Dear Parents

 

You may be aware, that in June 2026, there is a check for year 4 children called the “Multiplication Tables Check” introduced by the DfE. On our website is an ‘Information for Parents’ booklet and here is what you need to know:

 

Under the national curriculum, primary school children are expected to know all of their times tables up to 12 x12 by the end of Year 4.  We have been preparing students to know their times tables by the end of year 4 for quite some time now.  However, any additional practice at home will, of course, benefit your child.

 The check itself

• Will take place between 1st June and 12th June.
• Is done online, in school, using a computer or tablet.
• Can be done one student at a time, in groups or as a class.
• Will feature 25 questions and children will have 6 seconds to answer each question.
• There is no problem solving or division - just simple “3 x 4 = ?” type questions.

 

Practice at home

Because maths is such a big subject, and we will of course continue to teach the full curriculum, we will need your continued support to help practise the times tables with your children. Some easy ways to do this include:

• Asking questions such as “What’s 7 x 8?”
• Reciting times tables by rote (4 times 1 is 4, 4 times 2 is 8, etc).
• Using apps and games.  All children have access to MathsShed (by using their Spelling Shed login) and MathsFrame via the South View Junior School Apps page.  There are activities on these sites that almost exactly mirror the 'Multiplication Tables Check'.
• Singing times tables songs - there are plenty available online.

 

Why do we learn the times tables?

Times tables are a vital life skill.  In primary school, times tables knowledge is important for quick mental maths calculations and problem solving, as well as for many of the topics children learn in years 5 and 6 (division, fractions, percentages etc).

If you have any further questions about the multiplication tables check then please do not hesitate to contact me.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Mrs K Young

Maths Manager

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With the weather set to get colder over the coming weeks, we feel it is important to remind everyone of the procedure should we be unable to open due to adverse weather such as heavy snow. 

 

If you feel the weather conditions are unsuitable to travel in and are unsure as to whether school is open, please note the following steps will be taken as soon as possible:

• As soon as a decision is made to close, a message will be placed on the front page of our school website  www.southview-fed.hants.sch.uk 
• A text message will then be sent to the mobile phone number you provided  via our school text message service.
• Local radio stations and the Basingstoke Gazette will be notified of our closure through the Hampshire County Council Website

 

We will endeavour to clear the school site in both icy and snowy conditions, however please appreciate that some gates and pathways will not be opened until they have been gritted and made as safe as possible.  The main gate will be the priority entrance to be cleared and gritted.

 

Should we be unable to open the side gates, we will put a notice on them advising of the closest gate open.

Dear Parents and Carers,

 

As from next term our catering company will be changing from Education Caterers (HC3S) to Chartwells. The result of this change is that school meals will now be offered at a lower price of £2.75 per day rather than the current £3.20.

 

Chartwells are currently working with the kitchen staff to prepare for the changes in January and they have sent through their current menu for you to see, which is uploaded onto the website too.  As soon as the new menu is out we will upload it and let you know.

 

You can see from Chartwells newsletter that they are providing a lot of reassurances regarding the quality of the food and nutritional standards are all being met.

 

Please take the time to look at their newsletter and the menus, any further updates will be included on this web page when available.  Please click here to go to our Chartwell webpage.

 

Best wishes,

Mrs Pape