SISS Primary - Schuldorf Bergstraße

Handwriting

Children will begin to learn the Nelson style of pre-cursive handwriting in Flexible Lower Primary 1st learning year and cursive handwriting in Flexible Lower Primary 2nd learning year.
This will be reinforced in Year 3. During Year 4, use of joined-up/cursive handwriting will be required.

Teaching of handwriting skills happens regularly in years 1 - 3 and specific children or small groups are targeted to rectify identified problems before they become a habit. The principle of regular, short periods of handwriting practice is prominent in this part of the school.
There is a gradual transfer to cursive, ('joined up') writing from the appropriate moment in Year 2. However, children develop physical pencil control at different rates and they are only introduced to the Nelson letter joins when confident with the previous step.
Flexible Lower Primary children usually have their own work book which guides letter formation in very visual and structured ways on the page, also permitting practice through 'overwriting'. From Year 3 children produce letter joins more independently from Nelson handwriting text books. The Nelson spelling course books also demonstrate letter joins within the context of common letter strings.
In Y3 a fountain pen license will be given to the children after passing special handwriting exercises. During Year 4, the use of the fountain pen and cursive handwriting will be required.
The German 'Schul-Ausgangsschrift' can be introduced in German to children from Year 3 and it offers a natural and logical extension to the 'Nelson' script by introducing the option of loops for descenders in letters like 'g' or 'y'. A few other specific differences are also introduced to children at this stage.

Learning Support

Learning support

In case of ongoing and/or severe learning difficulties in one or more subject areas a learning support plan will be set up.

The class teacher/subject teacher will meet the parents to discuss individual tasks for the child and to monitor and evaluate the child's progress in further meetings after a period of time. A close working relationship between parents, child and school will help to improve the child's development.

Dyscalculia/ Dyslexia

If your child has been diagnosed with one or both of these learning difficulties, please notify your class teachers.

Parents can apply for a „Nachteilausgleich“/special compensation, that adjusts the child’s test and work achievements. The class teacher will provide guidance in the process of applying for a special compensations/ learning support and progress consultations with the parents/guardians throughout the year.

Special Compensation/Nachteilsausgleich

(see“ Verordnung zur Gestaltung des Schulverhältnisses (VOGSV) vom 19. August 2011“ )

§7 Special compensation

(1) Children suffering from a temporary handicap (e.g. fractured arm) or other diagnosed handicaps that still allows them to take part in lessons should be treated with consideration in lessons as well as when having oral, written or practical tests regarding their special needs.

(2) Different kinds of special compensation can be:

a. Extended working time for class tests

b. Permission to work with dictionaries, computer and/or audio support

c. Use of specifically arranged worksheets

d. Differentiated exercises, in particular when difficulties occur in the subjects of German, foreign languages (dyslexia) and math (dyscalculia)

(3) The parents have to submit a written formal request. The head teacher will decide whether a special compensation will be granted (and for how long). This decision will be made after consultation with the class conference. If a special compensation is granted it will be indicated in the child’s learning support plan.

Homework

Homework will be given:

To provide opportunities for practice of basic skills and learning of important facts that cannot be memorized entirely within the teaching session.
To give young children the opportunity to consolidate a skill learnt in class.
To offer older the opportunity of independent enquiry and gathering of information to be shared in class.
To encourage children to establish routines and a degree of self-organization and responsibility

Especially in the lower age groups the principle of 'a little often' should be applied. In the upper primary a significant amount of revision for tests will be an integral part of preceding lessons; where reading over of notes or practice exercises are required, these should be part of homework tasks.

All homework given to the children will be explained in class, so that parents' help should not be necessary. In instances where the child needs support or was unable to complete the task, a note should be written by the parent in the homework diary or on the homework sheet as feed back for the teacher.

There must be at least a day between setting and return of homework tasks.

Recommended timing guidance:
Flexible Lower Primary Years -> not more then 20 – 30 minutes to cover all tasks.
Year 3/4 -> apprx 45 minutes to cover all tasks

Break (snack/lunch)

Morning break

During the morning break children have the opportunity to eat a small snack that they have brought to school. A snack box is recommended to transport food to school to avoid your child’s rucksack and supplies from being stained. Again, please do not pack pretzels, puddings, cakes or candy. We also encourage you to provide water, rather than juice, in your child’s drinking bottle.

Lunch

All classes are given 25 minutes to eat their lunch in the cafeteria.

A catering company provides warm lunch to those children who have been registered in the lunch programme and have ordered food for that day. You will receive a lunch registration package when your child is admitted into SISS.

For those opting for the warm lunch service, once your online registration is completed and funds transferred, parents are responsible to order their child’s lunch (the school has no means to place orders). There is always the choice between a vegetarian and a non-vegetarian menu. Typically orders may be placed up to a month in advance. If necessary (i.e. illness), cancellations for that day’s lunch may be placed until 7:45 a.m. the same morning of the absence.

Children receiving hot lunch will receive dessert without prerequisite (children will not be told to eat more of their entrée before receiving dessert.)

Parents may of course choose to provide a packed lunch for their children. In accordance with the Schuldorf “Healthy School” policy Parents are encouraged to provide a healthy lunch and beverage for their children.

Year 4 students are provided access to a microwave for re-heating food. The microwave is not available for lower grades since there is not enough time (or staff to supervise use of the microwave) during the class lunch slots to allow for a long queue to warm up food.

Dining hall rules

Our aim is to keep noise levels down to reasonable levels (so that we can talk to others at the table). The children calm down and line up before moving quietly to the serving area. Dining hall rules will be discussed in each class at the beginning of the year. Year groups have to agree on the rules according to their needs. Occasionally the noise traffic light in the dining hall will be switched on in order to provide a visual reminder to children about their noise level. If the red light goes on, the children will be asked to eat in silence for 3 minutes.

Grading and Reports

Grading

Grading at SISS is based on the German system with the following percentage/grade correspondence: (useful when grading assessments with points). Test grades are set in accordance with Hesse state guidance on percentages and there is considerable monitoring of marking levels between German and English teachers. Marks are given between 1 and 6. The average score for a test marking level is 2 to 3.

100 - 93% = 1
92 - 77% = 2
76 - 61% = 3
60 - 45% = 4
44 - 20% = 5
19 - 0% = 6

Assessments are usually given at the end of each main module (English, German, maths or science) in order to check your child’s ability to apply new skills and knowledge independently. In Literacy, maths, and German the number of 45 min assessments is three per semester in upper primary.

At least one week of written notice (diary) will be given prior to every assessment, with an indication of areas to be reviewed

In Year 3/4 all assessments are sent home for parent review and signature. All assessment results include the class average and the grade distribution on the assessment. We ask you to sign the sheet to show that you have seen it. Equally children will occasionally be asked by their teacher to show you their class exercise book and sign to confirm this.

In Flex, there is no required number of assessments per semester. Assessments are informal; they are not graded or sent home.

Report Cards

In Flexible Lower Primary official reports will be given at the end of the school year (before the summer break starts). From Year 3 onwards two official reports of individual progress will be released (at the end of January for the first semester, and in July/August for the second semester). Teachers discuss reports with Year 3/4 children before sending the reports home. The report will contain comments and achievement grades for behaviour, attitude and also for each individual subject. As is the case in the German state system, these grades will be derived from a combination of contribution to class work (50%), homework/presentations (25%) and assessment results (25%) .

Teachers will also approach you if your child seems to be displaying exceptional talent, leading to the need for extension and further challenge. We will also inform you of significant learning difficulties if they become apparent during the term.

Please don’t hesitate to make an appointment with the classroom teacher if you have concerns or questions about your child’s progress. We value every opportunity to maintain a dialogue about this.