Dear Parents and Carers,
Welcome back after a lovely holiday. We are really looking forward to getting to know your children, helping them settle and then starting some exciting learning.
Several adults will be working in year 5 this year.
Mrs Keyte- Monday to Thursday
Mrs Gardner- Wednesday afternoons
Mrs Duckett- Friday mornings
Mr Fanning and Mrs MacRae - Friday afternoons
Mrs Connelly- TA on Mondays
Miss Dunkley- TA on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Daily Routines
Please come into school via the KS2 door, store your bag in your locker and have your water, pencil case, reading book and reading diary to hand. When you come in, we will have an activity ready to ease us into our day. At the end of the day, we will come out to the KS2 playground ready to go home.
Weekly Routines
We have a few activities timetabled every week.
Wednesdays- PE
Fridays- PE
On PE days, please come to school wearing your PE uniform. Pupils need to wear a plain white t-shirt (or one with the school logo) and plain black or navy bottoms.
Snacks and water
Just a reminder to bring a water bottle to school. There are opportunities to fill up your bottle during the day. Also, do bring a healthy snack like fruit to school for break time.
Homework
Homework is an important support to class learning. All homework is sent home on a Friday, stuck into their diary.
Maths- this will be a page from Mathletics. Mathletics is an online forum where I can set work based on what we are learning in class. You will receive a login and you will be able see assignments set for you. They are set on a Friday and reviewed on a Wednesday.
Reading- Please read as much as you can and record it in your diary.
SPaG- This will be a page of our CGP book. It is due back to school for Wednesday.
Spelling- These will be spellings which usually follow a pattern or rule. You will receive a list each week on their homework sheet. Mrs Duckett will teach the lesson on a Friday, I will revise it during the week and there will be a test on the following Friday.
Topic- This is a longer homework and you have a half term to complete an activity of your choice.
You can also practise your times tables on TTRS.
Curriculum Overview
This term in writing we will meet texts based on our whole school circus theme, ‘The Man who walked between the Two Towers’, and also books based on our history theme of the Ancient Greeks, including Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. We will start to meet some new year 5 grammar around relative clauses, modal verbs and embedded clauses. We will be writing reflective diaries, letters and mythical narratives. Our visit to the theatre will be really exciting and will embed our understanding of the text.
In reading we will read ‘Who let the Gods Out’ by Maz Evans which is a modern take on the Greek Gods and Mythologica which helps us understand their historical links. We will practise retrieving information, considering language, predicting, inferring and summarising.
In maths, we will be exploring 5 digit numbers and their place value. We will use this to help us add and subtract numbers. We will apply this to one and two step word problems. We will start to find totals and change. We will also revise our skills of multiplying and dividing by 10.
In science, we will learn about ‘Forces’. We will learn about air resistance, water resistance and friction, completing many experiments over the unit. We will have the chance to ask questions and answer them using our own investigations.
In history, we will learn about the Ancient Greeks particularly the cities of Sparta and Athens. We will learn about democracy and think about the legacy of the Greeks today.
In art, we will explore the work of Favianna Rodriguez. We will print using materials we find and create block prints. We will use these prints to create images in her style.
In music, we will learn about notation and will create compositions, using staff notation to record them. Those who wish to, can attend Mrs Woolley’s Choir and then attend Young Voices in January.
In RE, we will learn about Creation. We will explore the potential conflict between the way scientists and Christians explain the creation of the world.
In PE, we will be doing gymnastics and invasion games.
In computing, we will revise our learning on online safety before moving on to creating our own games for others to play using 3D software. I can’t wait to see who wins the best game!
In PSHE and RSE, we will be revisiting our Taking Care Project which is a project where children consider who they can turn to if they need help. We will also be revisiting our work on Zones of Regulation, revising different feelings and thinking about ways to manage them. We will start our PSHE looking at families and looking at relationships.
This year we are excited to be taking part in the Archbishops Young Leaders Award. During the project, which will happen during most of the year, the children will learn about their own leadership potential and look at different issues in our local community, national community and global community. They will complete small challenges on the way to creating a large community action project at the end. We will help them to lead their choice of event. This is an excellent opportunity for the children to shine!
Ways to help at home
In addition to homework, please always remember the following.
The children all did fabulously well in their times tables and they should be rightfully proud. However, to keep them fresh, the children still need to practise them regularly. They are really needed for our maths curriculum.
Please also read as much as you can. There is a significant body of research which tells us of the benefit of reading for developing language and empathy.
Completing puzzles in the newspaper such as su doku and anagram puzzles is really good for logic and reasoning.
I am really looking forward to welcoming the class back.
Do contact us if you have any questions or concerns- we are a team who wants to support your child.
Hannah Keyte