Key Stage 2 Numeracy

Key Stage Two is the legal term for the 4 years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales, known as Year’s 3, 4, 5 & 6, when pupils are aged between 7 and 11. The term is applied differently in Northern Ireland where it refers to pupils in Year’s 5, 6 and 7.

Numeracy plays a large part in a child’s education and is reflected in many of the subjects they will learn in school.  These subjects include;

-English

-Maths

-Science

-Design and technology

-Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

-History

-Geography

-Art and design

-Music

-Physical education

-Religious Education (Although parents are permitted to withdraw their own children from this education if they desire). 

In addition to R.E, schools are advised to teach personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship, together with at least one modern foreign language.

Numeracy is the ability to reason with numbers and other mathematical concepts.  Someone who is numerically literate should be able to manage and respond to the mathematical demands of life.  Aspects of numeracy include number sense, operation sense, computation, measurement, geometry, probability and statistics.

The UK Department for Education and Skills described numeracy as being an expertise which is developed mainly in mathematics, but also in other subjects, and is more than an ability to do basic arithmetic. It involves developing confidence and competence with numbers and measures and requires an understanding of the number system, a range of mathematical techniques, and a penchant to solve quantitative or spatial problems in a range of contexts. Numeracy also demands understanding of the ways in which data are gathered by counting and measuring, and presented in graphs, diagrams, charts and tables.

Mathematics is a core subject in a child’s Key Stage Two education and there is some evidence that humans may have an instinctive sense of number skills.

Jean Piaget who was a Swiss developmental psychologist and philosopher known for his epistemological studies with children found that children's concepts of number and quantity developed with age. For example, if an experimenter empties liquid from a short wide container into a tall thin container, a five-year-old typically thinks the quantity of liquid increases, whereas a ten-year-old realizes that the quantity of liquid stays the same.

In studies of gender and choice of science careers, age is also found to be related with gender. Thus at some ages, girls perform better with science subjects like mathematics, and at other ages, boys.

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   

Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. 

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!

Maths Games KS2

Kids love playing video games within the classroom – they're a superb way for them to be taught whilst also having fun, and have been proven to motivate children in learning.   

With advances in ICT and interactivity in classrooms, Key Stage Two have developed and perfected a fun and exciting game that actually ties in with the guidelines as determined by the National Curriculum. Keystagetwo.com – It is our vision to make learning fun!

When using the system your children can use a variety of games such as maths questions, phrase types, sentences, spelling and sequencing, which won't only stimulate and encourage, but meet the lesson objectives of the National Curriculum. Your children enter a fantasy pirate world called Buccaneers & Lobsters where they can partake in quests and adventures to become the Admiral of the Fleet while completing their home-work online in a fun and interactive way.

During Key Stage Two, children aged between 7 and 11 start to use a wider vary of ICT instruments and are creating their analysis skills. They're additionally learning how they can amend their work and current academic essay writing it in a way that fits the audience.

What better way to teach a child self-control and moral reasoning by combining fun games with education.  When engaged in a game, the child has to learn that even in the emotional excitement of an intense game, he or she has to observe rules and regulations; to choose between fair or unfair, right and wrong, and to act on those choices appropriately.

KS2 Games are a great way to improve mental skills, and often bring with them a lot of significant benefits; they have a far greater educational influence than most people are aware of. Many children with developmental disabilities, who don't normally seem to react to their environments are often completely transformed when playing games.  

They also contribute a great deal to social development. Many kids, because of problems at home, shyness or physical disability find it hard to react with others. Developmental studies show that children that are usually shy or withdrawn have shown a lot of improvement in their ability to cooperate with playmates, and have even increased their popularity among their playmates because of skills brought about by playing games.   Keystagetwo.com successfully combines learning and education through children playing games online.

A child’s learning in school starts in the foundation stage from 3 years old, and runs through to age 15 at GCSE level. The National Curriculum, which sets out the areas of children's learning, is followed by all state schools is broken down into 4 key stages following the age bands of the children.

Crucial to all learning for kids is the element of fun and enjoyment that helps develop confidence.   Keystagetwo.com offers a growing selection of teaching resources to support key stage 2. Developed by teachers and educationalists it combines educational games to help a child develop all subject areas of Key Stage 2. They include learning games and software to complement kids learning against all key stages and SAT's revision such as KS2 English and KS2 Science.

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. 

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!

Key Stage 2 Literacy

Key Stage Two is the level of education for pupils aged 7-11.  As well as the subjects a child will learn about in school, literacy skills play a big part in this phase of a child’s education.

Literacy has been described as the ability to read for knowledge and write coherently and think critically about the written word. Literacy can also include the ability to understand all forms of communication, be it body language, pictures, video & sound (reading, speaking, listening and viewing).

Evolving definitions of literacy often include all the symbol systems relevant to a particular community, and encompasses a complex set of abilities to understand and use the dominant symbol systems of a culture for personal and community development. In a technological society, the concept of literacy is expanding to include the media and electronic text, in addition to alphabetic and number systems. These abilities vary in different social and cultural contexts according to need and demand.

Key to all literacy is reading development, which involves a progression of skills that begins with the ability to understand spoken words and decode written words, and culminates in the deep understanding of text. 

Reading development involves a range of complex language underpinnings including awareness of speech sounds (phonology), spelling patterns (orthography), word meaning (semantics), grammar (syntax) and patterns of word formation (morphology), all of which provide a necessary platform for reading fluency and comprehension.

The ‘School’ curriculum at Key Stage Two level comprises all learning and other experiences that each school plans for its pupils – Whereas the ‘National’ Curriculum is an important element of the school curriculum and has been covered in a separate piece.

The school curriculum aims are as follows,

-           To provide opportunities for all pupils to learn and to achieve their goals.

-           To build on pupils' strengths, interests and experiences and develop their confidence in their capacity to learn and work individually and collaboratively.

-           To prepare them with the essential learning skills of literacy, numeracy, and information and communication technology, promoting an enquiring mind and capacity to think rationally.

-           By providing rich and varied contexts for pupils to acquire, develop and apply a broad range of knowledge, understanding and skills, the curriculum should enable pupils to think creatively and to solve problems.

-           To provide an opportunity for pupils to become creative, innovative, enterprising and capable of leadership to equip them for their future lives as workers and citizens.

-           To develop their physical skills and encourage them to recognise the importance of pursuing a healthy lifestyle and keeping themselves and others safe.

-           To promote pupils' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development and, in particular, develop principles for distinguishing between right and wrong.

-           To develop their knowledge, understanding and appreciation of their own and different beliefs and cultures, and how these influence individuals and societies.

The school curriculum should also promote equal opportunities and enable pupils to challenge discrimination and stereotyping. It should develop their awareness and respect for the environments in which they live, and secure their commitment to sustainable development at a personal, local, national and global level. It should also equip pupils as consumers to make informed judgements and independent decisions and to understand their responsibilities and rights.

The final aim in the School Curriculum is to groom pupils for the next steps in their education, training and employment and to help them to make informed choices at school and throughout their lives, enabling them to appreciate the relevance of their achievements to life and society outside school, including leisure, community engagement and employment.

These curriculum intentions as listed above all support each other. The personal development of pupils, spiritually, morally, socially and culturally, at Key Stage Two level; plays a significant part in their ability to learn and to achieve in life.

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. 

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!

Writing Key Stage 2

Key Stage Two is the level of education taught to pupils aged between 7 and 11.  This information looks at some topics covered in this important stage of a child’s learning and finishes with how Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment can really help your child academically, and help boost their grades, in a fun engaging way. 

Bite size Key Stage 2 covers three main areas, English, Maths and Science, broken down into small, easy to understand bites or snippets of information.  

English

During English, at Key Stage Two level, reading, writing and spelling and grammar skills can help a child tell their story, share their ideas, write a letter, and make sense of instructions.  Children utilise and improve their English skills every day and it helps the children understand each other and communicate with one another.

With reading at Key Stage 2 children read fictional and non-fictional text, including adverts, dictionary references, and poetry.  They learn how to look at language, layout and meanings.  

During reading they will also ‘read for information’ and be able to answer questions pertaining to the information they have read. 

Writing plays an important part of English education in Key Stage Two, and is a vital part where children communicate with others. Text needs to be written in a way where the reader can easily understand what the child is trying to tell them.  For a child to become a good reader, writer and all round communicator they need to exercise sound spelling and grammar.  Sound spelling and grammar requires an understanding of nouns, adjectives, paragraphs, punctuation, sentences, verbs and adverbs.

Maths

In Key Stage 2 Maths education, children learn about why numbers and formulas matter.  Becoming a skilled maths student involves having a good knowledge of sums, averages, shapes, graphs and measurements.

Knowing simple sums and learning useful calculations can help a child with everyday tasks.

Children at Key Stage 2 level learn about addition, subtraction, decimals, factors, multiples, fractions, money, multiplication, division, percentages and using a calculator.

Another important topic in maths is grasping the concept of shape, space & measures, by learning about angles, lines, graphs, shapes and useful everyday measurements, including 2d and 3d shapes, symmetry and time. 

Science.

The 3rd and final subject we will look at is Science.  During Key Stage 2 Science education pupils learn about our world and how the things in it work, by concentrating on materials, energy, light and sound, humans, plants and animals.

In order to become a good young scientist, pupils must have an understanding of circulation, food chains, human life cycles, microorganisms, plant and animal habitats, plant life cycles, skeletons and muscles, teeth and eating.

Materials play an important part in science education, physical experiments with solids, liquids and gases contribute to this learning, as does developing an understanding of electricity, types of energy forces, space, the Earth, sun and moon, sound and light.

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. 

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!

Key Stage 2 Reading

Comprehension has different meanings, but in Key Stage Two education terms it is the art of understanding a piece of text and withdrawing relevant information. 

Comprehension learning begins with development of reading, and moves to writing and the understanding of the written word.

The word comprehension has the same meaning as ‘understanding’.  Whereas Reading Comprehension, measures the understanding of a piece of text and is defined as the level of understanding of a piece of text.  Do you comprehend? / Do you understand? 

Skilful reading depends on the ability to recognise words quickly and effortlessly and if word recognition is difficult, pupils use too much of their processing capacity to read individual words, thus interfering with their ability to comprehend what is read.

Any teacher can tell you that comprehension is one of the five key components of essential reading and many are able to identify strategies that good readers use to understand (comprehend) what they read.  But comprehension goes further:  Comprehension involves 

-constructing meaning from reading traditional text in print form (books, papers, magazines), 

-from listening to others read or 

-from viewing text in one of the many media available in our world today. 

COMPREHENSION IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TODAY

Comprehension is an essential part of successfully developing 21st century literacies.  It is a vital tool for reading in our modern age, a method through which we: 

-gain meaning from the words someone else has constructed,

-learn something new, to confirm something we think, 

- understand another’s viewpoint,

- to relax and:

- to escape from the everyday pressures of life.  

When reading a story to children it is always useful for adults to ask children a couple of questions about the book. For example, 'Did you enjoy that story?' or 'Would you like to go into space?... Go to the seaside?', or another question relevant to the storyline. Children usually ask questions incessantly so try encouraging them to use this as a method of developing comprehension.

There are many ways to develop skills with regards to comprehension.   Pupils can prepare to read by previewing pages of written text, noting such elements as chapter headings and visual aids. Reading strategies such as outlining and questioning the author's purpose can also boost understanding, and worksheets can reinforce reading comprehension skills.

Pupils can practice their reading skills by answering multiple choice questions, matching, unscrambling sentences, and filling in the blanks. Worksheets are often centered on a particular topic, such as restaurants, travel, dating, shopping or entertainment, and may also relate to expressions, slang and phrases. 

Reading in Key Stage 2 English looks at the understanding of themes, ideas, characters, events and a child's ability to read ‘between the lines'. Questions will be asked to assess a range of reading skills, such as the ability to interpret information and comment on writers' use of language. 

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales.  

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!

What is Key Stage 2?

Key Stage Two is the legal term for the 4 years of schooling in maintained schools in England and Wales, known as Year’s 3, 4, 5 & 6, when pupils are aged between 7 and 11. The term is applied differently in Northern Ireland where it refers to pupils in Year’s 5, 6 and 7.

In England and Wales the term is defined in the Education Act 2002 as "the period beginning at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class attain the age of eight and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class attain the age of eleven" This Key Stage normally covers pupils during junior schools, although in some cases part or all of this stage may fall in a middle, or a through primary school.

Purpose in England and Wales

The term is used to define the group of pupils who must follow the relevant programmes of study from the National Curriculum. All pupils in this Key Stage must follow a programme of education in at least 11 areas:

At the end of this stage, pupils aged 11 - in Year 6 - are tested as part of the national programme of National Curriculum Tests, known as SATs. These tests cover English and Mathematics, and are externally marked, with results for each school being published in DfES (Department for Education and Skills, U.K)  performance tables.

In Northern Ireland the term is defined in The Education (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 as "the period beginning at the same time as the next school year after the end of key stage 1 and ending at the same time as the school year in which the majority of pupils in his class complete three school years in that key stage". Notably, the foundation stage and Key Stage 1 are defined as lasting for four years in total from the start of compulsory education.

Purpose in Northern Ireland

The term is used to define the group of pupils who must follow the relevant programmes of study from the National Curriculum. All pupils in this Key Stage must follow a programme of education in the six areas of learning in the curriculum:

·         Language and Literacy

·         Mathematics and Numeracy

·         The Arts

·         The World Around Us

·         Personal Development and Mutual Understanding

·         Physical Education

·         Modern Foreign Languages

The National Curriculum for five to 11 year olds

During a child’s time at primary school, they will study a range of subjects.  As a parent, knowing about the National Curriculum at key Stages 1 and 2 can really help you support your child’s learning and education.

The National Curriculum, which is taught to all pupils in state or maintained schools, is made up of four key stages:

Key Stage 1     Ages 5-7          Years 1 and 2

Key Stage 2     Ages 7-11        Years 3, 4, 5 and 6

Key Stage 3     Ages 11-14      Years 7, 8 and 9

Key Stage 4     Ages 14-16      Years 10 and 11

Obligatory National Curriculum subjects are the same for both Key Stages 1 & 2.  They are

-English

-Maths

-Science

-Design and technology

-Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

-History

-Geography

-Art and design

-Music

-Physical education

Schools are required to teach ‘Religious Education’, although parents are permitted to withdraw their own children from this education if they desire.  In addition to R.E, schools are advised to teach personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship, together with at least one modern foreign language.

Individual schools may teach these subjects under different names, and may teach more than one subject together under the same name.  As long as the school is teaching as per the specified National Curriculum rules, this is acceptable.  

National Curriculum levels

At Key Stages 1, 2, and 3, the National Curriculum is accompanied by a series of eight levels. These are used to measure your child's progress compared to pupils of the same age across the country.

All schools assess pupils’ progress during the school year, though some make more frequent use of the National Curriculum levels than others.  Parent teacher evenings and school reports provide information about the level your child has reached academically.

Your child will be formally assessed at the end of Key Stages 1 and 2. At the end of Key Stage 1, the teacher’s assessment of your child’s progress will take account of their performance in several tasks and tests in English and maths.

At the end of Key Stage 2, your child will take national tests in English, maths and science.  You will be sent their test results and their teacher’s assessment detailing their progress.

By the end of Key Stage 1, most children will have reached level 2, and by the end of Key Stage 2 most will be at level 4.

The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics

The Primary National Strategy is a set of tools for primary schools, to assist them in raising standards and delivering the curriculum more effectively.

The Primary Framework for literacy and mathematics is a central part of the scheme. While the focus is on literacy and numeracy, schools can use the approaches it recommends to support teaching, learning and assessment across the curriculum as whole.

Developing literacy skills

As well as reading and writing, literacy involves the development speaking and listening skills. The framework encourages teachers to use a variety of approaches to teaching literacy. It recommends regular, dedicated literacy lessons, but recognises that pupils can also develop literacy skills while they learn about other subjects in the curriculum.

The framework encourages teachers to put a greater emphasis on using ‘phonics’. It also stresses the part you play as a parent in helping your child to develop their literacy skills.

Developing maths skills

The framework recommends a daily maths lesson, providing guidance for schools on how to develop pupils’ mathematical thinking and number skills.

As with literacy, schools are encouraged to use a variety of approaches. Published in October 2006, the latest version of the framework puts more emphasis on mental maths. It recommends that children should develop their recall of multiplication tables earlier, with a focus on understanding and application.

The strategy also sets out a suite of catch-up programmes designed to help pupils in Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 who have fallen behind. Parents are encouraged to get involved in developing their child’s numeracy skills as much as possible.

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. 

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!

KS2 Teaching

National Curriculum assessments are a sequence of educational assessments, known as SATs.  They are used to assess the intellectual level of children attending maintained schools and comprise a mixture of teacher-led and test-based assessment depending on the age of the pupils.

The tests were introduced for 7-year-olds for the academic year ending July 1991, and for 11-year-olds in the academic year ending July 1995.

Similar tests were introduced for 14-year-olds for the academic year ending July 1998 but were scrapped at the end of the academic year ending July 2009.

The assessments are completed at the end of each Key Stage and record attainment in terms of National Curriculum attainment levels, numbered between 1 and 8. The expectations for each stage are set out as follows:

Key Stage 1, School Year 2, Approximate Pupil Age 7, Expected Level 2.

Key Stage 2, School Year 6, Approximate Pupil Age 11, Expected Level 4.

Key Stage 3, School Year 9, Approximate Pupil Age 14, Expected Level 5 or 6.

Key Stage 2….

During May in the final year of Key Stage 2, children undertake National Curriculum Tests in the three core subjects of English, Mathematics and Science.  These results provide the pupil’s individual intellectual levels in the subjects, including separate levels for reading and writing as part of the overall English grade.

 In addition, teachers are required to provide teacher assessments in the same subjects.

The terminology used for the assessments varies both in type and context. Where assessments are made in-school by class teachers, these are referred to as Teacher Assessments. These assessments make up part of the final assessment at the end of all Key Stages.

Where assessment is completed through testing, these assessments are known as National Curriculum Tests.

Colloquially the assessments - particularly in the test form - are referred to as SATs. This terminology is rooted in the original intention to introduce Standard Assessment Tasks when the assessments were first introduced. The term is variously believed to stand for Statutory Assessment Tests, Standard Attainment Tests, Standardised Achievement Tests and Standard Assessment Tests.

Criticisms

Like many exams of this nature, the assessments have been subject to a variety of criticism. Two of the main points of concern are that they place youngsters under constant stress for their whole academic lives, and that the principal purpose of national curriculum testing is for school league tables.

This information was brought to you by Key Stage Two.com, an online learning environment for children aged 7-11.   Key Stage Two.com successfully manages to combine fun games with education, making sure academic and non-academic children benefit greatly, whilst being compliant with the National Curriculum in Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales. 

Key Stage Two.com offers benefits for all; including schools, parents, teachers, tutors, councils, local authorities, and most importantly, the pupils. Visit the website at http://www.keystagetwo.com to … ‘learn’ more!