The Horsell Village School
Parents Handbook
Teaching and Learning
Literacy Targets and National Curriculum Level Descriptions
Reading is the second Attainment target within National Curriculum English. The others are
Speaking and Listening and Writing. This is what the National Curriculum recommends:
Range
Pupils should be given extensive experience of children’s literature. They should read on their own, with
others and to the teacher, from a range of genres that includes stories, poetry, plays and picture books.
Pupils should read their own writing to the teacher and to others.
Pupils should be introduced to and should read information, both in print and on screen. They should be
encouraged to make use of a range of sources of information, including dictionaries, IT-based reference
materials, encyclopedias and information presented in fictional form.
The materials read and discussed should be used to stimulate pupils` imagination and enthusiasm. They
should include some or all of these features:
interesting subject matter and settings, which may be related to pupils` own experience or extend
beyond their knowledge of the everyday;
a clear viewpoint, with accessible themes and ideas;
clarity of expression and use of language that benefits from being read aloud and reread;
language with recognisable repetitive patterns, rhyme and rhythm;
straightforward characterisation and plot;
the use of a variety of organisational and presentational techniques;
illustrations that are visually stimulating and enhance the words of the text.
The literature read should cover the following categories:
poems and stories with familiar settings and those based on imaginary or fantasy worlds;
books and poems written by significant children`s authors;
retellings of traditional folk and fairy stories;
stories and poems from a range of cultures;
stories, poems and chants containing patterned and predictable language;
stories and poems that are particularly challenging in terms of length or vocabulary.
Key Skills
Pupils should be taught to read with fluency, accuracy, understanding and enjoyment, building on what
they already know. In order to help them develop understanding of the nature and purpose of reading,
they should be given an extensive introduction to books, stories and words in print around them. Pupils
should be taught the alphabet, and be made aware of the sounds of spoken language in order to develop
phonological awareness. They should also be taught to use various approaches to work identification
and recognition, and to use their understanding of grammatical structure and the meaning of the text as a
whole to make sense of print.
Targets
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Phonic and Graphic Knowledge
Know that print conveys meaning
Know the alphabet and recognise both upper and lower case
Know the terminology associated with print e.g. name of letter, sound, word, sentence, beginning, end,
full stop, and capital letter.
Know that there is a relationship between letter and sound.
From a set of words pick out matching pairs.
From a set of pictures pick out ones which have the same initial sound
From a set of letters pick out ones which convey a single sound.
Write a letter which matches a spoken sound.
Know that there are 5 vowels in the alphabet and that we depend on them to make a noise.
Know the short vowel sounds, being able to say them when shown a letter and select the right letter
after listening to its short vowel sound.
Find consonant vowel consonant words in text.
Put together a consonant with a vowel consonant to make a word. (cvc words)
Write cvc words after listening to them.
Remember what a word looks like and find it on successive pages of text.
Remember what a word looks like and find it in challenging text.
If a word is missing suggest what it might be.
Recognise and read aloud a word out of context.
Read 15 single words out of context and refer to this as a ‘sight vocabulary’
Read 30 single words as sight vocabulary.
Be able to write, spelling some high frequency words correctly from memory, constructing some cvc
words accurately and making a phonetic attempt to spell other words.
Know that a digraph is a consonant + ‘h’ and be able to find them in text ‘th’, ‘ch’, ‘sh’, ‘wh’, ‘ph’, ‘gh’.
Know that a blend is two consonants together which make a single sound and be able to find them in
text.
From a set of pictures pick out the ones which have the same spoken initial blend.
From a set of blends pick out the ones that convey a spoken sound.
Know all consonants that can fit together to make an initial sound.
Put together consonant blend with the rest of a single syllable word (onset + rime) to make a word.
Read out of context single syllable words with an initial consonant blend.
Know that if two vowels are seen together they probably make a long vowel sound.
Find examples of vowel blends in text.
Pick out from sets of vowel blends ones which correspond to a spoken sound. (oo, ee, ea, er, oa, ay, ar)
Know that some letters do not always make a sound but influence the sound of others.
Find examples of ‘silent e’ in text, ‘silent k’.
Know that some consonant blends are found at the end of words but can’t start them, (nk, nt, nd, mp)
and find them in text.
Recognise and find in text common endings: plurals, ‘ed’ ‘ing’
Be able to ‘chunk’ words, finding within them what they have already learned, recognising words within
words, spotting endings, cvc words, words with similar features.
Know that in English some letters are often found together eg igh, ight, tion, ai, ea, ough, and use these
letter strings in their spellings.
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Grammatical Knowledge (Syntax)
Understand the term ‘make sense’ and respond to spoken examples, discriminating between what
does and what does not make sense.
Know that the order of words affects sense and correctly order nonsense spoken sentences.
Predict the next word in an incomplete spoken sentence or provide a sensible inclusion when a word
is missing from a spoken sentence.
When being read to from shared text suggest sensible words to fill in gaps.
Use surrounding text to identify unknown words.
Check accuracy of reading by asking ‘does it sound right?’ or ‘does it make sense?’
Re-read whole passage or read ahead when sense has been lost.
Contextual Understanding.
Know book conventions eg beginning, ending, chapters, pictures to illustrate text, turning the page,
reading from left to right.
Know story conventions eg Once upon a time there was…recognising characters, place, events, a
definite ending eg we don’t expect to turn over another page.
Talk about characters, events and language using appropriate terminology.
Say what might happen next in a story.
Re-tell stories
Explain the content of a passage or whole text.
Re-tell fairy tales
Use contextual understanding as a checking device while reading.
Use contextual understanding to deduce meaning from newly encountered words outside
experience.
Use contextual understanding to make inferences and deductions about character, motive, feelings
and plot.
Evaluate text analysing style, eg. How does the writer influence the reader?
When reading for information or in responding to questions about text, scan to locate information,
skim to get an over-all impression.
Read and re-read for detail
Distinguish between fact and opinion
Use library classification system, catalogues, indexes,
use dictionaries, thesauruses,
make succinct notes
When researching a topic identify the precise information they wish to know
Pose relevant key questions
Level Descriptions (These will be used to describe your child’s attainment at the end of Year 2)
Attainment Target 2: Reading
Level 1
Pupils recognise familiar words in simple texts. They use their knowledge of letters and sound-symbol
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relationships in order to read words and to establish meaning when reading aloud. In these activities
they
sometimes require support. They express their response to poems, stories and non-fiction by identifying
aspects they like.
Level 2 (This is the expected level for 7 year olds. It is graded into A, B, C)
Pupils` reading of simple texts shows understanding and is generally accurate. They express opinions
about major events or ideas in stories, poems and non-fiction. They use more than one strategy, such as
phonic, graphic, syntactic and contextual, in reading unfamiliar words and establishing meaning.
Level 3
Pupils read a range of texts fluently and accurately. They read independently, using strategies
appropriately to establish meaning. In responding to fiction and non-fiction they show understanding of
the main points and express preferences. They use their knowledge of the alphabet to locate books and
find information.
Level 4 (This is the expected level of an 11 year old.)
In responding to a range of texts, pupils show understanding of significant ideas, themes, events and
characters, beginning to use inference and deduction. They refer to the text when explaining their views.
They locate and use ideas and information.
Numeracy Targets and National Curriculum Level Descriptions
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Numeracy is the ability to understand number, carry out calculations and use and apply knowledge and
skills to solve problems
The National Curriculum says that:
Developing mathematical language, selecting and using materials, and developing reasoning, should be
set in the context of the other areas of mathematics. Sorting, classifying, making comparisons and
searching for patterns should apply to work on number, shape and space, and handling data. The use of
number should permeate work on measures and handling data.
Pupils should be given opportunities to:
use and apply mathematics in practical tasks, in real-life problems and within mathematics itself;
explain their thinking to support the development of their reasoning.
Pupils should be taught to:
select and use the appropriate mathematics;
select and use mathematical equipment and materials;
develop different mathematical approaches and look for ways to overcome difficulties;
organise and check their work.
understand the language of number, properties of shapes and comparatives, eg. ‘bigger than’, ‘next
to’, ‘before’;
relate numerals and other mathematical symbols, e.g. ‘+’, ‘=’, to a range of situations;
discuss their work, responding to and asking mathematical questions;
use a variety of forms of mathematical presentation.
recognise simple patterns and relationships and make related predictions about them;
ask questions including ‘What would happen if?’ and ‘Why?’, e.g. considering the behaviour of a
programmable toy;
understand general statements, e.g. ‘all even numbers divide by 2’, and investigate whether
particular cases match them.
The first set of targets deal with understanding of numbers.
Sort a group of objects into sets according to consistent criteria
Compare the number of objects in two sets and put the comparison into words.
Understand that the number of objects in a set is not changed by rearranging them
Put sets in order according to the number.
Use knowledge of pattern to make predictions about sequences.
Make and count any number up to 9 objects. Read, write and put in order the numerals 0- 9
Read, write and put in order any selection of numerals 0 - 99
Group any set of objects in tens and ones and use this grouping to say and write their number.
Show the meaning of the digits in any two-digit number
Mentally jump on and back in tens and twos from any two-digit number
Use knowledge of pattern to notice regularities
Group any set of objects in hundreds, tens and ones, and use this grouping to say and write the
number.
Show the meaning of the digits in any three-digit number
Read, write and put in order any selection of numerals 0 -999
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Mentally jump on and back in hundreds and twenties from any three digit number
Round off numbers to the nearest ten, hundred, etc.
Identify some of the properties of any number up to 1000
The second set of targets deals with number operations.
Arrange sets of objects to show understanding of simple spoken instructions (addition)
Arrange sets of objects to show understanding of simple spoken instructions (subtraction)
Arrange sets of objects to show understanding of simple spoken instructions (multiplication)
Arrange sets of objects to show understanding of simple spoken instructions (division)
Make a model of a spoken problem by using cubes or counters, and use this model to solve the
problem (addition), (subtraction).
Make a model on the number line and use the model to solve the problem (addition)
Make a model on the number line and use the model to solve the problem (subtraction)
Write a number sentence to match a spoken problem (multiplication and division)
Invent a spoken problem to match a number sentence (addition and subtraction)
Invent and write down all sorts of number sentences (addition and subtraction)
Has instant recall of number bonds for addition and subtraction up to 20.
Make a model of a spoken problem by using cubes or counters, and use the model to solve the
problem. (multiplication)
Make a model of a spoken problem by using cubes or counters, and use the model to solve the
problem.(division)
Make a model of a spoken problem by using intervals on the number line, and use the model to
solve the problem. (multiplication)
Make a model of a spoken problem by using intervals on the number line, and use the model to
solve the problem. (division)
Write a number sentence to match a spoken problem (multiplication and division)
Invent a spoken problem to match a number sentence (multiplication and division)
Invent and write down all sorts of number sentences (multiplication and division)
Instant recall of multiplication and division bonds
Know that:
addition and subtraction are inverses
multiplication and division are inverses
multiplication can be repeated addition
division can be repeated subtraction
Know that the operations of addition and multiplication are commutative and those of division and
subtraction are not. (81 + 65 =65 + 81) (125 = 5  12)
Use the associative property of addition to simplify calculations eg 48 + 97 + 3
Use the associative property of multiplication 3 (7  2) = (3  7 )  2
Use the distributive law for multiplication and addition. For example, suppose two numbers are to
be added together and their total multiplied by 5. (6+7)  5. This could be done in two ways 13 
5, or (6  5) + (7  5)
Estimate the answer to a problem before calculating it precisely (addition and subtraction)
Estimate the answer to a problem before calculating it precisely (multiplication and division)
Mentally
add up any two numbers up to 100
subtract any two numbers up to 100
multiply by 2, 5, and 10 any number to 100
divide by 2, 5 and 10 any number up to 100
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Use written methods to add any two numbers up to 1000 (any method providing that it is accurate
and can be explained)
Use written methods to subtract any two numbers up to 1000 (any written method, provided that it
is accurate and can be explained).
Use written methods to multiply any two numbers up to 100 (any written method, provided that it is
accurate and can be explained).
Use written methods to divide any number up to 1000 by any number up to 10.
Children, no matter which target they are working towards, must be taught to use and apply their
knowledge and skills to solve problems. The teacher will let you know how your child is doing in this key
skill.
Level Descriptions for Numeracy
Level 1
Pupils count, order, add and subtract when solving problems involving up to 10 objects. They read and
write the numbers involved. Pupils recognise and make repeating patterns, counting the number of
each object in each repeat.
Level 2
Pupils count sets of objects reliably and use mental recall of addition and subtraction facts to 10. They
have begun to understand the place value of each digit in a number and use this to order numbers up to
100. They choose the appropriate and to recognise negative numbers, in contexts such as money,
temperature and calculator displays. Pupils use mental recall of addition and subtraction facts to 20 in
solving problems involving larger numbers. They use mental recall of the 2, 5 and 10 multiplication
tables, and others up to 5x5, in solving whole-number problems involving multiplication or division,
including those that give rise to remainders. Pupils use calculator methods where numbers include
several digits. They have begun to develop mental strategies, and use them to find methods for adding
and subtracting.
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