascinating and entertaining book aimed at KS2/3 students that tells the stories behind mathematical discoveries and their impact on the world we live in.

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Use our teachers' suggestions of how to enrich learning in their subject

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Use our teachers' suggestions of how to enrich learning in their subject

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Navigate through our website to find the subject padlets that are on each of our subject pages on the NSC website.

These padlets contain overviews of the various Learning Journeys that students explore, as well as recommendations of books, films, and activities that will complement and enrich what they are studying in class.

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Read articles from 'The Day' with your child

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Read articles from 'The Day' with your child

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Make the most of our school subscription to ‘The Day’ and read articles with your child that spark their interest in the world around them.

Please contact your child's tutor if they have forgotten their username or password.

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Encourage your child to visit websites such as https://wonderopolis.org/ that feed curiosity and inspire wonder in the world.

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Visit 'Shelf Help in the Library' which signposts you to all the different books we have that can support students with their mental health and wellbeing.

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There are lots of times tables games here which you can play if you need extra practice.

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Multiplication and Division - interactive maths games and free worksheets

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Press the green "PLAY" button to begin the game. This is also available for download on mobile devices.

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A game using factors and basic numeracy with the goal of filling the screen with blocks

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Tutorial

Factris is a classic risk reward high score game. Just like in Tetris, you have to arrange falling blocks using the arrow keys, and when you fill an entire row, it disappears to make space for new blocks. However, there are two key differences:

The blocks are always rectangles of varying sizes. Rather than rotating them, you can "refactor" them. For example, a block might start out as 12×1 tiles, but by pressing the up key, you can successively change its size to 6×2, 4×3, 3×4, 2×6 and 1×12.

You can exponentially more points if you complete multiple rows at once. Every tile in the first row is worth 10 points, every tile in the second row is worth 20 points, then 40 points, 80 points, 160 points, and so on.

There is no undo, so you need to pay close attention to the size of the rectangles coming next. Improve your numeracy, packing and knowledge of factors with Factris!
Factris was invented by Richard Lissaman at MEI. This version was designed and developed by Philipp Legner.

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Factris is a fun game that teaches about simple arithmetic, divisibility and factorisation.

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Times Tables Practice - Digital Flashcard

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Times Tables Practice - Digital Flashcard

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These beautiful flash cards use spaced repetition to teach multiplication facts. Achieve fluency with just five minutes of practice per day!

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Times Tables Practice - Digital Flashcard, shuffle mode

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Times Tables Practice - Digital Flashcard, shuffle mode

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These beautiful flash cards use spaced repetition to teach multiplication facts. Achieve fluency with just five minutes of practice per day!

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Scroll down to where you see an option to "play game".

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Read the time on an analogue clock. Lots of choice over levels, including: reading time to the nearest hour, half hour, quarter hour, five minutes or minute. Options include using a 24 hour clock and seeing how many correct answers you can get in a given time.

This new version will work on any tablet or computer.
For more measuring and time resources click here.
Scan to open this game on a mobile device. Right-click to copy and paste it onto a homework sheet.

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Multiplication practice

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Tommy's Trek - Times Tables

A fun platform game for children to practise their times tables. This game will work on any device.

Use the arrow keys to move Tommy. The ctrl key makes him jump and the up arrow selects a number.
Having problems controllingTommy on an iPad? Go to your browser's settings and make sure 'Request Desktop Mode' has not been selected. For more multiplication games click here. For more Tommy's Trek games click here.

Scan to open this game on a mobile device. Right-click to copy and paste it onto a homework sheet.

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Fractions of Numbers - Mini Maths Golf KS2 Maths Game

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The work that is uploaded to the Maths Teams group each week for students who are isolating can also be used to consolidate learning for those students who are attending lessons as normal. If at the end of the week a student has struggled with a concept, they can use the assignment uploaded to help them. It contains instructional videos and tasks to have a go at. At the end of each topic, a one-page topic help sheet will also be uploaded into “files” within the Teams group which can be used for revision or extra practice.

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Nessy programmes are designed to help students of all abilities learn to read, write, spell and type, especially those who learn differently, including:

Mainstream

EAL

Homeschool

Students with dyslexia

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Children's Mental Health Week - February 2022

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Children's Mental Health Week - February 2022

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NSC Library continues to support Mental Health and Wellbeing. In February we celebrated Children's Mental Health Week.
Children's Mental Health Week is run by children's mental health charity @Place2Be to focus on the importance of looking after our emotional wellbeing from an early age. This year's theme is GROWING TOGETHER

For Children’s Mental Health Week 2022, Place2Be is encouraging children (and adults) to consider how they have grown, what they need to help them grow, and how they can help others to grow too.
Calling all families! @Place2Be's Growth Stories are a great way to start a conversation this #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek. In interviews with @joshsmithhosts, familiar faces from TV, music and sport share their stories of emotional growth. Watch now at childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/growthstories

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Students who complete 20 books from our NSC Book lists are rewarded with this badge and 20 House Points

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Reading is recognised and rewarded at several different levels throughout the year here at NSC.

Half termly House Point award
Students from each year group who have:
- checked out the most books from the library
- completed the most Accelerated Reader quizzes
- read the most words on Accelerated Reader
Will be awarded a House Point and celebrated in a presentation in Tutor time.

End of term celebration assembly
Each term the students who have increased their reading age the most will receive a celebration certificate at our end of term assembly.

End of year celebration assembly
At the end of the year the students who have completed the NSC Book challenge receive the grand prize of 20 House Points and a Reading Champion badge at our end of year assembly.

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Mastery in Spelling Programme - whole school approach to developing students' spelling

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Mastery in Spelling Programme - whole school approach to developing students' spelling

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This is a 5 year spelling programme where students practise a list of 10 words each half term. Over the course of 5 years, students will practise the spellings of 300 different words.

Each list of 10 words is composed of 1 commonly misspelt words from the 1000 high frequency word list, 3 words from Yr 3/4 statutory spelling list, 3 words from Yr 5/6 statutory spelling list, and 3 words from a list of challenging Tier 2 vocabulary.

Learning how to accurately spell a wide range of vocabulary is an important skill because it helps other people to read and understand your writing.  In fact, 5% of the marks awarded in GCSE English Literature, History, Geography and Ethics are based on the accuracy of your SPaG (Spellings, Punctuation and Grammar).

However, students are encouraged to always remember  that the most important thing of all is to be ambitious with vocabulary.  Students should never let a fear of not knowing how to spell a word, put them off from using it in their writing.

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Spelling and Curious Readers 2021-22 - trial