Friday 11 September 2015

Welcome Back


Dear Parents/ Carers of Year 5 Pupils,

We hope that you have had a really enjoyable summer. It is lovely to be back in school and we are delighted with how quickly the children have settled in Year 5.  We hope that you find this letter and pack of information useful.

Autumn Term Curriculum

Here is an outline of some of the areas of learning that we will be covering in class this term within the topics of ‘Forces, Fire and Fighting’ and ‘Dig it up’

Maths
Place value (reading, writing, ordering, comparing, rounding)
Calculations (+ - x ÷). Written and mental methods
Measurement (converting units of measure)
Area and perimeter
Time
Word problems
English
Fables
Non-chronological reports
Play scripts
Narrative Poetry
Science
Feel the Force
Earth and Space
R.E.
How should believers live? What do religions say?
Focus on Christianity and Islam.
Computing
Understanding how search engines work and using the internet with discernment.
Programming, including a computer control workshop day on 10th November.
P.E.
Games (Wednesday)
Dance (Thursdays)
Topic
(History, geog, art, D.T.)
‘Forces, Fire and Fighting’
This will include historical focus on the Stuarts, in particular the battles, the Gunpowder Plot and the Great Fire of London.

‘Dig it Up’
This will include historical focus on the Anglo-Saxons.


How you can help at home


Homework
Year 5 children will receive one English and one Maths homework weekly. Most homework will be completed in the orange Maths or English homework books.  It is really helpful if you can encourage your child to complete homework in a quiet place where they can fully focus. If your child has any trouble with homework, all they need do is come and ask us (where possible before the due date!).  It is also appreciated if you could help encourage children to take responsibility for their own homework- if it is not going to be handed in on the due date then children should tell us themselves. Maths homework will be due in on a Tuesday and English homework will be due in on a Wednesday. We will set some MyMaths homework tasks as part of the Maths bubble homework. If you do not have access to the internet at home children are welcome to use laptops at school to complete these tasks during Friday lunchtimes.
In addition, the children learn a spelling rule each week and will receive a list of spellings that follow this rule (every Monday) which they will need to learn for a weekly spelling test on a Friday.
The children will also be tested on a list of 15 half termly spellings at the beginning and end of each half term. We would appreciate your help in supporting your child in learning these tricky words. Thank you.
We also offer an optional homework every term for those children looking for an extra challenge.

Reading
As you know children hugely benefit from reading regularly, every night where possible. It is still important for children to be reading with an adult on a regular basis too. We have listened to all children read individually and in the front of the homework planner have made an individual suggestion of how often your child would benefit from reading to an adult. Of course this is a guide and if you wish to do more reading with your child than is indicated then that’s great.

Planners
Thank you for your support already in using the homework planners. We hope that you find them useful in helping your child organise themselves. The children are using their planners to record homework tasks but can also use it as a personal diary. Please could you check your child’s planner at the end of each week and sign the bottom of the page. Please feel free to make your own comments. Your child should take responsibility for asking you to check and sign- it. We will collect the homework planners each Monday and Friday.

P.E
We will have P.E sessions on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. Sometimes our timetable has to change so P.E kit should be in school each day please. As the weather is unpredictable it would be useful for the children to have both outdoor trainers and plimsolls (or clean trainers) as part of their kit so that we can use both the hall and outdoors. When it starts to get colder, joggers and jumpers may also be needed.

Art aprons
Children will need to have an old shirt or apron for art. Please ensure your child has one in school at all times. Thank you.

Planners, reading books and homework books.
Please have all of these in school each day. Thank you.


We look forward to working closely with you. Please don’t hesitate to come and see us if you have any questions.

Yours sincerely,


Mrs Michelle Parkin and Mrs Marika Hortop