Year 5 2024 - 2025

Spring Term

Hello and welcome to our Year 5 class page - here you will find everything you need to know about what your child is learning at school. My name is Mr Campbell, and I will be your child’s teacher this year assisted by highly skilled Mrs Rickett and Mrs Finch.

English

In English, we will be focusing on developing our writing skills, including narrative, persuasive writing, and poetry. Students will be encouraged to experiment with various styles and genres, enhancing their ability to express thoughts and ideas effectively. We will begin by exploring creative writing, where students will craft their own short stories, paying close attention to character development and plot structure.

Furthermore, we will also delve into non-fiction writing. Children will research a topic of their choice, allowing them to practise their skills in gathering information, constructing informative texts, and referencing sources accurately. Grammar and punctuation will continue to be a key focus, with activities centred around the use of relative clauses, conjunctions, and the application of correct punctuation in their writing. We will also have weekly spelling tests and vocabulary-building exercises to help enrich our language skills. The texts we will be studying this term are: The Darkest Dark and Young, Gifted and Black/Race to the Frozen North.  Our class novel this term will be Rooftoppers and we will be immersing ourselves in the poetry of Benjamin Zephaniah.

Maths

In Maths this term, our primary focus will be on multiplication and division. Students will learn the written method for multiplying four/three-digit numbers by two-digit numbers, ensuring they understand the steps involved and the reasoning behind the calculations. We will also introduce bus stop division, a method for dividing three-digit numbers by single-digit numbers, which helps to solidify their understanding of these concepts.

Once the children have mastered these skills, we will transition into the Year 5 fractions curriculum, following the White Rose scheme. This will encompass adding and subtracting fractions, and exploring equivalent fractions. We will engage in practical activities to help build their understanding of fractions visually and conceptually, enhancing their confidence and competence in these vital mathematical skills.

Topic

In Topic this term, the children will be learning about what makes North America so special. This engaging unit will involve the study of famous landmarks, diverse climates, and distinct biomes found across the continent. Students will investigate key geographical features and populations within different regions while also addressing the plight of Native Americans.

We aim to foster a sense of global awareness and appreciation for cultural diversity through discussions and activities that explore the history and current issues faced by Indigenous peoples. The children will be encouraged to think critically about the information they find and reflect on how North America’s unique aspects contribute to its rich tapestry of cultures and histories.

Religious Education

In RE this term, we will be focusing on inspirational people who make – or have made – the world a better place. Each child will have the opportunity to share about individuals who inspire them and the qualities that make these figures noteworthy. In particular, we will reflect on the life of Josephine Bakhita, exploring her legacy and the lessons we can learn from her experiences.

The curriculum will also include discussions about our favourite saints and the virtues that made them exemplary role models. We will collectively explore what it takes to be a true disciple of Jesus, studying the teachings He shared with His disciples, and how these messages can be applied to our own lives in today’s world.

Homework

At home, there are many ways in which you can support your child with their learning this year. Each week, Google Classroom will have details of reinforcement activities that can be completed in Home Learning books or online through the Atom Learning homework portal. There are also the Spelling Shed and Times Table Rockstars apps that the children are warmly invited to use as regularly as possible.

Children should also continue to read every night and to have their reading logged in their reading record each time.  It is imperative that pupils read aloud regardless of their book band level (even if they are free readers) as we strive to improve inference, deduction, intonation, and basic oracy skills.  Reading makes the curriculum accessible, and I cannot stress enough the importance of your child reading daily at home. 

Children's planners will note when your child has read in school with an adult as well as times when your child has partaken in a Guided Reading group session and sometimes next steps will be suggested for you to best support your child at home.  All parents and carers are asked to sign page 4 in your child's planner which sets out our homework expectations for the year.

Your child will have weekly spellings which are pertinent to their needs and curriculum expectations which will be written in their planners of a Friday (and also uploaded onto Google Classroom weekly should your child be absent).  Children will have a week of learning their spellings in school and at home before a spelling assessment the following Friday.

PE Days

Tuesday morning with Mrs Bacon - specialist dance teacher (Dance - Country)

Friday afternoon with Mrs Rickett/Mrs Thompson-Jones (Netball)

Please make sure that your child comes to school in their PE kits on these days.

Music

In Year 5, the children have the wonderful opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument.  These sessions will be led by our violin tutor Miss Sherwood from Edsential Musical Routes.  Her expertise is second to none and we now have several Year 6 children who have opted to continue violin tuition this year.

Pupils will receive their instruments within the first two weeks of term and violin lessons will take place of a Thursday afternoon.  It is therefore vital that the children remember to bring their instrument into school with them every Thursday unless stated otherwise.

To keep the violins tuned and well looked after, please ensure that they are kept in a safe space which isn't too hot (like near a radiator) or somewhere that is too cold (for example the boot of a car in the winter months).

Forest School

Unless stated otherwise, our Forest School dates for this year are as follows:

19th September 2024

14th November 2024

23rd January 2025

13th March 2025

8th May 2025

Please ensure that your child comes to school on these days dressed accordingly to the weather forecast in old clothes which you don’t mind getting dirty.  During the winter months, it will be imperative that the children are wrapped up with multiple layers and wear boots/old shoes.  See the LOTC tab above for more details on what to wear and to keep up to date on what your child has been getting up to working beyond the classroom.

Open invitation

You are always welcome to chat with myself after school, or to make an appointment at the school office, if you any questions you would like me to answer.  Together everyone achieves more, so open communication is imperative, and I am looking forward to working alongside you to support your child in making lots of progress this year.

Thank you,

Mr Campbell

Year 5 Teacher & Deputy Headteacher