In sessions with older children we can cover a variety of subjects and topics, in the KS2 curriculum, including:

English Years 3 and 4:

Writing: Writing is split into these distinct subtopics:

  • transcription
  • composition and vocabulary
  • grammar and punctuation
  • Teaching Spelling:
    • use more prefixes and suffixes, and know how to add them to a word;
    • spell more homophones (e.g. been/bean, bare/bear);
    • spell words which are often misspelt;
    • use the possessive apostrophe with accuracy in words with regular plurals and irregular plurals (e.g. girls’ vs children’s);
    • write simple sentences from memory that include words and punctuation they’ve been taught so far.
  • Teaching Handwriting:
    • know how to join letters for cursive writing, and understand which letters look best unjoined;
    • improve the readability, consistency and quality of their handwriting. The spaces between lines and letters should be clear and easy to read.
  • Teaching Writing Composition:
    • planning;
    • drafting;
    • evaluating;
    • editing;
    • and proofreading.
  • Vocabulary, Grammar and Punctuation:
    • use more than one clause in a sentence by using a wide range of conjunctions;
    • use the present perfect form of verbs instead of the past tense;
    • choose when to use nouns and pronouns to avoid repetition and make their writing clear;
    • use conjunctions, adverbs and prepositions to express time and reason;
    • use fronted adverbials and know to use a comma after them;
    • use the possessive apostrophe correctly;
    • use and punctuate direct speech accurately;
    • use and understand grammatical terminology.

Reading and Comprehension Skills: 

  • Teaching strategies for reading unknown words.
    • apply their knowledge of root words, prefixes and suffixes to read out loud and understand new words they encounter;
    • read more irregular words and note the difference in spelling or sounds.
  • Teaching strategies for understanding, interpreting and responding to texts.
    • read, listen and discuss a wide range of fiction and non-fiction texts, including poetry, plays and textbooks;
    • understand the themes, plots and ideas of the texts they read;
    • become more familiar with a wide range of books, including fairy stories and myths and legends;
    • read books with different structures;
    • learn how language, structure and presentation affect the meaning of a text;
    • use non-fiction texts to find and record information

Teaching Spoken Language:

  • Teaching behaviour in discussions or debates:
    • listen to and respond to adults and their peers;
    • ask relevant questions;
    • articulate their answers and opinions, using reasons to justify them;
    • stay focused and actively contribute;
    • speak audibly and fluently;
    • gain, maintain and monitor the attention of other listeners;
    • consider and evaluate viewpoints different from their own.

Maths Year 3 and 4:

The eight main maths areas, which are included in the national curriculum for maths throughout KS2 are:

  • Number – Number and Place Value
  • Number – Addition and Subtraction
  • Number – Multiplication and Division
  • Number – Fractions
  • Measurement
  • Geometry – Properties of Shape
  • Geometry – Position and Direction (not included in year 3)
  • Statistics

Year 3

  • Teaching Number and Place Value:
    • recognise the place value of each digit in a three-digit number.
    • count from 0 in multiples of 4, 8, 50 and 100
    • compare and order numbers up to 1000
  • Teaching Addition and Subtraction:
    • add and subtract numbers with up to three digits
    • use formal written method of column addition and subtraction
  • Teaching Multiplication and Division:
    • 3, 4 and 8 multiplication tables.
    • using their knowledge of multiplication and division to help them solve problems
    • using mental and progressing to formal written methods.
  • Teaching Fractions:
    • recognise, find and write fractions of a set of objects.
    • know what unit and non-unit fractions are.
    • add and subtract fractions with the same denominator.
  • Teaching Measurement:
    • measure, compare, add and subtract different lengths, mass and volume/capacity.
    • complete calculations with amounts of money.
    • tell and write the time from an analogue clock, including using Roman numerals up to XII.
  • Teaching Geometry:
    • practise drawing 2D shapes.
    • recognise and describe 3D shapes in different orientations.
    • identify right angles.
    • identify horizontal and vertical lines.
  • Teaching Statistics:
    • interpret and present data using bar charts, pictograms and tables.
    • solve one-step problems and two-step questions using information presented in these pictorial representations.

Year 4

  • Teaching Number and Place Value:
    • count in multiples of 6, 7, 9, 25 and 1000.
    • order and compare numbers beyond 1000.
    • round numbers to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000.
  • Teaching Addition and Subtraction:
    • use the formal written methods of columnar addition and subtraction to add and subtract numbers with up to 4 digits.
    • be able to check answers to different calculations by estimating and using inverse operations.
  • Teaching Multiplication and Division:
    • use multiplication and division facts for the times tables up to 12×12.
    • multiply and divide numbers mentally using place value facts, including dividing by 1, multiplying by 0 and 1 and multiplying together 3 numbers.
    • use a formal written layout to multiply two-digit and three-digit numbers by one-digit numbers.
  • Teaching Fractions:
    • write decimal equivalents to ¼, ½ and ¾.
    • write and recognise decimal equivalents of tenths or hundredths.
    • round decimals with one decimal place to the nearest whole number.
  • Teaching Measurement:
    • read and convert time between analogue and digital clocks.
    • be able to convert from hours to minutes as well as minutes to seconds, years to months and weeks to days.
  • Teaching Geometry- Shapes:
    • identify acute and obtuse angles.
    • by knowing the properties and sizes of shapes, compare and classify them.
  • Teaching Geometry- Position and Directions:
    • use a 2D grid to describe positions as coordinates in the first quadrant.
    • complete a polygon by plotting points and drawing sides.
  • Teaching Statistics:
    • use graphical methods, including bar charts and time graph to present data.
    • interpret information presented on graphs, charts, pictograms and tables and solve comparison, sum and difference problems.

English Years 5 and 6:

Writing: Writing is split into these distinct subtopics:

  • transcription
  • composition and vocabulary
  • grammar and punctuation
  • Teaching Transcription:
    • spell some words with silent letters (e.g. knight, psalm, solemn);
    • continue to tell the difference between homophones and other words which are often confused;
    • understand that the spelling of some words needs to be learnt specifically and doesn’t necessarily follow a pattern;
    • use the first 3 or 4 letters of a word to check its spelling and meaning in a dictionary;
    • use a thesaurus to find alternate words which have the same or similar meanings.
  • Teaching Handwriting:
    • write legibly and fluently at a faster pace;
    • choose which shape of a letter to use;
    • decide whether to join specific letters;
    • choose the writing equipment that’s best for the task, such as a pen or pencil.
  • Teaching Writing Composition:
    • planning;
    • drafting;
    • evaluating;
    • editing;
    • proofreading.
    • drawing on reading and research for initial ideas;
    • considering how authors develop characters and settings in a narrative;
    • using a wider range of literary, organisational and presentational devices (e.g. headings, bullet points, or underlining);
    • suggesting changes to writing to increase its effectiveness;
    • distinguishing between the language of speech and writing and choosing the right tone;
    • performing their own writing and using intonation to make sure the meaning is clear.
  • Teaching Vocabulary, Grammar, and Punctuation:
    • use passive verbs;
    • use the perfect form of verbs to show time and cause;
    • use expanded noun phrases to show complicated information concisely;
    • use modal verbs or adverbs;
    • use relative clauses;
    • use commas to avoid ambiguity and clarify meaning;
    • use hyphens;
    • use brackets, dashes, or commas for parenthesis;
    • use semicolons, colons or dashes to show independent clauses;
    • use a colon to introduce a list;
    • punctuate bullet points consistently.

Reading and Comprehension Skills: Children should already have competent word reading skills and know what to do when they encounter new words. They should also be able to understand and interpret a variety of texts.

  • Teaching further Reading and Comprehension skills:
    • identify and discuss themes across a range of writing;
    • be able to make comparisons within and to other books;
    • learn poetry by heart;
    • perform poems and plays aloud, taking note of intonation and tone;
    • recognise and discuss how figurative language is used by the author to impact the reader;
    • tell the difference between fact and opinion;
    • present information they’ve learnt from a non-fiction text;
    • explain and discuss their understanding of a piece of writing through debates and presentation;
    • provide justified reasons for their views and opinions on a piece of writing.

Teaching Spoken Language:

  • Teaching behaviour in discussions or debates:
    • listen to and respond to adults and their peers;
    • ask relevant questions;
    • articulate their answers and opinions, using reasons to justify them;
    • stay focused and actively contribute;
    • speak audibly and fluently;
    • gain, maintain and monitor the attention of other listeners;
    • consider and evaluate viewpoints different from their own.

Maths Year 5 and 6:

The eight main maths areas, which are included in the national curriculum for maths throughout KS2 are:

  • Number – Number and Place Value
  • Number – Addition and Subtraction
  • Number – Multiplication and Division
  • Number – Fractions
  • Measurement
  • Geometry – Properties of Shape
  • Geometry – Position and Direction (not included in year 3)
  • Statistics
  • Ratio and Proportion (Year 6 only)
  • Year 6 Algebra (Year 6 only)

Year 5

  • Teaching Number and Place Value:
    • reading and writing numbers to at least 1,000,000.
    • determine the value of each digit and count forwards and backwards in steps of powers of 10.
    • read Roman numerals to 1000 and recognise years written in these numerals.
  • Teaching Addition and Subtraction:
    • adding and subtracting numbers, which have more than 4 digits. 
  • Teaching Multiplication and Division:
    •  identify multiples and factors. 
    •  finding factor pairs of one number and common factors of two numbers.
    • continue learning how to use formal written methods, including long multiplication and short division.
    •  solve multiplication and division problems by using their knowledge of squares, cubes, factors and multiples.
  • Teaching Fractions:
    • comparing and ordering fractions, while also learning more about equivalent and improper fractions. 
    • add and subtract fractions with the same denominator and denominators, which are multiples of the same number. 
    • know how to round decimals with two decimal places to the nearest whole number.
  • Teaching Measurement:
    • practise converting between different units of metric measure.
    • learning about the approximate equivalences between metric units and common imperial units.
    • learn about volume and capacity as well and solve problems, which include measure using decimal notation. 
  • Teaching Geometry- Shapes:
    • expand their knowledge of angles and learn that angles are measured in degrees. 
    •  identify 3D shapes from 2D representations. 
  • Teaching Geometry- Position and Directions:
    • learn how to identify and represent the position of a shape following a reflection or translation.
  • Teaching Statistics:
    • continue to practise interpreting information in different pictorial representations and tables, including timetables.
    • use information in a line graph to solve comparison, sum and difference problems.

Year 6

  • Teaching Number and Place Value:
    • determine the value of each digit of numbers up to 10,000,000, while being able to order and compare them.
    • round whole numbers.
    • be able to use negative numbers in context.
  • Teaching Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division:
    • decide which operations and methods to use when solving addition and subtraction problems.
    • use mental calculations when completing mixed operations and working with large numbers.
    • use estimation to check answers to calculations.
    • use the formal written method of long division when dividing numbers up to 4 digits by a two-digit number.
  • Teaching Fractions:
    • simplify fractions by using common factors.
    • divide proper fractions by whole numbers
    • use the concept of equivalent fractions to add and subtract fractions with different denominators and mixed numbers.
  • Teaching Measurement:
    • convert between standard units. This includes converting measurements of time, mass, length and volume from a larger unit of measure to a smaller unit and vice versa.
    • convert between kilometres and miles.
    • calculate the area of triangles and parallelograms.
  • Teaching Geometry- Shapes:
    • use given angles and dimensions to draw 2D shapes.
    • build and describe simple 3D shapes, including making nets.
    • know the names of different parts of circles and be able to illustrate them. This includes radius, diameter and circumference.
  • Teaching Geometry- Position and Directions:
    • use the full coordinate grid to describe positions, including all four quadrants.
    • Draw simple shapes on the coordinate plane.
  • Teaching Statistics:
    • construct pie charts and line graphs and be able to interpret them.
    • calculate the mean as an average.
  • Teaching Ratio and Proportion:
    • use the knowledge of fractions and multiples to solve problems, which include unequal sharing and grouping.
    • solve problems, which include the calculation of percentages.
    • know how to come up with a solution to problems, which include relative sizes of two quantities in the case the missing value can be found by using integer multiplication and division facts.
  • Teaching Algebra:
    • express missing number problems algebraically.
    • describe linear number sequences and know how to generate them.
    • use simple formulae.