YBC has signed up to an exciting event, which schools across the country are getting involved in called No Pens Day. 

So what is No Pens Day? 

The aim is to encourage the skills of speaking and listening, which is a part of your child’s national curriculum. 

For part of the day on Tuesday 17th October 2017, children in the school will put down their pens and lessons and activities will have a focus on speaking and listening skills rather than writing skills. Teachers will assess what children in their class have learnt about the lesson by listening to what they say about it. 

Why are we taking part? 

Reading and writing are very important and valuable skills but people are often not aware of how important speaking and listening skills are too. Schools that include speaking and listening in a planned and structured way for children in their lessons see improvement in their classroom involvement. Ofsted inspectors (who check standards in all schools in the country) are noticing more and more that speaking and listening is a really important factor for good teaching and child performance in successful schools. 

How will your child benefit? 

No Pens Day gives your child a chance to practice their speaking and listening skills. It will allow all pupils in your child’s class to become involved in a whole school event, and to contribute to class activities, getting a chance to talk. YBC pupils will be able to use what they have learnt from this day throughout the school year.