It is our aim to work with parents and carers as partners in our children’s learning. Our Home Learning policy can be found below with a link to the Parentzone website for a range of ideas on how you can support learning at home.
Home Learning using Microsoft TEAMs
Home Learning at Ratho Primary school is now issued via Microsoft TEAMs. Please see the below guide and video for support in using Microsoft TEAMs for Home Learning.
USEFUL LINKS FOR LEARNING AT HOME…
Please see below for a range of links to support learning at home…
RPS Spelling Home learning Activities
NUMERACY LINKS
Here are some suggested websites that you can visit to support maths and numeracy learning (click on the green text):
Sumdog – maths games where pupils can play against classmates and enter challenges set by their class teacher. Suitable for pupils in P3-7. All pupils have been issued a username and password for this. Sumdog
BBC Bitesize – an excellent resource that is being added to daily with live lessons and lots more. Sorted by Curriculum for Excellence level. Suitable for pupils in nursery-P7.
Early level (nursery-P1)
First level (P2-4)
Second level (P5-7)
Oxford Owl – lots of support with maths learning including suggestions of games and activities. Sorted by pupil age. Suitable for pupils in nursery-P7. Oxford Owl
Twinkl – offers downloadable teaching and learning resources including worksheets and PowerPoints. Sorted by pupil age. Suitable for pupils in nursery-P7.
Nursery
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
Topmarks – links to maths games, many of which the children will be used to playing in class. Sorted by pupil age and topic. Suitable for pupils in nursery-P7.
3-5 years
5-7 years
7-11 years
Maths Is Fun – excellent resource for explaining maths concepts and methods. Sorted by topic. Suitable for all pupils although particularl useful for those in P5-7. Maths Is Fun
nRich – problem solving activities for all ages. Sorted by pupil age. nRich
The Maths Factor – free subscription required gives you access to all maths topics with excellent teaching videos and explanations created by Carol Vorderman. Suitable for pupils in P1-7. Sorted by topic. The Maths Factor
Doorway Online – some maths activities to help with number, time and money. Suitable for pupils in P1-3. Doorway Online
National Numeracy – free maths activities. Suitable for pupils in P1-7. Sorted by pupil age / class (just add 1 to the class to get the Scottish primary equivalent). National Numeracy
LITERACY LINKS
Here are some suggested websites that you can visit to support English and literacy learning (click on the green text):
Reading
Audible: online audio books and stories for free. Suitable for all ages and available in different languages.
Oxford Owl: free eBook library sorted by level, age or type of book. Includes advice on how to support your child with their reading. Suitable for all ages.
Edinburgh Libraries: Sign up for a library card from Edinburgh libraries and get free access to thousands of ebooks and audio books. Sign up here: https://yourlibrary.edinburgh.gov.uk/web/arena/join-the-library
Learning Boosts Stories: YouTube channel from teachers at Clermiston Primary School, Edinburgh suitable for children in nursery and P1. They share a book in each video and have discussion questions and key vocabulary, a bit like the WordBoost work that pupils are already doing.
Storyline Online: videos of popular children’s stories with accompanying activity guides. Suitable for children in nursery-P2.
Phonics
Phonics Play: lots of activities, videos and ideas to help with the teaching of phonics with free subscription currently available. Particularly useful for pupils in nursery-P2.
General
Scottish Book Trust: lots of recommended book-related activities including links to their Authors Live videos and Bookbug sessions sorted by age. Suitable for all ages.
Literacy Shed: lots of animated videos with excellent teaching ideas to accompany each video for writing, grammar and lots of other areas too. Suitable for all pupils although more suited to P3-7. Sorted by video genre.
Into Film: links to movies that can be streamed online. Lots of other good ideas and resources on the Into Film website for teaching ideas to accompany films.
BBC Bitesize: an excellent resource that is being added to daily with live lessons and lots more. Sorted by Curriculum for Excellence level. Suitable for pupils in nursery-P7.
Early level (nursery-P1)
First level (P2-4)
Second level (P5-7)
Twinkl – offers downloadable teaching and learning resources including worksheets and PowerPoints. Sorted by pupil age. Suitable for pupils in nursery-P7.
Nursery
P1
P2
P3
P4
P5
P6
P7
STEM
This page focuses on the Science, Technology and Engineering areas of STEM.
We love a STEM challenge! Here are some ideas for STEM activities to get you started. We’ve split them up into Early level (normally Nursery and P1), first level (normally P2, P3 and P4) and second level (normally P5, P6 and P7). With that said, pick anything that looks appealing, choose something you feel curious about!
LITTLE AND WEE INVENTORS
Lots of fantastic challenges and competitions all to-do with inventions and ‘creating your own…’: https://www.littleinventors.org/collections/. Check out their YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC52S24PiJm7ud6JMyp_164w) and Twitter feed (https://twitter.com/LittleInventors) for more information and ideas too.
EARLY LEVEL:
Below are some links to STEM activities and challenges for Early Level. Some require resources, but you can always get creative and substitute them to suit what you have in your home.
Here are some STEM ideas you can do with things you already have in your home.
- Build a Newspaper fort- all you need is newspaper and tape.
- Make your own Bubbles- using water, sugar and washing up liquid.
- Make a nature ice block- use grass, flower petals, leaves.
- Float and Sink experiment- use items in your house. Make predictions before testing them out.
- Make a Junk model- use your recycled materials.
Starters for STEM: Click to access 07_Starters%20for%20STEM_04%20May.pdf
Crest: https://primarylibrary.crestawards.org/all-star-challenges/61746949
Twinkl: Twinkl STEM challenge cardsDownload
Learning Through Landscapes:
https://www.ltl.org.uk/free-resources/?swoof=1&woof_text=week&pa_subject=outdoor-learning&pa_age=2-5
British Science Week- activity pack: BSA_BSW_EarlyYears_1119v6.pdf
FIRST LEVEL
There are lots of STEM Activities that you can try out at home without buying anything at all. Some ideas of how to get creative with science:
- Make the tallest tower out of things you have in your bedroom.
- Make a bridge between two pieces of furniture.
- Make a den.
- Check which objects in your bathroom sink or float.
- Investigate if oil, pasta, salt, sugar, cocoa, milk, washing-up liquid etc. dissolve in water.
Scratch Boat Race:
https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/boat-race
Magic Water Trick: https://www.youtube.com/embed/65T4ReLkjCg?version=3&rel=1&showsearch=0&showinfo=1&iv_load_policy=1&fs=1&hl=en&autohide=2&wmode=transparentTry this over the sink first!
No-Cook Playdough:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/playdough-recipe
National Museums of Scotland. We love the recycleosaurus!
https://www.nms.ac.uk/explore-our-collections/resources/make-and-create/
How to Make a Lava Lamp:
http://www.sciencefun.org/kidszone/experiments/lava-lamp/
SECOND LEVEL:
Good STEM projects are all about problem solving. That means lots of trial and error. If you have to try 100 times to get it to work, then you’re really thinking like an engineer! Here are some ideas for things you could build to get you started.
- Build a puppet with parts that move.
- Design a bionic arm for an amputee. What would it be able to do? How would it be controlled? Create a technical drawing to show your ideas.
- Build a working model of your favourite invention.
- Think of one problem around your home that bothers you. For example, my doors always slam when I open the window. Fix the problem.
- Build a chain reaction machine that uses things in your house to achieve a very small task. I love this one shown below, or you can find loads of other examples by typing Rube Goldberg machine into youtube.
Have a go at some of these activities. They include great suggestions for how to adapt to your space and what you have in the cupboards. https://www.science-sparks.com/science-worksheets/
Take a virtual trip the Science Museum in London. Much cheaper than taking the train, and more lock down friendly! https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/virtual-tour-science-museum
SOCIAL SUBJECTS
Here are some suggested websites that you can visit to support learning in Social Subjects.
Sustainability
https://schools.fairtrade.org.uk
https://scotdec.org.uk/resources/explore-the-global-goals-17-activities-for-primary-schools/
Geography – ‘People, Place & Environment‘
https://www.oxfordowl.co.uk/for-home/school-year/subject-guides/geography-at-primary-school/
https://www.reachoutreporter.com
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/teacher-category/geography/
https://www.rsgs.org/pages/category/school-resources
P1-3: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zcdqxnb
P4-7: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zbkw2hv
Modern Studies– ‘People in Society, Economy & Business‘
https://www.parliament.scot/visitandlearn/97593.aspx
P1-3: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zb9d7ty
P4-7: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zyr9wmn
https://www.youngcitizens.org/pages/category/free-teaching-resources
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04b1g3c/episodes/downloads
http://www.economistfoundation.org/resources
History – ‘People, Past Events & Societies‘
SCRAN – free access to this site until the end of July.
Scran hosts over 400,000 amazing, fully-captioned images, sounds and film from over 300 museums, galleries, and archives including the V&A, National Galleries of Scotland, Glasgow Museums and The Scotsman to name a few.
https://shop.scran.ac.uk/prod/personal-subscriptions/scran-personal-subscription/145
National Museums Scotland – great access to all things history and fun activities to do
https://www.nms.ac.uk/museum-at-home/families/
BBC Bitesize – link to a variety of history topics and fun activities to complete
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zkqmhyc – P1-3
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zcw76sg – P4-7
National Geographic – search for people in the past or for important events in our history
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/teacher-category/history/
Primary Resources – a variety of topics covered with associated worksheets and power points
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/history/history.htm
Politics – ‘People in Society, Economy & Business‘An illustrated short story about leadership and responsibilityDownload
Scottish Parliament – suitable for ages 9-11. Learn about the Scottish Parliament and how the voting system works, powers of the Scottish Parliament, case studies and lots of other interesting facts.
https://www.parliament.scot/visitandlearn/97585.aspx
UK parliament – suitable for ages 7-11. Discover how to talk to your children about politics, how elections work, videos about the UK parliament and other great resourceshttps://learning.parliament.uk/resources/?age-range-suitability=age-7-to-11&theme=elections-and-voting#main
Children’s parliament – lots of interesting things about decision making and giving children a voice on this website
https://www.childrensparliament.org.uk/