Pupils' Comments

Read the latest pupils' comments 2023

MFL Pupil Comments March 2023 click here

We regularly speak to pupils in the school to get their views about the school.

This term, the children met with Mrs Khan and Mr Malcolm; we wanted to find out their views about a range of areas.

Pupil Conferencing January 2023

Year 2

What have you enjoyed learning most about last year?

I liked maths – learning times tables.
I liked when the Gruffalo came – it left a mess. I found some clues: footprints and the classroom was messed up so bad. The Gruffalo ate our bread! Mr Ashton sent him back to the woods. They called the animal welfare team.. We wrote some questions and a wanted poster with a description and the crime.
I liked History – learning about the olden times. They had steam trains and different clothes. We looked at olden day toys and they were made differently to toys we have nowadays.
Guided reading – I liked learning to read.
The activities in PE with balls.
I liked poetry day – we learned about poems –they rhymed and some poems were funny.
Music – listening to the music as it went fast, slow, some of it was sad and some of it was happy.
I like computing because we get to go upstairs to the computing suite and we play games.

Can you tell me something about the different words or language you learn?

Irregular, regular, curved, shape, 2D, 3D, horizontal, vertical, symmetrical, line of symmetry – we learn them in maths.
3D shapes - sphere, curved and they are not flat. 2D shapes are flat. You can hold 3D shapes and not 2D shapes. 3D shapes can roll.
In SPAG we learned the words once and house. We write them on the board and then have a go at them on our own.
In History, we are learning about Guy Fawkes - Houses of parliament, gunpowder, King James 1, anonymous letter, explode, cellar, 5^th November.
Year 2 key words – any, many, once, be, house, once, because  Teacher writes it on the board and rubs it out then we have a go.

How does the teacher tell you what to do to get better?

The teacher listens to me and watches me. She lets us talk.
She asks me to put my hand up and she comes over to help me with my work.
She gives us examples on the board and makes it fun when we do it. She’ll call us a silly sausage!  She tell us have another go and not give up and we will get it right.
The teacher shows us what to practise.
She teaches us handwriting and does it slowly on the board and then we go and do it on our own in our book.
She gives us VFs and we read what it says and do what it says. VF means Verbal feedback.
We do self-marking and LO tick tick and it makes us get better.
Verbal feedback helps us to get better.
She shows me a sentence first and then we have a go with a different sentence.
She says never give up.

If someone new was going to start at our school, what do you think you would tell them is special about us and Park Hill that we all care about?

We can be friends and show them the whole school and talk, play and sit with them.
If they are sad, we will cheer them up.
Our teachers give a great health education.
The golden rule –don’t bully people – don’t be unkind. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
You can’t be racist.
You have to be kind to everyone and we will be friends.
Attendance is important and we have trophies.
That we have pizza on Friday and it is yummy.

What makes you feel safe at school?

The teachers are there to keep you safe when going outside and look after you while you’re playing.
The rules of washing your hands and being clean so we don’t get germs.
The teacher keeps you from running out of school and help you listen to the rules.
I feel safe because the teachers don’t allow you in the class alone because that is safeguarding. They do a fire alarm and do the register.
Our teachers keep us safe.
Strangers can’t come into the school.
Rules keep us safe so we don’t get hurt or ill.

Year 3

What have you enjoyed learning most about last year?

Loved Art and making sculptures – mine didn’t come out right but I still enjoyed it.
Mary Seacole – didn’t know who she was and thought it was fun - she went to the Crimean war to help. She gave them herbs, ginger and honey to help their wounds.
I liked learning about the Stone Age in Guided reading because I learned about what people did before we were alive and it was fun to see how they survived.
I didn’t know anything about Neil Armstrong and learned that he was the first man to step on the moon and he was the bravest man.
Computing because of Scratch where you create character and can choose what the character does using the hand tool and ordering the algorithm.
Science – we grew plants – they have petals, flowers, stems, seeds and roots. The roots help the plant get water and the stem makes it sturdy.

Can you tell me something about the different words or language you learn?

We learn Tier 2 language in writing e.g. ‘difficulty’, ‘technology’.
In guided reading – first we write the Tier 1 word, then Tier 2 and then the meaning of it. For example, the Tier 1 word was ‘ran’ and Tier 2 was ‘scuttled’.
In Art, we learned ‘tint’ and ‘shade’, ‘dark/light’ and ‘sturdy’,
‘Layering, lamination, ribbing’ to make boxes ‘sturdy’ in DT.
After the date and LO we will write words a few times so that we remember them and use them in our writing. On Friday we have dictation and Miss tests us in a sentence. Then we have to write the word in a sentence for our homework.
We had the word ‘sleek’ in reading and we didn’t know what it meant – it means shiny and glossy. The text was ‘sleek, ginger cat’.
We are learning Spanish – started in Yr 3 – we learned colours, ‘rojo’ is red.

How often do you get the opportunity for discussion in lessons? Do you get a chance to talk in lessons?

Sometimes – talk to teacher and talk partner.
Don’t talk to friends so much in lessons, speak with the teacher and the teaching assistants.
Most of the time we speak with the teacher but sometimes with our partner to discuss our ideas and then tell the teacher.
More in certain lessons – in maths we talked about what we think the array is and about the groups – we talked to our partner.
Talk to friends on the table- teacher asks me what I think in lesson e.g. in maths asked me for a sentence for the array.
We talk in lots of lessons – it helps to talk to people on the table but they don’t tell me the answer.

How does the teacher tell you what to do to get better?

She comes and helps if we don’t understand.
In our groups, the people on the table will ask if we are stuck – she might show us how to work it out and do it with us so we get better.
We practise together words and sentences - there are sheets where I might copy some lines.
She helps us with handwriting – gave us a handwriting pen that helps us write better and I practise at home. She will ask us to fix mistakes by giving us ideas when she looks at our work.  She puts a VF with a red pen.
She helps us to find what a mistake was and we correct it with a green pen. VF is for when the teacher helps us and we have to correct it.
When we get things right she uses a highlighter.
Sometime we mark our own work or our partner’s work with a green pen.
Sometimes we have to be independent and Miss does not help us so that we can try to make our work better.

If someone new was going to start at our school, what do you think you would tell them is special about us that we all care about?

The Golden Rule (treat people how you want to be treated) and British values.
In our school we respect each other and don’t use unkind words or do anything unkind.
We care about the world and the environment.
If someone is disabled, they still come to our school and we are kind and helpful and treat them with respect. Everybody listens – teachers and children.
We help people to learn about maths.
Even though people might have different skin colour, we still treat people the same or if someone is Christian or Muslim, we can still be friends.

What is the school motto?

Like the golden rule but a bit different – show respect and kindness and compassion.  RE stands for Religious Education.
The children were reminded that the school motto/aim was ‘we aim to bring out the best in everyone.’

Can you explain what British values are?

Respect and kindness.
Children were unsure so we looked at the display at the front of school as a reminder.

What makes you feel safe at school?

The teachers – keep you away from older groups (in your bubble).
School keeps us in a building where no-one can get in and hurt us. Gates are closed when everyone gets in. At home time, when children are gone someone closes the doors – people can’t get in.
We stick up for each other and if someone is hurt they go to the teacher and then go to Mrs Satchwell, the first aider – she tells you will that you will be fine.
I feel safe because no-one can get in and there are codes.
The lunchtime supervisors tell us which area to go in and away from the gates. If it’s raining, we don’t go on the slippery grass in case we hurt ourselves. If it is icy, we don’t go on the field.
We have learned about online safety.

Year 4

What have you enjoyed learning most about last year?

I really enjoyed writing – all of it.
We wrote a baking recipe when we learnt about Nadia Hussain.
Spanish – we learnt some in Year 3 and it is easier now in Year 4. I liked learning about colours.
I like learning about Spanish as well. I like how we say the numbers up to 15.
I liked Design Technology – we made cardboard boxes. I liked sewing and I made a mini beast bean bag – I made a bee. I used a cross-stitch, running stitch and over-stitch. We had to plan it, cut the material and put it together.
I liked maths because I liked the teacher and the maths games. I found it easy. I liked the column method for addition and subtraction. I like art and enjoyed drawing a lot. We had flowers on the table and had to draw them. The artist was William Morris and we made mosaics. It is called block printing.
I enjoyed sewing in DT and also made a bee. My favourite part was putting the beans into the bag.
I mostly liked everything but my favourite was guided reading. First, Mrs Begum read with us and then we did some questions and later we would have a test.
Maths – I like numbers.

Can you tell me something about the different words or language you learn?

Spanish words – ‘Ola’ means Good morning.
In Spanish we learned about different animals ‘un raton’ (mouse).
I learned the word ‘integer’ in maths - it means whole number, 1 is an integer.
In Spanish we learned about pets eg ‘un perro’ is dog and I’ve got two dogs at home.
In English, we learned ‘administrator’ - learning about online safety – it means someone who runs a website.
In English, we learn about ‘paragraphs’.
‘Commutative’ is my favourite word from maths. It means that you can swap numbers around and we can get the same answer. I remember ‘commutative’ from Year 3.
In geography, we learned about ‘forest biomes’ – there are different biomes. There is a ‘climate’, ‘wildlife’ and ‘vegetation’ in a biome.
We learn Tier 2 and Tier 3 language.

How often do you get the opportunity for discussion in lessons? Do you get a chance to talk in lessons?

Sometimes, we put our hands up – I get picked most of the time and can talk to the teacher.
I talk to my partner.
We get to talk to children in PATHS. There was the leader, a reporter, writer and reader and one had to get the information.
Miss lets us talk – she asks us to think about what we want to say and then talk.
We get a chance to talk in class discussions, we will talk to a partner and then Miss asks us for our answers.
Miss asks us to have a discussion and give answers from the work on our iPads.
In Art, we shared our ideas and magpie ideas from each other when we talked about William Morris and Charles Fazzino.
We get to talk to our teachers at playtime and lunchtime too.

If someone new was going to start at our school, what do you think you would tell them is special about us that we all care about?

Everyone is kind and friendly.
Park hill is a very compassionate school and we learn a lot. If it is your first day we will show you around. Park is a sweet, kind and compassionate school.
Park Hill motto – Park Hill is a compassionate school. I’d tell them about all the amazing people – teachers are great, and the people who cook our dinners.
We are not supposed to care how people look.
We aim to bring out the best in everyone and we are a compassionate school.
I would help to show them where stationary is in class because we are compassionate.
There is a golden rule – to treat somebody how you want to be treated.
I’d tell them the things I like to do.

What is the school motto?

‘Compassionate school and golden rule’ – 4 children Good attendance – 3 children
‘Bring out the best in everyone’.

Can you explain what British values are?

The values everyone should have in Britain.
Having clean water, a roof over your head, not break the law.
We all have rights.
The right to rest and play, the right to drink and eat, right to a good education, right to have fun and go outside.
Have shelter, food and water.
Right to sleep in bed.

The children had confused the UNICEF Rights with British Values so were reminded of them.

Year 5

What have you enjoyed learning most about last year?

Art – Charles Fazzino - making the paper building and sticking it on cardboard.
Sculptures in Art – took photo of the idea, made that into a sculpture, used wire. The artist was Alberto Giacometti.
Art – drawing instruments using pastels of different colours, smudged to show the light. It was Cubism and the artist was Pablo Picasso.
Science – learning about thermal insulators and doing experiment to see which would do keep the heat in the most. Bubble wrap was the best thermal insulator (thermal insulators stop heat from going out). The teacher showed us but I liked doing the experiment myself best.
In DT, we made nachos with guacamole from Mexico. Got avocado, salsa and the nachos. It was delicious.
Liked making circuits in science. Had to make light bulb light up. We had to use wires, draw diagrams to plan and bring a box to make a light box in the DT lesson. We were making a reading light or night light.
Really like English – first, we had a story called Beowulf and there was a monster call Grendell who ate people. Afterwards, we made a tapestry based on the event in the story Grendell’s mother wanted to seek revenge. We learned about what the Anglo Saxons used to do.
When we made the tapestry, I made the one with the boat and used stitching.

Can you tell me something about the different words or language you learn?

Learning about the environment – ‘solar power’.
Words I like in science – states of matter, condensation, evaporation and precipitation (gas changes into liquid eg rain).
Sculpture – tier 3 word ‘papier mache’.
In writing, before we write, we go in our red books and write tier 2 and tier 3 words eg government.
Words from the book, Charlie and Chocolate factory – tremendous, marvellous, scrumptious – we learn them so that we use them in our writing. We used them in our learning and put them into our plan for our writing.
We use synonyms in our writing (a word that mean the same but it is a different word to replace a word) so we don’t keep using the same word again.
We wrote a non-chronological report.

How often do you get the opportunity for discussion in lessons? Do you get a chance to talk in lessons?

In reading, when we use our red vocab books we have a word from the story and we make synonyms and then raise our hand and say what they are – it happens every day.
Near the end of the day, our teacher goes through our homework and we attempt to spell words and we all get chances to spell it correctly.
When we read the Silver Sword, everyone gets a chance to read and talk about what we’ve read. Sometimes we give our opinion about what we are reading.
Sometimes, Miss will ask us to write on a whiteboard and we give our ideas.
Sometimes, if there is a lot to do, we might not get to talk as much.
In maths, we always talks about our working-out with us and talks with us about our strategies.
Our class talk in every single lesson and talks about our learning.
We can talk to our partner about our working-out on the whiteboard in maths
Everyone gets a chance to read aloud in guided reading.

How does the teacher tell you what to do to get better?

When I need any help, my teacher encourages me and also tells me to do more work at home. My writing has got better because I practise at home.
In lessons, they are always encouraging and if you get anything wrong, they will help you by showing you. There may be red pen in our books.
If there is something that just one person got wrong, they will talk to them and write a VF – verbal feedback. VF can be about something good; not always something bad.
The teacher also leaves little post- it notes in our book if we forgot something or needed to remember to do something.
In Mr Malcolm’s maths group, we go over what we’ve learnt at the end of the lesson. I can understand it more.
If I’m stuck, I ask the teacher and she helps me. I put my hand up.
When reading, if we get a mistake then teacher tells us how to pronounce it and sometimes also tells us the meaning.

If someone new was going to start at our school, what do you think you would tell them is special about us that we all care about?

Treating others as you would wish to be treated. Park Hill is a kind and compassionate school.
I’d tell them that in this school we are all kind to each and a big family.
We are a Park Hill community.
We are all friends even with crocodiles. (Referring to a painting at the front of the school by a past pupil).
Park Hill always tries to bring out the best in everyone.
We respect everyone, even if they have got different faiths – no discrimination. Even when someone is a different colour or religion.

What is the school motto?

Treat others how you wish to be treated yourself (5 children)

One child remembered that it was ‘we aim to bring out the best in everyone.’

Can you explain what British values are?

Individual liberty – freedom, rights.
Democracy - vote.
The rule of law.
To respect faith, religion and non-religion.

What makes you feel safe at school?

Teachers and friends – teachers can look after you if you hurt yourself eg first aid. Friends support you and help.
My friends are like my brothers and help me stay safe if I’m silly.
We have a big school and if there was a problem - like a fire - teachers would guide us.
Everything – teachers make rules to protect and keep us safe. If you hurt yourself, teachers can help you feel better.
We are inside a building, with a roof – keeps us warm.
People’s facial emotions – smiling –feels like everyone is happy. If everyone was unhappy you wouldn’t feel safe.
The gates and the walls keep us safe; no strangers can take you. Teachers are with me when we are playing at the front of the school. Teachers make us feel better if we get hurt.
We learn about online safety. Sometimes people can ask for personal information in an email and could track you down.
We talk about how we are meant to be safe in writing – how to spot scams and click bait – they might steal your information. If something looks too good to be true, it probably is.
We learn that adverts might not be true and pay money to get to the top of the list.
We have fire drills.
In PE, we learn how to keep our body safe and how to be mentally healthy.
We should learn first aid too.
In PE, we exercise that keeps your heart beating and makes you healthy.

Year 6

What have you enjoyed learning most about last year?

I liked learning about World War 2 and we had a practice of an air raid. The teacher put a siren on and we had to run under our tables. The tables were like our Anderson shelters.
In PE we were learning to play netball. We cannot move from the spot when we have the ball, we have to pass it.
I like maths – adding fractions.
The Year 5 assembly, we had a poem with rap and I felt confident enough to say it to everyone.
A trip for play leaders - we were practising how to lead playing games. It was really fun and we played all these games.
In maths, learning times tables – when we got a good score we got Aces. Changing the denominator and numerator too.
Going to King Edwards School for the Karl Nova performance; we laughed so much!
Learning how to write a semi-colon after a cold write – I didn’t know how to use it before. We use it to replace ‘but, and’

Can you tell me something about the different words or language you learn?

Tier 3 vocab in geography – learning about the word ‘thatching’.
In maths – divident, quotient and divisor.
In reading, we learn Tier 2 words that may appear in the text, ‘escort’ which means to protect or guard.
Factors in maths.
We learnt about abstract art.
Locks were used like lifts on canals.
In science, we learned about inheritance, DNA and genes. We learned about environmental too. We learned about co-ordinating conjunctions in writing.

How often do you get the opportunity for discussion in lessons? Do you get a chance to talk in lessons?

In reading and writing, we find words about the text eg Tier 2 or 3 and talk to our partners about it.
We have discussions such as about Islamic history today.
In Spanish we had discussions about houses and the different rooms, for example cuatro de ba no means four bathrooms.
We have lots of discussion but sometimes our partners don’t want to talk.
Discussions help you – if you don’t understand something, it helps to talk with someone.
In reading, every day we have a different word and we discuss how we might say it and what it means with a partner.
In most lessons, we have a discussion with the whole class or our partners. It can help each other understand.
We often have discussions but my partner doesn’t put his hand up but he has really good ideas. He can talk to the teacher when he comes over.

How does the teacher tell you what to do to get better?

She will write in the book for what to put in eg in a Gold write with what to add. Or they will come up to us and tell us what to improve on.
Sometimes, we get a target in our book on what to work on eg write on the line.
Most teachers, if I need extra help will come and explain or show handwriting practise.
My teacher told me to relax my shoulders to get better with my handwriting.
In the Gold write, I was told to relax, have some thinking time.
When teachers write LO tick, they also write messages on what to work on. We also have the age related and GD sheets reminding us what to include.
The teachers come and explain to me.
The next day, the teacher will show you where you have made a mistake in the lesson and sometimes he will put something in our book.
They write VF – verbal feedback – if they’ve talked to you. If they’ve helped you a lot, they will put SP for support.
Close the Gap – CTG – is in the book sometimes.

If someone new was going to start at our school, what do you think you would tell them is special about Park Hill that we all care about?

2 things – the Golden rule and the motto ‘To bring out the best in everyone’.
The Golden rule and to be respectful to other people. Tell them how hard Park Hill works and they will work hard to.
We must show respect to teachers but respect lunchtime supervisors and children too – show respect for everyone.
We have a lot of rewards if you are good and they will boost your confidence. If you are down, getting a certificate can boost your confidence.
We are a kind, compassionate school and we aim to bring out the best in everyone.
We expect everyone to have high attendance.
If you work hard you get cubes and a treat.
This is a very compassionate school and you get to go on trips.
There is some one here to talks to you. If you are struggling, there is always someone to help you.

What is the school motto?

We aim to bring out the best in everyone. All children said this.

Can you explain what British values are?

Things that people in Britain have eg laws
Tolerance and respecting others – we learn this at school so when we step into the world we are aware of these things.
Being respectful even if you don’t know someone. Be grateful for what you’ve got.
You have your rights but can’t break someone else’s rights.
Everyone has rights and no-one can change what they believe.
UNICEF rights
Democracy.

The children had confused the UNICEF Rights with British Values so were reminded of them

What makes you feel safe at school?

If something was to happen, there are staff around. There are staff in classrooms if you were in the corridor. There is nowhere where there are no staff.
I feel safe when on the field playing football.
If there was a real fire, we have multiple exits and fire alarms.
If you get hurt, someone can take you to the first aider.
When we are in the playground, there are always staff outside and they can take us in if something happens.
When we go home, we need to be safe and the teachers let us go to our parents at the end of the day from the inside of school.
If someone was to bully you and you told the staff, they would help you.
There are people to talk with - friends, teachers, Deputy Head teachers, mentors, so you can share if something feels bad or uncomfortable.
Teachers always make time for you, even if they are teaching they will get a support teacher to cover and talk. If they can’t do it then, they will make time later even if it wasn’t a big thing.